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Personal identity in gender socialization

“How is the personal gender identity inseparable from the culturally defined identity of

"masculinity and femininity" in gender socialization”

SID: 490092314

Course: SCLG1001

Date: 28/03/2022

Total Words Count: 969 words

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1. Introduction

It is undeniable that various labels at birth define people. When a newborn is born, "sex" is the first

"personal identity" that parents will notice and can determine. As a personal identity, Hall (1996)

states that gender is normative and "is an ideal construct." However, gender identity does not

necessarily correspond to one's innate gender, represented as "transgender." Gender identity is a

kind of self-identification of one's gender under social gender norms. Gender is not only presented

biologically. It is also defined from a gender perspective. This article will consider how an

individual's gender identity relates to gender identities constructed by two cultures of "masculinity

and femininity" in gender socialization. Its main arguments are divided into "gender as a culturally

constructed identity," masculinity and femininity, and the impact of gender in socialization, such as

gender bias in occupations.

2. Masculinity and femininity as culturally constructed identities

People's "gender bias" could not be avoided in the meaning of social construction. The so-called

gender bias here refers to peoples' general concept of "male and female." Such as boys should like

blue, girls should like pink, boys should be more challenging, and girls should be kind. However,

how are their concepts defined as "masculinity" and "feminity"? In their research on masculinity,

Tan et al. (2013, p. 237) mentioned the role of men's lifestyle journals in the construction of

masculinity across cultures. It is undeniable that cultural factors such as magazines, advertisements,

and slogans are a medium for presenting an "ideology." However, defining masculinity as

"characteristics and qualities considered to be typical of men," masculinity and the masculine body

are socially and historically constructed, created, and reinforced by social expectations based on

shared meanings, primarily through mass media Gender display (Tan, 2013, p. 238). First of all,

from a physiological structure, generally speaking, men do have more muscle mass than women,

and their strength will also be more significant. So, from a historical point of view, war is more of a
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male. Furthermore, men occupy a more favorable status deep in the patriarchal society. Hegemony

is established and maintained by the ruling class and used to attract and subordinate women (Tan,

2013, p. 239). Therefore, in times of war, "masculinity" will also be loudly promoted through

culture so that more men can participate in the war and become "armed forces." Likewise, such

stereotypes are manifested in female identities.

In contrast, women were more present to support men in times of war. The requirements for women

are more biased towards domestic affairs, such as cooking and taking care of children. Nineteenth-

century Czech women are typical examples of femininity. Filipowicz and Zachová (2016, p.609)

mentioned that only as mothers can women achieve prestigious social status, fulfill their social

roles, and be respected by other family members. The standard of women as mothers immortalized

stereotypes of femininity, responsibility, love, and self-sacrifice. When gender is presented in such

cultural constructions, stereotypes of "masculinity" and "femininity" are presented. However,

gender-specific culturally constructed identities also embody "gender socialization" in modern

socialization.

3. Personal Gender Identity and Gender Socialization

However, the culturally constructed identities described above form gender societies.

"Socialization" presents the process and result of individuals entering society. Gender socialization

can take on two aspects: the first is the impact of social norms about gender on individuals, and the

second is the individual's internalization of social programs, such as gender education within the

family, education in schools, and division of roles in the workplace. The formation and development

of these gender psychology and behavior result from the combined effect of gendered social culture

and unique ideas. Carter (2014, P. 250) emphasized that culture, and most importantly, socialization,

can influence the dimensions of meaning that underlie one's "personal" identity. Usually, the family
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model is more of the father working and the mother staying at home with the children. It is this

traditional gender stereotype that constitutes the foundation of the gendered thinking of men and

women in society. So the roles played in the family, such as father, mother, and son, daughter these

different roles establish their gender socialization in the family.

At the same time, Carter (2014, P.246) emphasized that many societal roles and tasks are often

gendered. For example, occupations such as teaching and nursing are still female-dominated and

subsequently underpaid and undervalued, while male-dominated occupations such as science and

engineering remain lucrative and well-paid (Seron et al., 2016, p.179). This gender segregation in

occupations and a clear division of roles persists. This phenomenon can be explained as: men are

better at enhancing the value of individuals and standing out in groups. However, women place

more emphasis on interpersonal relationships and emotional communication (Betz & O'Connell,

1987, p.319). Gendered division of labor. Institutional arrangements for people of different genders

in social production, family labor, and community work reinforce the gender identities of

"masculinity" and "femininity." Therefore, when people are aware of their gender, they will assume

the gender roles they should assume in society. These roles are often shared according to cultural

identities of "masculinity" and “femininity."

4. Conclusion

In summary, gender as a personal identity is influenced by various factors. The first is the social

propaganda model of masculinity and femininity. Men are inherently more powerful, so they

engage in more wars and become a force. However, women, as symbols of tenderness, manage the

family's affairs. At the same time, the construction of personal identity is first influenced by gender

stereotypes in family education, forming different gender roles. At the same time, due to the

different gender characteristics of men and women in the workplace, they are engaged in different
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careers, forming gender segregation. Furthermore, these have become gender socialization as a

personal identity. Culturally constructed "masculinity" and "femininity" are also closely related to

gender socialization.
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