My Understanding of Gender and Sexuality
Gender and sexuality have been critical in shaping the lives of women and men in societies all over the world. Gender and sexuality have often reflected as inventions of human due to the fact that it takes a variety of forms and varies from place to place and with time (Adichie). Life in the twenty-first century has changed drastically compared to the past, with the world experiencing such phenomena as same-sex marriage and globalization of communication. Similarly, humans are living in culturally diverse settings. As a female of Asian background, notions of gender and sexuality have been impactful in my own life and shaped my experiences in numerous ways.
I am of Chinese background, which is a patriarchal society, which is dominated by men and characterized by distinct gender roles. The community seemed to embrace the concepts of male and female as natural and universal, with men exercising dominance in terms of leadership and authority. At the same time, women acted as subordinates of men. This society perceives women as caretakers and bearers of children, while men’s responsibility is that of the head and provider of the household. Persons of the male gender would often get involved in communal activities that were considered to ‘’belong” to males, such as horse-riding, while girls and women were left to do house chores, such as cooking and cleaning (Eagly & Sczesny, 2019). Differentiation of roles and autonomy has been a clear reflection of gender roles and expectations placed on women.
Growing up, the society gave me an impression that the value of a woman I attributed to her beauty and ability to attract the male gender. This mindset made me question myself for a very long time with regard to when I had to it took to be a ‘‘real’’ woman in the society (Saewyc, 2017). The society has placed significant expectations of female owing to their sexuality, for instance, my mother would always tell me to act like a woman while she emphasized the essence of being quiet, respectful, organized, pretty, and gentle. Discrimination in regards to what I could and could not do made life harder, and I yearned for a whole new different setting that would not judge me solely on my sexuality and gender and one in which I could exercise full autonomy over my own life.
Comparing America and China, it is evident that western society has embraced sexuality and gender as a cultural phenomenon rather than natural aspects. The society here has given a whole new experience of what it means to be a woman. There are many women leaders in the west compared to the east. However, the aspects of sexually here are still in play, albeit to lower levels of significance. Girls are more focused on being thin and skinny, which is perceived as beauty. Nevertheless, I have come to feel that these variances have convinced me that I am more than an object of desire for the opposite sex.
I am a proponent of women empowerment, but I do not consider myself as an active feminist. The term feminism in my community is often associated with women who are at loggerheads with men and do not seek to pursue the typical way of life of a woman. However, after keen interest, I have come to understand that the term is associated with the efforts to make women more prominent in society by eliminating traditional emphasis on sexuality and gender identity. One way is via education, which, as Adiche asserts, does not recognize gender differences (Adichie). I believe that knowledge will make women more competitive while it fosters innovation, creativity, and leadership expertise.
Works Cited
Adichie, Chimamanda N. ‘’We Should All be Feminists.’’ YouTube, uploaded by TEDX Talks, 12 April 2013, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hg3umXU_qWc.
Eagly, Alice H., & Sabine, Sczesny. ‘’Editorial: Gender roles in the future? Theoretical foundations and future research directions.’’ Personality and Social Psychology, 2019. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01965.
Saewyc, Elizabeth. ‘’A Global Perspective on Gender Roles and Identity.’’ Journal of Adolescent Health, vol. 61, no. 4, 2017, pp. S1-S2. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2017.07.010.