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Gender is socially constructed--how have you been socialized into your gender identity?

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As a Hispanic woman, my gender identity has been shaped by a mix of cultural expectations, familial influences, and social norms. From a young age, I was taught to embody feminine characteristics such as nurturing, empathy, and obedience. My family reinforced these gender norms by setting expectations for behavior, appearance, and household roles. Furthermore, societal messages and media portrayals frequently reinforced traditional gender roles and expectations, influencing how I perceived myself and others. While there were some pressures to conform to gender norms, my cultural context provided opportunities for empowerment and resilience. Overall, my gender socialization as a Hispanic female has been shaped by a complex interplay of cultural traditions, family dynamics, and societal influences, all of which have influenced my understanding and expression of gender.

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People have been socialized into gender identity through various means, such as cultural norms, family expectations, and societal influences. As a Hispanic woman, Family expectations play a significant role in gender socialization. From a young age, I often learn about gender roles and behaviors through their families. For example, some Hispanic families would encourage their child to engage in activities that are traditionally associated with my gender, such as boys being encouraged to play sports and girls being encouraged to engage in nurturing activities. These expectations can shape a child's understanding of their own gender identity and influence their behavior and choices as they grow up.

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I was heavily socialized into my gender identity growing up in an Indian household that is second generation. To begin with, my grandma, who was born in India, married a man she hardly knew through an arranged marriage and had children together. Throughout her entire life, my grandmother has always taken care of the cooking, cleaning, and listening to whatever my grandfather said to her. Even though she had a job of her own, she would overlook his awful drinking habits because he was the "man of the house" and the "provider." My grandmother attempted to instill in me the idea that you should accommodate and put up with a man despite his countless imperfections simply because he is your husband and a male. In addition, she advised me to learn how to cook—not for myself, but for my future spouse. She has always told me that a woman's job in life is to only serve men and take care of their wants in order to make them feel good about themselves.

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I was socialized into my gender identity by multiple influences, whether it is brought upon me through social interaction, environmentally, and culturally through family. Growing up I was always taught by my family on what it means to be a man in this world, and these typical concepts of masculinity and how I should act were reinforced throughout my interactions with life. What I know as the norms for my gender identity are the result of environmental socialization. As a result of these influences, I’ve grown up to gravitate towards a leadership role in life, and I am also more engaged in physical activities such as sports. I was taught that as a man I need to be a provider for the people I care about, and that I need to have a mental character that others can look up to.

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the way I've been socialized into my gender identity started when I was young. growing up I was pushed more into to doing sports as it was seen more as a male thing. I wear a lot of sport sneakers and male type of clothing. all my life I've been taught by the media and my Jamaican how family how a male is supposed to behave and interact with others. for it doesn't really go beyond that.

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Gender is a notion that can be considered socially constructed rather than being seen solely determined by biological factors. Societal norms have been institutionalized for generations and have played in the role of associations with genders. The gender associations with men are usually assertiveness, emotionally resistant, and independence. The gender associations with females are usually considered submissive, nurturing, and emotionally expressive. For me personally I believe that I have been socialized to mix with both natures because of family, friends and the media. For example, I can be insensitive to my feelings at times, and rather than talking or expressing myself outloud, I find myself holding it in. I usually talk to myself, or take that energy out on myself by working out. I do this because I feel it’s more appropriate and just the way I learned to handle my emotions around family and friends. My guy friends and family haven’t really been good at expressing their emotions, or dealing with mine, so I believe I just learned to deal with my emotions and feelings on my own. Although, this was the case I grew up making and getting along better with more female friends in my life. Being around them I’d say increased my emotional intelligence and sympathetic side as I mostly talked to these females about how we felt. Whenever problems escalated, I noticed I have friends who would reach out to me to talk about private or personal concerns. Which I believe is because I gained a greater sense of emotional intelligence, understanding, and comfort for that matter being around a lot of females in my upbringing. Ultimately, being around females for some time has caused me to shed some of their nature into my being, but also growing up with a tougher family, friends and the exposure to the media I have also associated within areas of my life where my masculine nature has taken its course.

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When looking into my life, I have been socialized into my gender identity mostly from outside influences. Growing up, no one has strictly put it upon me that I have to act like a man or do "manly things" because I'm a male. If anything, my interests and the things that I have learned along the way have shaped me to being more "male-like" according to society. My main interest is gaming and things that are related to it, which I have put in so many hours into over the years. While I ultimately lean towards being a male, I don't necessesarily do everything associated with a male (this isn't necessarily a lean towards being "female-like" but more so exemplifying some characteristics over others). While I consider myself more "male-like," I have, through education and other outside influences, learned that many characteristics of an "ideal man" aren't necessarily ideal to the society that I live in and how I even interact with others. As I have grown up, I have learned that while I'm a male and associate more with "male qualitities," I lean more into the qualities of a man that society finds more acceptable like being respectable and having some level of profesionalism and logic rather than embracing many "ideal male qualities" blindly and thinking that these qualities will help me get far or that I can get away with doing certain things as a male when that isn't the case.

