Gender Enculturation: Optipon-2

Gender Enculturation: Optipon-2

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Gender enculturation involves learning and understanding appropriate roles, identities, and behaviors in a particular culture. It refers to how one learns about their gender identity ( Niosi, 2021). Often, this process can be conscious or subtle. An example is when a parent encourages their children to perform roles that are traditionally linked with their gender, such as playing dolls for girls. Likewise, a parent may use language to reinforce such expectations. For instance, one might hear a parent encouraging their daughters to be ladylike and their sons to be strong boys. Although gender enculturation is regarded as essentially a largely invisible process, its Impacts can be witnessed in the behaviors and attitudes of people throughout their lives. Many individuals do not take seriously the manner in which gender is embedded in their lives. One way a person can consider their own experience with this concept is by reflecting on objects that are crucial to them and how these objects can be seen as symbols of gender identity. In this reflection, I would reflect on my experience with gender enculturation by exploring an object from my family that signifies one way I have been impacted by it.

One object that symbolizes gender enculturation for me is a wooden spoon. My mom gave me the spoon as a gift. The history of the object goes beyond imagination. It has been a part of my family's history for many years, and because of this, I felt like I was a part of something greater than myself at the time. But even now, the spoon still stands in for my grandmother's sense of self as an Italian lady. In my family, the item has been handed down from one generation to the next, and with it, gender norms in our culture. It reminds me that I am part of a more extensive family history, including some expectations of what it means to be a female and a male in our culture. For instance, my grandmother was a perfect cook. She always used the spoon to prepare meals for my family. This task was mainly assigned to women, not just in my culture but in most cultural settings.

Image showing my grandma's wooden spoon

The spoon also signifies the significance of traditional gender roles in previous cultures, although this has changed over time. When I was growing up, the spoon taught me that in many cultures, some expectations are linked with each gender. For example, women's role in my culture had been reduced to household duties such as cooking, while men bore the responsibility of providing for the family. However, compared to the past, gender roles have changed over time, and I have witnessed this. For instance, I have seen many of the male friends I have cook and even do housework, just like their female counterparts. Today, my relationship with the spoon has changed. It now reminds me that gender roles are never static (Migdalek, 2021). They have constantly evolved to accommodate new expectations.

Overall, the wooden is an important reminder of gender enculturation. Through it, people are reminded of the adaptability of gender enculturation and the significance of understanding how it affects every person. Additionally, it serves as a reminder that despite some expectations being placed on people, everyone is free to forge their own identity and make decisions regarding their way of living without having their choices impacted by gender stereotypes.