Gender

By: Aftab Ali

      As biology differentiate sexual difference between male and female, society also plays a very strong role in distinguishing gender role. For example, children realize gender expectations before they come to know biological difference between male and female. From dress to play in the early childhood, children know about his/her status and role in the society. As they grow up they come to know other complicated difference between male and female. They observe and learn from their parents, teachers and from outside world. The culture which I belong to from Pakistan, as children grow up, girls stay inside home and play indoor games and helping their mothers in kitchen and other house work. Boys stay most of the time outside, and play outdoor games and help with their fathers in fields. If boys play with girls even to their relatives inside the house or girls want to play with boys outside, both are violating social norms.

      When I was young, I was going to school with my older sister. She was young too. But when she reached to the 5^Th grade she went to girls’ school from boys’ school. She was young but that is the culture that is the culture the girl should be in girl’s school.  The society makes the rules which are masculine and which are feminine.  For example, when I was young I and my two brothers were going to the fields with my father every day but I never saw my sister accompanied us. The society made this rules that females have nothing to do with fields or outside hard work, although, I know many cultures where women work in the fields like men or with the men every day for the whole life.

      My analysis is that society is very important in gender role. Every society has different norms which have to follow. Culture also has a strong role in people’s lives even more than religion. For example women are allowed to pray in Mosques in Islam. But I never saw a woman in Mosque in my society. In my culture women are not allowed to pray in Mosques. And if suppose the female are allowed to pray in Mosques with men. I am sure they will not go to Mosques. Praying in the Mosques is masculine. So to conclude my points that there are many cultures around the world which have their own cultural rules. Every culture looks weird to other people but still they are important for their own people.