Brandin Reggio
Response 8
“Blue is for boys and pink is for girls.” This is a message that we are told from the time we are born and throughout childhood. “Girls are pretty and boys are strong and tough” are other examples of gender stratification, or the process in which a society dictates what someone’s norms and actions should be based on their gender. Like most things in a civilization, these messages are instilled at a young age. Both the functionalist theorists and the conflict theorists have substantial arguments to why gender stratification occurs. However, I side more with the conflict theorists. I believe that just like race, genders are constantly in competition with one another. Gender stratification is just one tool of the gatekeepers to keep gender inequality in effect so that they can better their own personal goals.
I believe that conflict and inequality are plainly seen throughout our society when referring to gender. A clear example of this is the fact that women make much less then men in “specific” types of job. Another example of this inequality is seen in the way that women are exploited for money. In the porn industry, women are viewed as a “piece of flesh”, so to speak. Yet, there are not many women owners of these porn companies. Throughout our society, the way that some may tell women to get ahead is by being pretty and sexual. A functionalist would say that gender inequality is just a process that is necessary to make the economy and country run. But, if you look at the facts, you can see that it is something more then that. For instance, if a girl sleeps with a lot of guys she is a whore, but if a guy sleeps with a lot of women he is cool and the “man”. What is this concept of being the man? It often seems that the bad behavior or over domination displayed by man is looked at as successful and masculine. But, on the other hand, such characteristics displayed by women are frowned upon. This shows that these norms are put into play to propitiate inequality among the genders and it seems like the scales are tilted in the men’s favor. I say this from the vantage point as a guy.
Throughout life, this gender stratification has been pushed on me from many areas. Growing up, I was always encouraged to play sports. My dad always was trying to toughen me up, whereas my sister was encouraged to take up activities such as choir and band. I feel that from early on these gender roles were assigned to my sisters and I. On my father’s side of the family, the structure for gender was definitely patriarchal, with the men running the show. Also, being a tough man was extremely important. Both my grandfather and father were heavy labor construction workers. Their jobs entailed jack hammering bridges and laying down cement on the Garden State Parkway. I cannot even remember a time when I have seen either one of them cry. In many ways, my family affected the way I look at gender. However, in my relationship with my girlfriend, I would say I do the opposite of them. I am definitely not the tough he-man when it comes to my relationship with her. In fact, I am much more soft and understanding than my father. Also, in the culture that I was brought up in, cheating for the man was expectable. In my own life and relationship, I believe that cheating is the same for both genders and I do not do that with my girlfriend. Just because we are faced with stratification on an everyday basis does not mean we cannot choose for ourselves what is right.
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