Sociology
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Sex and Gender
In today’s society the words sex and gender are used in such a way that can create confusion. Both are commonly used in an indiscriminate way. Sex defines the characteristics of a person as to being a male or female by their biological characteristics. They are distinguished by their physical body. Gender on the other hand, refers to the acceptable behavior and characteristics of a male and female. Thus gender roles are largely determined by the society and culture we live in. For example female role in this society include child-bearing, and dependence on a male. Male role are independence, success on the job, basically a provider. If any of sex were to not accomplish or took the role of the opposite sex they would be breaking a norm, therefore they would be labeled and sanctioned negatively upon their choice of living styles and in some cases killed or abused physically or verbally.
There are four agents of gender socialization. There is family, your peer group, school and the mass media. Your family is the primary agent. They are the first ones who tell you your gender and help you distinguish the obvious differences between sexes. As a male coming from a Mexican family of six males no females I grew up in a very male dominant family structure. Male dominance is a very acceptable trait of machismo. In machismo men value courage, who can drink more, who can have more sex relations or bore more sons as well as loyalty. This is only one example of an acceptable patriarchic belief in my culture.
Your peer group is also very important especially when you’re very young. As young children (maybe five or six years old) you tend to notice the difference between boys and girls. You live in fear that someone might catch you playing with a boy’s toy or if you’re a boy a girls doll because you know that all the other kids in your class will make fun of you and label you. It is amazing that even at such a young age we know to fear isolation. I...
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