Assignment 4

1. When Cherlin argues that gender differences are built into the system, he is basically referring to the socialization approach. The socialization approach is when gender differences are on conscious, social learning. In Cherlin's argument he clearly states that in our society, we are either male or female. People get basically built into this system by watching parents, teachers, television actors and others. Gender is systematic in today’s society, because when children are young, they get rewarded for a set of behaviors that fits their gender. They easily learn then that if they were a boy and they were to cry, their parents, friends, or family will teach them that is it wrong for boys to cry, only girls cry. Therefore, they will grow up and most likely never cry because to the “society”, it is wrong.


2. An example of me “doing gender” I would have to say is basically every day after dinner. This is because once everyone is done eating my sister and I get up, clear off all the plates and begin doing dishes. My brother and father have never once done the dishes, yet I have never really noticed this until now. I have never actually sat down and thought about “doing gender”, because I have always just done this my whole life. I have never thought that it was worn or a gender thing. But because looking back at the older days, that was a women’s job, to clean the dishes. Now that this is brought up, it makes me wonder how many things I do sub-consciously that relates to “doing gender.”


3. I believe that sexual identity is how one basically identifies their sexuality. I feel as though one needs to figure out first if they are male or female. Once one figures this out, I feel as though they basically experiment to figure out what one likes, either it be the same sex, the opposite sex, or both sexes. From here one is then classified as being heterosexual, bisexual or homosexual. From there on out that person now has, and knows their sexual identity.


4. Social constructionists believe that sexual identity or gender is socially constructed. This is because a man may feel they are more feminine rather then masculine because that’s the way they were brought up. But because of society, that man may never express how he truly feels because he knows its wrong, and the society may look at him differently. The social constructionists argue that the sexual categories we use are defined by the society we live in. They believe that cultural and historical variations also play a part in ones identity. One example that was mentioned in the book was that in Latin American countries a man, who has sex with another man and plays the “masculine” role, means he is not gay, even though he is penetrating another guy. If the role was switched, he’s clearly gay in that society. If that were to happen in American’s society, both of the men would be considered gay no matter what. Which definitely backs up the social constructionists perspective.


5. If I were asked to participate in a study on sexuality, I would most definitely say yes. I would first ask what the rules on the privacy act. I would ask them, once I answered the questions would you then post that I, personally, answered them? Or would you not put a name by it and just include it in the data? Once the researcher answered my questions and I felt confident enough, I would then answer the questions, truthfully. The reason why I would answer them truthfully is because I would want to research to be correct, and if I lied, I would know that the data would be wrong. Though, I do believe that is difficult to have accurate data on sexuality as a researcher. This is because one may either lie when answering the questions. Also because one may change day to day on how they really feel, because their whole life they have been confused.