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I was socialized into my gender identity through multiple ways demonstrated how gender is socially constructed. From a young age, family, media, and school systems all influenced what I saw to be "feminine" actions and expectations. For example, the items that I was given, such as dolls and kitchen sets, and the activities I was encouraged to participate in, such as dance and having caring role in play, were all heavily influenced by traditional ideals of femininity. Educational materials frequently stressed men's successes over women, subtly indicating gender stereotypes and roles. As I grew older, media depictions shaped my concept of femininity, emphasizing features such as emotional sensitivity, beauty, and caregiving as essential qualities for women. These social forces slowly but blatantly steered me toward some actions and away from others, constantly promoting a gender identity that corresponded to society standards of what it is to be woman.

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As an AFAB individual, I have been socialized as a woman. Typically I saw this manifest in expectations and rules regarding my behavior and interests that my family would impose on me. My mom would always dress me in pink, I’d receive Barbies as gifts, I had a play kitchen as a kid, my birthdays were themed based on characters that were geared towards girls (princesses, strawberry shortcake, etc.), I often wore skirts and dresses, and I had to style my hair long, regardless of my actual interests at those ages. I was told often as a kid (and still do) that I needed to close my legs and sit more femininely regardless of whether I found that comfortable. Within society, we are often told to do these things, either through the media we watched or through our schools. Whenever I watched cartoons as a kid, girls were often stylized to have more feminine traits (soft and caring) and dress more femininely (pinks and purples, skirts, dresses, etc.), which worked to reinforce these gender stereotypes. In schools, girls would sometimes even get different classes or take different sports just because of their gender. Girls would even be physically separated from boys in lines. Even the toys boys and girls would get from Mcdonalds would be different. It all manifests in sometimes covert and obvious ways that all work to reinforce the narrative that girls/women and boys/men are different and should behave differently.

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I have been socialized into my gender identity through various influences, primarily through social interactions, environmental factors, media and cultural norms. From an early age, my family imparted upon me the ideals and expectations associated with being a man / male in society. These traditional notions of masculinity were reinforced throughout my upbringing, influencing my behavior, attitudes, and self-perception. As a result of this socialization, I have internalized certain norms and behaviors deemed appropriate for my gender. For instance, I've learned to gravitate towards being a "provider" or "leader". Through media portrayals, I absorbed the expectation that emotional vulnerability is a sign of weakness, shaping my understanding of "masculinity." Moreover, I was taught the importance of maintaining a strong, respectable character. While these influences have played a significant role in shaping my gender identity, I also recognize the complexity of gender, acknowledging the interplay of social, cultural, psychological, and biological factors in its formation.

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My Hispanic family has socialized me; I grew up in a remote place in Mexico, and the norms are still the same as 20 or even 30 years ago; people only think about having children, and the man takes care of the economic status, and the women stay at home taking care of the kids, home, animals, and remain the same, one thing that men have on mind is coming to the USA, and leaving their family behind. This socialized me in many different ways because that was tough as a male living in Mexico; however, when I came to this country, my gender identity could be expressed differently, from going to college and working at the same time to being able to apply for a job that is mainly dominated for women or that is our norms have taught us. Having the two experiences can help me see how gender identity can define you; men are the ones who take care of the house in Mexico; in the USA, everyone can do whatever they believe in.

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My family plays a large role in my socialization into my gender identity. As a child I was constantly pushed towards what would be considered more "girly" things, such as dolls and anything with the color pink. I was dressed in florals and bows and it stayed that way until I was a late teen because I believed thats how I should be. Now that I am a lot older and I stray away from conforming to what is considered typically "feminine", I get more comments from my family like "you dress like a boy" or "a man won't like you if you dress like that." Being the oldest daughter has forced a lot of traditional roles onto me, and as I stray away from them I realize how much I had to unlearn when it comes to gender roles and how I express my gender identity.

