Essay about Gender Role In Social Construction - 1180 Words

Gender Role In Social Construction Works Cited Missing Everyone’s life is affected by social construction. This is the belief that knowledge is determined by society, and in turn (knowledge) is formed by the individuals that belong to the society. When an individual thinks of a doctor, lawyer, priest, engineer, or manager they usually picture males. While nurses, teachers, and housewives (emphasis on wives) are purely female professions in our society. This is social constructionist thought on what role a male/female should play in today’s society. These may not be the professions of choice for the individuals, but what the individual believes is socially acceptable. â€Å"Most of the behavior associated with gender is learned rather†¦show more content†¦The media is one of the most influential tools that social constructionists use to broadcast their theories. â€Å"By the time high school kids graduate they will have seen 360,000 TV ads that affect the way they dress, style their hair, and even the way the y diet†(England, McBride and Peirce 16). There is no doubt that the media is responsible for altering the way our society runs. This is evident in how men, women and children are presented in the various media branches. It almost seems as if the media holds strong to the values of the past, and fears change. An ad from Life Magazine(1969) contained: Because girls dream about being a ballerina, Mattel makes Dancerina...a pink confection in a silken blouse and ruffled tutu ... Barbie, a young fashion model, and her friends do the â€Å"in† things girls should do — talk about new places to visit, new clothes to wear and new friends to meet.... Because boys were born to build and learn, Mattel makes Tog’l[a set of blocks for creative play].... Because boys are curious about things big and small, Mattel makes SuperEyes, a telescope that boys can have in one ingenious set of optically engineered lenses and scopes.(Gornick 305) While such an ad would not appear today, it indicates the environment in which today’s young theorists were raised. Society not only controls what the media can show, but it also determines how the material can be represented. DanielShow MoreRelatedSocial Construction Of Gender And Gender Roles903 Words   |  4 Pages While observing interactions between people of both different and the same genders in the park at Orange Circle, it becomes evident how the social construction of gender and standard gender roles may or may not follow archetypal manner and can be applied differently depending on the individuals. Some of the observations recorded during this period have provided evidence that gender roles and gender stereotypes may be followed or applied in an archetypal way. However, what is most interesting isRead MoreGender Roles And Social Construction1252 Words   |  6 PagesGender roles have influenced our society our whole lives, without us realizing it. They determine the way in which we, as members of society, behave among others and what is deemed socially acceptable and what is n ot, all based on our gender. 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