Group 5 – Grace St John, Sofia Contreras, Andy Urrutia, Guadalupe Tinoco, Thomas Stremfel, Kaileigh Riley, Isabel Moreno.
Gender norms and patterns in relationships are a heavily discussed topic, especially in this era where gender norms are pushed and questioned. Since the beginning, children have been taught the differences between genders and how to act according to their respective gender. Children have learned through visuals on how to behave and what is “socially acceptable”. A person’s surroundings reinforce their behaviour and they are factors for their masculine and feminin preferences throughout their development.
Messages such as “boys aren’t allowed to cry or express vulnerability” or “boys should always be rough but playful” communicate to males at an early age that their gender is a determinant on how they should behave. Girls on the other hand are subliminally and directly taught that being a female by nature should be soft and nurturing, and going against this norm is an act of rebellion. This pattern will continue to follow through adulthood, in more complex manners.
While men are taught to be the breadwinner, women are encouraged and praised for being housewives. When the two genders interact in public there is always a dynamic at play. This is an example of people learning from an early age what role should they take based on their prospect gender, which heavily influence their behaviour. For example, when women go shopping the male in the relationship just holds her purse and doesn’t play an active role. But men feel entitled to give their opinion on how the women dresses, her hairstyle and makeup. Revising the role, women have an opinion on how the money should be spent or saved in the household.
Heterosexual Patterns
These gender norms and patterns only seems to apply to hetertosexual relationships. In modern society there are many more gender identities that don’t fall under the traditional gender roles in a relationship. Such gender identities are: Transgender, Asexual, homosexual, etc. These gender identities are not considered ‘Traditional,’ in which society projects it to be ‘not normal’ to the system of categories society has on individuals.
Gender norms within relationships have improved to an extent. We still face negative norms related to media. Media expresses gender relationships according to sex orrientation. For example, when you see a commercial involving cleaning products you typically see only women. When you see a commercial involving outdoor power equipment you see only men. This is also a social norm outside of media, we also apply these media norms to our everyday lives.
Well&Good article: WHEN IT COMES TO GENDER, FOR A GROWING NUMBER OF FASHION BRANDS, THE FEELING IS NEUTRAL
Use your voice for justice! In your everyday life, look out for opportunities to voice your opinion and share your thoughts on gendered dynamics!
References
Pessin, Léa. “Changing Gender Norms and Marriage Dynamics in the United States.”
Journal of Marriage and Family, vol. 80, no. 1, 2017, pp. 25–41., doi:10.1111/jomf.12444.
Meyer, Sara De, et al. “‘Boys Should Have the Courage to Ask a Girl Out’: Gender Norms in Early Adolescent Romantic Relationships.” Journal of Adolescent Health, vol. 61, no. 4, 2017, doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2017.03.007.