The social construct of gender is a structure that is based on social expectations associated with gender. For example, girls are usually dressed in pink and play with dolls, and boys wear blue and play with cars and transformers. Girls are also expected to demonstrate emotionality and sociability, while boys are generally regarded as more aggressive and rational. In this way, through various cultural norms, traditions, and stereotypes, society helps its members form a gender identity. This paper aims to discuss how gender issues impact people’s identities and lives.
Sociologists determine sex as the biological differences between males and females, while gender is seen as the social construct. Therefore, sex relates more to nature and gender – more to nurture issues. My socialization was impacted by gender issues throughout my life, starting from the youngest age, when I began to reflect on my actions, and ending with the most recent events. The whole social order is associated with the distribution of gender roles, and it is difficult for any person to avoid such prerequisites due to the natural need for socialization.
My immediate environment, including my parents and peers, did not exert gender pressure. My parents encouraged gender-neutral interests in me, such as playing sports, learning foreign languages, studying mathematics, playing musical instruments, and participating in drama studios, emphasizing my right to complex development. The respectful attitude of the family towards my personality has formed in me an inner balance and a sense of the right to choose friends who will respect me, and not exert pressure of any kind. The school was also gender-neutral: most educational expectations and conduct rules were not gender-specific. Mass media had a much more annoying effect, but this effect had more to do with intrusiveness and disregard for personal boundaries.
Thus, gender as a social construct seriously impacts people’s identities and lives. However, gender differences continue to blur and have recently become less glaring than they were 50 years ago. Many families and schools that are seriously concerned about children’s proper upbringing and education understand that gender issues are just as sensitive as other social components. On the contrary, public institutions such as the mass media and the legislative system spread more outdated messages.