Running Head: GENDER IDENTITY 1

Gender Identity: Stereotypes and Sexuality

Jakeeta Scott
Liberty University
GENDER IDENTITY 2
Abstract
The concept of gender and sexuality has gradually changed over the years !ost individuals
often confuse gender "ith sex #ne$s sex is deter%ined at birth &%ale or fe%ale' Gender is
%ore co%plex Gender is a learned behavior( ho" a person acts and perceives the%selves
&%asculine or fe%inine' A person$s biology %ay deter%ine sex but it "ill not deter%ine gender
)hat gender %eans and ho" it is expressed varies in society depending on culture( belief( and
custo%s This paper "ill discuss the differences bet"een gender and sexuality( explain gender
identity and gender roles( and discuss case studies and findings that provide an explanation for
the constant changes in gender identities It "ill also address the stereotypes and assu%ed
connections that society has utili*ed to establish a relationship bet"een sexuality and gender
Identifying the difference in sexuality and gender "ill help to establish a %ore precise role of
individuals "ithin society
GENDER IDENTITY 3
Gender identity and sexuality has beco%e a %a+or discussion in society Gender roles are
those specific ,ualities that have been assigned for each gender to display and carry out These
roles help to create gender identity In %odern society these roles have drastically changed
because the "orld is ever changing The older generation$s idea of %anhood or "o%enhood has
gained a ne" definition in this century The ,uestion is "hat has changed over ti%e and has
caused a transfor%ation of gender role( gender identity( and sexuality This change has occurred
due to %any factors So%e of these factors are: the changes in fa%ily dyna%ics( econo%ic
hardship( gender identity disorder( and changes in cultural nor%s These changes have caused a
shift in roles in the ho%e( "orkplace( church( and co%%unity
-efore exa%ining the factors that have contributed to the changes in gender and
sexuality( "e %ust deter%ine the definition of each According to )ood &./00'( gender is a
classification that society %akes based on genetic and biological factors &p.1' These factors
deter%ine "hat characteristics are considered %asculine and fe%inine based on societies vie"s(
beliefs( and values Gender is not visible at birth It is learned through culture and displayed in
co%%unication "ith others Gender identity is created as each individual begins to associate
various characteristics to their o"n perception of gender A child can ans"er the ,uestion 2Are
you a boy or girl32 by the age of . or three but does not fully grasp the concept of gender identity
until the age of 4 or 5 &6gan 7 8erry( .//0( p 9:0' The concept of gender identity is prolonged
due to the gendered expectation and pressures that are placed on children by their parents and in
schools According to )ood &./00'( both schools and parents assert that boys have %ore
physical energy and less i%pulse control &%asculine characteristics' and girls are soft spoken and
attentive &fe%inine characteristics' &p 0;/' The reproduction of these thoughts in children have
GENDER IDENTITY 4
continued to increase gender stereotyping and biases "ithin society As individuals age theses
stereotypes carry over into the "ork place and co%%unity
The difficulty in establishing gender identity can be contributed to the biases and
stereotypes that have be placed on gender and gender roles #lder %easures of gender roles and
gender stereotypes often conceptuali*e %asculinity and fe%ininity as opposing ends of a single
di%ension &!ills( <ulbertson( =uff%an( 7 <onnell( ./0.( p:.0' This ideology proposed that
%en and "o%en "ould hold very different gender traits and that the t"o "ould not intert"ine It
has been ,uestioned "ither gender stereotypes are based on observed sex differences in
personality or cultural %isconceptions &=off%an and =urst( 0;;/' Theses stereotypes "ere
based on societal and occupational trends and used as a "ay to rationali*e and +ustify sexual
division a%ong %en and "o%en !asculinity "as associated "ith strength and po"er( "hile
fe%ininity "as associated "ith being encourage%ent and co%panionate The older generation
"as unable to see ho" so%e characteristics could be considered both %asculine and fe%inine or
ho" that t"o gender roles could possibly overlap in certain areas "ithin the ho%e( "orkplace(
and co%%unity
According to >iller &./00'( po"er is the capacity to produce desired effects on others
=istorical interpretations of gender are associated "ith the concept of po"er &?essler@=arris(
./0.' The incorporation of these allotted po"ers has added to the reshaping of individuals
vie"s on gender There are various %ove%ents that have occurred in history that have
contributed to the current generation$s ne" perception of gender identity( creating ne" gender
roles "ithin society These %ove%ents help to create a desire to begin studies on gender
differences &<asci( ./00' The "o%en$s right %ove%ent; "hich asserted the political rights of
