Night to His Day: The Social Construction of Gender by Judith
Lorber is a critique of the problematic associations that society has placed on
binary terms such as man and woman. For example, the word masculine is associated with strength,
power, and dominance while the word feminine
is tied to weakness, sub ordinance, and cowardice. These categories have
continuously reinforced inequality by forcing individuals to emulate what are considered gender norms and expectations. Individuals who do not embody the gender ideal are
often reprimanded by society through acts of discrimination or violence. What
many fail to realize is that abandoning the oppressive gender binary would be
far more beneficial to society, even for men.
Some may make the argument that men are already at the top
of the social hierarchy and will therefore be put at a disadvantage if the
gender binary did not exist. However, it is important to note that gender
categories have set a standard for men so high that it is nearly impossible to
fulfill. According to Lorber “individuals are born sexed but not gendered, they
have to be taught to be masculine or feminine” (57). Some of the ways that men
are taught to be masculine include discouraging sensitivity, acting
out in violence, and having to earn enough wealth to support an entire family
and afford material goods. Men would no longer have to face the pressures of
the masculine standard if this gender category did not exist. For example, men would be able to have more
satisfying relationships with friends and loved ones if there was no longer
pressure to withhold emotions. Men would not have to appropriate violence
against one another to symbolize their dominance. Women would be able to work
and earn an equal salary and would therefore relieve men of the burden as sole
breadwinner of the household. This is just one of the ways that abandoning the
gender binary would be beneficial to society.
Another one of the ways that society would benefit from
eliminating gender categories is described in Suzanne Kessler’s The Medical Construction of Gender. In
it, Kessler explains the controversial act of doctors assigning a sex to children
who are born intersexed. Many cases have resulted in children growing up confused
in a body that they believe is mismatched with their true identities. Doctors
are given the power to assign a gender role to children as way to conform to
society’s standards of what a man or woman should physically look like. If the
gender binary did not exist, intersexed children would be allowed to choose their
own identity once they reach an age of maturity. There would be opportunity to
educate people about the fluidity of the human body, and therefore liberating
transgendered or genderqueer identities. The questions raised in The Medical Construction of Gender are
also reasons why the gender binary should not exist.
Lorber states that the “continuing purpose of gender as a
modern social institution is to construct women as a group to be the
subordinates of men as a group” (62). There seems to be no other use for gender
categories other than oppressing those who cannot successfully perform the
roles assigned by society. While the
words man, woman, masculine, and feminine may not disappear from our
vocabulary, their meanings could transform in ways that could benefit all
people, including men themselves. The equality that we could potentially
achieve if we did not sustain a gender binary is evidence that the binary should
not exist.
Below is an inspiring video of sociologist Michael Kimmel explaining the benefits of gender equality
Question: Do we as a society benefit in any way from a gender binary other than a function of organizing our way of life?
Great video! Sociologist Michael Kimmel definitely gave some great points and viewpoints throughout the video. This definitely fit well to Judith Lorber's critique towards binary terms in our society. Even though there may be individuals who think this may fit well to our society, there will also be many that won't agree this should occur. Michael Kimmel brings many great points on reasons why gender binary wont function so well in our society. It is for the common reason that society doesn't realize that we haven't made a complete change to equalize both men and women.
ReplyDeleteThis has been a great point of view on reasons why there isn't much change because we are blind to realize the situation. Yet, he also brings many important factors on how it will benefit our society. Gender binary still reflects more towards organizing our way of life because it benefits both, male and female to be more relaxed and returning to the same factor of being treated equally. I believe society will always be the same but the way a male or female, feels towards the situation will always be different because we all simply have different opinions and views. Society can't help change the way people feel and this may be the main factor that makes equality for both male and females impossible.
I think that your right; when it comes to eliminating the gender binary. Many men feel the pressure of having to fit into this patriarchal role of the family. It can very well spike more aggression in men as well as depression when they don't achieve the success needed. However there are still some women in society who benefits from their husbands labor while they stay home. Some women may even enjoy this arrangement, leaving all the financial worries their spouse. This might be another round about way that domestic abuse on women come into play.
