Gender identity: Studying about how gender interacts with other social forces in society and how it relates to social structure overall is very important to understand society. We know social interaction is what helps maintain a social structure. We can consider ‘status’ as one of the important structure as it determines how a particular person is going to be treated in the society. Now when we talk about gender, it is an influential status in a society. A person’s gender is complex and can’t always be limited to biological. The set binary gender system in which everyone is categorized as male or female is most preferred and other systems consisting of the third gender is quite rare.
Read: Identity Movements
Our society also has fixed gender roles which may be cultural or personal but they determine how males and females should think, speak or dress etc. These roles are taught since birth and deeply embedded frameworks regarding what defines masculine and feminine. The Fact is we learn gender through socialization. Gender identity is the result of Gender Socialization
Now many sociologists are particularly interested in gender identity and how it determines gender roles. Studies show that genetics, hormones the difference in the brain and the reproductive organs mould a person’s gender identity. Gender identity shapes the thinking way of us and it impacts on our behaviour
Also Read: Gender Sociology
Also, many of us don’t have our concepts clear about the difference between gender and sex. Let’s break it to an easier form, sex is a biological classification based on one’s body parts while gender, on the other hand, is a social classification based on one’s presentation of self. Learnt behaviour and a cultural identity produced by it
Sociology Gives a unique perspective on gender and sexuality and teaches their importance in our society. As society has fixed values it creates opportunities for gender issues. But with this rapidly changing world, people have now started to understand the importance of gender equality and are accepting the third gender in some parts of the world.
Read: Domestic Violence in India
