Exploring Gender Dynamics: Reading Gender in Everyday Life Essay

This essay, titled 'Reading Gender in Everyday Life,' delves into the multifaceted ways gender influences health, utilizing various approaches such as psychoanalysis and intersectionality. It addresses key research questions about the interdependency of health and gender, the significance of psychoanalytic approaches, the impact of binary gender categorization, and the portrayal of intersectional bodies. The essay highlights that gender significantly impacts health through power dynamics, opportunities, and social expectations, referencing studies that show disparities in mental health between men and women. It also discusses how psychoanalysis aids in assessing mental health and how societal factors, genetics, and eating habits contribute to overall well-being. Furthermore, the essay explores the differences in body image and physical attributes between genders and concludes by emphasizing the biological differences between males and females and the utility of BMI index and psychoanalytic approaches in assessing health conditions.

READING GENDER IN EVERYDAY
LIFE

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................1
Research questions......................................................................................................................1
Hypothetical answers..................................................................................................................1
Description..................................................................................................................................1
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................3
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................4

INTRODUCTION
Gender difference is considered as one of the most important part of human health.
Biological and behaviour difference impact on individual health (Simic, 2016). Present study
will give answer to the question of in what ways male and female bodies are determined good or
bad.
MAIN BODY
Research questions
Define interdependency of health and gender?
What is the meaning of Psychoanalytic approach?
How Binary gender categorisation impact on health?
In what ways intersectional bodies have been determined good a or bad?
Hypothetical answers
It is scientific fact that men are physically strong as compare to women. Gender impacts
on human health to great extent. In the social context, whenever female gets ill then they feel
depressed and lose their temper, whereas when male persons get ill then they take some rest and
start working again (Tong, 1995.). Life expectancy records show that women life expectancy is
79 year and for men it is 72 years. Male persons like to take challenges so whenever they get ill
then they do not loose their hope. As compare to ladies they immediately feel dishearten.
Description
Gender impacts on human health to great extent, power, opportunities, social expectation
of individual impact on their health. As per the report of Mental health inequalities in Scotland
2005 it is found that women experience high depressive disorders as compare to male persons.
On other hand dimensions of diversity report explains that more examples have been observed
where men tackles situations effectively (Gender Differences in Determinants and Consequences
of Health and Illness, 2016). The main aim of psychoanalysis approach is to release repressed
emotions and make the person healthy. It is the great approach which supports in identifying
whether person is healthy or not. Their mental status can be measured through this therapy. This
approach try to identify psychological problems of human body and accordingly provide them
treatment. It is fact that female unconscious mind is difficult to understand, in order to know
whether their health is good or bad medical professionals have to examine their mental status
(Male and female ability differences down to socialisation, not genetics, 2016). It is the social
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approach that women are much stronger than men. Behaviour of men and women are different
in different situations. Whenever some causality occur then ladies behave so loud whereas men
does not show to any other person about their pain. Thus, male persons have to go through from
huge mental pressure which is difficult to examine by the practitioner.
Susan Bordo (1947) Social factor is major factor that identifies the mental health of
human being. If person is far away from educational process then individual fails to understand
about the health condition and do not take treatment on time. As per the view of Bordo, (2004)
there are many calculators which describe different weight for men and women in order to
identify whether they are healthy or not. 5'10 at 129 pounds is considered as ideal weight in men
whereas situation of women is far differed from male candidates. Genetic symptoms play
significant role in human body, individual major gets affected by their genetic structure. 60%
genetic and 40% diet keeps the person healthy.
Tylka and Homan, (2015) states that eating style in men and women are different.
Women generally suffer from eating disorder, it is because of their emotional functioning and
body image. That increases illness among them whereas male candidates are emotionally strong
