Exposition-+Wah+Jiang



Essay:

According to John Gray, an author on relationships, “men are from Mars [while] women are from Venus”, which begs the question; what beings originate from Earth, homosexuals? Needless to say, “Mars” and “Venus” are only used as metaphors to express the myriad of differences between males and females (and for Mr Gray to publicise his book). From birth, males and females are already biologically different, and this difference is further emphasised through societal norms and our early upbringing.

Though Gray’s claim was probably only intended to amuse, it may actually be plausible. Why? Because the physical and biological differences that are imbued into us at birth make males and females look and act so dissimilar that if it were not the general physical shape that all humans share, it would be hard to believe that males and females are related. Though scientific research into this field is rather murky, most scientists tend to agree that gender differences at birth number in the thousands, from the well known hormonal differences of oestrogen and testosterone to the obscure size disparities of the inferior-parietal lobule, an organ in the brain that supposedly correlates to mathematical abilities (for the record, male lobules are typically larger than that of females). Essentially, these differences will eventually mould males and females into very different beings, manifesting themselves in physical attributes, mental abilities and behaviours, making the genders look, think and act very differently. Moreover, one must keep in mind that these differences stem from the biological build-up which implanted in everyone during foetal development, hence it can be said that people of the opposite gender are inherently antithetical at birth. In addition, these intrinsic differences impedes us from understanding people of the opposite sex, as John Gray would tell you that males and females have problems with relating to the opposite gender, thereby hindering understanding. Therefore, these biological differences can be said to be the primary culprits behind the distinctions between male and female.

In accordance with the nature versus nurture debate, the study of gender differences should not be restricted to intrinsic causes alone (such as biological differences), but also consider various experiences or influences that may have given rise to this difference. Therefore, the role of societal norms and pressures in enforcing the distinctions between male and female should be investigated. Societal norms, as the name implies, refer to a set of guidelines or principles that govern the way we act or think and represent the expectations of the majority. Norms can effectively impose a uniformity of behaviour within a social group, triggering sanctions against those who deviate from this rule (S. Durlauf and L. Blume). Similarly, the definitions of masculinity and femininity are also governed by these norms, which typically clearly delineate the different roles males and females should fulfil in society and the way they should act. Aberrant behaviour (which in this case refers to blurring the lines between the sexes) is often frowned upon and treated with disdain, in a way coercing people into conforming to society’s expectations. For an indication of the effectiveness of these societal norms, we need not look any further than our conservative society itself, where homosexuals are considered to be unbecoming and are discriminated against. As such, the distinctions between male and female is continually enforced through these norms.

Throughout our childhood and adolescence, many of us have been familiarized with societal norms and general principles of life through our interactions with adults. Because social norms constitute the beliefs of the majority of society, most parents subscribe to these beliefs and would therefore instinctively instruct their children in these prescripts. Moreover, through the eyes of children, parents are seen as the primary authority in their lives, people they must obey and trust, therefore, adults hold significant sway over their children’s impression of the world and society. This is all in accordance with the gender schema theory, which stipulates that children will by nature, construct a notion of male and female identity from the environment they live in and comply with this notion from a young age. Since they are already susceptible to the various gender norms from a young age, we can safely say that they will be inclined to adopt the conventional definition of sexuality from a young. In fact, many of us would have impressions of sexuality that originated from our childhood, the more common ones would include masculine and feminine colours; like pink for girls, blue or black for boys. Needless to say, exposure to such norms would inform us of the distinctions between male and female behaviour, setting the cornerstone for the development of additional gender stereotypes later in life.