Essay on Gender Socialization and Gender Stereotypes

Gender socialization is a term that is used to define the process in which people are taught to behave in different manners assigned in their gender, male or female. Gender stereotypes are generalizations about an attribute of an entire group based on gender. In this case, people pre-apply gender assumptions to others without considering the evidence to the real truth, and when doing so, they are spreading gender stereotyping. Sex can be defined as who an individual is biological. On the other hand, gender is what the society prescribes and expects on an individual based on whether a person is male or female. According to Pollack 2011 gender defines people in the society and determines how individuals organize their activities in the world. Gender norms are what the society expects of men and women. Gender socialization is evident is the society where women and men are viewed differently in the society. In the short story on Girls and Boys, there are several aspects of gender stereotypes that will be deliberated in this essay.

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According to Gainor 2000 gender identity is the expression of oneself as a female, male or transgender. Society identifies individuals according to their gender. There are different attitudes, behaviors, and feeling towards gender (Sexual Orientation p. 44)

Gender stereotypes are expressions of gender bias on individuals based on gender. These create disparity and tensions in the society and causes pain and heartbreak to the other person. It also causes the poor relationship between individuals. Research has proved that gender stereotypes are evident for instance, Broverman carried out a study in 1971 where mental health employees were asked to outline and describe the characteristics of the typical male. According to men should not show their feelings and therefore they should hold their emotions in check. Right from childhood, a boy child is taught how to be courageous and strong. The boy is taught that a man does not cry and should be tough. A man should be dependent and also the sole provider of the family needs such as food, clothing, and shelter and therefore a man should be aggressive and ambitious. A man should also be direct in expressing his ideas and opinions (Beyer, p. 780). A man should be logical and sloppy. The same workers were requested to list the stereotypical characteristics associated with women, and they came up with the following; women are emotional and therefore cry in a sad situation. Women are dependent on men for financial and physical support. Women are gentle and less logical compared to men. (Broverman & Broverman 113).

In In the text, there is the gender difference regarding roles men and women perform in the society. Women and girls are expected to stay at home and perform household chores such as cooking and washing dishes. According to the narrator, describe different roles she perform at home, and they include washing dishes and watering the fox. She says, This was my job in the summer when the foxes had to have water twice a day, between nine and ten o'clock in the morning, and again after supper. I filled the drum at the pump and trundled it down through the barnyard to the pens, where I parked it, and filled my watering can and went along the streets. (p. 2). The narrator has been given this responsibility because she was a girl. On the other hand her brother, Laird had not been assigned any responsibility. The narrator enjoyed going out to the farm to work with her father although her mother does not want it. In addition to the role of carrying water, she assisted her father to cut long grass, flowering money-musk and in the lambs quarter.

Her father does not talk to her since she is a girl and he feels that there is nothing they should discuss together (p.2). This silence makes the narrator afraid of her father and does not ask him any questions. Her mother gives her a lot of stories of her earlier life when she was young. Girls are seen as helpers if family work (Beyer, p. 789). When a salesman came to look at the pens, the narrators father refers her as a helping hand. This name makes the narrator very angry. Work in the house never ends, and her mother only finds her something to do when she is done with one task. On the other hand, Laird does not help her in any way, and he goes outside to play. The narrator complains that It seemed to me that work in the house was endless, dreary, and peculiarly depressing. (p. 3). The narrator has no time to rest since she is overloaded with work without any recognition. According to her mother, only the work done by her father is seen ritually important.

A boy is congratulated when he beats a girl. This means that girls should be under men in the society. For instance, when the girl was fighting with her younger brother he pinned her hand in a way that was very hurting. Henry was around, and instead of stopping Laird from hurting his sister, he laughs and tells her that she will receive a real beating from Laird. The society chooses boys at the expense of girls. No one care what the girls are going through and their pain (p. 3).

The girls sitting positions are supposed to sit in certain positions that are different from those of boys. When the narrator grandmother came to visit them for two weeks, she told the girl that Girls do not slam doors like that and they keep their knees together when they sit down.(p. 4) This meant that when sitting down, girls are not supposed to keep the legs apart. The narrator had to abide with this since she wanted to be free of these beliefs. On another instance, she asked some questions, and her grandmother shouted at her that it was none of the girls business. This shows that the society does not approve girls to know everything. Some matters are seemed not to involve them and therefore, they should not know them (p. 4).

The narrator has done some tasks that required self-sacrifice, boldness, and courage but nobody recognized it. First, she rescued people from a bombed house. Second, she shot two rabid wolves at the school. The wolves were frightening the schoolyard. Despite being a girl, she has also ridden a horse twice (p. 2). Her father also concludes that she opened the gate wide for the horse to go out just because she is a girl (p.7).

The society closes its eyes on the capability of girls and diminishes them to old traditional roles such as households chores. The girl is denied information on matters affecting the society. Girls are forced to behave in different manners from those of boys and also to carry different responsibilities in the society.

Work Cited

Beal, Carole R. Boys and girls: The development of gender roles. Vol. 1. McGraw-Hill Humanities, Social Sciences & World Languages, 1994.Beyer, Sylvia. "The accuracy of academic gender stereotypes." Sex Roles 40.9 (1999): 787-813.

American Psychological Association. "Definition of Terms: Sex, Gender, Gender Identity, Sexual Orientation. The Guidelines for Psychological Practice with Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Clients." (2011).