Questions
Institutions
Question 1
According to Joan Scott, gender is defined as “a constitutive element of social relationships based on perceived differences between the sexes and a primary way of signifying relationships of power.” On the other hand, Goffman claims that, “If gender be defined as the culturally established correlates of sex (whether in consequence of biology or learning), then gender display refers to conventionalized portrayals of these correlates. “In Scott context, biology is excluded the explanation of gender and the perception of individuals put into consideration. One is perceived a woman when she tends to behave and speak in an acceptable way in line with the cultures and customs that allows women to behave in a particular way. The “she” or “he” gender is differentiated with the roles and responsibilities associated with each other. The patterns observed in communicative behavior also show commonality or certain similarities that show the gender of an individual. Scott concludes that gender is a perception and biology and culture are extremely complex in generating the meaning. In contrast, Goffman explanation totally differs with that of Scott. He formulates what gender means in a unique view. He considers gender as a socially scripted dramatization shaped by the way culture realizes the natures of feminine and masculine. Culture develops a perspective of gender meaning to an audience ready for the idiom.
Question 2
According to Lakoff, the traditional women’s speech can be described as a style of conversation where women routinely apply linguistic devices such as tag questions, indirectness, and hedges to maintain equanimity and social relationship. Women often use these linguistic devices in the expense of their own status and power. Lakoff argues, “How women use language is isomorphic with how they behave in other ways.” This implies that ultimately, women contribute significantly to the women’s lack of political, social and economic power.
However, Herrick identified a weakness in the Lakoff model of women language. He argued that the model is inappropriate because Lakoff categorizes women in the general world category, and they are undifferentiated by any other social characteristics such as class, age, ethnicity or occupational orientation. Consequently, Lakoff argument is vulnerable to essentialism. Lakoff model can be seen as a women-as-deficient model where women do not have rhetorical practical understanding they need to achieve success. Lakoff fails to see other factors that could bring down the power of women and strongly believe that the biggest challenge to the women’s advancement is the way they use the language. He believed that women are ultimately denied access to power because “they are not capable of holding (power) as demonstrated by linguistic behavior along with other aspects of their behavior.”
Question 3
Preston arguments on gender depicts the teaching profession as one intended for females. She claims that the society expects female to pursue the career especially to teach in lower education when children starts their education. The perception may be attributed by the fact that women are caring, kind, considerate, and motherly in nature. Since time immemorial, the roles of women as dramatists and performers give them the upper hand to pursue this profession. The views of the society have considered women as a weak gender while men are perceived supernatural and special. Preston gender theories explain why teaching is a gendered female profession and states that men who pursue it in the lower level are ridiculed and viewed as inferior. As a professor in gender studies, she claims that the society accepts the female in the profession due to their submissiveness and ability to sacrifice their interests to the public. The consistent stereotypes create fear among men, and they try their best to shun away from the profession. The complacency of female helps them to concentrate, and this has made them admire to be teachers so that they can bring in the world.
Question 4
According to the norms and expectations regarding the appropriate police behavior, police work usually associated with masculine behaviors. Women in this field often encounter dilemmas because they are expected to show masculine behavior when interacting with the fellow workers. Women view incompetent working as police officers because they have emotional incompetence. People are familiar that women are sensitive to emotions and expresses about their feelings, despite the fact that their behavior may be perceived as irritable and unsteady as a result. However, in some instances women can be effective to work as police officers because studies shows that women understands emotions and recognize other people’s emotions more than men.
Women face barriers to the entry in the police job because they faces barriers such as ideology and interaction. Where the culture is socialized gendered, men are seen as appropriate gender in the police work because they have better commanding voice compared to women. According to Pamela Fishman, men “speak as they do because their choice of speech style reflects their self-image.”
The police work is also inclined in the male gender because of the policies and practices that are undertaken by police officers. For example in the training, the experiences are gendered in the sense that the developments of technical and physical skills are the basic skills, which usually favor men. Although women are increasing being admitted in the police work, their advancement opportunities are constrained by the gendered work culture, where male counterparts are seen as most appropriate for the job.
