"Learning Gender"

Society has created a standard for which what is to be considered feminine and masculine. From birth we are wrapped into small blankets that are either blue or pink, which in turn represents our biological sex. From then on children are taught the ways in which they must conduct themselves in accordance to their sex. It is inevitable, mainly because most people don’t even know they’re doing it, but gender is constructed in a way that makes you either one or the other (feminine or masculine). I was intrigued but not shocked by the information this article gave me. It’s been a given all my life; no boy being raised on the social standards of today wants to go play with Barbie’s for fear of being called a sissy. Growing up I wanted to be a man’s man: bearded, muscular, and athletic. Now that I’m older I see that I don’t have much of any of those traits; however, this does not make me any less of a man. If you’re to really think about it, the masculine traits men tend to desire set a ridiculous standard for young boys to strive for. The same can be said for the feminine traits as well, although I’ve finally started to realize that it’s a lot harder to be born a woman than to be born a man. Women must face the burden of juggling a social life, work, family, and education, all while still fighting to acquire more rights which they justly deserve. To sum it up, I don’t believe life is fair to many people; however, those that work diligently to break the mold society has created for them will be rewarded with the feeling of happiness.