Gender

Name some key learnings or key events that have shaped your
personal sense of gender identity:
Family: Family is very close to my heart and looking up to the
women in my family has been a natural and predominant
occurrence. As Ive grown older Ive come to realised that though I
respect, admire and love these women there are some beliefs
which I dont agree with. My mother, aunties and grandma all
exuded a loving, caring nature. Not saying the men in my family
didnt, but these women implemented it into their daily life not
only as a characteristic of themselves, but as a duty they knew
they had to maintain. Growing up I too learnt this role to care for
those around me, to be the nurturer. I am grateful for this influence
in my life; however I have lacked understanding of the boundaries
in which caring for others overrides caring for you. Reflecting on
my childhood I can now identify many times where my mother was
quite submissive in terms of giving up her own desires and needs
to care for those around her. I am fully aware that with an old
fashion English upbringing this could be a contributing factor, but
personally I need to have more balance and boundaries in my own
life.
Though these are the influences I was brought up with I am aware
that this is not necessarily the only view point; I am my own person
and have the freedom to form new or alter existing mentalities and
beliefs.
Religion: I understand that we are all made in the image of Christ.
That man and woman are just different views and expressions of
who He is. In the Bible it does talk about a women's place is at
home, creating a home, helping her husband, developer of family,
worker in the fields. Though I understand that women are called to
be a helper, God also used woman to achieve wonderful tasks in
His name.
Society: From Barbie dolls to feminism, our society cant make up
its mind about how we should be influencing the next generation.
Gender identity is changing; I believe we are at a point where the
push for gender equality is attempting to override historical beliefs
of male and female. To a point there should equal rights but the
differences in male and females role complement each other, they
assist in each others strengths and weaknesses. Doing away so
that we should all become the same defeats the purpose of why
God created two genders. Personally society has provided the
information for different beliefs in gender identity but has not held
so my power to mould my way of thinking down a specific avenue.
What does it mean to you to be a female?

Personally I dont not define how I act or who I am based on being a

female. I have grown up in an accepting family where they have
encouraged and supported my interests, beliefs, hobbies and more no
matter how masculine or feminine they are. In reality nothing is
completely masculine or feminine; it is based on social and cultural
perceptions. Where one culture something may be deemed masculine
may not be the case in another culture. So instead of trying to define
what I think a female should look, act and sound like, I am more willing to
focus on who I am as an individual. Yes I am a woman, and yes I
understand that I will have been influenced by society, but I have also
the influence of God and my family and my own developing worldview to
determine who I want to be. I understand as a teacher that I want the
students to also develop their own understanding of gender identity,
therefore by being aware of my own beliefs I will limit influencing my own
beliefs and values onto the students and provide information that will
assist in their understanding not form it.