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Jennifer C. Pech

Professor Batty

English 28

13 September 2017

Women In Our Culture

This essay seeks to evaluate the impact of the extent does culture affect ones

understanding of female sexuality. Culture refers to the shared values, beliefs and norms of a

specific group of people. Culture influences the way we learn, live and behave. Theorists believe

that culture is an important shaper of our personality.

One aspect which illustrates that women should always be kind and calm and not be any

trouble.For example from stories of How To Tame A Wild Tongue By Gloria Anzaldua Ser

habladora was to be a gossip and a liar,. For a girl being a gossip or a liar was a terrible trait to

have. But men can have it and it wouldn't be rid or inappropriate. Throughout time and place, the

vast majority of human beings have alway put women in a particular role in society.The women

is always given the role of caregiver and a compassionate person. A women should always be

kind and always pay attention to the man's orders.Language is a male discourse. Each society,

however, interprets gender roles different.

A male has more freedom on the way he speaks than a women has. A women has to be

polite and kind and never answer back. Also never say curse words. Just the male have those

rules not imposed on him.Norms dictate what is considered to be acceptable behavior; what is

considered normal or acceptable in terms of sexual behavior is based on the norms, mores, and

values of the particular society.For exampleWell-bred girls dont answer back. Girls who are
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raised right dont talk back to their parents and they also don't talk back to their husbands or

mens orders.

Societys views on sexuality are influenced by everything from religion to philosophy,

and they have changed throughout history and are continuously evolving. Historically, religion

has been the greatest influence on sexual behavior in the United States; however, in more recent

years, peers and the media have emerged as two of the strongest influences, particularly among

Americans.

Mass media in the form of television, magazines, movies, and music continues to shape

what is deemed normal.. Media serves to perpetuate a number of social scripts about sexual

relationships and the roles of women, many of which have been shown to have both empowering

and problematic effects on peoples especially womens developing sexual identities and sexual

attitudes.

Women have felt that they are not permitted by society to express their sexual

feelings.Men might seek to control and stifle female sexuality. Suppression theory is that men

have sought to suppress female sexuality.The political goals suppression of the female sexuality

of men have depended on preventing women from having power.

In the book How the Garcia girls lost their Accent These Latina women, even when the

bullets are flying and the bombs are falling, they want to make sure you have a full stomach,

your shirt is ironed, your handkerchief is fresh. It's what makes the nice girls from polite society

great hostesses, and the girls at Tatica's such obliging lovers. This quote shows a sexist ideas

about women being good for cooking, cleaning and love-making are combined with his creepy

ideas of "Latin" women being exotic.

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In conclusion, the culture has given the female sexuality the role of caregiver. Women

have fought throughout the years to for right to vote. Women have protested for many years so

that men won't interfere with how they should live their lives. Women have fought to always

have respect from friends and colleagues. Many women gives the empowerment to keep fighting

and to fight the norms of societies. One hundred years ago women could go to college. Or even

get a real education. They were expected to live in the house and raise the children.Now in this

day and age women have a lot more control over their lives. Men no longer have a say in how a

woman should live her life.

Citations

Rodgers, V. L., & Rowe, D. C. (1990). Adolescent sexual activity and mildly deviant

behavior: Sibling and friendship effects. Journal of Family Issues, 11, 274293.

Shacklady-Smith, L. (1978). Sexist assumptions and female delinquency. In C. Smart &

B. Smart (Eds.), Women, sexuality, and social control

Shandall, A. A. (1979). Circumcision and infibulation of females. Geneva, Switzerland:

Terre des Hommes

Alvarez,Julia How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accent 1991 by Workman publishing

Company

Anzaldua,Gloria How To Tame A Wild Tongue From Borderlands/ La Frontera (1987)

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