Similarities Between Men and Women
Sociology of Women
October 18th, 2012
Are men and women more similar or different from each other? What are the strengths and weaknesses of each position? If not a gender dichotomy (male/female), then what? Can we unlearn, as a culture, the ins and outs of gender?
Is gender a question of exclusion or is it a question of difference?
Women and Men are more similar than people believe them to be. People focus on the evident physical differences we see on a daily basis in men and women. Women are commonly described to have breasts, a vagina, and are considered more “voluptuous” or curvy than men, Whereas men are known for their manly tools, their penis, and all the preconceived social and cultural notions that go along with that. However, aside from these minor physical differences men and women are innately the same.
Although most people do not realize this, the only legitimate difference that is scientifically proven between men and women is that a woman’s body contains two X chromosomes and a man’s contains an X and Y chromosome (Connell, 2012, pg. 51). This biological difference then allows a woman’s body to develop slightly differently to enable reproduction, such as a womb, breasts, and wider pelvis. A man then develops testes but surprisingly both men and women’s genitals come from the same embryonic tissue. In other words biologically a penis and clitoris, scrotum and labia, come from the exact same starting place, and until people age these physical characteristics aren’t drastically visibly different (Connell, 2012, pg. 52).
One of the most ridiculous arguments about the differences between men and women comes back to our hormones. Many people are taught the differences between men and women throughout popular culture and education but not similarities. We are taught that our gendered bodies do not share any of the same physical characteristics. Men should be buff, taller, and able to do more in terms of strength while women should be graceful,
October 18th, 2012
Are men and women more similar or different from each other? What are the strengths and weaknesses of each position? If not a gender dichotomy (male/female), then what? Can we unlearn, as a culture, the ins and outs of gender?
Is gender a question of exclusion or is it a question of difference?
Women and Men are more similar than people believe them to be. People focus on the evident physical differences we see on a daily basis in men and women. Women are commonly described to have breasts, a vagina, and are considered more “voluptuous” or curvy than men, Whereas men are known for their manly tools, their penis, and all the preconceived social and cultural notions that go along with that. However, aside from these minor physical differences men and women are innately the same.
Although most people do not realize this, the only legitimate difference that is scientifically proven between men and women is that a woman’s body contains two X chromosomes and a man’s contains an X and Y chromosome (Connell, 2012, pg. 51). This biological difference then allows a woman’s body to develop slightly differently to enable reproduction, such as a womb, breasts, and wider pelvis. A man then develops testes but surprisingly both men and women’s genitals come from the same embryonic tissue. In other words biologically a penis and clitoris, scrotum and labia, come from the exact same starting place, and until people age these physical characteristics aren’t drastically visibly different (Connell, 2012, pg. 52).
One of the most ridiculous arguments about the differences between men and women comes back to our hormones. Many people are taught the differences between men and women throughout popular culture and education but not similarities. We are taught that our gendered bodies do not share any of the same physical characteristics. Men should be buff, taller, and able to do more in terms of strength while women should be graceful,
References: Connell, R. (2012). Short introductions gender. (2nd ed., pg. 50-71). Massachusetts, USA: Polity Press. Women 's Studies Collective, H. C. (2005). Women 's Realities, Women 's Choices- An Introduction to Women 's Studies. (3rd ed., pg. 85-87). New York, New York: Oxford University Press. Plotnik, R., & Kouyoumdjian, H. (2011). Introduction to Psychology. (9th ed., p. 333). Belmont, CA, USA: Wadsworth- Cengage Learning.