Sociology 6 Essay: Gender Roles and Social Expectations

This essay delves into the sociological understanding of gender, emphasizing its construction within society and the influence of social expectations. It examines the distinction between sex and gender, highlighting how society assigns attributes to gender, leading to roles and identities. The essay explores the ideas of Raewyn Connell, focusing on how gender is not merely a biological trait but a social structure that shapes behavior and expectations. It discusses masculinity and femininity as socially defined concepts, influencing societal beliefs and practices. The essay also touches upon gender roles, industrialization, and the process of becoming a woman, referencing Judith Butler and Simone de Beauvoir. Furthermore, it addresses gender binaries, societal expectations of children, and the underrepresentation of women in various sectors. The conclusion emphasizes that gender is a complex, evolving social structure, not merely an expression of biology, and is subject to change based on social circumstances and culture.

Running head: SOCIOLOGY
Gender Studies
Name of the Student:
Name University:
Author Note

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Raewyn Connell is an Australian sociologist who has contributed to the field of study
immensely. She has gained prominence through her works which concern gender relations.
Connell writes that ‘gender must be understood as a social structure. It is not an expression of
biology, nor a fixed dichotomy in human life or character. It is a pattern in our social
arrangements’ in her seminal ‘The Question of Gender’. The extract is from Connell’s work
which is about gender differences which exist in the society and the operation of gender itself.
According to her, society creates a construct while leading to social expectations and gender
roles. Connell states that gender is rooted in performativity and social expectations. According to
Connell, Gender is not entirely biological or fixed to human character or life. Sociologists
emphasize on the very fact that there is distinct difference between gender and sex, which is
biological.
Sex of a person refers to the attributes of a person which is restricted to the biological
attributes and are thus, classified as male or female. Whereas, on the other hand, gender refers to
attributes which are classified socially, psychologically as well as culturally. These attributes are
associated with femininity, masculinity or simply being male or female. The classification, in
addition gives rise to division and most often unequal treatment, in the society, based on gender
(Lindsey 2015). These different treatment are in connection with deeper and complex
understanding and perception of gender. Sex and gender is often poorly represented and thus,
Connell tries to make a distinction that the idea of gender, is defined as well as associated with,
by people with respect to the pre conceived notions.
Gender may not entirely depend on the biological traits of a person. Moreover, it is a
concept which defines how sex categories are determined by the society as well as meanings are
attached to them. There are many meanings which are attached to the roles of men and women,

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which give rise to their gender identities. The sociology of gender intends to understand how
society influences the perception of gender and creates distinction between masculinity and
femininity. Masculinity, is what society deems as the behavior which is appropriated with the
roles of a man, whereas, on the other hand, femininity is referred to as the behavior. These even
influence and give rise to societal expectations, beliefs and practices which are related to gender
and identity.
Gender is socially constructed, which is similar to all social identities. Gender can be put
into cultural as well as historical focus. Gender roles can be defined in terms of the functions and
tasks which are performed and are perceived to be related with femininity and masculinity. The
gender roles have expanded along with industrialization. The gender roles were different before
the industrial era as the expectations with male and female workers prior to the era were very
much restricted to the pre conceived notions. Woman, is a process of becoming, ‘One is not
born, but rather becomes a woman (Butler 2011). No biological, psychological or economic fate
determines the figure that the human female presents in society’. Commenting on this statement
made by Beauvoir, Butter points out that becoming a woman is a process which is ongoing and
discursive.
Gender identity creates a binary of males and females, through which there are
associations made. A male, since childhood is taught, that the qualities which are to be associated
with masculinity are strong, independent, emotionally less sensitive. Whereas, females, on the
other hand are considered to be more emotionally sensitive, docile, dependent on the male
members of the family. They are taught to be conforming to the gender identity, which the
society creates for them, as males or females, respectively, based on their biological sex. The
toys with which children are made to be associated with are different, as boys are expected to

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play with cars and miniature soldier figures, while girls are given miniature utensils, dolls and so
on. Furthermore, if a boy tends to associate with what the girls are made to taught, according to
the societal expectations and norms, he is most often considered to be effeminate, who gets
subjected to scorn.
The roles are predetermined for both the genders, as the representations are seen
recurring in popular culture, advertisements and day to day practices as well. Women are
projected as the weaker sex, who are channelized to work or performative acts, which are
supposedly more suitable for their capabilities, such as being restricted to the inner domains of
the household and run the household. They are believed to be caregivers, who nurture kids and
look after the activities within a household, while, on the other hand, the males of the family are
expected to go out and work, as they are stronger and more capable. The responsibility of
earning bread for the family is entrusted with a man. The social construct continues to drive the
expectations of the society as people are taught to believe and propagate the ideas, which are
established notions already. Women are still under represented in many sectors, as they are
considered to less capable of undertaking roles and responsibilities, which have continued to be
associated with masculinity.
As Judith Butler has pointed out that, the image of body, is put under critical scrutiny, be
it a man or a woman. The body, thus, becomes the subject to a culture, which is objectified and
perceived with respect to the expectations and gender construct. This creates gender binary of
feminine and masculine. The paradox of dichotomy is that not everyone can be categorized to be
either masculine or feminine as they do not or cannot conform to any of the two (Jeffreys 2014).
For transgender people, the identity is not created by their biological attributes, but how they
associate themselves or wish to be perceived by the world. Their biological attributes may not be

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aligned with gender perception of themselves. On the other hand, in no way, can gender fluid
people be categorized as either feminine or masculine (Salih 2007). Gender, as a social construct,
which is still dominant, very restrictive and reinforce that the social arrangement still is bereft of
inclusivity.
It can thus be concluded by saying that Gender is a social structure, which is imbibed by
people as characteristics and attributes of each gender. Gender is not the expression of biology
but a series of complex understanding which give rise to the perception of gender. Gender is a
being, which is an ongoing process and gets subjected to change with time, social circumstance
as well as culture, Gender identity and disparity between gender still continues to be the few
examples which are influenced and determined by the construct of gender.

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References
Butler, J., 2011. Gender trouble: Feminism and the subversion of identity. routledge.
Connell, R.W., 2013. Gender and power: Society, the person and sexual politics. John Wiley &
Sons.
Jeffreys, S., 2014. Gender hurts: A feminist analysis of the politics of transgenderism. Routledge.
Lindsey, L.L., 2015. Gender roles: A sociological perspective. Routledge.
Salih, S., 2007. On Judith Butler and Performativity. Sexualities and communication in everyday
life: A reader, pp.55-68.
Bibliography
Connell, R.W., 2002. Gender Short Introductions.