Social construction of gender refers to the ways in which the society influences us on the meaning of a woman or man. The society determines the life of each and every person in the society is subject to the impact of social construction due to the normal belief that the nature and levels of knowledge while at the same time knowledge is constructed by the individuals living in that society. The professions like being a doctor, manager or engineers, are socially constructed to be careers for men due to the dominance of the male in the society. The careers like nursing, housekeeping and teaching, are often associated with women in the society. This example of professions is an example of how gender is socially constructed in a society with respect to the male dominated as the female dominated field in the society. The professions are, therefore, assumed by individuals depending on what a society believes is the best in relation to the social construction aspects (Kosut 22). The behaviors related to gender are often learned, therefore, has a big impact on the society in relation to what is socially accepted to be good or bad. The principles governing the right or wrong things in the society are often learning at the early stages in life, thereby, enabling people to internalize various aspects on what is right and what is wrong in the society.
The stereotypical nature of men and women by the media affects the social construction of women and men in the society. The presentation of the media helps in determining how women or men are perceived in the society due to social construction thoughts. The impact of media on the social construction of gender varies among the nations.
Social construction gender is reflected by the fact that the Americans raise up their children involves encouraging the boys to dominate in the society not only over roles but also dominate over the female segment of the population. The girls, on the other hand, are raised to be docile and passive in relation to various roles in the society.
Gender refers to the attributes that are socially constructed to determine being female or male in the society. The aspects of femininity and masculinity are of essence in reflecting the cultural impact on the perception of gender and sexual orientation in the society. Men and women are often treated on unequal manner in the society due to the aspects of being male or female, that is, sex. There are many beliefs and norms in the society on how the men or women should appear. For example men are associated with aspects of hard work while women are associated with high levels of beauty. In relation to the American society the women are expected to have long legs, thin body, largest chest and small feet.
The children are also affected greatly by religious institutions, parents, media and the toys. The way the girls and boys respond to the use of toys often reflect the male dominance in the society and the submissive nature of women which is socially constructed in the society base on gender. The use of toys with sexuality features are found to influence the women to engage in sexual activities at very tender age.
The social construction of gender in the society tend to suppress and oppress women in the society. The women are often portrayed as weak and less educate in the society. The superiority and male dominance activities are among the ways in which socially constructed gender have on the women in the society. This is often to the disadvantage to the women in the society.
Hijras refers people of Indian origin with particular social and gender roles. Hijras are often born as hermaphrodites in the society. Hijras are, therefore, people whose male sexual function is inactive. When they are raised as men, they will realize in the future that they are impotent with the women in their lives (Nanda 18). When the hermaphrodites are raised as women, they tend to realize that they are not women when they fail to show the menstrual cycles. The Hijras may undergo emasculation in order to serve as women in the society. Hijras benefits from the aspects of transgenderism and transvestism in India as opposed to the case of Western nation where they are abused and taken for granted. Hijras in India are respected and are considered as another gender. The myths are used in order to validate the positive identity concerning the Hijras in India. Hijras are men whose sexual organs have been cut off.In relation to cultural definition, Hijras begins from the point by explaining how they are not men. Lot of efforts are used in explaining the differences of Hijras from the rest of the population
In relation to Hijras as not women is used in that despite the fact that Hijras looked like women in the form of clothing and mannerism is terminated .They can dance freely in the public as opposed to women in the society. Hijras also use abusive and coercive language. The act of lifting up the skirt ti show their genitals to the public makes them different from women because women do not lift up their clothing in the public. This is an act is not feminine.
The Hijras could still retain the masculine nature of their body shapes disqualifying them from being women in any way. They also smoke cigarettes an act only done by men in India. The absence of menstruation also makes Hijras not women in reality because women goes through menstruation.
In relation to lesbianism, Hijras is different from lesbians .This is because lesbians involves sexual relationships between a woman and another woman but for the case of Hijras the male sex organs are absents or have been completely cut off and the person only has the female organs. Hijras do not participate in the sexual activity anyhow.
The aspects of being Hijras are very different and distinct from the aspects of homosexuality since the Hijras have no sexual organs at all making it impossible for them to engage in acts of hermaphroditism. This, therefore, makes Hijras a different and distinct gender whose roles are completely different from those of men and women.
The western cultures criticizes the aspects of transgenderism, homosexuality and hermaphroditism in the society while the Hindu religion attaches meaning, values and symbolism to such acts like transgenderism, homosexuality and lesbianism in the society. This is a complete contradiction or clash of the two cultures on how they treat various sexual issues in the society depending on their inner history and beliefs. The aspects of hermaphroditism and transgenderism are considered powerful and meaningful in the society.
Works Cited
Kosut, Mary. Encyclopedia of Gender in Media. Thousand Oaks, Calif: SAGE Publications, 2012. Print.
Nanda, Serena. Neither Man nor Woman: The Hijras of India. Belmont, Calif: Wadsworth Pub. Co, 1989. Print.
