Unwanted Fate for Females

Unwanted Fate For Females

February, 8. 2010

Hyorim Kim

FD#1


First of all, according to human history, it is said to believe through sets of few scientific data, human beings existed 200,000 years ago during the Paleolithic society commonly known as the “old stone age.” The evidence scientists acquired to examine the primitive era; they based their analysis of the artifacts and architects they have discovered. Surprisingly, it became generally accepted enough to be written in our history books that the first human society have been practicing hunting and gathering. In modern comedy films such as “Year One”, the media portrayed the earliest human beings hunting and gathering. Even then, gender roles between men and women were distinctive. During the Paleolithic age, men exploited the forest searching and hunting wild animals for food as women stayed near the hut to look out for their children and gather editable plants and fruits. Naturally, human beings are bound to genetically mutate and develop human capabilities, regardless of gender role but the society limits is such as the Michelle Wie’s incident as she failed to qualify for the men’s U.S. Open. [THESIS] Therefore, females experience trauma during their adolescence and menopause as they adjust to their gender roles during their adolescent period because they are affected by the visible and invisible variables of the stereotypes influenced since the primitive era, the media, and the family traditions that affects female gender roles.[THESIS]


Adolescence is a transitional stage between preadolescence and adulthood during the human development just how children prepare themselves to think and behave like adults. The transitional period is an important phrase for both genders to establish their gender role identities to so forth eligibly organize their values. As for females, they experience gender role trauma during their adolescence period. Often time in our modern society it is commonly stereotyped for men to usually go out to work whereas women are expected to become housewives doing house chores and preparing food. Mary Pipher, psychologist and family therapist, theorized thorough research and case studies, “Adolescent girls experience a conflict between their autonomous selves and their need to be females.”(428) Dr. Pipher mentions states many girls are having problem with gender role trauma throughout her cases. The adolescence transitional stage for females is chaotic with their gender roles that they did not notice during their preadolescence.


Historically, society did not allow much freedom to women and required women to be submissive; therefore, women were merely a great possession of their husband. However, ever since the feminine movements such as civil right act and the declaration of sentiments started from 1960 to present day gave women to have the same rights as men have in the society. As of result, contemporary woman’s roles now vary. Female’s gender role in contemporary society have been extensive for women to do freely what they want to do and what they want to be. Dr. Pipher mentions preadolescent girls are interested in everything and do not distinguish things intentionally. In other words, preadolescent girls do not consider their gender roles. Dr. Pipher said, “They can be androgynous, having the ability to act adaptively in any situation regardless of gender role constraints.”(426)


As for myself, during my preadolescent and adolescent period, I was a tomboy who enjoyed sports and competing with the boys. As a result, I had many male friends than female friends. During my adolescence in middle school, I was very confused about myself. My interest and passion at the time for sports solely came to an end when I won a tennis tournament at school expecting compliments from my father yet ironically my father scolded me. I was shocked and even more confused as he threw away the trophy and said that “Women are not supposed be athletic and such trophy is useless for you because you are not a boy.” Through this incident, I encountered my first gender role awareness. I had a hard time adjusting because what I truly believed was right for me was not the best for me. Therefore, I started to change myself to behave more like a girl by doing more feminine things such as wearing pink and keeping myself quite. Therefore, I disciplined myself to change during high school to impress my parents and to behave more like a girl. This was my gender role trauma during my adolescence.


Dr. Pipher concluded three reasons that cause the factors for female gender role trauma during the adolescence in her book. First, adolescent girls undergo various changes with their body shapes due to hormones. This influences their way of thinking as they contemplate with their identity. Second, culture, stereotypes, and media make women sensitive and vulnerable toward roles and appearances as a female. Third, girls do not communicate so often with their family as they are bond to stick with their friends who share common concerns for support. (429) Through personal experiences, I agree with Dr. Pipher’s second reason as to culture, stereotypes, and media affects gender role trauma as I also agree with Ivan Leong how solutions must be from the inside of the society. More importantly, I believe good parenting with positive reinforcement can nurture gender role and its traumatic affects.


Works Cited

Hill, Jemele. “Wie Deserves Our Applause, Not Those Jeers.” 6 June 2006. MercuryNews.com. 8 June 2006 [http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/sports/14756706.htm].

Leong, Ivan. "Causes and Solutions for Gender Role Trauma. "Online posting. 29 January 2010 Laulima discussion. 31 January 2010 [https://laulima.hawaii.edu/portal/site/KAP.33517.201030].

Pipher, Mary. "Saplings in the Storm." Dialogues: An Argument Rhetoric and Reader. 6th edition, Eds. Gary Goshgarian and Kathleen Krueger, New York: Pearsin-Longman, 2009. 425-432

Log of Completed Activities

_X_ Jan 11M- First Day of Instruction. Log in to our class blog, our Laulima discussion forum, and your hawaii.edu mailbox. Become familiar with these instructional media. Carefully review the information in our class blog, especially the schedule and catalog. (No confirmation reply required.)

