West & Zimmerman's classic piece, "Doing Gender" provides
the cornerstone for much gender theory. W & Z argue that gender
is accomplished and performed through interactions, based on
normalized conceptions of gender. It is, "a routine accomplishment
embedded in everyday interaction".Instead of seeing gender as based
within an individual, or structurally organized in a top-down
fashion, they argue that gender is evoked and reinforced through
interactions. Gender refers to the the masculinzed or feminized way
one acts, regardless of biological interpretations of one's sex
category.
Essentially, West and Zimmerman argued that gender is something
that humans created. As humans, we have categorized and defined
many aspects of life. If someone was not in favor of their gender
role or did something that was not deemed "correct" for that gender
this person would be committing an act of social deviance.
Gender is described as 'omnirelevant,' as it is apparent and
relevant in almost every interaction. In their article, West and
Zimmerman use examples such as bathrooms, sports, coupling,
conversations, professions and the might have been[clarification
needed] division of labor to illustrate the ways in which gender is
prevalent in many taken for granted activities.
West and Zimmerman employ the example of a professional woman
in a male-dominated field, through which it becomes apparent that
the woman will have to make decisions as to whether or not she
should engage in "unfeminine" behavior that would otherwise be an
integral part of her identity.
Another component of this theory is gendered assessment of
behavior. In the above example, the woman is engaging in behavior
that will be assessed as either masculine or feminine by her
co-workers. According to West and Zimmerman, this woman will be
evaluated based on how her actions compare to accountability
standards of the sex category she belongs to.
Deviations from these expectations do not have an immediate
effect on the accountability structure itself. Instead, failures to
meet these standards are attributed to the individual rather than
to the rigidity of recognized categories.
With this theory, West and Zimmerman stress the importance of
social interaction in maintaining the gender structure. Because
individuals "do" and assess gender in interaction, gender is
visible in a wide variety of activities such as conversation.
Goffman theorizes that humans make the assumption that each has
an "essential nature," which can be interpreted by reading "natural
signs given off or expressed by them" . One of the most basic
natures that can be assumed from interpreting these signs is one's
masculinity or femininity. Not only is gender often determined by
others relatively easily, but this determination often establishes
the ways in which individuals interact with one another.
Goffman asserts that, because we habitually function within
such scripts, they are taken to be further evidence of essential
natures. He coins the term "gender display" as a way to
conceptualize the ways in which individuals act in a gender
appropriate manner.
Goffman asserts that there is a "scheduling" of gender displays
around activities, so that the activities themselves are not
interrupted by gender displays. For instance, colleagues may
interact in a gendered manner during their lunch hour, rather than
while they are working together on a project.
West and Zimmerman take issue with this piece of Goffman's
perspective, claiming that this masks the ways in which gender
displays permeate nearly all social situations in that individuals
cannot avoid being interpreted as masculine or feminine.
Gender roles help us make sense of our environment, they
influence relationships and our own views. Since the social aspect
of life is such an essential part and needs to be fulfilled, we are
exposed to gender roles frequently and sometimes unconsciously,
absorbing it if it fits with the category that society has
influenced us to perceive it as.
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