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I have been socialized into my gender identity through multiple institutions, but I would say the biggest and starter one was my family. When I was younger, my dad actually forbid me to do certain feminine things such as self care, strangely enough. He disapproved of me shaving/waxing and even disliked the idea of me wanting earrings. For a short period of time, my mom also disapproved. But now that I'm older, I feel as if it was more to "preserve" my age and that I wasn't old enough to do such things (which was justifiable). It wasn't until I started getting older and hitting puberty where my dad would make snarky comments at me implying that I wasn't beautiful enough for guys to like me because I had severe acne. Or he all the sudden changed his mind about me waxing and shaving because hair all the sudden became gross. It was like I was convinced my purpose of being a woman was to JUST appeal to men. Sometimes I noticed it was even about the things they didn't say. For example, when I wear baggy clothes-- it's not that they make any bad comments but rather only compliment me when I'm dressed more feminine. So naturally, I automatically did what I was told would make me more feminine and beautiful. I only felt it was more right because that's what social media was also showing me. All the beauty tips, fashion, association to "girly" colors, and even non physical aspects like emotions. Even when I go in public spaces, I notice how different the sections for men vs women are. The colors, the aroama, advertisements, etc. It become the same with school. For example, forbidding girls to sign up for a specific sports such as fencing or football simply based on gender. The more recurring things I saw or heard in different places, the more I simply just started associated it with the qualities that "make up women"

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Growing up with the belief that my primary role was to serve men has deep-seated implications that extend far beyond personal identity. Firstly, such a mindset perpetuates gender inequality, reinforcing archaic stereotypes that confine individuals to rigid societal roles based on their gender. By internalizing this notion, I unwittingly contribute to the normalization of unequal power dynamics, hindering progress towards gender equity. Moreover, this belief system can erode self-worth and limit personal aspirations, as I prioritized fulfilling others' expectations over my own desires and ambitions.

Furthermore, the implications of embracing such a belief extend beyond my own experiences to broader social structures. It can perpetuate systemic discrimination against women, denying them opportunities for advancement and reinforcing patriarchal norms that privilege men. This not only stifles individual potential but also undermines societal progress by excluding diverse perspectives and contributions. Additionally, it can have lasting effects on future generations, as these beliefs may be passed down and perpetuated through cultural and familial channels, further entrenching gender inequality in society.

Addressing the implications of this belief requires a multifaceted approach that involves challenging traditional gender norms, promoting education and awareness, and advocating for policies that empower individuals regardless of gender. By fostering an environment that values equality and inclusivity, we can dismantle the harmful ideologies that limit human potential and work towards creating a more just and equitable society for all.

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I was socialized into gender identity. The social norms are that girls were dress, submissive and soft. Gender identity is shaped through gender socialization. This process begins at birth when infants are assigned a gender, typically based on their biological sex. From then on, individuals are socialized or taught, the norms, behaviors, and roles associated with their assigned gender. For example, girls are associated with femininity like dolls, makeup, and dresses. Boys were associated with cars, being strong, and motorcycles. Over time, these experiences and teachings shape an individual's understanding of their own gender identity. However, it's important to note that while socialization plays a significant role, individual experiences and perceptions also contribute to the formation of gender identity.

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As a Black Haitian Christian young woman, my gender identity has been shaped by how I was raised. I grew up in a single-parent household. Not really the best experience. Growing up, I was always around relatives. It started with just my grandparents, to my aunts, uncles, and cousins. Due to me being the oldest I had a lot of responsibilities. Some that I shouldn't have had a child. I had to learn how to clean, cook, etc. Still learning how to cook. I'm being prepared for my future, as in being a wife and a mother. Being raised by a single mother, I am very cautious when it comes to men. Especially if I'm just meeting you for the first time or if you trying to talk to me, I go on straight defense mode. It doesn't matter if he is being friendly or not. These things I learned and still learning to this day are what shaped my gender identity.

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I've been socialized into my gender identity by physically presenting as a traditional woman. I gravitate towards items that are traditionally for women, and I strongly feel that I cannot wear anything else other than feminine clothing. It's also true that I don’t particularly enjoy wearing anything else. Wearing sneakers makes me feel like I lack womanhood because in my world, I’ve associated certain accessories and articles of clothing with womanhood. But there's another component: I am physically taller when I wear heels, and I enjoy the extra inches in my height since I'm short, standing at 5'0". Initially, in my transition into more feminine clothing and accessories, I favored and shopped for shoes with short and blocky heels, as they were easy and comfortable to wear. When I purchased such heels, I was thinking in terms of practicality. Over time, I started experimenting; the backs of the heels started to become thinner and taller. Now, my everyday heels average between 4-6 inches. While these heels weren't particularly comfortable, I started to feel a sense of womanliness when I wore these high heels that were thin, which persisted through the physical discomfort, and the concept of "beauty is pain" dawned upon me. I would say that this is the only aspect of me that I've been socialized by the world into. I genuinely enjoy dressing the way I do, and I no longer feel discomfort on my feet as I've taken it upon myself to educate myself about which shoe structure is best for my foot to offer the level of womanliness I'm looking for and comfortability.

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Growing up as a hispanic man in New York, my gender identity was shaped by a combination of family influence and societal norms. From a young age, I was socialized to conform to traditional masculine roles and behaviors, which often emphasized qualities like strength, toughness, and independence. My father is a macho dad so growing up with him made me naturally pick up his behavior and characteristics. My gender identity was a result of cultural expectations, personal experiences, and social influences.

