Doing Gender - my experiences as a tomboy
Jaclyn Mogus WGST Doing Gender How one chooses to “do gender”, in my opinion, is based upon actions the media and our peer observation advises us to carry out. Hegemonic femininity and masculinity are pushed on us through commercials, magazines, and even through the people who raise us. Society thrives on initiation through conformity; values which the majority decides are social norms. As a child being raised in a patriarchal culture, my perspective on the way gender should surface was very black and white. I was the second child my mother and father had as well as being the next daughter. Raising my sister before me as first time parents, they had a vision in their minds and ideals as to how I would be raised. Basing their standards on society and the actions of my sister, I was raised accordingly. I was given Barbie’s and tea party sets as gifts for special occasions, presents of which I never interacted with. These toys didn’t appeal to me, why should I be made to play with them? I was told it was “rude to decline a gift, so I should just play with it.” Persistently having traditional values pressed on me, I felt the need to rebel at a young age. I often went to my neighbours’ house to play with their son and his Ninja Turtle action figures. Trying to avoid becoming the parents of a “tomboy”, my parents entered me into dress fashion shows my
Critically discuss 3 examples of contemporary family diversity.
Critically discuss 3 examples of contemporary family diversity(1.2) The nuclear family unit is in the minority with only around 39% of households being made up of a heterosexual couple with dependent children. This is obviously changing all the time as single parent families, cohabiting couples and those that are married evolve into, or evolve from, the nuclear unit. There appear to be differences between middle-class and working-class families in terms of the relationship between the parents and the influences they have on the socialisation and discipline of the children. Class diversity seems to show that middle-class families have a greater interest in the education of their children, and pass on advantages and values which help their children through the education system. However, even if working-class families are just as child-centred, material deprivation would limit how much help they could give their children. Therefore the working class child would have fewer chances due to poverty, poor schools and lack of material support. Cultural diversity shows there are many differences between families based on cultural and religious beliefs. Research carried out by Essex University in 2000 shows that only 39% of British born Afro-Caribbean adults, under 60 years of age, are in a formal marriage, compared to 60% of white adults of the same age. This group are far more
Outline and comment on two ways in which mass media can reinforce gender roles.
Gender role socialisation Outline and comment on two ways in which mass media can reinforce gender roles. The mass media has numerous impacts on reinforcing gender roles. One of the ways is through video games. According to Eugene Provenzo (1991), video games have strict representations of roles for both males and females. He suggests games designed for computers such as the Nintendo have extreme stereotypical roles for gender. Women are portrayed as nameless and inactive and in contrast men are displayed as 'macho' and hold qualities such as power, stamina and nerve. An example of this is 'Super Mario' (Nintendo game). Mario and his brother Luigi compete with aggression to save the Princess who does not lift a finger and gets carried around. This displays an impact to the audience who play such games, showing them that women should be passive, whereas men should be aggressive and dominate the female by looking after her and taking over the lead role. Another way in which the mass media reinforces gender roles is through women magazines. Majorie Ferguson (1983) studied three of the most largest selling women's magazines and found that they 'convey a cult of femininity', showing that the magazines give women something to follow and an idea of how to express their femininity, by instructing them values and attitudes of being a women. They tell women not only what to think of