Introduction
Society has experienced significant changes in various issues even though there are some practices that continue to undermine the rights of women and children. In addition, some institutions have also played significant roles in enhancing gender stereotypes and institutionalized discrimination. This discussion will present various issues about gender and institutions and how they perpetuate stereotypes and discrimination in society.
Definition
Gender is a socially constructed perception that makes individuals see others in terms of their sexual orientations. This means that a gendered individual is one who thinks that women are supposed to be given domestic roles while men are breadwinners and protectors of their families and communities (Carter 199). Institutions are organizations that have been established to provide services to the public and they include schools, religious centers, courts and sports clubs. Their members have various things in common and thus they must work together to ensure they achieve their goals.
Gender
Society and family are responsible for gender-based stereotypes since they promote this belief through various issues. First, the family assigns boys and girls different roles and this ensures children grow up knowing their sex determines their roles in the community. In addition, parents buy clothes and toys that reflect gender issues in society and this contributes to the development of gendered stereotypes (Guinier 13). On the other hand, the community criticizes boys or girls who behave contrary to their expected genders. This means that when members of society see a boy playing with dolls they will mock the child and make it believe that dolls are meant for girls. In addition, society has assigned men leadership roles and prefers giving them professions that are perceived to be masculine.
The media, laws, and schools promote gender roles by creating perceptions that men are different from women and that they are not supposed to do similar duties. There are different punishments offered to boys and girls in schools and this promotes gender issues in learning institutions (Guinier 15). In addition, teachers usually mock boys who cry or gossip since these behaviors are perceived to be common in girls.
Boys are not supposed to beat girls when playing at home or school since society has taught them that they are supposed to protect girls. The media uses women to advertise services or products that are used in homes, beauty parlors, or during holiday trips while men promote automobiles, electronics, and investments. In addition, most news anchors are women and this has led many people to believe that almost all media professions are meant for women.
Title IX was a deliberate move aimed at ensuring female athletes were given similar opportunities to participate in sports. There was discrimination in most American schools and girls were given very few chances of participating in sports. They were assigned the roles of dancing and cheerleading while boys participated in all sports. In addition, the ones that we’re lucky to participate in sports were not given adequate funds to facilitate their success.
Moreover, very few colleges admitted female athletes and this was a serious form of gender stereotype. However, the introduction of this bill ensured that women were offered opportunities to participate in sports (Guinier 21). This has contributed to a high number of women participating in the Olympics. Technology has also been an effective way of reducing gender stereotypes since men can now play active roles in planning their families.
Women are no longer forced to take the daily or monthly family planning measures that have for a long time subjected them to health complications. The introduction of computers and the internet has enabled women to pursue courses that were traditionally meant for men. This has shown that men and women have similar abilities and should not be discriminated against based on their biological orientations.
Institutions
Most people believe that America is the most civilized and developed nation in the world but it is very shocking to learn that most of its institutions are perpetuating gender stereotypes and discrimination. First, this government has various examples to illustrate how racism and gender-based stereotypes are perpetuated by public officers (Carter 203). Most secretaries are white women while men have been assigned other executive roles. This shows that these institutions believe that women play better secretaries than men and that whites are better than blacks in handling clerical works.
In addition, black men are given other supportive roles like cleaning, security, and running errands. This shows that both private and public institutions consider race and sex in allocating various duties to workers; therefore, they have promoted racial discrimination and gender stereotype. Institutions like courts have been mobilized to ensure their policies are formed based on racial and gender preferences (Carter 205).
Learning institutions and public offices have coded words that define gender-based roles and promote racial discrimination. Even though, there are strict rules that regulate individuals’ behavior regarding discrimination and gender stereotypes most institutions do not pay respect or follow them. This has promoted these malpractices in most institutions including those that are supposed to protect human rights.
Conclusion
Gender stereotypes and racial discrimination are common in most public and private institutions even though nations try to put brave faces and deny the existence of these evils. The regulations established to alleviate these problems have not been successful since the people in charge of implementing them are facing a lot of resistance from some members of the society.
Work Cited
Carter, R.T. (1997). Expressions of Racial Identity. Off White: Readings on Race, Power and Society. London: Routledge Press, 1997. Print.
Guinier, L. (2002). The Miner’s Canary: Enlisting Race, Resisting Power, Transforming Democracy. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 2012. Print.