Author: Tiffany

Tiffany Zeno Gender Identity Project

Gender identity is an important part of the being of a person. The gender people identify with can often be a product of the society. I identify as a cisgender female. It is possible that I identify as such because of the environment I was brought up in. I often would rely on the psychoanalytic theory. According to this theory, unconscious thoughts and memories influence a person’s identity, actions and beliefs. Ever since I was a child there was always the need to act prim and proper always backed by the phrase “act like a lady.” My father enforced rules regarding waring “appropriate” clothing for women, not to speak a certain way, and how women are expected to date. This unconsciously made me wary of the way I acted and the way I conducted myself.

The body politics that come with identifying as a female is enormous. Body politics refers to how the genders are expected to care for their bodies as well as the way everyone’s body should look. Growing up, there was always the constant urge about how to mind my body as a female. If even a hair was out of place, it would elicit teases. Therefore, I find myself being very mindful about how I carry myself around.

Being a female often comes with some form of objectification. Objectification refers to how society views people as solely objects meant for the pleasure of the viewer. Society often objectifies the female gender. The society is often filled with perceptions about how people who are cisgender should behave and mostly this stems from a point of objectification. For me, this form of objectification has made me at times be wary of myself in order to conform to the societal constructions of being a female. The “rules” for being a woman in society often contradict themselves. For example, women are expected to be sexy yet classy, resilient but not to overbearing for the man. Oftentimes we work hard to educate and make a living for ourselves, to then be downplayed in the work field because we are viewed as less than.

Although I identify as a cisgender female, I am open to all other sexualities and I believe that everyone has the right to be who they want to be do what makes them happy. However, regardless how someone identifies I believe everyone should be treated equal and should not be expected to conform to societal standards.

Tiffany Zeno Discussion 3

Appearance Feelings Feelings Stem From: Theories
Hair ·         Love-Hate Relationship.

·         My hair is curly, and I can do multiple things with it

·        I must constantly dye my hair cause my natural hair is dark and makes me look pale

 I have been told that I look pale with darker hair, and I can see that my hair changes with weather.

 

It is my personal preference not to wear my hair in a frizzy style

 ·         Social learning theory

·         Psychoanalytical theory
Smile ·         Love-Hate Relationship

·         Love my smile, but don’t have the straightest teeth

 I have been told that I have a pretty smile and believe so. However, I have also formed a complex about my crooked teeth. Maybe it’s because I know my smile is something people are constantly looking at? ·         Social learning theory

·         Psychoanalytical theory
Eyes ·         I have very bad vision

·         Need to wear contacts/glasses all day everyday

 Personal- It is annoying to have to constantly wear something on/in your eyes in order to see. I literally cannot do anything without contacts or glasses. ·         Cognitive development theory

·         Biological determinism theory

For most of my physical appearances, I feel psychological theories such as  social learning and psychoanalytical theories influence my feelings the most. This is because throughout life you see what is viewed as “pretty.” Without even realizing, you may try to uphold these standards. Growing up, my family would also tease me if my hair got frizzy in the rain, or if I was sweaty from playing and my hair got puffy. I feel these become repressed feelings that later on in life make you unconsciously judge yourself. I mentioned the cognitive and biological determinism theories when referring to my feelings towards my vision. I feel this best relates to my feelings because this has nothing to do with how I feel about my physical appearance, or what I have learned about “beauty.” This is something that hinders my ability to effectively accomplish things, and even at times makes me feel sick.

I believe my embodied communication complies with my command performance by body politics. I refuse to act a certain way because of social norms. I do not act upon cultural theories. However, I would say my embodied communication can stem from psychological theories.

Tiffany Zeno Journal 3

Society has placed rules and behaviors considered normal according to gender and sex that guides the manner people live their lives. Until recently, men and women body types had a blueprint look. Men had to be six feet and above, muscular with a full head of hair and dominant. Hence, a man that looks otherwise gets their masculinity revoked and deemed effeminate. Women had to have voluminous hair with an hourglass-shaped body and submissive. It is important to note these are mostly western and European beauty standards that have traveled through cultures and influenced the way parents raise their children. Gender shapes the way most people live daily, as going against one’s gender opens them to ridicule.