ReplyDeleteI do not agree that the solution lies in eliminating the gender binary entirely, but perhaps in adding to it, like Lorber mentions is the case in other societies. Just as we know that color and race cannot be defined as just black or white, we need to accept the fact that gender has many shades as well. Being labeled a man or a woman or a transgender can be empowering for all who identify as such, if we all agree that each of us can interpret these labels to mean whatever they mean to each of us individually. For instance, being a woman to me could mean being a business owner, a mom, a wife, a student and sports enthusiast and for someone else it could mean something else entirely. The point is that these labels should not bind any individual into behaving or dressing or thinking in one particular way. It is clear from reading all of these articles and from our lectures that gender is a social construct. If that is true, than we as part of society can change it or reconstruct it to be liberating and empowering instead of oppressing.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your statement "Just as we know that color and race cannot be defined as just black or white, we need to accept the fact that gender has many shades as well" which is exactly why the gender BINARY needs to be eliminated. Having a binary is too rigid and limiting based on the definitions that religion, culture and laws have assigned to it and cannot accurately reflect a population of people who do not all meet those standards. As long as the laws and principles we are governed by continue to define gender as binary, then the social issues regarding gender will continue to persist
DeleteAwesome video! I specifically enjoyed the portion of sociologist Michael Kimmels presentation based on shared parenting. It is an interesting fact that while a child's and wife's life benefits from a man taking a more active role in home and parenting responsibilities, it also benefits the man's health stress levels. To answer your question, I do not feel as though our society needs to be defined by a gender binary. Especially in a family setting. It is a team effort and both parties should be equally contributing in all aspects of life especially when sharing it with someone. Also, it was very amusing to find out that Mens Health magazine was only concerned with the result that lead to intercourse rather then sharing responsibilities for equalities sake. The video fit well with Judith Lorbers the social construction of gender by suggesting that men also can benefit from eliminating gender binaries by not conforming to the gender norms that society has formed.
ReplyDeleteGreat point!! There was a part of me that also didn't think we need the binary to "organize" our lives but I didn't know how to put it into words. Thanks for your input!
DeleteI believe that these articles and the issue of a gender binary, illustrate two different ideas. The Kessler article is focused on the surgical and psychological aspects of determining gender identity, where the pull away from a gender binary focuses on the development of gender identity and support of transgenders. In the Medical Construction of Gender, Kessler mentions a theory of gender as proposed by John Money and Anke Ehrhardt. This theory establishes that an intersexed child has up to the age of 18 months to change its gender identity. The theory rests upon several, serious conditions that are expected to be met before any procedure is undergone, and is not a surgical procedure that is taken lightly by any medical professional. These stipulations are serious and go beyond parents simply choosing the gender they want their child to identify with. The process involves hormone treatments, surgeries, and a deep rooted faith that the child will identify with their gender assignment in the future.
ReplyDeleteI disagree with some of the above comments, which talk about doctors having the power to assign a gender in order to conform to "societys standards of what a man and woman should physically look like." Like any other health issue that a newborn is faced with, parents are called to take direct action so that something that can be fixed at birth, is fixed and does not affect the baby later in life. For example, if a child was born with 12 fingers, would a parent ignore the deformity, or allow the child to grow up (vulnerable to scrutiny and bullying) just so that the child can identify as being a 12 fingered person? I understand that this example is subject to personal values and does not compare to the severity of intersexed children, but the premise of the situation is the same. I do not believe that any doctor prides themselves in having the power to choose the role that a person will play in society, whether it is correcting a health problem or assigning a single gender. Its a tough call for both parents and doctors, but I do not believe that we should blame either parties for their desire for a child to live the most normal life possible. While many people today embrace their identity as an intersexed person, parents have the right to decide how they would like their child to grow up. The complications and challenges of living as a hermaphrodite are immense, which is why some parents choose the gender assignment. That decision should not be condemned, but understood.
