Though we have yet to delve into much of the reading, the initial comments that have been made are certainly a harbinger for the feuds to come. Being that each of our identities is so strongly linked to gender, it is difficult to avoid being insulted or to feel personally attacked by certain arguments made to stamp a certain stereotype or label on what is, essentially, linked to a biological circumstance. The exercise on Thursday reinforced the idea of societal expectations, and the fact that our society became successful with the notion that certain genders were linked to certain tasks, clearly polarizes its citizens and, in the examples we discussed, limited the accomplishments of certain members. At the same time, these ideas cemented down a status quo that allowed for a clear hierarchical structure. It is interesting to note that the formalization of these ideas has developed right along with an increased sense of a stable society. It is mainly believed that in the paleolithic era, women lived with more equality than we do even in the present day.
There are those, however, who have noticed the inequalities of this system, including many members of our own class. As our society has expanded and information has become more easily accessible, it has become clear that the facts are not so clean cut. Though society expects women to be maternal and right-brained, two X chromosomes do not guarantee these characteristics. Because "being different" is directly linked to ostracism and ridicule, women (and men) have been struggling to fit into these molds which have been being perfected for centuries. Women will put on a front that they are less intelligent, and men still view asking for help as a sign of their "feminization." Because media has become so encompassing, it has become impossible to decide whether our feelings, specifically those related to gender, are a result of our natural instincts, or are a reaction to repeated attempts by society to feed their machine by urging women that they will never be good at math, or parallel parking, or any other ridiculous notion that has been passed down through innumerable generations. These stereotypes are mentally and physically detrimental to women and men, and it will be interesting to study how these ideas (singularly) were formed through philosophical, biological, and sociological spheres.
excellent reflections -- both clear summaries of what you've read, connections to other ideas and critical assessment of what is there, and what might be missing.
ReplyDeletethe links in the article to the ideas of gender and the structures of society point clearly to the kinds of conflict we might expect to see connected to social consturcts of gender and power.