Keona Malcolm
8/30/21
Intro GWS
Response to Krysten Mitchell Harris Post
Gender is a really complex topic to talk about because not everyone shares the same point of view when it comes to Gender identity, Sexual orientation, Gender expression. Especially since people’s perception on gender can be heavily influenced by religion, culture, and experience.
I feel like I relate to Krysten’s snapshot a lot because also being a black woman , I have experienced hypermasculinization a lot growing up. I have alway been questioned about my gender for the way I dressed, and looked until recent years because the way I dress and my overall appearance has changed. I believe people have attached different characteristics to Femininity and masculinity for decades and centuries now that it has become so normalized and widely accepted that it is hard for people to change the way people view gender and sexuality.
“In America, boys are taught and expected to be tough, risk-taking, rowdy, athletic, strong, aggressive, rugged, handsome, not emotional, messy, loud, heterosexual studs, uninterested in domestic chores and care-taking, unromantic, interested in sports, cars, guns and climbing the corporate ladder, and apparently have an insatiable interest in superheroes and the color blue.
On the contrary, girls are taught and expected to be soft, submissive, cautious, delicate, graceful, prissy, pretty, weak, passive, emotional, tidy, quiet, heterosexual prudes, interested in domestic chores and care-taking, romantic, disinterested in sports and cars with zero career aspirations and apparently have an insatiable interest in princesses and the color pink.”https://www.raisingzoomer.com/article/2016/1/6/sex-and-gender-101
These are some examples of harmful gender stereotypes that have been taught and are constantly pushed by society which creates inequality between both genders. I believe by teaching the future generation about gender equality we can eliminate gender stereotypes, gender inequality etc…
One example of gender stereotypes about women is that women should cook, clean, stay home and take care of children. There are over 145,115 chefs currently employed in the United States. 25.8% of all chefs are women, while only 70.3% are men. The average age of an employed chef is 39 years old. Society pushes the idea that women should cook but 70 percent of chefs in America are men. When women do their job but when men do it, it’s a career. Not to mention intersectionality so regardless if you are a woman or a man your race can affect how you are treated.The most common ethnicity among chefs is White, which makes up 57.3% of all chefs. Comparatively, there are 17.4% of the Hispanic or Latino ethnicity and 11.0% of the Asian ethnicity.White, 57.3% and 15% of all chefs are LGBT.
- Hispanic or Latino, 17.5%
- Asian, 11.0%
- Black or African American, 10.9%
- Unknown, 2.5%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
Another issue that needs to be addressed is the pay gap between women and men. In 2021, women earned 93% of what men earned. Even if women and men work the same job, men still get paid more even if they do less work in that field.
