Codes of Gender Paper - Grade: A PDF

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This is a paper about gender in society, ...

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Samantha Wallace 1-27-17, CST 424 Gender Codes Paper, Dr. Burk Gender Codes and Androgynous Individuals Our world is fabricated by displays of communication, nonverbal and verbal. The documentary, “Codes of Gender,” discusses how the United States is shaped by particular behaviors and traditions of the male and female sex and gender identities. The film discusses in detail our western culture and how it is communicated through our everyday marketing, advertising, and communication behavior. There were a lot of eye-opening facts. In regards to androgynous individuals, how do these displays of gender play out? Androgynous individuals, while discriminated, can decide to either display masculine or feminine gender identities, since they are technically “intersex,” and this has societal complications. How do gender codes affect this society of individuals, and why is it important? “Gender Codes” begins with the values of Western culture. Those values are based on strong external beauty traits and weak internal emotional skills for women, and positive emotional internal processes and powerful external, physical traits for men. Women are expected to look as young as possible and be a literal asset to men, flaunting their bodies and beauty; often in submissive positions such as lying down or physically trying to look smaller. Women are also shown never directly looking at the camera, in order to assert that they are aloof and in their own world. They are also dressed in clothing meant to sexualize, and flaunt off sexual traits. Women are essentially reduced for sexual purposes and superficial appearance purposes. Emotional traits were mentioned for women in western society, but most were downplayed by explaining how those emotions are somehow negative. Western women are expected to be submissive, obedient, and emotionally weak. They are portrayed as the followers

of men and have the mental processes compared to that of a child. Western culture embraces the idea of infantilizing women, by saying that women never truly leave girlhood behind. They are shown with thumbs in their mouths, and compared to infants as needing constant attention and affection, especially from men. Furthermore, women are encouraged to not be assertive and dominant. A woman that is dominant is viewed negatively, as it opposes the idea of a traditional woman and embraces masculinity, which is not a trait a woman should have. Overall, women are downplayed and treated as babies- incapable of making their own decisions and needing constant support or affirmation, whether that be through physical beauty or playing weak emotionally. Contrast these ideas with men. Men are portrayed as physical beasts- powerful and unable to be dominated. They are always protective and must not let any man physically or emotionally run them down, and they are certainly not to be dominated or run by another woman! Their poses in pictures in western culture are physically intimidating and assertive- with men being extremely physically fit and very muscular, and with a direct look at the camera. If men are looking away from the camera, it’s to show off their higher status or wonderful clothing. Women, on the opposite end, are portrayed as aloof and submissive by looking away from the camera. Furthermore, men are usually men are surrounded and held by women- which assumes they are to be protectors of women as well. They are also displayed as confident and never usually smile in their pictures- promoting the underlying idea that men are able to control their emotions. Speaking of emotional health, men are to be stoic and show this in Western culture- by not smiling in pictures or appearing to be too joyful. Their emotions are always balanced, and they assert those emotions with the proper positions of power in society. They are better able to handle firing someone or being emotionally strong enough to run the country or be President. If a

man is overly emotional, he either thought to be gay or very weak. Men are always strong and never break down- their emotions are suppressed under a physical barrier of strength. What does this mean for androgynous individuals? This means that they can choose which western gender identity they embody, even though they don’t fall under one category. Often times, they are viewed as unnatural or weird, or often one gender identity is completely ignored because they embody one gender more than the other. However, these individuals embrace both ideas- even though both have negative aspects of unrealistic expectations. Often times, these gender roles are never what’s portrayed in reality, and androgynous individuals can have a harder time accepting their positions in society because they are trapped within two gender identities. And, with two gender identities displayed unrealistically in the media, they can be emotionally distraught with confusion and indecisiveness initially. Once the androgynous individual decides which aspects of which identity they want to employ, their lives get easier. An androgynous individual with the sex of female can exercise and get a shredded body and be assertive while embracing the idea of wearing dresses and being “emotional” like she “should” be with her biological sex. There are many options for androgynous individuals- but oftentimes, their true identities are reduced down to their biological sex in acts of discrimination, or they undergo bullying that forces them to enact a specific aspect of either a male or female gender identity. Society likes to categorize people by one thing or the other- not both. It’s rare to have people embody ideas outside of societal expectations or publicly enforced gender roles. Androgynous individuals challenge these aspects, and make for a more equal world in unexpected ways. Androgynous individuals set the tone for equality regarding gender. They prove that gender identity shouldn’t define someone- gendered roles are simply limits that place people into

society’s limiting categories. It’s unrealistic to place women and men into categories- both men and women all display different actions and attitudes, and they shouldn’t be separated by gender! Society has done a disservice to the human race by categorizing things. People don’t like indifference- by grouping things together, we reduce people and make it easier to “relate” to one another, and there is always a “yin and yang” aspect to parts of society, in other words, two opposite sides. But, why divide things and place specific pressures on either sex? Why not just accept people for who they are and forget about gender roles and expectations? These are question that may never be addressed in one’s lifetime. People may forever be separated or discriminated against because of societal expectations of male and female gender identities. As discussed, “Gender Codes” played stressful expectations of male and female gender identity on society, that is simply unrealistic or even dangerous. When people watch the media, they are being influenced. How else do they learn their “roles” in society? Are we simply reducing or limiting human potential simply because we want gender to guide accomplishments? Androgynous individuals don’t judge based on gender- they simply do what they want, even though society tries to place them under one category or even acknowledges them “rightfully” under both categories. They go against status quos, and embrace ideas from both masculine and feminine gender identities. In a world full of gender identity indifference, these androgynous individuals “stand out” in society. “Standing out” has paved the way for organizations formed to help oppressed individuals, and acknowledge them as human beings. Whatever happened to just being “human?” Why do we constantly categorize things based on opposite poles? No one may ever know the answer, but until then, the world will be challenged and shaped by how people stand out and make new meanings for the lives of others, by providing new visions of diversity....