In response to forced gender behaviors, people have responded by ignoring such rules and, instead, challenging them. In 1967, Katherine Switzer became the first woman to run a marathon despite people trying to stop her. By doing so, she proved that marathons were not just for men anymore, and women were strong enough to participate. The celebrity Jaden smith continuously opposes the rigidity in gendered clothing by wearing clothes considered ‘feminine.’ Consequently, it opposes the notion that black men are aggressive and hypersexualized. Finally, a group of women artists called the Guerrilla Girls advocated for women’s presence in museums and the art world as more than just feminine objectification on canvases in 1985, which led to more inclusion of women in art. Challenging all manner of norms society expects sparks debates that could lead to change.

Body objectification is an issue facing many people, which has roots in childhood. Many children grow up playing with specific toys, which could shape the way they relate to ideas such as beauty standards and gender behaviors. When I was a young child, the only available dolls to play with were white, with long hair and short provocative clothing. The result was I wanted to change my hair to look like the dolls as it was advertised to be the standard of beauty. Other industries, such as the beauty pageant sector where little girls are judged based on their beauty and makeup, further increase personal objectification and from others. Currently, there is progress where dolls exist in every race, shape, and sex, which reduces objectification that rises from low self-esteem.

Tiffany Zeno Journal 2

Social constructs play a crucial role in people’s lives, and the question of gender is just one of the many aspects of this issue. People are defined as either boys or girls based on biology and are raised according to the specific set of traditions and rules associated with both genders. The concept of different genders rather than males and females are relatively new, and still, a lot of people do not accept this idea, considering it just as a phase that will pass eventually.

One of the biggest issues connected with the concept of gender is gender roles. Since early childhood, one is taught that boys should be strong and cannot cry while girls are meant to be gentle and caring. These roles are passed along in adulthood, where men and women are meant to have specific jobs. For an example, men usually have hands on careers such as construction worker, electrician, etc. Whereas, it is more likely for women take careers in social work, or cleaning services. Additionally, women are expected to give up their careers to care for their families. All of these things negatively affect both men and women, leading to problems of toxic masculinity and many others.

Being able to understand and accept more than just two matrices of difference is the key to solving a lot of the problems connected to inequality-related topics. Human identity is unique and different for each, and people’s personalities are shaped by all kinds of experiences that they get throughout life. Social norms and standards will always exist as they keep the concept of society possible, but one should be able to keep an open mind towards all kinds of differences. Social norms are always meant to define and put the frames on human nature, while people should embrace human nature to its fullest and acknowledge the differences.

Tiffany Zeno Discussion 2

As I reviewed the diagrams, I believe the Sex, Gender and Sexuality Interlace is the easiest diagram to understand gender, as it is clear and concise. However, if I was able to choose the whole website, I will use the Gender Unicorn website because it explains in depth what gender is.

For me, the groups that influence me most as a individual are: travel, advocate, and woman. Traveling allows me to connect with people, foods, and cultures that differ from mine. I am exposed to new things. Every time I have come back from a different country/city I see how differently I am able to communicate and connect with others. I value diversity and different cultures. Now more than ever, I take the time to learn about other heritages, whether its food, religion, etc. I think it is essential to learn about others to effectively communicate.

Being an advocate helps me relate to others regardless of our differences. Majority of the time, I do not experience similar challenges of those I am advocating for. However, it opens my eyes to all the different challenges people face and helps me connect and empathize with others. I value understanding challenges others face, especially if I have not experienced it myself. The only way I can help someone to the best of my ability is to fully comprehend what they are struggling with.

Being a women can be hard at times. There are times where women are viewed as weak, and are treated differently than men. There are also times where women have to fight for equality and respect. For me, being a women is powerful, and I will always help another women in need. I value women as a whole.

As a big sister and a current Employment Specialist for adults with Autism, I consider myself an advocate. This has led me to be disciplined enough to pursue my goals in becoming a Speech Pathologist. Being introverted and stubborn can definitely hinder my abilities to effectively communicate. At times I can be shy, especially if I do not know someone. However, I am still very observant and expressive when I need to be. As a stubborn women, I can be defensive at times, and maybe feel like peoples intentions are not always pure. There are times when I have to remind myself that people do not always have bad intentions, and remind myself to take the time to listen to another point of view. Especially when I am upset.

