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Effect Of Society Over Gender And Sexual Identity Essay

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Effect of Society over Gender and Sexual Identity When Alex was born, his parents were delighted to add another boy to their family. As their baby boy began to grow and develop, they noticed that Alex began to express himself in a manner that they viewed as more feminine than masculine. He gravitated toward dolls and other toys that the culture often associates with girls. Concerned with the social ramifications associated with their child trying to be transgendered, they made the decision to not let Alex live as a girl. They came to this decision after foreseeing the criticism he would endure from his peers and other members of society. For example, children in the American culture who do not act according to the culture’s gender role may undergo name-calling. Children in Hispanic cultures may actually suffer physical violence if their conduct does not match the culture’s gender roles. Thus, when it comes to gender social influences have more control over a person choice of identity. Parents and culture are two of the most influential environmental factors shaping gender and sexual identity, children learn at young age that there are distinct expectations for boys and girls. As a person grow, they learn how to behave from those around them. One way children learn gender roles is through their parents. In many cultures, the masculine role is associated with strength, aggression, and dominance while the feminine role is associated with passivity, nurturing, and

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