Introduction
Society has been subjected to universally uniform natural surroundings for quite some time, and these tend to follow a definite route. Specifically, in more conservative communities, the natural societal assumption is that people are either male or female and that any other gender presentation is aberrant (Eugenides, 2003). Simultaneously, sexuality and sexual practices follow a similar trajectory, presumably a natural trajectory that mandates sexual attraction between the two sexes. Associating moral dilemmas and ethics with gender and sexuality has helped society establish clear boundaries between the sexes and create norms that appear universally accepted across generations (Eugenides, 2003). This pattern has prompted the world’s religions to guide their adherents on the gender and sexuality pathways they should take to achieve salvation. As a result, society plays a significant part in defining gendered bodies by establishing unspoken rules that instruct expectations regarding individuals of different sex categories and how they should behave.
The family, education, peer groups, and the media are the four primary factors of socialization that contribute to developing a person’s gender identity. Each actor contributes to perpetuating gender roles by establishing and upholding normative expectations for gender-appropriate behavior (Kang, 2018). There is also the possibility of exposure through secondary agents, such as one’s religion or place of employment. After prolonged and repeated exposure to these agents, men and women develop the mistaken belief that they are behaving naturally rather than adhering to a role that has been socially manufactured for them.
How Societies Construct Gender Identities
Individuals’ ideas and behaviors are shaped and formed by the norms and expectations of their society. There are naturally two primary sexes, and a community is built along these gender lines. As a result, when genitalia is normal, society uses them to determine a person’s gender. The presence or absence of male or female genitalia at birth determines a child’s gender from conception. Baby boys and girls have been named differently since the beginning of time to reflect their gender at birth (Eugenides, 2003). Traditionally, male and female names have been assigned to different genders in Western culture.
Historically, there has been a strict division between men’s and women’s clothing used to construct gender identities. As a part of this framework, the justifiable societal distribution of labor based on gender was established (Eugenides, 2003). The Jewish community adhered strictly to this order, and it was seen as discriminatory whenever a person of the “wrong” sex was found performing what was traditionally the men’s job.
Although there is nothing inherently wrong with being a man or a woman, society has a hard time accepting those who do not conform to these binary gender norms. Confusion reigns whenever a single individual exhibits both hermaphroditic (having both genitalia) and ambisexual (having the opposite genitalia for their body) traits. Most people view anything against the grain of accepted norms as aberrant and pathological (Kang, 2018). As these situations fall below societal standards, they are considered with bias. In extreme cases, family members will resort to measures like surgery to correct a transgender member’s gender identity. It is impossible to discount social pressure’s role in shaping people’s gender identities, for better or worse. Due to this action, the issue of gender identity disorder is brought into sharper focus in society.
How Societies Construct Sexual Practices
The degree to which a society is liberal or conservative can significantly impact how sexual practices are constructed. These effects can look very different depending on the group or culture. Individuals in liberal societies are free to engage in any sexual behaviors and practices they choose since liberal societies have more permissive sexual norms (Eugenides, 2003). On the other hand, conservative civilizations approach the topic of sexual activities in the community with caution and tend to adhere to an established order.
Most of the time, urban and rural cultures hold sexual activities and practices in high regard and have designated particular areas for them. Urban and rural areas of today’s society engage in very different ways of life from one another. People in cities are generally more open and accepting of alternative sexual identities and behaviors than their rural counterparts (Eugenides, 2003). This can be explained by the idea that city dwellers are more open-minded and less likely to adhere to conventional sexual mores. However, Christian and Jewish groups take a more conservative stance on sexual behavior (Bilu, 2000). Both groups promote chastity and portray sexuality more as a means for procreation than as a means of pleasure.
The debate that naturally arises and is still up for discussion constitutes sexual activity. There are a variety of sexual orientations, each of which is primarily characterized by a departure from the generally acknowledged standards that pertain to sexual behaviors (Kang, 2018). This perception is shaped by the society in which people live and the moral standards associated with various sexual acts. For instance, the gay and lesbian community has helped normalize sexual habits like homosexuality by raising awareness and explaining why being gay or lesbian is normal (Kang, 2018). In addition, they have stepped up their efforts to enlist new members and fight for their legal rights. The media has also been significant in setting the pace for sexual practices by introducing recent trends into society and breaking barriers that previously existed about sexual practices. Furthermore, the media is liberalizing sexual activities that were once considered more conservative.
How Society Constructs Gendered Bodies
Gender itself establishes the gender norm for a given body type. Traditionally, men are thought to have superior muscular strength and stamina levels. Gendered bodies arise due to society’s expectations of different sex identities. According to the teachings of the Quran, Muslim communities require females to wear full coverings at all times (Salamandra, 2012). Due to this factor, women are conditioned to walk in a particular way, adopting a gendered stance. Expectations established by society for how members of different sexes should look and behave have a significant impact on the development of bodily types. As a result of the expectations, man’s stride in Africa should exude the absolute essence of boldness. This indicates that religion and culture lead to gendered body definition in society.
Men in society are expected to exude confidence and be assertive in all aspects of life. Due to this, men are driven to behave in a specific way in all that they do to live up to this stereotype, which comes in the form of an expectation from society (Bilu, 2000). The creation of gendered bodies can be traced back to society’s conception of what constitutes physical attractiveness. This notion of beauty is portrayed on catwalks because it encourages women to imitate the latest fashions by walking in the same manner as the models on the catwalks. That manner of walking is considered attractive. In general, societal expectation leads to how society constructs gendered bodies.
People tend to adopt particular body shapes and movements based on their work, which contributes to the formation of gendered bodies. Soldiers in the armed forces have been taught to walk with a precise gait, and they are required to keep their bodies in a specific state so that they may continue their training (Bilu, 2000). This evidence demonstrates that a society’s economic conditions play a role in the construction of gendered bodies that are available in that culture.
Females are socialized to sit with their legs crossed, and their hands clasped. That is what the culture calls good sitting for a woman, and it is what ultimately causes women to take up so little room. On the other hand, men are given greater leeway than women when it comes to where they can and cannot sit (Kang, 2018). In the same way that walking like a woman is not considered strong, walking like a man is not regarded as womanly. These are other factors of how societies construct gendered bodies.
Conclusion
The gendered bodies, gendered activities, and gender identities of individuals are all profoundly impacted by society. The society in which one lives highlights the environment that develops the comprehensive constructions that drive community members towards specific ways of doing things. The importance of the social effect can be determined by the fact that it is responsible for creating a framework approaching standardization that subtly instructs people on how to address specific societal issues.
References
Bilu, Y. (2000). Circumcision, the first haircut and the Torah: ritual and male identity among the Ultra Orthodox community of contemporary Israel. Imagined Masculinities, Male Identity and Culture in the Modern Middle East, London, Saqi Books, 33-64.
Eugenides, J. (2003). Middlesex. Picador/Farrar, Straus, Giroux.
Kang, D. B. (2018). Surfing the Korean wave: Wonder gays and the crisis of Thai masculinity. Visual Anthropology, 31(1-2), 45–65. Web.
Salamandra, C. (2012). The Muhannad effect: Media panic, melodrama, and the Arab female gaze. Anthropological Quarterly, 85(1), 45–77. Web.