thus, they do not avoid eating for small reasons. If male and female both are active for at least
150 minutes then they are considered as healthy. If they get tired early and take breaks
frequently then they need to improve their self because they are ill. BMI index states that girls
are higher as compare to boys in the age of 7 to 16. But with the increasing age weight of them
needs to be increased.
It is very common for women to carry heavyweight but they are ill because it increases
chances of obesity and diabetes. But men also have more muscles which is very common among
them. But having more muscle is not good for their health, it needs to be balanced. Overweight
at 25kg/m2 is unfair for men but it is normal for women (Wann, 2009). If any men is under this
index that means individual is not health and their health condition is bad. Obesity BMI for men
is 31.5 whereas for women is 29.9. Overweight values or gap between men and women body is
1.8 kg/m2. If this gap is breached that shows individual is not fit (The fat studies reader / edited
by Esther Rothblum and Sondra Solovay ; foreword by Marilyn Wann., 2009).
Wann, 2009 states that Male persons those who have 5'8” needs to have weight between
130 to 165 pounds. On other hands 5'3” women needs to have weight between 105 to 140
pounds. If female is between this eight that is considered as good health but if it is below or
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above from this value then it means they are ill. Simic, 2016 states that fat sex and sexuality
impacts on human health. It is fact that fat activism contributes to feminism body politics. Fat
feminist increases anger and frustration and that impact on their health condition.
Bowling, (2014) Intersectional perspective on body size creates difference in male and
female human body. That creates gap between power, emotional status etc. Femininity can be
considered as quality which are associated with the female. Physical appearance of male and
female are far differed from each others. Strength, aggression, initiative, leadership skills are
differentiated in both genders (Gender Differences in Determinants and Consequences of Health
and Illness, 2016). It is fact that brain association with memory is large in men as compare to
women.
Bordo, 2004 states that with the increasing age body image of women gets changed and
due to which they have face many health issue. That impact on their well-being. Physical,
perceptual and psychological are three main criteria which reflect extreme nature of women and
men and that determines whether they are healthy or ill. Male are mentally strong and if any
sudden complexity arise then men can handle these condition easily with calmness. That shows
that their health conditions are perfect but as compare to women they are little impatience and
whenever sudden changes occur in their daily life then thy have to face huge trouble and that
shows in their behaviour (Male and female ability differences down to socialisation, not genetics,
2016). It does not mean that they are unhealthy but it shows that mental presence of female after
the age of 45 becomes weak as compare to men.
CONCLUSION
From the above study it can be articulated that there is huge biological difference in male
and female. In order to measure their health conditions BMI index is accurate way through which
medial professionals can identify the health condition of individual. Psychoanalytic approach
helps concern person in identifying mental and physical fitness of individual.
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REFERENCES
Books and journals
Bordo, S., 2004. Unbearable weight: Feminism, Western culture, and the body. Univ of
California Press.
Bowling, A., 2014. Research methods in health: investigating health and health services.
McGraw-Hill Education (UK).
Simic, Z., 2016. Fat as a Feminist Issue: A History. Fat Sex: New Directions in Theory and
Activism. pp.15.
Susan Bordo 1947. Unbearable weight : feminism, Western culture, and the body / Susan Bordo ;
with a new preface by the author ; new foreword by Leslie Heywood. Berkeley, Calif. :
University of California Press
Tong, R., 1995. Book Review: Unbearable Weight: Feminism, Western Culture, and the Body.
Susan Bordo.
Tylka, T.L. and Homan, K.J., 2015. Exercise motives and positive body image in physically
active college women and men: Exploring an expanded acceptance model of intuitive
eating. Body image, 15, pp.90-97.
Wann, M., 2009. The Fat Studies Reader. NYU Press.
Online
Gender Differences in Determinants and Consequences of Health and Illness, 2016. [Online]
Available through: <https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3013263/>.
[Accessed on 21st September 2017].
Male and female ability differences down to socialisation, not genetics, 2016. [Online] Available
through: <https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/aug/15/girls-boys-think-same-way>.
[Accessed on 21st September 2017.
The fat studies reader / edited by Esther Rothblum and Sondra Solovay ; foreword by Marilyn
Wann., 2009. [Online] Available through:
<http://multisearch.mq.edu.au/primo_library/libweb/action/dlDisplay.do?
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vid=MQ&search_scope=PC_PLUS_LOCAL&docId=MQ_ALMA21101741290002171&f
n=permalink>. [Accessed on 21st September 2017.
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