Gender differences have long been the issue of different debates within social concerns in the human population. Philosophers believe that the separation of men from women actually shapes the healthy diversity that exists within the human activities. To sociologists, this particular factor in the society is the primary reason why there is color in life. However, how do the differences between men and women actually shape the personal or individual perception of each person within the society?
How do these differences actually affect the ways by which people tend to think of themselves in connection with the other’s perceptions of who they are? Are there any particular elements that affect the personal growth of a person that is most likely dependent on the gender that he or she is supposed to live with? These particular questions shall be examined and discussed within the paragraphs that follow. A Look at Gender Inequality Issues Most of the time, debates occur because of the fact that there are instances when the recognition of each gender’s special traits as a person is disregarded by the society during certain circumstances.
This is primarily because of the fact that men and women are viewed differently by the human society. By the different legends, the accounts of creation, the different mythological stories, the shaping of the characteristics of both men and women becomes more vivid, thus making it possible for a person to receive a certain “mark” in their forehead as they grow up basing from their gender, even before they could even make a name for themselves. What are these marking differences all about? Men are primarily noted as the “strong” sector of the human society.
They are viewed to be the primary ones to receive authority and thus imply power upon all others. Through the myths and legends [as mentioned earlier]; men were perceived to have a greater command over things compared to that of the women’s capability of exercising authority over all. On the other hand, women were viewed as the weaker sector of humanity. They are referred to as the complimentary partner of men who are intended to give assistance to the men when they are to carry out their responsibilities over humankind.
Because of the social philosophy based on the theory of essentialism, this traditional recognition of the role of men and women in the society became much easier to accept for so many years. However, during the 1800’s, the birth of liberalization gave way to the feminist movement of the female sector of the population. Things have really changed and the supposed unwavering capability of men to rule over others began to shiver because of primarily being disturbed by the different stresses that the said gender actually had to deal with in life.
After all, men were faced with the many responsibilities that they have to complete for their families, their wives, their fellow citizens and their nation. Attending to these responsibilities mainly made some of the men’s capability to handle multi-numbered responsibilities began to whither. Hence, the women, being known as the complimentary gender to that of the men, began to long for a more important role in the society as progressive individuals of the human civilization. The women then began to create movements that would actually carry their “banners of pride” towards recognition form the entire human society.
The liberty from simply being a wife, being a mother or being a child has been achieved during the 1990’s when women were allowed to run for positions for government administrative offices; when they were given the chance to take over high positions on business corporations; when they were allowed to consider becoming members of the military force; and when they were accepted as a major role-player in the humanity’s leap towards a progressive future in terms of science and technology.
Certainly, this particular recognition of the women’s’ capabilities of creating and incorporating changes within the human society brought so much challenge not only to the male gender but to the female as well as they are expected to prove what they actually claim about themselves and their capabilities to handle the jobs that used to be male-only responsibilities. How Individuals Perceive the Social Differences “Being in is belonging”.
This particular African thought of being joined with within a society indicates the fact that every person is expected to follow a certain pattern of growth basing on the norms that are considered by the society that he or she is particularly living in. Hence, living up to the expectations of the society is considered as one of the most crucial stages of growth that an individual needs to deal with. As mentioned earlier, the society segregates men and women based on the role that they are supposed to play within the community even before the new generations of the human civilization are born.
Hence, coping up with the said social perceptions may either prepare a challenge for the individuals in sticking to the norms or making the changes as to how people primarily perceive human individuals. Being concerned with how or what the people would say usually affects the values that are accepted by a certain individual that would actually intent to shape his personality later on. It could then be observed that people both men and women are perceived to have some responsibilities to complete for the sake of their community’s social as well as economic growth.
Whatever these responsibilities are then affect the way by which both men and women conduct themselves, as they grow older towards maturity. To understand further, it could be observed that people are pressured to follow what the society actually believes. The presentation below shall show how much impact certain social elements make upon the personal development of the individuals, both men and women: The Flow of Social Pressure Upon the Individual Development of Humans:
In this diagram, it could be observed that people are primarily held responsible of constantly defining themselves with what the society actually perceives to be rightful. Without the courage of being different from the usual, an individual may not be able to stand for what he particularly believes in especially considering the fact that there exists some certain social control upon their growth. (Source of Information: George, Ph. D. Abrahams. (2002). Boy V. Girl? : How Gender Shapes Who We Are, What We Want, and How We Get Along.
Free Spirit Publishing. ) Learning the fact that there are certain pressures implied by gender division, it could be noted that gender does have an impact on the individual development of a particular person. It could not be denied that people who are overly concerned of how people would actually see them are directly affected by this fact. Hence, living up to their gender’s separated recognition in the society makes them more aware of the values that they let themselves take in for self-evaluation and examination every now and then.
Yes, men and women have been perceived by the society differently during the past decades compared to how the human society recognizes both genders at present. However, no matter how different it may seem, it could be noted that men and women do have important roles in helping the human civilization move forward to progress. Conclusion As individuals, men and women view themselves differently from the other. It could not be denied that both genders believe that they should be treated in a more superior view than that of the other.
However, no matter how the wheel is turned, it should be realized that although men and women have different attributes in their physical, mental and psychological features, both genders need to be recognized by each other as the key to the success of the present civilization of humans towards a more progressive future. Continuously disagreeing on who is more important among the genders would not cause any good to the society.
Instead, growing into a more maturely focused person based from the determination of one to make a change and not on gender division that the society implies would result to better and amiable progress for the whole population of humans around the world. Indeed, the gender of an individual is not important, but the values within that shape the personality of an individual is what counts most.
References: George, Ph. D. Abrahams. (2002). Boy V. Girl? : How Gender Shapes Who We Are, What We Want, and How We Get Along. Free Spirit Publishing.