Gender: Roles, Stereotypes, Discrimination

[Kelfa23]

Yes. I hate dance and gymnastics, and we always have to do them in PE while the boys do football and [real not tag] rugby. And admittedly I'm no better at football than dance, but I at least enjoy it. And a lot of our class feel the same, but the teachers are illogical about it...the conversation in year eight went something like this, as I recall.

My PE class was EXACTLY the same thing. Boys and girls were divided up and the boys got to play football and baseball and all kinds of other cool sports I actually wanted to try. We girls got to do Gymnastics and maybe kickball. I'm a bit biased though because I was a competitive gymnast and was thrilled when we got to use the real equipment and I got to practise most of my elements (they wouldent let me do flips or handsprings on the beam...poo!) However I do remember being PO'd that the boys got to play football or hockey while we played Kickball for the nine hundreth time. I think we were able to mix it up once and got to pick and choose from 8 or 9 different sports...anyone could sign up for anything. Most of the girls went right for soccer or volleyball...but a couple of up chicks signed up for Wrestling! It was way too much fun to learn how to wrestle...we just werent allowed to wrestle against the boys...again, poo!

[sllagnire]

Originally Posted by Kelfa23

My PE class was EXACTLY the same thing. Boys and girls were divided up and the boys got to play football and baseball and all kinds of other cool sports I actually wanted to try. We girls got to do Gymnastics and maybe kickball. I'm a bit biased though because I was a competitive gymnast and was thrilled when we got to use the real equipment and I got to practise most of my elements (they wouldent let me do flips or handsprings on the beam...poo!) However I do remember being PO'd that the boys got to play football or hockey while we played Kickball for the nine hundreth time. I think we were able to mix it up once and got to pick and choose from 8 or 9 different sports...anyone could sign up for anything. Most of the girls went right for soccer or volleyball...but a couple of up chicks signed up for Wrestling! It was way too much fun to learn how to wrestle...we just werent allowed to wrestle against the boys...again, poo!

It was never really like that at my school. We got to choose our sports. Granted, there were sports that were I would say 90% male. But that never stopped me. Even when I was a sophomore in a junior and senior gym class. I never minded playing with the guys. I loved it actually. Since middleschool, I always loved playing wtith the guys.

[Pox Voldius]

I gotta say, the only times I really ever enjoyed gym class were the times when we got to do archery. Bow, arrows, target practice = fun. That I actually do miss doing sometimes.

[mxchape04]

My main complaint on gender discrimination is insurance.

Being a teenager, for some reason a guys insurance is alot higher than a girls.

Other than that...

Us vs. them situations happen all the time

My PE class was somewhat the same way, except everyone played the same sport and the teams were divided boys v girls.

The other thing that happens is the notion that girls are smarter than boys.. i see it in magazines and such and don't understand it because I am a guy who is fairly smart.


Just what I've noticed... i could be wrong

[Wizard_Pupil]

I´m here for the things I have seen.
There´s a big discrimination about this "It´s a girl"

I wonder why people loves to have baby boys and parents tend to prefer the sons.

I dont know why, but yeas, this is true fact:

I have met many couples, but from differente cultures, and they say:
Husband: Those wants his wives to have lots of childs, and only baby boys if its possible, of course husbands prefer boys by nature.
Wife: I dont want a baby girl either (I have met women proclaiming they do not want a daughter, only boys)
Wife: I have a boy and a girl, I prefer my boy of course.

I feel sad for the discrimination those girls will have with sucha parents. Perhasp those girls will be that way in the future. But what can I do? I only say "Love your child *equaly* no matter the gender"

But yeap, the world is that way.
Certainly I dont understand why.

[Yoana]

Originally Posted by Wizard_Pupil

I have met many couples, but from differente cultures, and they say:
Husband: Those wants his wives to have lots of childs, and only baby boys if its possible, of course husbands prefer boys by nature.
Wife: I dont want a baby girl either (I have met women proclaiming they do not want a daughter, only boys)
Wife: I have a boy and a girl, I prefer my boy of course.

Oh, that sounds so sad. And it's probably very hard to change, because children usually copy their parents' behaviour and make their own family in the pattern they saw at home.

[Pox Voldius]

Originally Posted by mxchape04

My main complaint on gender discrimination is insurance.

Being a teenager, for some reason a guys insurance is alot higher than a girls.

I assume you are referring to car insurance?

