SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION OF GENDER

A social construction is something that does not exist in

the natural state but it is an invention of society. Cultural
practices and norms give rise to the existence of social
construction and govern the practices; customs and rules
concerning the way we view them. Gender is socially
constructed and it is result of socio-cultural influences on
an individual’s development. According to Judith Butler,
society and culture5 create gender roles and these roles
are prescribed as ideal or appropriate behavior for
specific gender.
GENDER SOCIALIZING
1. GENDER IDENTITY
Judith Lorber in her book “The Social Construction of
Gender” says that the social construction of gender
begins with the assigning a sex category on the basis of
what the genitalia looks likes at birth. When a baby is
born, the first thing a doctor does is to look at the baby’s
genitalia in order to determine whether it will be a boy or
a girl. This is the beginning of the gender process of social
construction. After they are classified as boy or girl,
parents become part of this societal process as they start
dressing them with color that identifies their gender. The
baby girls are dressed in pink and baby boys in blue
because society has made colors as a symbol to
distinguish boys from girls. After, as children grew up,
they start learning how they are supposed to act by
observing and imititating the people of the same gender.
Girls should act like their mothers and boys should act
like their fathers. Each gender is expected to dress and
act in certain ways, but these behaviors then lead to
stereotypes.
2. SOCIAL EXPECTATIONS
The social construction of gender could be further seen
by the way parents behave with their children, by their
expectations about how their children should behave
and act and by the toys they buy for them. For example,
girls are supposed to play with dolls and be sweet and
emotional and boys are supposed to play with action
figures and be aggressive and rational. Therefore, cloths,
toys and even the language used with children follow the
trend of stereotyping gender.
3. FAMILY AND GENDER SOCIALIZATION
Family provides the first impression of what it means to
be a male or female in gendered society. Parents have
their notions of how a girl or boy should behave.
Consequently, they apply those ideas in bringing up their
children. They treat girls with politeness, caring and train
them for housework. On the other hand, boys are taught
to be tough, practical and inclined towards outward
activities.
4. EDUCATION AND SCHOOLING
Education is the second factor which forms gender
perception. Starting from the first years of school,
children learn their gender identity from playing and
interacting with other children and care providers. By
visiting a child care program, one may notice that the
environment is arranged in ways to promote gender
identity. The girls play area is mostly the housekeeping
corner and the building blocks and toy tool kits can be
found in boys’ play area.
5. MEDIA AND LANGUAGE
Media portrays females and males in a stereotypical
fashion. Also, the words we use and the way we use
them can reflect gender inequality. The term “Nurse” is
normally considered to be a female, while the term
“Engineer” is normally considered to be a male.
Language is so gender-stereotyped that the placement of
male or female before titles is sometimes necessary as in
the case of “Female Police Officer”.
6. CULTURAL BELIEFS
Cultural beliefs have a serious impact on gender identity
and in many cases promote stereotypic beliefs against
women leading to gender discrimination. When a society
has specific norms, the people living within the society
will adapt them and they will do the same even for
discriminatory norms. For instance, when a society due
to cultural norms, view women as weak or inferior, the
people living within the society and also the coming
generations will develop the same views and will act
accordingly.

THEORIES OF SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION OF

GENDER
1. THE STRUCTURAL FUNCTIONALIST
According to it, pre-industrial society required a division
of labor based on gender. Women because of biological
necessity remained in the home performing such
functions as bearing, nursing and caring for children.
Men, who were physically stronger and could be away
from home for long periods of time, were responsible for
providing food, clothing, and shelter for their families,
This division of labor was functional for society and over
time, became defined as both normal and natural.
2. THE CONFLICT PERSPECTIVE
According to it, male dominance and female
subordination are shaped by the relationship men and
women have to the production process. During the
hunting and gathering societies, males and females were
economically equals, however, as society evolved to
agriculture and industrial modes of production, women
remained in the home to bear and care for children.
Male domination was furthered by inheritance laws that
ensured that ownership would remain in their hands.
Thus, conflicts theorists hold that the subordinate
position of women in society is a consequence of social
inducement rather than biological differences that led to
the traditional division of labor.
3. FEMINISTS PERSPECTIVE
Feminists argue that gender is socially constructed as
women are socialized into expressive and emotionally
supportive roles and males are socialized into
instrumental or task-orientated roles. These roles are
then acted out in countless daily interactions as boss and
secretary, doctor and nurse.
4. GENDER SCHEMA THEORY BY SANDRA BEM
Gender Schema theory refers to the theory that children
learns about what it means to be male or female from
the culture in which they live. Gender Schema theory
suggests that culture largely influence how children
develop their ideas about what it means be man or
woman. Society’s beliefs about what constitutes male
traits and female traits influence the development of
gender schema. According to Bem, individuals observe
the people and culture around the, learning the various
associations with masculinity and feminity. This includes
not just the physical differences between men and
women, but also the societal roles that men and women
undertake.
5. SEX ROLE THEORY
Sex role theory maintains that biological characteristics
are the basis of gender differences. It focuses that X and
Y chromosomes, hormonal activities and brain
specialization influence a range of individual qualities
from body features to thinking and motor skills. Those
biological factors create differences then the
socialization reinforces these differences based on
biology.