Gender

Men have always been portrayed as being tough, masculine and in charge. Heaven forbid anything less. In tough guise, men are described as the dominant culture. Crimes committed by men, like murder are not as shocking as a woman killing a man. The gender overview is that a man is bigger and stronger than women. Dolls with men portrayed as being large frame and woman who were larger in the 50’s and 60’s, but today are expected to be smaller due to their status and being reduced by the masculine, larger strong man.

Men like Howard Stern who degrade woman and makes light of truly violent situations Gender inequality freely encouraged by an influential media figure who is embraced by some as being the “norm.”

Homosexuals being degraded for not meeting the “man box.”

In Understanding Sexual Orientation, it says that “every individual is innately-inherently-either heterosexual or homosexual.” It also says that “from the time of birth one is fated to be one or the other.” That gay and lesbians are recognized by their personality traits. Chapter nine tells us gender is adapted. I agree. Instead of fostering what is natural, we encourage boys to be tough and girls to be dainty and even fragile. It saddens me to think that a boy or a girl who doesn’t meet the “norm” is stigmatized and reduced. Constant debates in our country over gay marriage, a woman’s right to choose and now who will be our next president. Notice two issues are really gender related. Gender being assigned by our political leaders and the people in our country who are so determined to make these people what they consider to be normal. If we know gender is adopted, then why all the expectations. Sexuality and gender are two different things yet related by society as what is the norm in the same sense. Can a gay man love football or a lesbian have long hair and wear make up?

I believe we should be our natural self. Homosexual, heterosexual, boy, girl, blue, pink. Even if you don’t believe in God you must know we were somehow created to be ourselves. Whoever that may be should be our own decision.

I have truly enjoyed this class and have learned there is more to the individual, gender, class, race, culture and history than I could have imagined. I loved all the lectures from our great professor and all the perspectives of my colleagues. While I am in my pursuit of a career in Social Justice, I hope to take all these things into consideration as I look at every human being I come across in my path. Stay true to yourself and allow for knowledge. Its through our experiences we truly come to understand our lives and all that surrounds us.

Peace and Love until we meet again……..