Week 9: Gender

     The book discussed the differences in opinion over whether gender differences could be more attributed to biology or culture; the classic nature vs. nurture debate. I find that biology can explain some of the differences between men and women but certainly not all. I thought the New Guinea study by Margaret Mead was very interesting, as it showed how gender roles can vary based on culture. It demonstrated also that in some societies, gender differences can be nearly non-existent as was the case with tribes who had both males and females share similar characteristics of passiveness, gentleness, and emotional responsiveness. This study would argue that culture plays an enormous role in gender differences, and therefore, can be cited as a reason for gender inequality.

      I thought the experiment that Norah Vincent performed was very interesting as well. She decided to pretend to be a man for an entire year to learn how men behaved when they didn’t think women were around, and how men in general are treated by society. She found many differences in the way she was treated by male friends, people trying to sell her things, and even differences in the ways she felt walking down the street. An experiment like hers can definitely shed some light on how gender differences are fostered and also how gender inequalities are experienced through the perspective of both men and women.

      Gender identity is something that is extremely emphasized in our culture. We are given an identity as soon as we are born and we continue to develop it throughout our lives. Gender inequality can be lessened by raising children in households that treat both genders equally. It may always be difficult to fully understand why certain gender differences exist. I believe that not all can be explained by biology and this is where I agree with the sociological perspective. The culture we live in definitely functions to shape our identity of which gender is a significant part.