Question

As the readings for this week remind us, your sex is determined biologically (even if within a continuum) while gender roles are socially established. So, when we hear someone tell a male “act like a man,” the assumption is that this person has male biological parts and therefore must adopt the male-appropriate gender role. Similarly when a woman is advised to “act like a lady.” Sooo… What does it mean to “act like a man” in our society? And like a “lady?” What if you’re man and don’t “act like a man?” Or a woman that does not act like a lady? How does “society” respond to those who do not fall neatly into the sex=gender role box?

Answer 1

• Every culture and community has their specific assumption of gender role, they define the roles of the males and females in society.
• Different society and culture have different perspective of gender role, they expect some specific acts from the male and females. There is certain rules and regulations for the both gender. Both are no expected to do same things. The projection of feelings of both gender is not acceptable in the same way, for instance, males are expected to show roughness, masculinity, coldness, anger, openness in contrast, females are expected show softness, warmth, shyness. Hence society always wants to see the expression of the both gender as it is defined already. If a male cries or a female shows aggression, they are told to act like man or act like lady.
• Society is tend to be rigid the existed perspective of role of genders. People criticize the person if they don't follow the rules of the society. Those people who show opposite reaction toward the existed role model, they face difficulty, and rejection in social life, due to social beliefs.