Gender is “a constructed and contingent set of assumptions about female and male roles” (Oosterveld 56). The term gender in today's society is a very important and relevant topic. Our “polished society” (Wollstonecraft 656) has created a “binary system” (Corwin) where boys and girls are pushed to play a specific role in society. Slage says that gender is “essentially a performance” and that “we not only carry out but we also observe these ‘performances’ every minute of the day” (Slage). Similarly, Gherardi says gender is present in the “daily lives and activities of everyone” (591). Gender role is defined by Money as, “all of those things that a person says or does to disclose himself or herself as having the status of a boy or man, girl or
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Women generally “possess more knowledge about health-related issues than men, are more likely to monitor their own health status” (Umberson 908). It was found that “the lower self esteem of adolescent girls when compared to boys, and their anxiety over their body-image is known to result in a higher prevalence of depression and of eating disorders in adolescent girls when compared to adolescent boys” (World Health 2). It it also found that “boys experience more problems with anger, engage in high risk behaviours and commit suicide more frequently than girls” (World Health 1). This could be due to the fact that society creates a social norm and expectation at an early age that boys should “act like men” (Keen 3). Society accepts the norms that men “drink, smoke, and swear” and that its a part of who men are (Keen 3). Women and girls are taught at a young age what it takes to care for herself, whether it be through food or cosmetics. They learn to be more independent and care for themselves, with the mindset that one day they will be the lead caretaker for their children, and with the idea that women will have to work harder to achieve their goals. Furthermore, girls also have lower self esteem when compared to boys. This is due to how society has painted a false “picture” of what the perfect girl and life looks like. Compared to boys, who are told …show more content…
Research finds that “adolescent girls are more prone to symptoms that are directed inwardly, while adolescent boys are more prone to act out” (World Health 1). For men it is proposed that “social practices that undermine men's health are often signifiers of masculinity” (Courtenay 1385). Such practices could include “drinking, smoking, and swearing” (Keen 3). Social relationships can even differ with gender and marital status, as something as simple as a “commitment to drinking with a friends may even be inconsistent” with social norms (Umberson 908). Relationships are important to the social health of an individual, it has been found that relationships “provide social control of health behaviors indirectly by affecting the internalization of norms for healthful behavior, and directly by providing informal sanctions for deviating from behavior conducive to health” (Umberson 908). The social impact of gender and gender roles on boys and girls are detrimental to their social health. Girls are more likely to hold their emotions to themselves, this could be the result of society not valuing feminine qualities and the expression of emotion as much as they do boys. As boys are more prone to act out when faced with a conflict, it provides affirmation that it is socially acceptable for men to use their masculine anger on others. Social practices that could undermine
Women generally “possess more knowledge about health-related issues than men, are more likely to monitor their own health status” (Umberson 908). It was found that “the lower self esteem of adolescent girls when compared to boys, and their anxiety over their body-image is known to result in a higher prevalence of depression and of eating disorders in adolescent girls when compared to adolescent boys” (World Health 2). It it also found that “boys experience more problems with anger, engage in high risk behaviours and commit suicide more frequently than girls” (World Health 1). This could be due to the fact that society creates a social norm and expectation at an early age that boys should “act like men” (Keen 3). Society accepts the norms that men “drink, smoke, and swear” and that its a part of who men are (Keen 3). Women and girls are taught at a young age what it takes to care for herself, whether it be through food or cosmetics. They learn to be more independent and care for themselves, with the mindset that one day they will be the lead caretaker for their children, and with the idea that women will have to work harder to achieve their goals. Furthermore, girls also have lower self esteem when compared to boys. This is due to how society has painted a false “picture” of what the perfect girl and life looks like. Compared to boys, who are told …show more content…
Research finds that “adolescent girls are more prone to symptoms that are directed inwardly, while adolescent boys are more prone to act out” (World Health 1). For men it is proposed that “social practices that undermine men's health are often signifiers of masculinity” (Courtenay 1385). Such practices could include “drinking, smoking, and swearing” (Keen 3). Social relationships can even differ with gender and marital status, as something as simple as a “commitment to drinking with a friends may even be inconsistent” with social norms (Umberson 908). Relationships are important to the social health of an individual, it has been found that relationships “provide social control of health behaviors indirectly by affecting the internalization of norms for healthful behavior, and directly by providing informal sanctions for deviating from behavior conducive to health” (Umberson 908). The social impact of gender and gender roles on boys and girls are detrimental to their social health. Girls are more likely to hold their emotions to themselves, this could be the result of society not valuing feminine qualities and the expression of emotion as much as they do boys. As boys are more prone to act out when faced with a conflict, it provides affirmation that it is socially acceptable for men to use their masculine anger on others. Social practices that could undermine