They actually have a reason for that. It's because their studies & statistics show that teenage and 20-something guys on average tend to have riskier driving behavior. And from what I've seen of other people's driving, from carpooling with various people, I'm inclined to believe it.

[Voldemorts8thHorcrux]

1) Do you believe that men and women are inherently "different" on more than a biological level?

Yes, women mature faster than men, and they are faced w/ more problems like stereotypes in society, so they have to live up to much more things

2) Do you believe that gendering is a matter of nature or nurture? A combination of both?

idk

3) Have you ever felt discriminated against or judged based on your gender?

yes, wen i was in middle school, my gym teacher acted like all the girls didn't exist, including this really athletic girl who beat the boys at half the sports

4) Do you feel that your gender is misunderstood by the opposite gender? Have you experienced an "Us/Them" scenario with regard to gender in your relationships with other people?

I don't really judge people on their gender that much, but when i do, yea, there's the Us/them scenario

5) Are there any fundamental questions you would like to ask of members of the opposite sex? (For obvious reasons, questions must be PG-13). Any misconceptions you would like to clear up that you feel are generally accepted about your gender?

for the guys, what do you think about women in general, im in high skool, so some of the guys are still kind of childish, so do you think that us women are a bit more intellegent, less strong, or some of the other main stuff.

6) Have you ever felt limited by gender roles or ostricized by other members of your own gender for failing to live up to stereotypes and expectations surrounding your gender?

yes, my mom expects me to be a "lady" and i hate how everyone is prejudiced like that

[Nymphadora930]

[b]1) Do you believe that men and women are inherently "different" on more than a biological level? I believe, going back to evolution, men were "built" to hunt, and protect. Women basically had to cook and clean. (when early neanderthals and settelers were more developed, of course) And this trend lasted thousands of years.

2) Do you believe that gendering is a matter of nature or nurture? A combination of both? It has to be a combanation of both, you have you're own beliefs, however, living with the same people for so many years with more experience and knowledge, makes you like them, if you like it or not. We all have some opinion of our parents and family members, but they are what shapes you're personality and are the foundation of you're beliefs.

3) Have you ever felt discriminated against or judged based on your gender? Oh, definatley, we were playing baseball in gym, and coach was pitching underhand to the girls and overhand to the boys, and he was telling every girl who stepped up to use the wide kiddie bat, and the boys to use a normal bat. I stepped up and picked up the normal bat, ha asked me to use the other and I said "i'll be fine, pitch overhand, will ya?" he did so and i hit a home run making all the teachers drop their jaws.

4) Do you feel that your gender is misunderstood by the opposite gender? Have you experienced an "Us/Them" scenario with regard to gender in your relationships with other people? Men don't understand women, and women don't understand men.(relationship wise) It's hard to comprehand why (most) men need a million tools, or why (most) women need a million pairs of shoes. (i'm not girly girl, but come on, even I have a too many pairs to count)
Or, even why potter heads must re-read frequently.

5) Are there any fundamental questions you would like to ask of members of the opposite sex? (For obvious reasons, questions must be PG-13). Any misconceptions you would like to clear up that you feel are generally accepted about your gender?
I just want to know why MOST men can't get over the fact that just because i'm a 14 year old girl, dosen't mean I can't kick you're butt. At my school, the class clown Alex, "crowned" me "that girl that punches like a man" You propally wouldn't be too scared of a 14 year old boy either, however, don't under estamate, gender, or age. (But if i bring age up, thats too off topic, and its too mutch for me to type.) I totally agree with pow voldius, I grew up with my dad, mostly, I visited my mum on weekends. He brought me up on Hot rods, muscle cars, mopar, legoes, supersoakers, nerf, soccer, baseball, "throw some dirt on it", comic books, and pranks. (And that backs me up on my opinion on the nature v.s. nurture topic)
p.s. I IDOLIZE weasley's wizard wheezes!!! ITS MY DREAM JOB, other that a life dedicated to forensics.

6) Have you ever felt limited by gender roles or ostricized by other members of your own gender for failing to live up to stereotypes and expectations surrounding your gender?
yes, the girls in myschool are either preppy (god help me so I don't get started on preps!) or gangster. Neither me nor my friends go with either trend, but the girls at that school are the wimpiest things on the planet. They won't change for gym they scream during dodge ball and they make fun of me and my friends because we never wear skirts, and refuse to just sit and talk during lunch, and go play football with the boys.

[halfbreedlover]

So, did anyone hear about that horrible Supreme Court decision about pay discrimination?

I know NOW isn't the most objective of sources, but really, it was an outrageous decision.

