In Gender Theorist Judith Lorber’s article, “From Believing is Seeing: Biology as Ideology,”( 1992) and Linguist Deborah Tannen’s essay, “How Male and Female Students Use Language Differently,”(1990) Tannen focuses on the difference in language usage between males, and females in the classroom. Tannen also delves into the limiting qualities of a masculinized debate based environment. In contrast Lorber focuses on revealing gender stereotypes in society, and how these stereotypes limit women in many aspects of daily life. Both authors discuss the difference in male and female behavior in society not as a result of innate behaviors but, as a result of learned social constructs. The authors also discuss the need for equity in society to offer
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Lorber believes that categorizing people is unfair as not every person is exactly the same, people are diverse and have different talents and behaviors. Lorber reveals the assumptions that are created based on gender categorization by discussing the difference in how females are treated in professional sports compared to males she states,”...physiological differences are invoked to justify women 's secondary status... Assumptions about women 's physiology have influenced rules of competition…...women athletes have to manage a contradictory status...”(Lorber 1992) She explains that females have to by default manage a status, this is an unfair social construct as Lorber believes that capability should not be categorized on a basis of Gender and instead should be based on an individual 's actual ability. Lorber then points out another assumption known as the “Dirty secret of marriage” she claims, “Men drive cars whether they are good drivers or not because men and machines are a "natural" combination.”(Lorber 1992) Lorber is revealing the idea that men are expected to take the wheel solely because society believes that men are more competent at driving. This phenomenon highlights the clash of actual ability compared to social expectations. Lorber believes that the ability to do certain activities should not be based on what is expected of a gender but based on actual
Lorber believes that categorizing people is unfair as not every person is exactly the same, people are diverse and have different talents and behaviors. Lorber reveals the assumptions that are created based on gender categorization by discussing the difference in how females are treated in professional sports compared to males she states,”...physiological differences are invoked to justify women 's secondary status... Assumptions about women 's physiology have influenced rules of competition…...women athletes have to manage a contradictory status...”(Lorber 1992) She explains that females have to by default manage a status, this is an unfair social construct as Lorber believes that capability should not be categorized on a basis of Gender and instead should be based on an individual 's actual ability. Lorber then points out another assumption known as the “Dirty secret of marriage” she claims, “Men drive cars whether they are good drivers or not because men and machines are a "natural" combination.”(Lorber 1992) Lorber is revealing the idea that men are expected to take the wheel solely because society believes that men are more competent at driving. This phenomenon highlights the clash of actual ability compared to social expectations. Lorber believes that the ability to do certain activities should not be based on what is expected of a gender but based on actual