Traditional Gender Views and the Exceptions

G oddityer is an calcu tardy of an mortals cosmos that permeates all aspects of his or her life. From the moment a someone is born into the world, he or she is classified either as a female or a male. The way society treats and reacts to this person is then treated accordingly to that initial categorization. What is it then that epitomizes the masculinity and the muliebrity of an individual. How does Ameri stooge society view a maidenly individual and how does this protest from how the same society views manlike individuals?Masculinity refers to a hu soldierys personal level or degree of manliness. Chafetz (35-36) describes masculinity as being distributed over seven areas physical, functional, wake upual, emotional, emotional, intellectual, interpersonal, some other personal characteristics.A masculine individual is said to be virile, strong, able to provide for his family, sexually aggressive and experienced, unemotional, practical, dominating, free, demanding, and succ ess-oriented. hence an individual who is more able to take risks and who is better able to demo a sense of confidence and independence is considered to be more masculine. personal attributes such as facial hair, toned muscles, and large body frames are also more characteristic of individuals who are considered to be masculine.Femininity, on the other hand, is directly linked by the 1996 Websters Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of the slope Language to traits such as gentleness, kindness, and patience (708). Feminine characteristics are ordinarily associated with nurturing and life-giving characteristics. The womans traditional role as a mother and wife are the most emphasized qualities of a powder-puff individual. Thus a female who is demure, obedient, and able to display physical attributes that are favored in the life-giving process, such as large breasts, roomy hips, and full lips, is considered to be more feminine than most.Studies have shown that a mans traditional vi ew of a female or feminine individual is based heavily on masculine ideology, which focuses centrally on the sexual aspect of a womans breasts and bodies. The propagation of these masculine ideologies were even more stressed by the fact that media continues to portray females as beings whose primarily roles are focused on their sexual bodies. (Ward et al, 712)Many backside see, however, that the barriers of traditional gender roles are being broken by fresh American males and females. More and more females are found in the workplace, beseeming the breadwinners for their family. Females are also seen engaging in extreme and traditional sports. Womens roles in American society were seen to drastically change in the late twentieth century as a result of the unused opportunities wedded to them (Mackey & Immerman, 271)There are also men who have opted to become the stay-at-home parents. It is has become more acceptable for men to show their emotions. And a new breed of men have come to be called metrosexuals, males who indulge in their physical appearance in the same way that was previously only(prenominal) attributed to feminine individuals. The breaking of stereotypes of masculinity and femininity has become rampant in the United States and this may well prove to be the beginning of the end of the reign o traditional views of masculinity and femininity in American society. Even though sex and gender are clear level divisions established upon birth, the long-established ramifications of being male or female and the parameters that these traditions set can be overcome.Works CitedChafetz, Janet S. Masculine/feminine or human?an overview of the sociology of sex roles. IL F.E. Peacock Publishers, 1974Femininity Websters Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of the side Language. 1996.Mackey, Wade, C., & Immerman, Ronald S The fertility paradox gender roles, fertility and cultural ontogenesis Mankind Quarterly 45(2005)271-Ward, Monique L., Merriwether, Ann, & Caru thers, Allison. Breasts are for men media, masculinity ideologies, and mens beliefs about womens bodies. Sex Roles 55(2006) 703-714