"o%en( has greatly contributed to a change in the role of "o%en outside of the ho%e The
GENDER IDENTITY 5
po"er associated "ith this %ove%ent allo"ed "o%en the right to vote by ratifying the 0:
th

A%end%ent &)ood( ./00' The "o%en$s liberation %ove%ent also contributed to a ne"
ideology of gender roles by %aking "o%en consciously a"are of sexis% and structural biases
that oppressed "o%en The current %ove%ent a%ong "o%en is the lesbian %ove%ent It
asserts that only "o%en "ho do not orient their lives around %en are free to obtain po"er
&)ood( ./00( p55'
These %ove%ents "ere not +ust co%%on in asserting gender roles and identities a%ong
"o%en There "ere also several %ove%ents that broaden society$s vie"s of gender to"ards
%en !en %ove%ents often occur as a reaction to the "o%en$s %ove%ent According to )ood
&./00'( the profe%inist %ove%ent, "as a group of %en "ho "orked alongside "o%en as
advocates for change in the treat%ent and oppression of "o%en These %en %ove%ents
contributed to the change in gender identity and gender roles because %en no longer asserted
their po"er over "o%en but fought for po"er to be e,ually distributed These changes pro%oted
a change in cultural nor%s "ithin society and continue to contribute to %odern day vie"s of
gender( gender roles( and gender identity
In the current generation( the relationship bet"een sexuality and gender roles have
beco%e entangled Society is beco%ing %ore accepting of crossover of traditional gender role
stereotypes &!ills at el( ./00 p :..' This change in thought is evident in the various roles
that %en and "o%en have in society According to )ood &./00'( androgyny is a good "ay to
describe ho" our current generation has re%ade the %eaning of gender &p.:' An individual
"ho displays androgynous characteristics are considered to be %asculine and fe%inine( nurturing
and aggressive 6arly studies on gender roles found that flexibility in cognitive ability are higher
in androgynous individuals( "hen co%pared to individual "hose gender roles are defined or
GENDER IDENTITY 6
undistinguishable &Stolt*fus( Aibbelink( Brendenburg( 7 Thyru%( ./00( p9.4' The concept of
androgyny as a theory to explain societal vie"s on gender identity has been researched in %any
capacities
Androgyny research %ade several ,uestionable consu%ption( including the notion that
felt overall %asculinity and overall fe%ininity are orthogonal di%ensions( felt overall
%asculinity and fe%ininity can be inferred fro% self@perceptions in a single do%ain of
personality traits( and felt pressure for gender confor%ity can be inferred fro% the degree
of balance in oneCs felt overall %asculinity or overall fe%ininity &6gan7 8erry( .//0( p
94/'
The co%bination of these characteristics has %ade it difficult for society to pin point specific
traits as those to be carried out by "o%en or %en !en and "o%en are no" seeking careers
outside of the ho%e or beco%ing care givers for their children The sex or sexuality of the
individual does not change( ho"ever )estern cultures vie"s on its characteristic have changed
and caused a change in fa%ily dyna%ics.
6cono%ic hardship has also contributed to the various changes in gender specific
characteristics !ost fa%ilies no longer consist of one "orking adult Da%ilies are no" +oining
together and for%ing both nuclear and extended fa%ilies to deal "ith econo%ic hardship In
previous generation "o%en had a gender specific role to "ork "ithin the ho%e( "hile the %ale
"orked outside the ho%e to provide care and financial support to the fa%ily These roles "ere
gender specific and established a set place%ent for "o%en in the ho%e 6cono%ic and financial
need has opened the door for the gender roles of "o%en expand and include roles outside the
ho%e
GENDER IDENTITY 7
Sexuality has also changed over ti%e based on society$s vie"s Sex is visible at birth but
sexuality develops as one ages It is fairly co%%on for sex( sexuality( gender( and gender
identity to be used interchangeably &)ood( ./00(p19' All three are vie"ed based on society$s
perception and altered as the individual creates their o"n identity Sexuality is the feeling and
e%otions that create attraction of one person to another In previous generation sexuality "as
attributed to one$s sex !en should be attracted to "o%en and "o%en should be attracted to
%en In the current generation the concept of sa%e sex relations have beco%e do%inate Ao
longer do so%e individuals feel the need to confor% to society$s vie"s of sexuality( they are no"
developing their o"n vie"s of sexuality based on their gender identity The increasing addition
of sexuality to the fe%inist notion of intersectionality has also backed a change in society$s vie"s
of sexual orientation &)ick%an( ./00( p9'
?no"ing the history of gender and ho" biases and stereotypes exist should increase the
desire to beco%e gendered In order to beco%e gendered one %ust look at self as an ob+ect
