Gender studies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Gender studies - Essay Example However, the concept of gender and masculinity is not actually as simple as it may seem, because, in reality, gender has different meanings to different people (Phillips), as well as masculinity. Gender, Social Practice, and Masculinity. Connell in his book entitled Masculinities views the individual "gender as a structure of social practice" (72). This assertion clearly contradicts to the consideration that gender is formed out of biological reproduction. To Connell, gender exists due mainly to the incapacity of biology in determining the social. Hence, the relationship of genders is one thing that structures the society, and that gender is being developed through an individuals daily undertakings in the society. The construction of gender begins at the time a mother gives birth to her child. Once the baby comes out her womb, the gender of the child is identified based on the genitalia. Babies are clothed in a manner that will represent their gender so that no further questions can be asked in regard to it after knowing their gender. Hence, a sex category transforms into a gender status by the process of giving names, or of dressing (Lorber). Now, there is a form of division once the child knows that he/she is a male or a female because the society dictates that males are different from females and that no gender can be in opposite (homosexual) or both (bisexual) based on the individual humane body features. All these things enable the so called social construction of gender. How does the social construction of gender affect masculinity? Based on Connells approach to identifying gender, masculinity has nothing to do with all things biologically. People have created their own version of what masculinity should mean, and they have succeeded. Because in todays world, talking about masculinity means talking about man alone, and