University Article Review: Gender Roles and Social Implications

This article review examines Barry D. Adam's article, 'Why Be Queer?', which explores societal intolerance towards homosexuality, labeling it as a mental illness. The review delves into the suppression of natural homosexual tendencies, touching upon social structures, gender policing, and the development of institutions to criminalize homosexuality. It highlights the absurdity of criminalizing homosexuality and the impact of gender roles on individuals, schools, and families. The review connects the article's themes with concepts from Schaefer's 'Sociology, A Brief Introduction,' discussing social imagination and the impact of gender identity on individuals and society. It emphasizes the role of state and church in spreading homophobia, the formation of dual identities, and the use of scientific and historical research methods to understand the evolution of gender roles and homophobia. Key findings include the shaping of homoerotic relationships by society, the perversion of homosexual relationships by Western countries, and the marginalization of the LGBT community. The review concludes by discussing the suppression of women and the impact of homophobia on society, offering insights into misogyny and its burden on women and the LGBT population.

Running head: ARTICLE REVIEW
Article Review
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author Note:

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Article Review
The article “Why Be Queer?” by author Barry D. Adam is a powerful narrating
enumerating in detail social intolerance towards homosexuality, marking it as a pathological
disease and mental illness. In the process of narrating about the suppression of natural
homosexual tendencies, the article touches upon topic which are pertinent to any student
taking active interest in social structure, state and church autocracy, the development of
social institutions to curb and criminalize homosexuality, gay and lesbianism, and gender
policing. The article has a compact structure which not only strives to humanize
homosexuality and lesbian relationship but provides the reader with a very interesting and
personal perspective on gender fluidity. As a consequence the paper shows the sheer cruelty
and absurdity that lie underneath the facade of criminalizing homosexuality, labelling it as a
taboo. In the concluding paragraph, the author questions how bar it is possible to assign roles
to genders and the possible outcomes of gender dictatorship. It leaves quintessential questions
regarding our own conformity to gender roles and the restrictiveness that it henceforth brings.
After reading the entire paper it becomes apparent how western countries have not only
prohibited homosexuality but has assigned and confirmed job roles to specific gender. This is
quite a violation of people’s personal preferences and aspirations. In this way the author has
documented the serious implications of such gender biasness that has even taken a concrete
shape in schools and families, thereby taking possession of the psychological landscape of
children bullying others who do not fall into the demarcated category of gender roles.
Adams has also included in the paper a number of previous research paper s dealing
with the social implications of gender policing which is a result of homophobia that is
inherent in society. Many research papers have written in detail how gender policing has
evidently worsened male pupil’s academic performance making them more engaged in
“male-centric” activities bordering on violence. The author makes it apparent how in this
way the core concept and ideas regarding the mannerisms of cis men and women have

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perpetuated in the society. It brings to the forefront how even parents of western countries
tend to normalize the behaviour due to the ideas and fear surrounding homosexuality, deep-
rooted into their minds. The victims, according to the paper mentioned in the essay, is not
merely the homosexual people but the entire society, who are forced to act stepping beyond
their comfort zones. The book Sociology, A Brief Introduction, written by Schaefer, also
discusses how far the idea of strict gender identity has penetrated into the society. School
going male population are constantly under the burden of aligning oneself to the established
norms of the society. The book talks about social imagination which allows an individual to
visualize the world through a different lens. As a result of this stereotyped gender identity
that social institutions like church, school and law has constructed, isolation has taken over
individuals. As estimated by WHO more than a million number of people fall victim to
suicide due to social oppression and isolationmembers (Schaefer 2008: 8). Durkheim has
concluded that one of the primary reasons of growing number of suicide rates is due to the
failure of integrating oneself within the accepted social circle. The article clearly states how
state has spread homophobia in order to ensure the entire population is functioning according
to the role stipulated by orthodox churches and rigorous religious practices. It is almost like
living in a prison where religious authorities getter the upper hand in deciding about people’s
sexual preferences and orientation. Adams has made a careful observation on how this tenets
have restricted people’s natural behavior and desires. Max Weber has observed how absurd it
to impose restrictions on people’s behaviour and wants as there cannot exist a clear definition
of social behavior which has only be assessed completely by determining the actions that lie
behind such behavioral patterns. Therefore, the absurd way of imposing or deciding
sexuality, spread and constant checking of homophobia can only separate the society into
minority and majority groups. It will increase the number of persecution of the members of
society because of their sexual orientation. The article has opened the discussion for how