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I have been socialized into my gender identity by how I was raised. As a black Jamaican girl, I was taught to cook and clean at a young age while my brother did not. My mom would say things like girls don't wear that or I'm not allowed to do or go certain places because I'm a girl. Recently had a discussion with my mom on how growing up I wasn't allowed to date but now she allows my younger brother to do so because he is a boy. She then states how I can get pregnant and girls are more sensitive to this but the same thing can happen to him. Then social media presents these high standards of what a girl needs to look like in order to fit in. My household just believes in boy and girl relationships which bothers me.

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Gender is socially constructed--how

have you been socialized into your gender identity?

I believe that being a Hispanic Male I have been socialized into my society as to not really show much emotions and that as I was growing up I was not really supposed to show signs that you are weak or that you have potential vulnerabilities and that you needed to show that you weren’t someone to just be pushed around easily. as I had gotten older I was also told by my parents that I had needed to be able to become independent for myself and that I wouldn’t need help from others. So my gender identity was to be a self sufficient kind of person.

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As far as my experience with gender is concerned, I believe that the way I was socialized into it was largely due to my mother's influence. From what I can recall, she was always quite particular about the types of clothing I wore, and would usually dress me up in boys' clothing. I remember her telling me on several occasions that certain items were meant for boys and others were meant for girls. This pattern of socialization had a significant impact on my understanding of gender roles and norms and made me more conscious of how society perceives and categorizes individuals based on their gender.

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I have been socialized into my gender identity to conform to the expectations associated with being a woman. This socialization has involved learning to adhere to societal norms and expectations, such as being polite, dressing femininely, and exhibiting proper dinner table manners. Additionally, I have been taught to respect the opinions and behaviors that align with traditional feminine roles and characteristics. My mother always catered to my father also. She would serve him dinner, and prepare his personal needs. Not that I wouldn't do this for my future husband, but I wouldn't do all the "wifely duties" women had to do back then.

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the way I've been socialized into my gender identity was through the use of school, and family. in school growing up I've learned to dress the way a male should dress, sit a certain way, talk a certain way, etc. with family, I come from Jamaica, and in Jamaica as man, you can't talk a too much, you can't dress a certain way, for example in Jamaica people who identify as gay are attacked and not even police do anything about it because almost everyone in Jamaica sees it as bad.

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I would say I've been socialized into my gender identity through mostly my upbringing and who I've been surrounded by most of my life. I would give it to my dad to teach me the values that would be considered with men. This would be to be respectful, don't be afraid to speak up, don't let people control me, etc. The biggest factor however, is that for most of my life I have grown up around women and while I am friends with people of both genders, I have been friends with mostly women. Thus, I learned more values from women such as my mom and a few of my close friends and because of this upbringing I am able to see more of the picture between situations and people that I know see me as a very unbiased person. Today, after everything I learned when I was younger, gender is something I don't care about in my day to day life, I just do me.

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I've been socialized into my gender identity throughout my life. I am the only girl in my family, so I've always been treated differently compared to my brothers. Growing up, I always had a lot of pink-colored clothes. Some of my clothes had Hello Kitty characters and Disney princesses, and I also had a lot of dolls growing up. Mostly Barbies and princesses. My mom and I would always play "Tea Time" with my dolls too. It became a scenario that in my mind, would portray what I had to do when I was older. It showed me how I had to be around people and what characteristics I had to have as a girl. I had to take care of my dolls and make sure their hair was good and intact. That they looked presentable. My brothers would always watch WWE and whenever I would play fight with them, my mom would not like that and she would say that my brothers would play more rough and could hurt me. That a girl shouldn't be playing that way or even watch wrestling. In a way, I had to be more delicate and soft compared to them.

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I have been socialized into my gender identity ever since I was born, my mom had told me before that when I was in her belly, I was going to be a boy and she had gotten me a lot of blue colored clothes for me to wear but the day she gave birth to me, she found out I was actually a girl so she said she had to give away the clothes she had gotten before and buy new clothes because in her eyes the color blue was for boys and she didn't want people to confuse me as a baby boy. As I grew older, she would dress me up in pink and purple almost all the time and have my hair put in braids or pigtails with headbands because she said lady's would always look pretty looking put together, because I was one of the oldest and a girl, I had to help her clean the house and take care if my younger brothers whenever she needed help and was told to stop playing around with them because it was not lady like at all when i would run around and play. Even when my brothers and I grew older I was taught to have to put them first because they are guys even if I have too much going on, because my mom grew up with the mentality that men are above women and women should just stay at home to cook, clean, take care of their kids.