Gender Identity: Biology vs. Social Construction Debate

Introduction: The Origins of Gender Identity

The purpose of this paper is to introduce, discuss, and analyze several essays from Signs of Life in the U.S.A., edited by Sonia Maasik and Jack Solomon. Specifically, it will consider the debate over the origins of gender identity: Is it primarily biological, or is it largely socially constructed? Gender identity is something nearly everyone struggles with at one point or another. There are girls who want to excel at athletics and science, and boys who want to excel at fashion design and color coordination, and these desires directly oppose the gender roles society places on men and women. Gender identity, then, is largely socially constructed, but for many people who struggle with their identities from a young age, gender identity is fundamentally about their own unique biology. Ultimately, gender identity is a blend of social constructs and each person's own unique biological makeup.

Social Construction of Gender from Birth

Gender identity is most certainly socially constructed in our country, and it begins at the time of birth. Little baby boys come home from the hospital to blue, yellow, red, or green rooms — never pink — decorated with sailboats, jungle animals, or trains, while little girls come home to frilly pink rooms decorated with ruffles, fairies, princesses, and stuffed animals. From then on, the gender roles for little boys and girls become even clearer, and they point children down the "right" paths that little boys and little girls are expected to follow from a very young age. Little boys grow up learning they do not play with dolls, cook, or care about what they wear, while little girls grow up learning they do not get dirty, do not play competitive sports, and never outshine the boys on the playground or in the classroom.

In her essay "I Won. I'm Sorry," Mariah Burton Nelson writes about Sylvia Plath, the well-known poet who committed suicide: "Sylvia was pleased to finish second in a spelling contest. 'It was nicer, she felt, to have a boy first'" (Burton Nelson 439). While this idea may seem outmoded in today's world, there are subtle — and not so subtle — signs of it everywhere in society, from the National Spelling Bee, where boys almost always finish first, to recent television news reports that have finally worked to dispel the notion that boys are inherently better at science and math. Parents and others instill in girls from a young age that boys are somehow "superior," and this is a gender identity social construct if there ever was one.

Social constructs follow boys and girls throughout their lives. Writer Aaron Devor explores many of these constructs, which begin very early, in his essay "Gender Role Behaviors and Attitudes." He writes, "Members of both genders are believed to share many of the same human characteristics, although in different relative proportions; both males and females are popularly thought to be able to do many of the same things, but most activities are divided into suitable and unsuitable categories for each gender class" (Devor 459). This is the crux of the socially acceptable gender issue — "suitable and unsuitable" — and what that distinction means in practice. There are certain roles that women can certainly fill in society, from racecar driver to football player, but these roles are not always considered "suitable," which is why so few women appear in these male-dominated sports. Even less acceptable, in the eyes of many, are females who show no maternal or nurturing tendencies; society tends to view them as abnormal in some way, while men who show such tendencies are similarly seen as unsuitable or weak.

Thus, society — subtly and not so subtly — colors the way gender is viewed and the way men and women view themselves. There are so many social constructs for each gender that children, from a very young age, grow up understanding what is considered right and wrong for their gender, and how they will be judged if they stray too far from these constructs. Society is a powerful element of gender identity, and it always will be.

Societal Pressure, Family Structure, and Gender Roles

There are elements of society that almost demand strong gender conformity. Society views masculine males as strong, aggressive, self-assured, and tough, while feminine women are expected to be nurturing, maternal, less assertive, and inherently weaker than men (Devor 460–461). People who stray from these roles are viewed with suspicion and are certainly not seen as role models for their gender. It might seem as if societal pressures are not strong enough to truly alter the gender identity of a person, but fitting into society is an important element of life for most people. As a result, they will attempt to conform to these gender roles to "get along," even if they are not entirely comfortable with them.

Society can create intense pressure to fit in, and that pressure is a compelling motivation — especially for children, who will do nearly anything to avoid standing out in a crowd. Children can be inherently cruel, immediately spotting and capitalizing on perceived weaknesses, so children are especially motivated by the social constructs of gender as a means of avoiding bullying and fitting in with their peers. This may not be right or healthy, but it appears to be how society works, and it helps create strong, vivid ideas about gender identity from a very young age.

