Hcs 490 Week 3 Gender Roles Analysis
Emily Kaup
Professor Kuhlman
LCS 490 – AE
12 November 2012
Gender Roles Analysis Have you ever wondered why you are the way you are? It may seem like a silly question, and an easy one to answer at that, but have you ever really thought about it? Or better yet, have you ever thought how you would be “different” if things didn’t go as they did? Take me for example. I identify myself as a female because, in Althusser’s terms, I was a subject of ideology. I first became a subject when the doctor told my mom she was going to have a girl. Since then, my parents conditioned me to be such by dressing me in pink as an infant, giving me dolls as a child, and teaching me how to “act as a lady” as an adolescent. Later, my parents would have another …show more content…
In her eyes, gender is entirely imitative, as “social agents constitute social reality through language, gesture, and all manner of symbolic social sign” (900). In other words, people act as they do because of the everyday tasks they perform and are surrounded with, otherwise known as social norms. But what happens when one gender imitates the “wrong one?” For example, Freud raises the argument that lesbians imitate a masculine ideal ultimately desiring to be men. If this were entirely true, then what is to be said about feminine lesbians? Do these women want to be men and imitate the masculinity, but perform as women do to fit in, or are they simply women attracted to …show more content…
Butler questions whether these gendered behaviors are natural as they are learned from one’s performance of a “gendered” individual to keep heterosexuality among their culture. If she had it her way, she would simply like to let one subject “be” and see how he/she becomes on his/her own. This would determine the true natural gender of subjects, instead of having them act in specific roles they might not agree with. However, this would never happen as many feminists defend the idea of a concrete identity because they believe it’s crucial for the advancement of interests of women. Butler argues, “My point is simply that one way in which this system of compulsory heterosexuality is reproduced and concealed is through the cultivation of bodies into discrete sexes with ‘natural’ appearances and ‘natural’ heterosexual dispositions” (905). Ultimately, Butler is stating it is a mistake to characterize women as possessing the same assets. Because by doing this, gender regulations are reinforced by staying divided into two categories, men and women. But more importantly, where does this leave individuals who are “confused” or “not able to identify” with a
Professor Kuhlman
LCS 490 – AE
12 November 2012
Gender Roles Analysis Have you ever wondered why you are the way you are? It may seem like a silly question, and an easy one to answer at that, but have you ever really thought about it? Or better yet, have you ever thought how you would be “different” if things didn’t go as they did? Take me for example. I identify myself as a female because, in Althusser’s terms, I was a subject of ideology. I first became a subject when the doctor told my mom she was going to have a girl. Since then, my parents conditioned me to be such by dressing me in pink as an infant, giving me dolls as a child, and teaching me how to “act as a lady” as an adolescent. Later, my parents would have another …show more content…
In her eyes, gender is entirely imitative, as “social agents constitute social reality through language, gesture, and all manner of symbolic social sign” (900). In other words, people act as they do because of the everyday tasks they perform and are surrounded with, otherwise known as social norms. But what happens when one gender imitates the “wrong one?” For example, Freud raises the argument that lesbians imitate a masculine ideal ultimately desiring to be men. If this were entirely true, then what is to be said about feminine lesbians? Do these women want to be men and imitate the masculinity, but perform as women do to fit in, or are they simply women attracted to …show more content…
Butler questions whether these gendered behaviors are natural as they are learned from one’s performance of a “gendered” individual to keep heterosexuality among their culture. If she had it her way, she would simply like to let one subject “be” and see how he/she becomes on his/her own. This would determine the true natural gender of subjects, instead of having them act in specific roles they might not agree with. However, this would never happen as many feminists defend the idea of a concrete identity because they believe it’s crucial for the advancement of interests of women. Butler argues, “My point is simply that one way in which this system of compulsory heterosexuality is reproduced and concealed is through the cultivation of bodies into discrete sexes with ‘natural’ appearances and ‘natural’ heterosexual dispositions” (905). Ultimately, Butler is stating it is a mistake to characterize women as possessing the same assets. Because by doing this, gender regulations are reinforced by staying divided into two categories, men and women. But more importantly, where does this leave individuals who are “confused” or “not able to identify” with a