As for the construction of a gender binary, I agree that there should be additions to it. Gender exists no matter what, so rather than eliminating male and female from the equation, gender should be an umbrella term that encompasses all types of people and their personal expression of gender.
Shouldn't people be educated about the versatility of the human body? A child should not be bullied in the first place for being born with a condition that is more common than people understand. If a doctor or parents assign a gender to an intersexed infant that is incorrect, then this would also lead to that child being robbed of a "normal life." The long term consequences of growing up in what feels like the wrong body means that parents should not have the right to decide how they would like their child to grow up. If the main issue at hand is preventing intersexed children from being bullied or antagonized, the solution is to educate people on why this is wrong instead of potentially ruining the life of a child.
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DeleteI think you miss the larger point here. The way that Doctors conform to societies standards is by through the instutionalization of education that teaches what is healthy and what is not. The 12 finger example is perfect. Who has determined that 12 fingers is the way that it should be? Could I not function with 12 fingers and therefore why to be healthy must I have 10?
I understand the main points that everyone is trying to make. However, the point that I was trying to make is in regards to the time frame. The doctors who studied gender extensively concluded that up to 18 months of age is the prime time for a gender assignment surgery if necessary. Yes, I agree that a person has the right to decide what body they want to live in for the rest of their lives. However, I do not agree with the agonizing, physical effects that that decision has on the human body (surgery, recovery from surgery, hormone therapy, psychological therapy) if parents do let their child chose who they want to be when they get to an age of understanding.
DeleteIt seems that many of these comments are addressing a "what if" society... What if people understood more about the human body? What if people were not inclined to discriminate against others because of physical traits? The world would be perfect if that were the case. But we do live in a society where people are judged by their physicality and life choices. Again, I am not advocating for parents to choose the gender or sexuality of their child. But the fact of the matter is that people are not educated enough to think that "maybe 12 fingers could be a healthy way to live."
Why is it unrealistic to expect society to change its attitude about judging people by their physical appearance? Wasn't that the point of the Civil Rights Movement? Just like our skin colors can vary, our genitals do not have to look a certain way to be considered a "normal" male or female.
DeleteYes, that was the point of various movements throughout history. Treyvon Martin, Chris Dorner... has society really changed since the Civil Rights Movement?
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DeleteTo answer your question, I would argue that organizing our way of life is just as important as eliminating stereotypes associated with gender. Going from IntellectualLady4’s post on Problems with Intersex and the Enforcement of Gender Roles, Max Beck had both an issue with how to identify himself and how to act accordingly to his gender identity, organization versus stereotype. How to solve such an issue is a loaded question because I believe it’s important to categorize because biologically we do pertain to a sex. I also believe that ideas of what are believed to be male and female needs to change. Now does categorization have to be contained into only two options? Well, not even doctors can answer that since they are having a hard time just choosing between two sides (Kessler’s article). Even so, it is extremely difficult to even imagine another category for sex, or is it just me?
ReplyDeleteAlthough the gender binary does pose a lot more set-backs and opposition between males and females, I would have to say that getting rid of it entirely would be next to impossible. Other than creating a predictable and more organized society, it is what has shaped cultures and societies for many many years. These gendered terms, masculine and feminine, are what helped organize jobs and roles in societies based on men and women's capabilities. Clearly today, it is becoming much more clear that these seemingly different roles can be blurred based on the fact that men and women can achieve the same education and careers.
ReplyDeleteI did find the part about the transsexual man-to-woman very interesting. That, although this person had experienced both sides of the gender binary, they were subject to things like 'learned-helplessness'. That in instances where people assumed she was incompetent, she would then find herself believing she was incompetent. This really shows how it really is society that creates these definitions of feminine and masculine, not you're biology.
This topic is very interesting to me and was brought to my attention in a previous physiology class. That even though when a baby is born a male but raised as a girl and told to like feminine things, the boy will still be more interested in playing with trucks and rough housing and still have male characteristics and same goes for a female . I don't believe the doctors have that choice when the child is so young in determining their gender but once the child is a certain age and they are able to see the qualities of the child.