_X_ Jan. 13W- Intro to Paper #1. Read the “Guidelines for Paper #1” by midnight. (Confirmation reply required.)


_X_ Jan. 15F- Laulima Discussion: Who Am I? Post your response by midnight.


_X_ Jan. 19t- Complete readings for Paper #1 by midnight. (Confirmation reply required.)


_X_ Jan. 22F- Laulima Discussion: What Is “Trauma”? One definition or many different definitions? Post your response by midnight.

_X_ Jan. 29F- Laulima Discussion: Causes & Solutions: What causes gender role trauma? What’s the solution? Assume that there is more than one cause or solution. Post your response by midnight. [10 pts] Complete the set up of your blog. See “Blogger” in the right sidebar.

_X_ Feb. 1M- RD1 (Review Draft #1) due [50 pts] Read the guidelines. (Confirmation reply required.)


_X_ Feb. 5F- RD1 evaluations due. [50 pts] Read the guidelines and the introduction to reviewing drafts. (Confirmation reply required.)

_X_ Feb. 8M- FD1 (Final Draft #1) due [100 pts] Read the guidelines. (Confirmation reply required.)

FD1 Hyorim KIm _Female Experiences Gender Role Traumas

Hyorim Kim
1st February 2010
FD1




Unlike women who lived during the 1960s, women now days have a variety of choices as to how they choose the life they desire to live. Women are no longer the people who stay at home, take care of kids, and serve her husband. Instead, women have freedom to move, act, and speak their perspectives freely. Female gender role in society has changed drastically from the past as there are many female competing and cooperating with men. It seems as if women’s lives are seemingly better as they are having equal rights like men. However, female gender roles have been more complicated and ambiguous. Today females seemingly look as if they are happier and free than before, however, in reality, they do not have real freedom for themselves as they are affected by the visible and invisible variables of stereotypes, cultural influence, and family traditions toward female gender roles. [THESIS] Therefore, women experience trauma between adolescence and menopause in adjusting to their gender roles.[THESIS]

Adolescence is a transitional stage in human development as children prepare themselves to think and behave like adults. This transitional period is an important phrase for boys and girls to establish their gender role identities and so forth eligibly organize their values. Most women experience gender role trauma during their adolescence period. In the text book, Mary Pipher, psychologist and family therapist, claims that “Adolescent girls experience a conflict between their autonomous selves and their need to be females.”(428) and she also states many girls are having problem with gender role trauma throughout her cases. The adolescence transitional stage for females is chaotic whereas females during their preadolescence are very comfortable with their gender roles.

Dr. Pipher mentions preadolescent girls are interested in everything and do not distinguish things intentionally. In other words, preadolescent girls do not consider their gender roles. Dr. Pipher said, “They can be androgynous, having the ability to act adaptively in any situation regardless of gender role constraints.”(426) For example, during my preadolescent and adolescent period, I was a tomboy who liked to compete in sports with the boys. As a result, I had many male friends than female friends. During my adolescence in middle school and high school, I was very confused about myself. My interest and passion at the time for sports solely came to an end when I won a tennis tournament at school expecting compliments from my father yet ironically my father scold me. I was shocked and even more confused as he threw away the trophy and said that “Women are not supposed be athletic and such trophy is useless for you because you are not a boy.” Through this incident, I encountered my first gender role awareness. I had a real hard time adjusting because what I truly believed was right for me was not the best for me. Therefore, I started to change myself to behave more like a girl by doing more feminine things such as wearing pink. Therefore, I disciplined myself to change during high school impress my parents and to be more like a girl. This was my gender role trauma during my adolescence.

Pipher states three reasons that cause the factors for female gender role trauma during the adolescence. First, adolescent girls undergo various changes with their body shapes due to hormones. This influences their way of thinking as they contemplate with their identity. Second, culture, stereotypes, and media make girls sensitive and vulnerable toward roles and appearances of female. Third, girls do not communicate so often with their family as they are bond to stick with their friends who share common concerns for support.

Kimberely Malott, a fellow classmate mentions that “we will actually win the battle when it comes finding one’s identity” which implies that it is also a natural process to feel such emotions during the transition, however, we can mild the stress that we encounter in our own personal lives through parental support, education, and ethically and morally accepted media.

Work cite

Pipher, Mary. "Saplings in the Storm." Dialogues: An Argument Rhetoric and Reader. 6th edition, Eds. Gary Goshgarian and Kathleen Krueger, New york: Pearsin-Longman, 2009. 425-432


Mallot, Kimberly. "Causes and Solutions for Gender Role Trauma." Online posting. 29 January 2010 Laulima discussion. 31 January 2010 [https://laulima.hawaii.edu/postal/site/KAP.33517.201030]