Personal Narrative-How I Was Socialized Into My Gender

Asking how I was socialized into my gender is actually a funny question to me. My older sister and I are a little over a year apart in age, but couldn’t be more different. She is the girly girl and I am the tomboy. Our mother tried to buy me the same toys and clothes as her, but it never worked. I didn’t want to play with dolls, wear dresses or make sure my hair was long and pretty. I wanted to run hard and play in the dirt in my pants and sneakers. I think it only took a few years for our mother to give up on the notion that I would be like my sister and started treating me more like my brother. Not that I was raised as a boy, but my brother and I were the ones to cut grass and take out the trash, and my sister was taught to cook and neatly make the bed. To this day I don’t know what a ‘hospital corner’ is or why it’s important. My gender socialization continues today in that I work in the male dominated field of finance and accounting. I’ve always been very analytical, much like males, and even did well in math and science in school. Unfortunately, that wasn’t something that was encouraged in my family and I was even told that it was a waste of time for me to go into that field. My family felt that I should become a secretary or something so that’s where I started my …show more content…
I’ve been paid less than males in equivalent roles and have even been hired because I would accept less money for the same amount and quality of work. Even today, the older male partner in my firm does not think women should be accountants. He knows better than to state it outright, but it comes out in his actions and behaviors. Thankfully, the younger male partner thinks differently and has even mentioned me working my way up to partner someday. Time will tell whether that’s real or if it is a ploy to get me to work