ReplyDeleteI believe that a person who is born intersex should decide his/her own gender when he/she is mature enough to make such an important decision, and not a doctor. It is a concerning issue that people pay more attention. On the other hand, it's kind of shocking to know that the word "feminine" is tied with weakness; although, this word should not define what a woman really is, and definitely not weak. The gender binary, in a way it organizes the way of life, but does not benefit much to women because there is still the machismo going on in society.
ReplyDeleteI found it interesting that it is a doctor who decides whether an intersex child is male or female. This idea of authority seems almost godly which makes me wonder about authoritative figures in our society. The doctor's decision is based on what society views as what constitues male and female behavior. However, it is ultimately the doctor's decision. This makes me think of the idea of a supreme being. The idea of God being a man or woman is debatable. I'm not sure whether the majority of doctor's in this country are male or female, but it is interesting to think about whether the doctor's gender has any effect on the child.
ReplyDeleteIt's very disconcerting that doctors have this much power and parents are letting societal influences determine their child's fate. It's also unbelievable that there are only two doctors that have done extensive research on the subject matter and unsettling when a doctor comments that the only research available to us might not even be right.
DeleteAs I stated in my post, Gender Identity and Gender Binary will be extremely hard to illuminate. No matter how much we try it has been so enforced in our society and stereotypes have grown on to even those who would like to change their sex as transgenders arguing that if they don't believe in sex such as male or female why would they be changing by getting sex reassignment surgery and not staying queer? there's just many issues over issues that ties gender back to centuries ago. And how can we possibly change the vocabulary that's been enforced from ages and on it will be extremely difficult to do so. However this does not mean we cant try as individuals to start a change.
ReplyDeleteI do not think we benefit any longer, or we have ever benefitted from gender binary in the first place. It has caused a lot of pain for a lot of women and men, and definitely transgendered people. We have defined our own two categories, like putting ourselves inside boxes. It's like "You belong here, or here. Only two options." Where do the transsexuals/transgendered people fit in? Besides the way some clothes fit, and maybe how a woman rides a bicycle and how a seat is created for the bicycle, I just don't see any benefit. Does anyone actually see a benefit? Definitely a hard thing to change as it is engrained to our society, but it doesn't hurt to try little things. I have seen a few unisex bathrooms with stalls in high end new york restaurants, different but forward thinking. Clothing designers could create more unisex clothing, perfumes, etc.
ReplyDeleteWhen it comes to eliminating the gender binary I also think that many men would feel the pressure of having to fit into this patriarchal role of the family and not able to reach this goal will lead to great conflict. I also think that there are women out there who enjoy the social binary because they rely on their husbands to cover all their financial necessities. Therefore, these types of women would have high opposition against the elimination of the gender binary. Due to this high opposition I believe that it would not be possible to eliminate the gender binary. The only solution I can think of is that women should become more empowered and continue to fight for their equal right. More women should pursue careers which are normally dominated by men.
ReplyDeleteThe idea of gender starts with the expectation and acceptance of certain things (traits, values, properties) belong to catagories known as genders. To talk about more gender catagories is pointless without noting Lorber's point that we accept gender as something that exists and not something that is created.
ReplyDelete"Gender is so pervasive in our society we assume it is bred into our genes."
Considering the pervasiveness of what we assume to be something that is in our genes (or that we accept in totality), we must consider that to expand the idea of gender must be considered alongside the idea of the gender assumptions that will come with any expansion.
I really appreciate this post. It hits every aspect of gender binary issues. The gender binary is the classification of sex and gender into two distinct and disconnected forms of masculine and feminine. There is an emphasis on the various characteristics centered to a specific gender for instance in the reading "In a different voice", author Gilligan notes that in the ancient times "reason" was associated with men whereas "feeling" was associated with women. The theory of Kolberg's study of 'moral development examines the claim that women tend to think and speak in a different way than men when dealing with ethical issues.