Basically, they ruled that you can't file a pay discrimination suit more than 180 days after the pay discrimination occurs. I think the NOW article does a good job of explaining the uhh, flaws with this policy.

[Pox Voldius]

Originally Posted by Nymphadora930

4) Do you feel that your gender is misunderstood by the opposite gender? Have you experienced an "Us/Them" scenario with regard to gender in your relationships with other people? Men don't understand women, and women don't understand men.(relationship wise) It's hard to comprehand why (most) men need a million tools, or why (most) women need a million pairs of shoes. (i'm not girly girl, but come on, even I have a too many pairs to count)
Or, even why potter heads must re-read frequently.

Heh, in my house (where I'm renting a room, and 5 college students are renting the other rooms), I'm the one who has like a million tools, and one of my male housemates is the one who's got like a million pairs of shoes (and he's a bodybuilder type that has a hopelessly messy room and leaves his weights and his tubs of Cyto Gainer all over the common spaces).

[PLIMPY]

Originally Posted by halfbreedlover

So, did anyone hear about that horrible Supreme Court decision about pay discrimination?

I know NOW isn't the most objective of sources, but really, it was an outrageous decision.

Basically, they ruled that you can't file a pay discrimination suit more than 180 days after the pay discrimination occurs. I think the NOW article does a good job of explaining the uhh, flaws with this policy.

As much as I don't like the implications of this ruling, I am not so sure that I disagree with it (although I haven't read the ruling in it's entirety at this point). Perhaps I should read the minority position to see why perhaps I would disagree but it makes sense to me that the discriminatory action takes place at the time of pay decisions not each individual paycheck.
The NOW article linked to some information about a Kennedy-Harkin-Clinton-Mikulski bill that will change the wording in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act and I certainly hope that passes. One hundred and eighty days to determine that you are earning less than other employees just because of your gender and then filing suit is a bit ridiculous, so hopefully this will have some support. Having the laws written in such a way that it makes rulings like this impossible is the preferable option to me anyway.

[Nymphadora930]

Originally Posted by Pox Voldius

Heh, in my house (where I'm renting a room, and 5 college students are renting the other rooms), I'm the one who has like a million tools, and one of my male housemates is the one who's got like a million pairs of shoes (and he's a bodybuilder type that has a hopelessly messy room and leaves his weights and his tubs of Cyto Gainer all over the common spaces).

That's why I put most, Because I know it's just a stereotype. My dad is a GSM and Runs a few delarships on commercial drive (a huge street containing car delarships in my town). He has more dress shoes than i have regular shoes. I just didnt feel like typing a whole lot so I used the Stereotype lightly as an example.

[junika3]

People expect guys to be a certain way, which is probably why they DO, generaly, grow up to be that way. For example, it's always considered really weird if a guy cries. But girls, nah...they can cry any old time they want to. Which is just weird, because both males and females can feel extremely strong emotions, hence both girls and guys will and can cry.

If a person had not exposed to these sort of stereotyes from the second they were born, do you think they would conform to them?

[Yoana]

Originally Posted by junika3

If a person had not exposed to these sort of stereotyes from the second they were born, do you think they would conform to them?

NO, I think they wouldn't. But it's impossible not to expose them. They see the family, family friends, they hear jokes, they play with other children, theyb go to school and by the time they're out o high school, they've shaped their view of the world, gender stereotypes included.

[Keakealani]

Just this morning I was discussing a gender issue with my mother. I had mentioned that because I'm a girl, I don't feel comfortable wandering around downtown alone, even during the day, while I know my guy friends have no problem with it. I realized that this is a really stupid hangup for me to have - yeah, I still probably wouldn't want to wander downtown alone, but it shouldn't be "because I'm a girl" but "because I have a poor sense of direction and don't really know how to defend myself against the not-so-nice on the streets".

Anyway, to answer the questions:

1) Do you believe that men and women are inherently "different" on more than a biological level?

I don't know, really. On the one hand, I do notice a difference "in general" but it doesn't necessarily follow for every single person. There are certain trends (which probably have more to do with cultural expectations than nature) that seem based on gender, but I've definitely seen those trends broken, as well.

2) Do you believe that gendering is a matter of nature or nurture? A combination of both?

I think it's a lot of both. There are obviously characteristics which are inherent (otherwise the concept of transsexual would not exist) but certain things are helped along with society's expectations and the way children tend to be raised. I remember as a kid being told that girls like to play hopscotch and make house and boys like to play baseball and soccer. I know there are always little hints that nurture a kid to believe that it's "easier" or "better" to act a certain way. Certainly many stereotypes have been broken, but there are still some expectations that don't go away.