Tiffany Zeno Discussion 1

Hello everyone, my name is Tiffany and I am a Communications major. I anticipate on graduating by the end of the year, and will then work my way towards receiving my bachelors in Communications and Science. The ultimate goal is to receive my masters in Speech Pathology. I believe this class can be beneficial to my overall life and career, as it can help me navigate who I am as an individual, and possibly help others on their own personal journey.  I love to travel, and love learning about different cultures.  When visiting different countries, you learn that peoples perceptives on certain beliefs and values can vastly differ from what you know and believe in. Understanding different identities can help you relate with one another and effectively communicate. Not only when you travel, but also during your everyday life, and I believe this class can prove that.

I absolutely loved the videos and enjoyed seeing how different each of them were. As mentioned in the reading, we all identify ourselves differently. Although we already may know this, it is very interesting to see it so front and center. I can relate to the first video “Be a Man” on many different levels.

I grew up in a household where my father did not cook or clean. My father played sports, went to the gym, worked, and expected to be waited on hand and foot. My mother on the other hand also worked, but did all the cooking and cleaning. If she was not home, I was expected to do all the household duties. My fathers “manly man” ways did not work for their marriage and they eventually got divorced. Although seeing that type of behavior and relationship in my childhood and adolescence, it was not something I identified myself with. As I got older, I got into a relationship with someone who had similar experiences with his whole family. Luckily, him and I shared the same views on partnership. However, our families were shocked with what we valued and how different our relationship was. Ironically, my father did not necessarily feel my partner should be laid back as I do all the household duties, but him and his wife were very surprised when they saw us doing something that was different from their relationship. My mother also does not feel like I should do all the house work, or vise versa, but she constantly tells me that I should be softer and need to know my place as a woman. His parents also felt the same way my parents had. Everyone was so shocked with our relationship, as if it was something foreign.

Although, others feel men should not cook and clean, or vice versa, I do not judge them for beliefs. I respect what others value, regardless how much it differs with my values. It is understandable why certain relationships do not work when you have different beliefs and values, however you still do not have to be judgmental about it. Even sometimes acting shocked by someones behavior can be offensive or just simply annoying. To make meaningful bonds and communicate effectively I believe people need to be less rigid and be open to new things.

Tiffany Zeno Journal 1

Today, the analysis of three main sociological concepts: gender, sexual orientation, and identity, is entirely relevant due to the increase in people from LGBT communities. The changes that covered all spheres of society, also affected the existing stereotypes of gender behavior, so the issue of the place and role of men and women in society focuses on research on the aspirations, interests, and preferences of both sexes. The worst thing is that most communities forget about their humanity, promoting gender or sex discrimination, condemning LGBTQ people, identifying them with without gender/sex individuals.

The three main concepts are defined and explained through personal experience. Thus, gender is a socio-biological characteristic that divides communities into men and women. Sexual orientation is an attraction to the opposite or the same sex. This often leads to a person’s self-identification on this basis and can also be associated with a specific, socially determined type of behavior, and on its basis, people can unite in specific communities, an example of which is LGBT. Identity is our self-awareness; that is, what kind of person we are in our view and how we see ourselves varies depending on the circumstances. Considering the text information, Kate Bornstein stated that early education affects people’s self-identification and attitude towards those who are not like everyone. If, from childhood, parents have taught the child to distinguish between male and female and to treat all people with respect, there is a high probability that in adulthood, the child will not be attracted to the same sex and will not discriminate. The important point is that because of the wrong stereotypes and femininity or masculinity instilled from an early age, adolescents in LGBT communities often suffer from bullying and suicide. Overall, three major concepts are defined, which include gender, sexual orientation, and identity.

From my experience, I can say that since I was a child, I have often wondered how people define their sexuality, sexual orientation, and gender. We were taught that people are divided into men and women based on clothing, hair length, accessories, toys, and behavior, which defined their adult views, and deviation from the inherited stereotypes is regarded as abnormal. However, in assessing the situation today, I have often encountered visible violence against those who are not like everyone else. This often applies to gay men who wear women’s clothing and jewelry, or transgender people who feel uncomfortable in their bodies. Having friends from various religious backgrounds, I can say that religion influences the concept of identity and gender roles. For example, catholic families oppose same-sex marriages and transgenderism, promoting equality between men and women. However, protestants or atheists consider it as normal phenomena. Overall, such concepts as gender, sexual orientation, and identity are influenced by religion and stereotypes, which are inoculated from an early age.