ReplyDeleteWe as a society do not benefit from the gender binary. Categorizing things, and people, may be human nature, but the gender binary only serves to maintain the status quo. The majority of people accept the gender binary as the norm not because it's "right," but because it's easy. Most people are so used to the idea that boys/men do x, women/girls do y that it makes them uncomfortable when Johnny wants a doll or Jane wants to play football. It threatens their ideas about "normality." Therefore maintaining "normality" means maintaining systems that largely put anyone who does not present/identify as male/masculine at a disadvantage. The gender binary also completely ignores those who don't identify with either gender, with both, who feel there are more than two, etc. and forces them to fit into rigid molds they may not feel comfortable with.
ReplyDeleteA few commenters questioned the need to eliminate the gender binary, asking why we can't work within the defined social norms to change things. As Audre Lorde put it, the master's tools will never dismantle the master's house. You can't attempt to make changes to a system that disadvantages people while simultaneously reinforcing that system. People may be comfortable with those systems (the examples of women who rely on their husbands,) that doesn't mean that they are really benefitting from them in any way.
I found it interesting how Judith Lorber states in “Night to His Day” that gender has become such a routine that people do not realize that they are doing it, I think this is true because gendering is something that we do all the time even though we don’t see it. The author talks about how gender is a social construction which teaches people how to be a man or a woman. I found this interesting because working with small children I have noticed that they are very aware of what things are considered to be feminine and masculine. For example one day at worked I asked one of the little boys “what’s your favorite color?” he replied “pink” and laughed. I asked him why he was laughing and he said “because that’s for girls.” This event came up, because Judith Lorber talks about how gender roles are taught to children since young how to differentiate what is for boys and girls, this idea is reinforced so much that it seems normal and as the author states make us think that we are born into these gender roles when in fact they are just creations.
ReplyDeleteBinary's are detrimental when society uses them to categorize people, and it makes sense that the best way to diminish the core of sexism is to dismantle the binary that binds "the two sexes" and perpetuates the idea that there is only two genders and attributes that are exclusive to each cannot be shared without resulting in social discomfort. Other commentors seem to agree that dismantling the gender binary is impossible, but I think it's entirely possible. The gender binary is being publicly challenged when media and the arts display the advantages to this outlook and refuse to perpetuate images of oppression and separation between the sexes. I've met many individuals who refuse to subject themselves to the binarys of sexual preference (gay, straight, bi) and simply allow themselves to be attracted someones character. Although I feel that this perspective is difficult to really put into effect because it's impossible to establish judgement of someone without determining their gender at all, the fact that this is becoming a more popular practice is telling of how many people are willing to eject gender binary from our society and that willingness is sure to spread. I'm a big fan of sci fi and the elimination of gender binary is a common characteristic of utopian societies depicted in many works. This weeks readings reminded of the John Varleys fun but thought-provoking short story "Options" in which people are given the opportunity to easily change their sexes back and forth and use that ability to force themselves to escape the gender roles that plague our society by "testing" out becoming the opposite sex. I wonder what Judith Lorber would have thought of this fictional projection of future gender identities!
ReplyDeleteGreat video! I agree that eliminating gender binarys, or as you said rather transforming their meaning, could be beneficial to both sexes in areas of eliminating the pressure placed upon both men and women. However I cannot help but think of the effects that would have on the household. For example, while it is becoming more common these days for there to be two incomes in the household, it is still seen as mostly the mother's duty to be the primary caretaker when it comes to the children. If the both parents are working, who takes care of the children? The simplest way to manage the family was to have the men endure the hard labor while the women tended gently to their babies. What the old ideas failed to realize is that we are all have a "feminine side" and a "masculine" side. In telling the men it is ok for them to show "weakness" and telling women it is ok to show their "strength", I feel that the woman takes some of the "masculine" responsibility onto their plates, but has not unloaded any of her "feminine" responsibilities. It seems that we now have to manage the career and the house, and I am not sure if it is because we are more ambitious then the men or just better at multitasking! This post really got me thinking about what our gender roles mean in the family life.
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