3) Have you ever felt discriminated against or judged based on your gender?

4) Do you feel that your gender is misunderstood by the opposite gender? Have you experienced an "Us/Them" scenario with regard to gender in your relationships with other people?

Not really, because I've always been comfortable hanging around boys. However, I think sometimes being a girl does make me inherently different from my guy friends. Sometimes I feel like boys treat me just a bit special because I'm a girl even though I'm not a super "girly girl" or really very typical. And definitely I know there are huge communication lapses between guys and girls.

(skipping #5 since I don't really have anything...)

6) Have you ever felt limited by gender roles or ostracized by other members of your own gender for failing to live up to stereotypes and expectations surrounding your gender?

Certainly. Often I think that perhaps I'd be a little happier if I were born a boy - some of those reasons are shallow (like getting to sing tenor/bass and being in higher demand) but some of them are because honestly I feel like I would have a more "normal" outlook on life if I were a guy. *shrug* I don't regret being born the way I am, and I don't think right now I'd ever want to change, but sometimes I do see little barriers in the way of being necessarily who I could be.

[blue_rose]

Originally Posted by katsumi

1) Do you believe that men and women are inherently "different" on more than a biological level?

What other level is there?

2) Do you believe that gendering is a matter of nature or nurture? A combination of both?

It's probably more nurture than nature...after all there were societies where women were nurtured to hunt and men were nurtured to cook. They didn't fare so terribly. Never accomplished much, either. In the end, male dominated societies were more popular than female dominated societies. All the existence of women dominated socities only tell us is that both sexes can be nurtured to either gender role. However, historically, the male dominated is the more popular option and I think the reason for that comes down to the biological differences between the sexes (ie nature).

3) Have you ever felt discriminated against or judged based on your gender?

Yes, when I was six. A boy pointed and said "Guurls are stooopid"...j/k. But I think people are continually judged against the individual's stereotype/schema of them, whether it be gender, race, nationality, etc. It's not something that can be helped because a schema is basically how we learn. Jimmy might think that everything with a tail is a dog until he sees a cat and has to modify his concept of a dog and begin a new concept for a cat. Likewise until we experience/learn of the exception to our rule, our schema of a certain type of person remains the same. On the other hand, one may argue it's better to keep an open mind and not have any sterotypes at all of people, and though that may be true it's a rarity to find and may not stick around in times of stress.

6) Have you ever felt limited by gender roles or ostricized by other members of your own gender for failing to live up to stereotypes and expectations surrounding your gender?[/b]

According to my father, I'm going to become a doctor, get married, have kids and leave doctoring for the noble profession of 'housewife'...pssh. No way in all of hell would I spend 8 years in school to become a housewife and rarely use what I've learned in that time. *shrug* May be my hormones will say something else after baby #1.

[Yoana]

Originally Posted by blue_rose

What other level is there?

Psychological, social and cultural. Thst's the difference between 'sex' and 'gender' - first is biological and second is socio-cultural.

[moonlite]

It was on the news today about a two year old girl being burried alive by her grandfather. Her crime? Being a girl. Here's the first part of the article:

Originally Posted by Sydney Morning Herald

A two-day-old baby girl was found alive in a grave in southern India on Thursday, after she had been buried by her grandfather who did not want to bear the cost of bringing up a girl, authorities said.

Female infanticide and foeticide, though illegal in India, are still frequent in some rural areas as boys are traditionally preferred to girls as breadwinners, and families have to pay huge dowries to marry off their daughters.

*sigh* Reading stories like this just make me so sad.

[Yoana]

Oh, this is just so sad. I lived in India in 2005/2006, and saw cases like these in newspapers. IN one of the articles it said that although there has been a law forbidding doctors to tell future parents the sex of their unborn child for years now, many doctors do that for money and there is only one case of a court case against an offending doctor.

The dowry system is a huge burden on a girl's parents' shoulders. I'm an indologist and we've studied about that in university. I went to a wedding in India and saw it personally. I think that the dowry system just needs to be abolished de facto (it is abolished de jure already) in order for female infaticide and foeticide to stop.

I've also heard, but have no proof, that there is a similar problem in China, because of the One-child-only policy - naturally everyone wants a boy, because traditionally boys are considered a blessing. Actually, we have the very same traditional belief here in Bulgaria