Sex & Gender

When thinking about gender, any average person ( including myself ), considers gender a part of our genes. Gender for me personally, is one of those things that I dont think about much, its very simple, "woman" or "man". I also could relate to a piece of the article, "Night to his Day". Judith Lorber says "Gender signs and signals are so uniquitous that we usually fail to note them - unless they are missing or ambiguous. Then we are uncomfortable until we have successfully placed the other person in a gender status;" I actually catch my self sometimes questioning to myself like " Is that a boy or girl", not that its really any of my business. Only when she mentioned that did I notice how often I really do it. And im sure im not the only one who does this. Were almost obsessed as Americans in making sure we have gender markers to define our kids and for ourselves. It is contrinued through naming, the way we dress, and the way we act. In the video "Tough Guise", men are supposed to act a certain way in a box just like Tony Porters man box. Tough guise is a perfect example of the way we socialize our kids to be "men" or whatever a "man" is supposed to be and the way we stress gender so much.

race and ethnicity

This week, I read "Race Matters", and "Mexican Americans and Immigrant Incorportation". Both articles seem to stress how in America the framework is assimilation or having to "simply fit in". Non whites are judged by their skin color, language they speak, and even their social class. Their is a stero type linked to anyone who even says they are "black" or "Mexican". I have many expierances that relate to those when reading these articles. Telling people that I am half Mexican, I get a shocked face, and a verbal response like " Really? oh." and the subject seems to change rather quickly. I have always been very proud to be Mexican and Italian but I always felt I never fit with either side. I consider myself American, like many other people but when society finds out what your race is, opinions change. Their is also a unjustice in the criminal justice system. Not only blacks expierance this but any one who is "not white". In my opinion, America should be accepting of all religions, races, ethnicity and etc, and should not try to "fit in". Unfortunately in many cases this is a part of society that is unfair and wrong.