Introduction
Due to changing lifestyles, today’s world explains gender in different approaches. However, despite this difference, it is prevalent that the same societal structures gender binary since birth and continually undertakes practices that gradually initiate an individual into their sexually affiliated status throughout their lives (Lorber 55). Through gender binary, women and men in society are crafted from a young age to live up to society’s expectations. Therefore, the difference in sexualities is nurtured and aligned in each child through different capabilities, responsibilities, similarities, as well as other comparative ways that the communities use to show that women and men have different sexualities.
Consequently, nonconformity to gender binary leads to negative and positive consequences for children as parents will strive to instill masculinity or femininity (Kane 158). The male sex, especially, becomes the most affected group as parents always reprimand young boys from acting girlish as they fear to nurture femininity in them, thus exposing them to bullying and other social assaults. For instance, fathers are less enthusiastic in domesticating their sons, while mother consistently praises them for learning how to be empathetic and caring for their immediate families and others in society. Due to the idea that boys should remain masculine, they are depriving the privilege of exploring both femininity and male requirements from an early age, as they constantly fear growing gay children (Kane 162). In essence, both female and male parents discourage boys from affiliating with women icons as they perceive that allowing them to interact with them inhibits young men from acquiring masculinity (Kane 159). However, girls are constantly encouraged to attain male characteristics, as both male and female parents want strong girls who can face the world fearlessly like their male counterparts.
Conclusion
As evident from the above discussion, the changing lifestyles have explained gender in various aspects, indicating that an individual’s sexuality is shaped by gender binary structures adopted from birth. In essence, boys in the society do not have an opportunity to experience femininity and masculinity as girls do. In fact, males are prohibited from affiliating with women icons, while girls are encouraged to face the challenges of the world as men do.
Works Cited
Kane, Emily W. ““No way my boys are Going to be like that!” Parents’ Responses to Children’s
Gender Nonconformity.” Gender & Society vol. 20, no. 2, 2006, pp. 149-176.
Lorber, Judith. “Night to his day: The Social Construction of Gender.” Race, Class, and Gender in the United States: An Integrated Study vol. 6, 2004, pp. 54-65.