According to Professor Heather Paxson (2006) of MIT, gender refers to the characteristics that differentiate men and women’s behaviors and it includes value judgments connected to masculinity and femininity and everything in between. However, as one learns more and more about gender, they question the necessity of gender and even its existence. In the piece X: A Fabulous Child’s Story by Lois Gould (1978 or 2006) gender is portrayed as unimportant in order to have a good life; gender doesn’t matter. It shows that people have a need to categorize everything into groups because if they don’t, the unknown lingers in their minds and they fear it. People fear the unknown and the different, therefore they fear any gender other than the binary. But…
In his book, Big Money: 2.5 Billion Dollars, One Suspicious Vehicle, and a Pimp- on the Trail of the Ultra-Rich Hijacking American Politics, author Kenneth P. Vogel writes on the newly less regulated, and arguably more corrupt relationship between the American political system and big money donors. In this response paper I will address the main questions in relation to the text. One, which Supreme Court decision allowed for the rise in “Big Money’s” influence over the American political system? Two, how did the Supreme Court decision addressed in question one change both the American political landscape and the fundraising techniques used by those involved in political fundraising? And third, how did the Republicans and Democrats each respond in 2012 to “Big Money” in the American political system. I will follow the answers to these questions with a later section in my paper devoted to a personal response to Vogel’s text, as well as connections between his text and broader topic discussed in our Interest Groups class lectures.…
In 1965, David Reimer, an 8-month-old Canadian twin brother to Brian Reimer, was a victim of unethical psychiatric practices that lead us to understand Nature Vs. Nurture, and how both aid in the development of adulthood. Dr. John Money was first introduced to David, when physicians used an electro cautery needle instead of standard scalpel, which lead to the burning off of his reproductive organ. According to Intersex Society of North America “David’s parents agreed to have him “sex reassigned” and made into a girl via surgical, hormonal, and psychological treatments—i.e., via the system Money advocated for intersex children.” This approach has then provided the perspective in which modern countries use to assume that gender identity is…
Dr. money believed that during the first two years of a child’s life that the child was natural and that it was not just your biology that decided your gender identity but also your upbringing. So these Reimer case was just the perfect to test his theory and so the Reamers’ did as the doctor in instructed and dressed him as a girl and raised him as a girl and they changed his name to Brenda. He told them they were to never tell Brenda she was born a boy or it would never work. They would visit every two years to visit and record the results. The first few years seem to be ok, Brenda seemed to be wanting girl things and everything seem to be working as dr. money said they would. At the age two her testicles were removed. And it wasn’t until Brenda was 7 years old when her mother had doubts about the progress of the gender issue. As Brenda got older she felt like she was crazy for feeling like a boy and wanting to play boy games and feeling like an outcast. As she grew older she started looking more masculine and the doctor pushed for…
In the documentary John, who identifies himself as a boy has a hard time having a difficult relationship with his father. One of the reasons why John’s father did not want to accept his situation is because of his religion views. He believes that when someone is born they should live as their natal gender. The other reason why John’s father did not accept his daughter decision to change her gender is because he said that he felt like he is losing his daughter and it felt as if his daughter was morphing into another…
During Frank Money’s childhood, his family was forced out of Bandera County, Texas. Consequently, the family had to leave their land, their livestock and crops. They had to seek refuge from relatives in Georgia. Frank’s father had to work as a sharecropper while his mother “picked cotton during the day and swept lumber shacks during the night” (Morrison chap. 3).…
In today’s society, people tend to group one and an another into different categories according to their own social identity. An individual’s gender identity refers to which group where one belongs to. The attributes assigned to both males and females are different because of gender differences. In “Becoming members of Society: Learning the Social Meanings of Gender” by Aaron Devor, the author argues that factors such as beliefs and behaviors help differentiate the sexual identity of a person. In addition, Devor views sex as an instrument of determining gender. It is believed that there are only two types of sexes that exist. Which are male and female. On the other hand, “Girl”, by Jamaica Kincaid, the mother tries to forces prescribe behavior,…
Unfortunately, I was unable to attend class today because I was feeling under the weather. I was curious to see if I could make up the participation quiz that was given out today. If not, I totally understand. I jus thought I would ask.…
1) Bruce Reimer, who lost his penis as the result of a botched circumcision in 1996 and was raised by his parents as a girl. As Bruce grew up he knew something was wrong in his life, and he later reclaimed his male identity. Reimer’s story is often cited in nature – versus – nature debates as evidence that people are shaped more by their biology than by their environment.…
After keeping me in the hospital for a week to keep an eye on the baby, the doctor admitted me into the William's Rehab Center. 27 weeks have passed and I am now 37 weeks with Calum's child. My mom has been there for me in a very estranged way and barely makes any eye contact. I know that she is hurt that I am not following her dreams, but what can I do about it? Nothing, zilch.…
Usually when a person is said to be male or female, it is based on their sex assigned to them at birth, specific natal characteristics are used to define a person a boy or a girl. These biological features are not the only determining factor regarding gender identity. An individual’s psyche also has a significant role.…
In Composing Gender by Rachel Groner and John F. O’Hara, there is the discussion of how society shapes gender and imposes gender roles on children, even before they are born, through simple things such as names and gender-themed baby showers. Many people think of anatomy equaling gender, however it is not that simple. Gender is more than just the boy and girl binary. It is the way that different toys are separated into “girl sections” which are typically all pink and “boy sections” which are typically blue. From an early age, society separates boys and girls by gendering things such as names and products. In 1972, there was an article published by Ms. Magazine, written by Lois Gould, about how it is always a battle for a child to not fall into stereotypical gender roles. Her idea for an experiment of raising an androgynous child could change the way society sees gender, if it were to ever be carried out. It made me…
Biology alone determines whether a person is female or male, not culture, but cultural myths outline the roles women and men play in society. These cultural myths constitute to the lack of differentiation between sex and gender, imposing the idea of nature versus nurture. While one is born either female or male due to biology, one’s culture ultimately makes one into a woman or a man. Society has predisposed images of what it means to be feminine or masculine. These gender roles limit the individual’s potential, making humans into performers that must conform to their “appropriate” roles. Being a man should not rely on appearing dominant, aggressive, or never admitting to weaknesses, nor should a woman’s life depend on her reproductiveness…
Growing up, my parents followed the stereotypical gender roles for my brother and I. From the moment we were born he was put in blue and I was put in pink. He was “a little ladies man” whereas I was “going to make some man real happy one day.” My parent’s didn’t mean any harm, they didn’t know any better because they were raised the same way; however, this type of thinking is what causes inequality between the genders in society. In Judith Lorber’s article The Social Construction of Gender she states, “Once a child’s gender is evident, others treat those in one gender differently from those in the other, and the children respond to the different treatment by feeling different and behaving differently” (Kirk 65). In simpler terms, since the…
T., Ehrhardt, 1972, Man and Woman, Boy and Girl; The differentiation and dimorphism of gender identity from conception to maturity, Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press.…