This was a topic I had to write a paper on and it got me thinking, are the two sexes all that different? This is only a 1st draft so if may have errors.
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Professor ********
English 101 (Draft)
23, September 2008
The Extreme Difference
“Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus.” According to popular stereotypes, Men and Women are completely different. So different in fact, that each sex was awarded their own planet! But are the two sexes really all that different? After all we are both human beings, we both need the food, water and shelter in order to live. We both have emotions and we both are able to think logically and coherently, how can this small difference we call gender make us so different? Is it the way we are raised, what we are taught or is gender something that has to do with science and genetics?
For the most part boys and girls grow up in a completely different environments. Like in Tannen’s
His and Hers, boys and girls socialize with their friends in different ways. Boys like to be in packs or large groups. Within these groups there is this ever so apparent rivalry present between its members. In order to be excepted into the pack one has to prove themselves worthy to the others which usually causes the constant competition and bitter rivalry’s between members. Maybe this is why boys get a taste for sports at an early age, competition is something we are taught to love. Without this competitiveness a boy may find himself banished from the pack, or constantly ridiculed by the more dominate boys in the group. As with girls; girls tend to be more genital and more expecting of their friends. Girls tend to play in small groups and aren’t as competitive as young boys.
It is when girls are surrounded by boys, maybe if she has only brothers or only a male guardian to care for her, that she starts to act like a boy and is stereotypically called a
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“tomboy.” If gender is in genetics, than how is this girl able to act like a boy? It also
works the same way around too. Boys who only grow up in a female environment, maybe only sisters as siblings, tend to act more like a girl. They lose a bit of their competitive edge and become more sensitive. This is because they tend to want to be like their sisters or female influence the same way the girl wanted to be like her male influence in the other scenario. Is this factual proof that gender is taught?
We all know the stereotypical differences between men and women. Men are more straight forward and aggressive where as women are more gentle, sensitive, caring, and better with social skills. What I find funny is this relates right back to the way men and women were raised and or taught.
One my argue, just look at the physical and chemical difference between men and women. Men are “usually” bigger and stronger due to the chemical hormone called testosterone. Many say that it is this “testosterone” that causes men to be more aggressive and power hungry where as women have what is called estrogen which gives them totally different characteristics. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that the “average” male is bigger than the average female, doesn’t that prove right there that the difference in men and women is genetics?
Not so fast; personally I do not agree. Sure one ca not argue genetics play a role to some extent, but I think the way someone is raised and brought up; who they hang around with can over ride their genetics. The mind controls the body; so if the mind is reprogrammed to think one thing, it makes sense that it cant totally ignore the body’s chemistry. A transvestite is somebody who proves this true. Transvestites ignore their
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genetics that they were born with and take on the characteristics of the opposite sex they desire.
The only difference between men and women is physical appearance and even sometimes in that area there is no difference. In terms of characteristics, genetics only play a small role; which leaves me to believe man and women are more the same then most people may think. Men and women are not from different planets after all, we are just taught and raised on different planets!
So do you guys agree with me, is gender for the most part taught?