Up to this point in my gender roles class we have read about biological aspects to gender differentiation and what society views as gender and the same for individuals. I have been intrigued by the statement in one of our textbooks that gender to the individual means sameness, but to society gender means difference. How cool of a concept! And how shocking that I had not heard, nor thought of the concept before...When I think back on my own development I can see this taking place in my life. I was born female and have always identified as female.
With this in mind, I can analyze my development and see how, as an individual I wanted very much to be like my female peers in regard to gender roles, but how society would emphasize this similarity in the context of being different from my male peers. I grew up with three brothers and so some aspects of my childhood were a little more "boy typical." By this I mean that if I wanted to play with my brothers I would often times have to play Legos, or play in the mud, or be tough. All activities one might associate with boy-ness. At the same time, I had plenty of opportunity to be completing opposite and engage in "girl typical" activities. Whether that be playing with my Barbies (and I was known to force my younger brothers to play too,) or go out shopping, or have my aunt paint my nails and do my makeup.
While at home I did not mind the "boy-ish" activities, at school I was more likely to dress girly and engage in activities that my female peers would engage in with me. Out with my peers I would try to be the same because I knew that being like other girls was somehow important, and by being the same as my peers I was also an example of how boys and girls "should/are" different. Now as an adult, I feel like being the same or being different from the opposite gender is not nearly as important as my self expression and happiness are. While I am still pretty girly about certain aspects of my life, I also have no problem thoroughly enjoying activities that might not be girly. I wonder how much of my current expression is influenced by my society.