Another very strong social construct regarding gender is the way society itself is organized in most of the world. In most societies, including the United States, the family is centered around a hierarchical male head of household, with women playing a less dominant role. This is the "typical" American family model that a wide majority of people adhere to and believe in. The male is the dominant partner, normally earning more money, making most of the financial decisions, and providing for the family. The female may work outside the home, but she also bears primary responsibility inside it — from meal planning to cleaning and managing the household — while the male is far less involved in the day-to-day operation of family life. This traditional family structure perpetuates the gender identity ideals of society, placing men and women in markedly different roles and illustrating those differences graphically to children.

While not every family conforms to this model — single-parent families, gay and lesbian families, and others represent important variations — it remains the societal norm and the model most people aspire to as they mature. This division of family responsibilities creates lifelong role models for children and shapes expectations about gender from a young age. Children see the model family as something to strive for, and parents attempt to fill their assigned roles as society instructs. Thus, the social constructs of the family help generate and reinforce the social constructs of gender identity.

This family construct also shapes the way men and women want to be perceived by others. In "I Won. I'm Sorry," Burton Nelson writes, "Femininity is about appearing beautiful and vulnerable and small. It's about winning male approval" (Burton Nelson 440). Society establishes these rules, and biology plays a part as well. The most conventionally feminine — and, by society's standards, attractive — women are petite, slender, graceful, approachable, and kind. These feminine characteristics are considered necessary for most women to attract men, which is what most girls learn from a very young age is essential to being "successful" in life. Without a man, a woman is seen as failing to fulfill her maternal, nurturing role, and to attract a man she must be attractive. The plain, overweight, or masculine-appearing woman is placed at a severe disadvantage in most of society, as Burton Nelson illustrates in her essay. Women try to fit into societal roles in many ways, from avoiding being taller than their male partners to stepping back in athletic competition and allowing men to "take care" of them.

The same holds true for men, who must live up to certain societal roles or face ridicule and even persecution. Males must be masculine, in charge, aggressive, self-assured, and above all, leaders. They must be able to provide for their families, leaving child-rearing and homemaking to the women in their lives. Men who do not meet these standards are seen as weak, effeminate, and insufficiently masculine — something unacceptable to much of society. Societal norms are powerful motivators for both men and women, shaping the roles most people play in the world around them. Some people do resist the system — gay and lesbian individuals, transgender people, and others — but they are frequently treated as "fringe" members of society, not fully accepted by many.

Conclusion: Biology and Society Together Shape Gender Identity

In conclusion, gender identity is a convoluted and complex societal issue in America today. While women have come very far in their quest for equality, gender identity issues persist throughout society, and they still have a very long road to travel toward total equality with men. Women continually receive messages — from nursery décor to advertising — indicating the roles they should assume in society, and the same is true for men. Society does play a large role in gender identity and forms the basis of gender identity for a large percentage of the population.

However, there is at least a segment of the population whose gender identity is clearly related to biological makeup. Some individuals are born in bodies that do not match their inner sense of self, and nothing society prescribes can change who they are inside. These people are not aberrations or freaks of nature; they simply do not conform to society's beliefs about men and women. They cannot — they are not wired that way, and never will be. In addition, many facets of the human personality and gender appear ingrained in most people from birth, and these biological factors influence many aspects of behavior and gender identity.

Thus, society is certainly a primary influence on gender identity, but for some people, no amount of societal pressure can change what they feel inside. For them, gender identity will always be, at its core, a biological reality.

References

Blum, Deborah. "The Gender Blur: Where Does Biology End and Society Take Over?" Signs of Life in the U.S.A., 5th ed. Maasik & Solomon, eds. New York: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2006. 475–482.

Burton Nelson, Mariah. "I Won. I'm Sorry." Signs of Life in the U.S.A., 5th ed. Maasik & Solomon, eds. New York: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2006. 439–445.

Craig, Steve. "Men's Men and Women's Women." Signs of Life in the U.S.A., 5th ed. Maasik & Solomon, eds. New York: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2006. 161–173.

Devor, Aaron. "Gender Role Behaviors and Attitudes." Signs of Life in the U.S.A., 5th ed. Maasik & Solomon, eds. New York: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2006. 458–464.

Mayer, Andre. "The New Sexual Stone Age." Signs of Life in the U.S.A., 5th ed. Maasik & Solomon, eds. New York: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2006. 284–287.