Gender roles and expectations

[SnEptUne]

I have been ignorant of gender roles and expectation ever since I found out how stereotyping can hurt others in grade 7. Now, decade later, I entered university as a math major, and my entire school life was about studying and reading manga/anime. This school term, I took an English course because my communication skill is rotting, and was surprised about the so called "feminity" and "mascinity". To me, feminity only meant being female, it does NOT meant being weak-willed, considerate, or tamed. Similarly, I did not know "mascinity" is suppose to meant violent, uncivilized, and lustful.

And here's my problem, during my final exam, I am required to write an essay about gender, and I can't tell how different my view is from the "western culture". What I took as the norm, was in fact not what was expected as I found out recently. My mother never changed her last name (I didn't know people would change last name, since no one I know did), she was very strong-willed and althetic. Similarly, my grandma who I used to live with, is a very strong woman who does martial arts every morning even though she is over 90 now. Should I be true to myself and write an essay about gender based on my expectations or based on what I was told?

I really don't like to write an essay just to please others, I am who I am, but if I failed the exam, I will be dropped out from school... which I don't really mind, but my parents would kill themselves if I do, not that they are not killing themselves already.

[Momo-P]

Well if you do it right, I don't see anything wrong with explaining your views.

Some teachers might have fits with that, so you'll HAVE to bend to the general view, but to add in a little side note of how "this thinking is silly" isn't something that should get you in huge trouble. Especially since I last thought feminity and mascinity was based on actual gender things--stuff one body has that the other doesn't. If they're teaching otherwise, I'd say they're the ones with the wrong information.

But that's just me. It's kind of hard to give a 100% certain answer since I don't know that teacher's attitude and whatnot. Knowing who you're working with helps a lot. ^^;

I will pray though.

[SnEptUne]

Thanks. I have been trying to avoid words like femine and mascine because they are ambiguous, although I don't know how long I can keep avoiding them.

[uc pseudonym]

As far as the test goes, how is your relationship with the professor? Is the final exam your entire grade, or have you had some previous assignments (especially essays) that will allow you to judge their attitude concerning this subject? Unless you are on an unusual semester schedule, there is still time before it ends. Could you use this to make comments along these lines and test the water?

And here's my problem, during my final exam, I am required to write an essay about gender, and I can't tell how different my view is from the "western culture". What I took as the norm, was in fact not what was expected as I found out recently.

If the essay is just about how your view differs from the norm, then don't you already have it essentially written? Presumably if you've been going to class then you understand what the teacher believes are common views of masculinity or femininity. All you have to do is state how this feels strange to you as compared to your upbringing and you've fulfilled the requirement, unless the teacher is particular about essays.

As far as the issue itself... don't worry about it. Get through the class and then go back to not thinking about it. My only knowledge of gender roles as a child was of stereotypes that society had outgrown and I still essentially believe that.

[SnEptUne]

As far as the test goes, how is your relationship with the professor? Is the final exam your entire grade, or have you had some previous assignments (especially essays) that will allow you to judge their attitude concerning this subject? Unless you are on an unusual semester schedule, there is still time before it ends. Could you use this to make comments along these lines and test the water?


If the essay is just about how your view differs from the norm, then don't you already have it essentially written? Presumably if you've been going to class then you understand what the teacher believes are common views of masculinity or femininity. All you have to do is state how this feels strange to you as compared to your upbringing and you've fulfilled the requirement, unless the teacher is particular about essays.

As far as the issue itself... don't worry about it. Get through the class and then go back to not thinking about it. My only knowledge of gender roles as a child was of stereotypes that society had outgrown and I still essentially believe that.

Of course I have been going to class, but this isn't high school where professor would just tell us everything. There was a paper assignment I could "test the water", but professor was busy and I still haven't received my paper back yet. Tomorrow is my last lecture for this course, before final exams begin.

As for the exam, it doesn't matter even if the final is only 20% of the final grade, the university policy is that if you failed the exam, you failed the course. If you failed assignments, you also failed the course.

I am thinking of using my assumptions, if I failed, so be it. It isn't my fault that I wasn't brought up in a stereotypical family. I don't really want to know what a typical family is like, as that would impose prejudices on other people. If my parents decided to kill themselves, so be it.