&)ood( ./00 p 04/' Seeing self as an ob+ect "ill re%ove the learned societal and cultural
characteristics of gender identity so that an individual perspective of gender can be established
#nce a individual perspective has been gathered a ne" gender identity is for%ed and gender
roles can be established The ne" gender identity created is no longer singled to be either
%asculine or fe%inine but is "hat best describes the person "ho posses the traits The
co%bination of various %asculine and fe%inine traits have led to the establish%ent of the Tran
gendered population A transgendered person is so%eone "hose perception of their gender
differs fro% their sex &8urandare( ./01' -eing transgendered %eans that an indivdual is
challenging the traditional vie" of gender Transgendered individuals are often perceived by
others as confused and receive feelings of sy%pathy and pity They are often %isunderstood by
GENDER IDENTITY
others "ho are una"are of their role in society According to Eoss &.//;'( transgender and
ho%osexuality "ere classified as %ental health disorders &p 04:' It "as classified under the
>S! @IB as gender identity disorder Dor this reason( transgendered individuals often seek
treat%ent and counseling before identifying "ith the disorder Gender identity disorder is the
only disorder in "hich treat%ent is designed to confir%( reinforce( and validate the belief that is
the basis of the %ental disorder &Eoss( ./01' It has been proposed that gender identity disorder
be re%oved fro% the >S!@ B
Gender identity and sexuality are i%portant factors in %ulticultural counseling
<ounselors are to be a"are of the different roles that individuals hold in their fa%ily and
co%%unity to insure that they are providing affective counseling services and appropriate
techni,ues to handle any concerns they %ay have
Identifying client$s salient cultural identities can provide a therapist valuable clues about
ho" they see the "orld( ho" they %ight behave in certain situations( "hat they value(
ho" they have been treated by others in the past( and ho" they tend to vie" and value
the%selves &>iller( ./00( p91'
-eing a"are of various culture and beliefs "ill also help counselors to broaden their o"n vie" of
gender and sexuality A therapist "ho is a"are of their o"n cultural biases "ill be able to
prevent asserting their o"n vie"s on others
As a <hristian counselor( learning the differences in "hat society specifies as gender
identity and sexuality "ill help to deter%ine if and ho" replies and concepts are brought to the
attention of the individual receiving counseling services !ost <hristian vie"s of gender and
sexuality are no longer popular <hristians reflect back to the teachings of the bible and the
GENDER IDENTITY !
various biblical principals that state the outco%e of individuals "ho are unsure of their gender
and sexuality. The teachings of the bible states that cities "ere destroyed because of i%%oral
acts that resulted fro% a %isunderstanding of gender and the actions that it caused <hristian
counselors %ust have the ability to listen to those "ho share a "orld vie" on gender identity(
gender roles( and sexuality( "hile providing an unbiased service Learning to beco%e anabasis as
a counselor is not easy The counselor %ust learn to deny self and cultural nor%s in order to
provide therapy to individuals in need of direction and encourage%ent >eter%ining gender
identity and ho" it affects each culture "ill increase the prevalence and positive outco%es of
%ulticultural counseling <ross@cultural interaction %ust be based on the shared hu%anity that
exists bet"een client and provider &>iller( ./00( p9:'
<o%%ents: Fou have a good paper here Fou don$t have %any gra%%ar and punctuation
%istakes( but I co%%ented on the ones you have Fou abstract is clear( as "ell as the body of
your paper I a% not sure if you have "ritten a conclusion or not( because I don$t see one So( I
"ould "ork on a conclusion and the %istakes that I co%%ented on Good +obG
GENDER IDENTITY 1"
Eeferences
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>iller( JB &./00' Cultural diversity: A primer for human services (5th ed! Sta%ford
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i%plications for psychosocial ad+ust%ent American psycholo"ical association( vol #$&9'
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=off%an( <( 7 =urst( A &./00' Gender Stereotypes: 8erception or Eationali*ation3 %ournal of
personality and social psycholo"y( vol 5&&.' 0;5@./I >#I: 0/0/15H//..@1:09:I.;5
?essler@=arris( A &./0.' Gendered identity and the gendered process %ournal of American
'istory( vol ((&1' I.5@I1/
!ills( !J( <ulberton( SS( <onnell( AE &./01' Assessing gender biases: >evelop%ent and
initial validation of gender role stereotype scale Gender in )ana"ement: An
*nternational %ournal, vol 2$&I' :./@:9/
8urandare( ! &./01' Transgender: A psychosocial profile %ournal of +sychosocial Research,
vol &&0' 40@4;
GENDER IDENTITY 11
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GENDER IDENTITY 12