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Arciga Stephanie
Professor Beadle
English 113 A
September 28, 2015
Constructing the Social Meaning of Gender
No one ever takes the time to consider where their masculinity or femininity came from. Our
identity becomes something so typical, we oversee the origin of our gender. Some people might
have the misconception that gender is carried out through our genes and given at birth. We fail to
realize, that society impacts gender construction, and how gender has the definition society
wants us to have. Society has expectations on how we are supposed to be. Gender is a way
society as a whole differentiates males and females characteristics. The social construction of
gender can be found by the way one dresses, moves, and speaks. All of these characteristics are
different from the definition of our sex. Most often we lack to understand that a persons sex
biologically comes from our genes, and an individuals gender is constructed by society. While
gender is something that takes time to develop, sex cant be constructed. We may not choose our
features that nature brings upon us, but we may certainly choose how we wish to be identified
by. In the articles, Night to His Day, and, Becoming Members of Society both Judith Lorber and
Aaron Devor explain how society has the strongest effect on gender and the way we are
categorized are based on societys morals.

Unlike a persons sex, gender is developing as each individual grows. Most often we are
blinded by societys stereotypes and fail to realize gender is found by human interaction. Lorber
explains, A sex category becomes a gender status through naming, dress ,and the use of other
gender markersothers treat those in one gender differently from those in the other(Lorber 20).
Once we identify ourselves towards a specific group of gender we follow patterns, which lead us
to feel and behave different from others. This becomes a pattern in which society uses to
organize a distinction within the people based on characteristics. Society impacts each other with
the identities we grow into. Our gender tells what type of environment we grow up in and our
beliefs. By someones gender not only can we define the society they grow up in but also their
morals. People will be dressed and act according to what they have grown up seeing. For
example, children extract and apply their own actions with the appropriate behavior for those
who belong in their own gender value(Lorber 25). Gender organizes society due to a set of rules
in which individuals are meant to follow. This means children are acting how others around them
with the same gender are meant to do according to society. In our society we separate our
selves by our race, religion, ethnic group, and social class. We are not born into any of these
groups, although our society points to us where we should belong.
The Society shapes us in what they want us to be and what will benefit societys perspective it is
of societys best interest to keep women as only house moms to nurture and raise our future
generation. It is also important for society to keep only the men working to provide for the
families, because this maintains a fair balance in societies economy. In this sense society
organizes a lifestyle where females should not take mens jobs. Without women we wouldnt be
able to improve population, because there would be no reproduction, nurture, and the value of

males would be different. Every small factor in society needs one and other to construct the
social meaning of gender. Devor says, as we move through our lives, society demands different
gender performances from us and rewards, tolerates, or punishes us,(Devor 35). This means if
we women did a mens job we would be punished. Also, this explains that growing up social
gender performances change, but as we grow we still remain the same sex. As we grow we are
expected to follow the characteristics of people that best suit us in order to live in a civilized
society. With the distinctions of gender make it easy to dominate and influence our generations
distinctions. Certain things from the lessons we experience influence the way we think. Gender is
so complex we live by gender day by day without notice. Although a female can do something
defined as masculine they are still separated by gender. Gender is so common and important in
how we live. Gender provides an impact towards many different types of people that connects us
in a way, which is why it is a very effective topic to any person, and it is significant for both
authors to let others know.
This common idea also applies to my own construction of gender. Throughout all my life
experiences I realized society completely effected my definition of gender, believes, and value.
As I first grew up the only female daughter I developed different gender roles. I was with males
for so long it seemed to me I started being one. I was interested in sports, video games and more
masculine activities. Sooner than later I became defined as a tomboy. I liked some male clothing
and never seemed to carry feminine ways as society tells us to be. By socializing with more
people as I grew my gender changed. My baby sister was born, and I entered high school so I
was surrounded by more feminine characteristics. My interest towards things drastically
changed, and I could say I became of normal gender. I realized I was following the patterns I

thought I belonged in, but as more experience came I figured out I had the wrong lifestyle.
Which is when I began to wonder how life would be without gender? How would society be
without rules or distinctions amongst on and other? The main common idea in these two readings
became the lifestyle and role for all of society.
In conclusion, we fail to realize gender is done regularly. Without knowing so we are defining
each other by gender, but do not realize it is a reflection on ourselves. Gender is not given it
takes time and lessons to develop gender. Gender defines us and what we do, who we are, where
we come from, and what we believe. We may still be constructing or gender roles day by day
without even knowing. Everything we do we cant do it without gender. We separate ourselves
and organize our life style by the more we practice gender and societys morals. Devor, and
Lorber clearly state that we are born due to the human interactions of others that provide us with
or sex, but society is the biggest effect on constructing the social meaning of gender. At the end
of the day gender is the routine we act upon. Gender has demonstrated that people all around can
be so different and independent, all at once. It is obvious that as long as our society population
continues to increases so will the meaning and construction of gender morals and origin.

Works cited page

Rachael, Groner, and John F. O Hara. Composing Gender: a Bedford spotlight reader. St.
Martins Boston: 2014
Rachael, Groner, and John F. O Hara. Composing Gender: a Bedford spotlight reader. Night to
His Day: The Social Construction of Gender. St. Martins Boston: 2014
Rachael, Groner, and John F. O Hara. Composing Gender: a Bedford spotlight reader.
Becoming Members of Society: The social Meanings of Gender. St. Martins Boston: 2014