[uc pseudonym]

It's one of those situations, then. In those cases, you simply have to do the best you can based on the lectures.

Looking back over your posts, I realize you haven't actually given specific information about the essay. Is the prompt simply "an essay about gender"? My response assumed it was how your view of gender differs from the norm, but I believe I misread you. Without knowing that, let me go back to a sentence in your first post.

Should I be true to myself and write an essay about gender based on my expectations or based on what I was told?

Is this really a dichotomy? Most likely the essay will require you to write about gender theory and studies, not about what you believe. If any part of the essay is subjective, which would be strange for a college course, there is no way the professor can mark you down for your opinion. Not fairly, anyway.

If this is subjective, of course be true to yourself. But if the question is something like "What is the technical definition of gender?" then obviously your perspective doesn't factor into that.

[SnEptUne]

It's one of those situations, then. In those cases, you simply have to do the best you can based on the lectures.

Looking back over your posts, I realize you haven't actually given specific information about the essay. Is the prompt simply "an essay about gender"? My response assumed it was how your view of gender differs from the norm, but I believe I misread you. Without knowing that, let me go back to a sentence in your first post.


Is this really a dichotomy? Most likely the essay will require you to write about gender theory and studies, not about what you believe. If any part of the essay is subjective, which would be strange for a college course, there is no way the professor can mark you down for your opinion. Not fairly, anyway.

If this is subjective, of course be true to yourself. But if the question is something like "What is the technical definition of gender?" then obviously your perspective doesn't factor into that.

We don't know what the essay will be on, but the course is about women in literatures, so the essay will definitely be about gender in social context.

The literature we read are not straightforward. Its message is very open to interpretation, such as the short story about a girl who hide her gender until she cannot hide it anymore, or about a girl who rebel against social roles and became sexuality active to satisfy her libido. Professor said that her displaying lust and being rude is a stereotypical mascine trait? O_O I just don't want to believe a stereotypical male is like that.

In the meantime, I will go over the literatures we have read in class before the final exams.

[termyt]

You said this is an English class, but the thread so far seems to do more with sociology.

Gender identity varies based on the topic at hand. A sociologist would tell you the gender norms for the society he is studying. An English class is more likely to focus on gender roles as portrayed by the author or as a comparison of several authors and/or stories.

Your point of view should be tempered to the situation at hand. It's not that you are wrong, but any essay you write must be relevant to the subject being discussed. It's OK to disagree with the conclusion the author draws, but you need to understand those conclusions. Similarly, an essay about the author's views of gender roles is not necessarily an endorsement of the author's point of view more than it is a statement by you demonstrating that you understand the author's point of view.

So, if you are asked to write an essay about gender roles as they are related in the stories you have read, then you should only draw from material found in the stories. If you are asked to write an essay based on gender roles as related in the stories in the context of society and/or your own experience, then you should be free to relate your own opinions about gender roles.

[uc pseudonym]

The literature we read are not straightforward. Its message is very open to interpretation, such as the short story about a girl who hide her gender until she cannot hide it anymore, or about a girl who rebel against social roles and became sexuality active to satisfy her libido. Professor said that her displaying lust and being rude is a stereotypical mascine trait? O_O

Obviously I don't know your professor or your institution, but I personally find that when things are open to interpretation it makes it easier to get a high mark. Because there isn't a correct answer in most cases, what a teacher can grade is limited. Basically, if you show that you understand the text and present an interpretation that is consistent with the story and the author's social context, you have your essay. Tailoring it to the instructor's method of interpretation helps as well.

I just don't want to believe a stereotypical male is like that.

Do you mean "typical" or "stereotypical"? If the former, I'd say that's a good thing. In the latter case, however, it is certainly true that those are often viewed as male traits. If that is what the author was assuming in the story, that's obviously what you need to use when interpreting. Given the opportunity to evaluate the author's message, it would be completely appropriate to argue that the message reflects a false view of reality, but chances are that won't be the issue at hand.

To me it sounds as though you will probably be fine on the exam and are simply worrying over the views presented in the course. Most likely there will not be a question that will involve your personal views.

[SnEptUne]

Thanks for the suggestion. We asked the professor again, and indeed we are suppose to use passages in literatures to support our arguements, whether we agree with the author or not is not relevant.