Deconstruction Of Social Concepts
Social concepts shape and are built to help us make sense of the world we live in. They are guidelines to organize the way we are supposed to behave according to society's standards. They exist, simply, because we manifest them. They exist because we collectively agree that they exist. They are essential to understanding Human Nature. We probably would not know how to conduct ourselves in our everyday lives, if they did not exist. Nevertheless we must closely examine or reevaluate how and why these concepts are constructed.
Social concepts, shape the way we live our lives, but we ultimately determine how they are created. We do this by organizing or socially constructing what we experience, do and see into different categories. We view people with different physical features and determine their race or gender. What we see, is what they are. Unfortunately. There is not much thought or in depth analysis involved, when these determining how an individual or a group are to be classified. This poses many ethical problems, as for many years the classifications of race and gender have been based on a binary system. White or minority, male or female. For example, from 1790 until 1960 Americans were classified into single race categories, and in the year 2000, census laws were changed to allow for an individual to self identify as multicultural. 2 Categorization based on this binary system causes many people to fall through the cracks in the system. People were being forced into a proverbial boxes or not counted as part of the populace. The purpose in conducting the Census, is to gain a better understanding of resources that may or may not be needed from the government to the people. It is counterproductive and an actual waste of resources if we are not conducting proper surveys.
Similar to race, gender is a social construct with meanings that have changed over time. We have to ask ourselves whether or not, gender and race would exist outside of social construction? Would they have any significant meaning? Classification of gender is based on a flawed system, it only serves to alienate and control select groups of people. For instance, it was considered to be natural order for females to remain at home, in the kitchen, barefoot and pregnant. To have a husband, a family, and a nice home was the ultimate goal. Men were to be the hunter gatherers. What of women who are sterile, or men who are disabled? Are they unable to achieve self actualization while existing outside of societal norms? These ideologies are fueled by stereotypes and used to justify cruel behaviours. We need to consider have to consider that the concept(s) of gender are constantly shifting.
Despite mounds of scientific evidence that sheds light on the plight of intersex or gender fluid individuals, as it stands to date, The United States Census Bureau does not recognize intersex or gender fluid individuals. These individuals that exist outside of the societal norms, American standards essentially do not count. Would they be treated differently if we did not socially construct gender? Society tells us what it is to be masculine or feminine and how it should be displayed. Gender marking begins at birth and continues through our lifespan. From the moment we are born we are told who to be, and are conditioned to become what is expected of our designated sex. Immediately after a doctor determines the sex of a newborn, the infant is classified male or female and wrapped in pink or blue. As we mature, we conform to or rebel against socially accepted conventions and standards. Fausto Sterling's “Dueling Dualisms” asserts that intersex individuals are much more prevalent in society than we presume. Due to the fact that most clinicians fail to recognize people for who they are or the conditions in which their phenotypes can not be determined as female or male.
Growing up as a child of West Indian traditional catholic immigrants, I was taught that was a woman's responsibility to care for the men of the family. At a young age, I had to learn how important it was to learn how to become the ‘perfect’ wife. You had to find a good husband, but a big house with a white picket fence. Every Sunday my mother would dress me in a frilly dress, and the brightest ribbons she could find to put in my hair. I could not stand it. I am the only female of six children had by parents. I had to do everything. I had to learn how to cook, do laundry, clean and watch over my brothers. I had to stay on top of everything. I was not allowed to cross my arms or my legs the wrong way, lest it be seen as rude or disrespectful. I hated it. I couldn't wait to rip off those dresses, throw on a pair of sneakers and play basketball with my brothers. My brothers on the other were not expected to do much of anything really. When I was younger the excuse was ‘boys will be boys’, but as I got older it evolved to ‘men will be men’. Sometimes, I just wanted to have fun, like the boys.
“Doing Gender” struck a chord with me, because I do not, ‘do gender’. I have always identified as female. Depending on my mood or what day of the week it is, I may wear makeup, or a dress, I may throw on a pair of pumps and I do plan on having children that are biologically mine. All of these activities are overtly considered to be feminine. However, I ran track and played basketball all throughout high school. Activities that most would consider to be masculine. My mother absolutely hated it. She took every opportunity she could to let me know that she was totally against it. She did not like the fact that her only daughter was into sports. Sports were way too aggressive for females. Being a girl meant I was restricted from doing what I enjoyed. So naturally sometimes I would consider being female a to be a hindrance. However as time progressed, I have come to realize that my feelings then, were a direct result of my upbringing. I am almost positive that my mother thought I was lesbian because I played sports. She probably still does. In fact, I remember her once saying to me, “ I have five sons, do you think I want another? ”. This is unfortunately, her way of thinking. The irony is, she was so busy worrying about me, yet when my brother came out as gay, the news probably shook her to the core. I am guilty of gender stereotyping. My brother is the stereotypical jock, Six feet two inches tall, played football in high school, to say I was surprised when he came out, would be an understatement.
“Biology as Ideology” sheds light on the fact that Little to no research exists that investigates whether physical abilities are more or less likely to occur in women than in men. This is more than likely due to the fact that people on average assume that sports are masculine, and that it is taboo for women to be participating in them. The argument, albeit not a strong one, could be made that male bodies are built to sustain damage from strenuous activity and ensure harsher conditions. If that were the case, then they should be the gender that bears children. Also I am pretty sure that Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, or any sort of traumatic brain damage is not good for anyone, male or female. Gender constructs are simplified portrayals of large groups of people based on mischaracterizations. Viewing gender as a biological construct causes society to impose a sense of inferiority on those who deemed to be not normal.
West and Zimmerman argue that, we should analyze sex and gender as independent concepts, because it is crucial in understanding the full scope of human diversity. While the concepts of sex and gender complement each other, they refer to different qualities. There should be more emphasis on understanding gender independence, and how gender roles are formed, otherwise we neglect the needs of disadvantaged people. Clinicians risk misdiagnosing patients, unnecessary surgeries performed on children which may result irreversible psychological damage further on.
