Socially Constructed Body Summary

In the article “The Socially Constructed Body,” Judith Lorber explains insights from Feminist theory that discuss how men and women in a society transform their own bodies to look a particular way in order to achieve the physical image that complies with what society believes is properly “masculine” or “feminine.” She illustrates how these “normal” gender images are not common because they are biologically true, but because society has constructed them. Though some aspects are obviously biological, such as a woman having larger hips, the idea that those hips are necessary to be a sexy woman is socially constructed. Se is trying to convince her readers to question who has created the expectations of gender and why, and to combat the stereotypes