A response to "Sex and Gender: What Do We Know?" by Margaret Mooney Marini:
Marini: "Parents treat infant boys and girls differently and grade-school teachers respond differently to male and female students. Thus, even sex differences observed in infancy and early childhood can result from socialization. Sex differences that emerge later can also have a biological basis because physical maturation is associated with hormonal changes that can produce sex differences. It can therefore be argued that sex differences appearing at any age can be a result of socialization, and sex differences that appear only in late childhood and adolescence are not necessarily free of biological influence." (Marini, 102)
Gaby P: I agree with Marini’s theory when she states that socialization plays a major role in gender differences in a child. Parents begin to influence a child’s gender from the moment he or she was born. Little boys are treated very differently than little girls, not just by the parents but in all aspects of their upbringing such as from teachers or fellow students. However, there can also be a biological influence in the child’s gender. I agree with Marini that the biological factor would not fully come in to play until the child reaches their adolescence and puberty occurs because this is when the secondary sexual characteristics begin to appear. I believe that socialization will affect a person’s gender and behavior for their entire lives and the biological factors will also play a role but mainly during a person’s late childhood as a result of hormonal changes. Therefore, culture and society play the major role in shaping a person’s gender.
Marini: “Studies of the evaluation of qualifications and the attribution of causes of performances in high-level male-typed jobs indicate that physically attractive women tend to be disadvantaged by their appearance, whereas physically attractive men are advantaged. This difference arises because physically attractive women are perceived to be more feminine and therefore less likely to possess the masculine traits required for success in male-typed jobs. However, display of certain ‘male’ traits such as aggression and competitiveness can cause women to be disliked and ostracized since this behavior violates gender role expectations and is not perceived as legitimate for women. By comparison, competitive status enhancement is legitimate for men since it is consistent with gender role expectations.” (Marini, 111)
Gaby P: Reading this passage deeply disturbed me. Why is it that women are treated so unfairly in the business world? And what exactly is a male-typed job; what makes a job more male than female? Although this study troubled me, I know that there is a little truth to it. Unfortunately, women are treated unfairly and unequally in the business world. Very often when a women tries to climb the corporate ladder she must be seen as independent and aggressive, which are usually seen as more masculine characteristics. As a result, that woman will be perceived as weird or not normal for not following the social norm and behaving more femininely. However, it is perfectly normal for a man to be aggressive when trying to qualify for a position because it is seen as natural for a man to be more masculine.
2 comments:
I agree with you 100% on everything you said. The passage about women's physical attributes causing them to be looked down upon in the business world is definitely a form of prejudice. How is that any different than not allowing women the right to vote or speak their minds. Its almost the same as discriminating on sex only its discriminating on looks. People should not judge a book by it's cover. If I was to see a very attractive women or man go in to a huge company for an interview I'd think wow they look nice and professional. I wouldn't look down upon the girl thinking she is to "girly" and couldn't do her job. Of course their are those instances where I'm sure that happens but you can't base every opinion on that. And If you see a man come in who looks like a nerd or not well put together or dressed, they think he looks unprofessional and lazy. But yet they want women to look like that? It doesn't make sense!
I completely agree that we treat children differently depending on their gender. I work at an elementary school and I see it everyday. My favorite example of this is when we asked who is in cheerleading and 1 of the little boys raised his hands and the whole class laughed at him. (Even though he did just do this as a joke, it still proves the theory)
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