Gender and Sexuality

Gender and Sexuality
You have several video clips and articles uploaded to this module. All documents should be uploaded in Microsoft Word or a compatible format. Respond thoughtfully to the following questions for this Module Response Paper on Gender and Sexuality: 1. (Answer must be at least 300 words) What does it mean that gender is ‘socially constructed’? What is the difference between gender and sexuality? What does it mean to move beyond the gender binary? Should we? Make sure to include quotes or details that illustrate your understanding of the following clips in your response: “Anne Fausto-Sterling on Gender” (parts 1 AND 2) and “TED Talk: Beyond the Gender Binary.” You should also refer to pages 116-118 and 145-150 in Newman for a discussion on the difference between gender and sexuality. 2. (Answer must be at least 200 words) Give some examples of gender stereotypes and comment on how gender stereotypes are ingrained into our collective understanding of social roles. Refer to the Newman readings for this week (pages 145-150 and Chapter 12) and discuss how gender socialization and media images contribute to these stereotypes. How do systems of power and inequality, exploitation, and discrimination operate vis-à-vis gender? Include details and quotes that show your understanding of the following (in their entirety!): “Gender and Socialization,” “Gender Stereotypes,” and “Sexual Objectification” (warning: media images are sexually explicit). 3. (Answer must be at least 200 words) What does it mean that ‘gender violence is a men’s issue’? What role do men play in the formation (and potential dismantling) of harmful gender stereotypes that lead to sexism and the subordination, objectification, and devaluation of women? What is sexism? Include details and examples that demonstrate your understanding of sexism and violence against women from Chapter 12 in Newman as well as a detailed response to the following video clips: “A Call to Men,” and “Gender Violence is a Men’s Issue.”

Gender and Sexuality
Gender is socially constructed
Gender is socially constructed means that society and culture create the roles of every gender and the roles are ideal and appropriate to the particular gender for which it is prescribed. However, there are differences in the understanding of the point. Some people argue that the distinction between men and women regarding behavior is entirely based on social conventions. On the other hand, others have the understanding that the influence of behavior is grounded in the universality of the biological factors to a great extent though the social conventions contribute to gendered behavior. According to Anne Fausto-Sterling on Gender says “…the idea that the culture just floats free from the biology that the sex doesn’t constrain gender at all. There is no evolutionary explanation of gender roles at all.” Therefore, it is evident that biology is fixed, but culture is modifiable.
Sexuality refers biological difference in males and females. The term thus focuses on categorizing individuals based on genitalia and genetic characteristics. On the other hand, gender refers to the societal roles of women and makes. Fausto-Sterling on Gender states that the “gender roles differ from one culture to another but there is a distinct observation in the pattern, for example, women are known for the role of nurturing children.”
According to Yee Won Chong, “move beyond the gender boundary refers to the expression of gender that a person feels comfortable with rather than the assigned gender sex at birth.” Some individuals have a mismatch between their genetically assigned sex and gender identity. Hence, such people are referred to as non-binary, transgender, or gender-nonconforming. Moving beyond the gender binary should be accepted in the society. One of the reasons for the acceptance is that some people are androgynous and restricting them with particular role categorization is unfair.
Gender stereotype
A gender stereotype is viewed in various perspectives. The perspectives are personality traits, behaviors, occupation, and physical appearance. For example, the personality traits women are seen as passive and submissive, and men are viewed as tough, aggressive, self-confident and dominant. In behavior, women are expected to play roles like cooking and attend to other household chores. Men are expected to repair households and command their wives. Occupation: women are expected to handle clean jobs like teaching, nursing, librarians, and secretarial job. Women are supposed to earn less in comparison to men. On the other hand, men are expected to earn more work, attend to hold job profession like engineering and more other tough jobs. Men should be in charge when it comes to handling managerial positions in project and other work management. Concerning physical traits, it the expectation that women are fragile and men are for example expected to have broad shoulders. The physical characteristics vary with the culture.
From Sexual Images, “sexual objection refers to treating a person as a sexual object.” women have experienced a lot regarding stereotypic. They have been undermined. For example, women are trusted with only certain descriptions. Positions in politics were seen to beyond their rich. The stereotypes in the society have discriminated women in clinching to power thus rendering inequality in the society. Today, things are changing, and women are fighting for their rights. The stereotype in the society should be mitigated for the betterment of society.
Gender violence
Gender violence issues entail sexual assaults, relationship abuse, domestic violence sexual abuse of children, and sexual harassment among others. Domestic violence is usually viewed as women’s issue. However, Jacksons Katz argues differently by stressing that the importance of changing the way of our thinking for the realization that violence against women is as well men’s issue. Therefore, men should participate in the provision of solutions to such problems. Looking gender violence as women’s issue is itself a problem because men will not pay attention under the assumption that the issue is out of their concern. It is important to take into consideration that violence against gender may have profound impacts on men and boys of the society. According to Jackson Katz “the same system that produces men and boys as well as a society as a whole, produces men who abuse other men.” And from this concept it understandable that gender violence is men’s issue too.
Sexism refers to the prejudice, stereotyping and discrimination particular against women. Sexism is based on the notion that biological sex gives a distinction between men and women into a separate and hierarchal kind of ordered classes. The outcome of such classification is the primacy of men over women. The sexism leads to undervaluing and disparagement. Sexism and gender violence are no virtue in the society but rather backwardness.