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people prepare masks in order to get socially accepted, the formation of dual identities or
double consciousness where the individual’s identity gets divided into several sections in
order to live up to the expectations of the society or his/her family members (Schaefer 2008:
50). The social theorist DuBois and his followers questioned social order and norms. The
book states how gender role has given birth to absurdities starting from the birth of a child
which is nothing short of suppression and racism. It makes the child imbibe ideas to act in a
specific gender-oriented manner so as not to attract the scorn and contempt of family and
friends.
The research methods used by the authors Schaefer and Barry D. Adam in the study
are mostly scientific method in order to comprehend society and the major drawbacks.
Sociologists need to analyze human behavior and modes of interaction and therefore the
usage of scientific method is most suitable (Ellwood 1931: 20). It answered a number of
questions important to the study, people’s notion of gender identity. With scientific research
methods the author has given viable answers to a number of important social questions
therefore forming a pattern for better understanding of the society. The paper by author
Adams has used historical research method by which the author has carefully studied
the events and processes of the past social order which has helped the readers in a better
understanding of the concept of homophobia and its immediate consequences on the society.
This has helped in the interlinking of past and present social changes, the origin and
development of homosexual relationship, the gradual worsening of the scenario by church
authorities and law and finally criminalizing it. The happenings of past and their study are
therefore is equally necessary in understanding the present changes. Furthermore, the
research method has also made it possible for the readers to understand that society is a
product of time and evolution and an understanding of the present will be incomplete without
the past.

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Article Review
The key findings presented by the author Adams in his paper are how homo-erotic
relationships are shaped and developed according to the elements of the given society. How
the western country has perverted the concept of homosexual relationship which was
previously practiced in a full-fledged manner even by the minority section of the society. It is
evident that the taboo associated with gay and lesbian relationship is a product of excessive
church authority and enforcement of their views on the individuals. The study also points out
these kinds of relationships were prevalent in mythology and in indigenous societies. Gender
fluidity was more apparent then, that it is in the modern times. Readers come to the
conclusion that deliberate gender stereotyping thwart men and women from practicing their
own choices and decisions in their own lives, deprives children of their innocence and
childhood. Homophobia gives rise to sexism and marginalizes the LGBT community. It even
prevents women from certain jobs and unjustifiably persecutes people with homosexual
tendencies.
The book ‘Sociology A Brief Introduction’ expands on the suppression of women
which is a direct consequence of homophobia and assigning of gender roles, which can
be explore further by students who are interested in women’s studiesthat has been talked
about in “Why Be Queer?”. The female population is subjugated by being set under
numerous expectations regarding their choices especially of sexual partners therefore
resulting in female self-injury. The article is an interesting read on misogynistic society and
its burden on the women and LGBT population.

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Article Review
Reference List:
Ellwood, C. A. (1931). Scientific method in sociology. Social Forces, 10(1), 15-21. Retrieved
from http://www.jstor.org/stable/3006109
Geist, C., Reynolds, M. M., & Gaytán, M. S. (2017). Unfinished Business: Disentangling
Sex, Gender, and Sexuality in Sociological Research on Gender
Stratification. Sociology Compass, 11(4). doi/full/10.1111/soc4.12470
Gilman, C. P. (2017). WOMEN & ECONOMICS: A Study of the Economic Relation between
Men and Women as a Factor in Social Evolution: From the famous American
feminist, social reformer, sociologist and the author of The Yellow Wallpaper and
Herland. 1st Edn, pp 189-200, Musaicum Books.
Haines, E. L., Deaux, K., & Lofaro, N. (2016). The times they are a-changing… or are they
not? A comparison of gender stereotypes, 1983–2014. Psychology of Women
Quarterly, 40(3), 353-363. agepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0361684316634081
Schaefer, R.T. (2008)Sociology: A Brief Introduction, 7th Edn, pp 44-372, McGraw-Hill.