A Critical Analysis of Societal Expectations and Inequalities

According to the Advanced English Dictionary, gender is defined as the traits that set organisms apart based on their reproductive roles. On the other hand, homophobia is described as an irrational fear and hatred of homosexuals (Weinberg, 1972). Guys often worry about being seen as gay or not a "real man," so they tend to overdo traditional masculine behaviors (Kimmel, 1994). In the article “Caster Semenya, Bending our Sense of Gender” (Wilmot, 2017), arguments about gender come up, especially from British journalist Katie Hopkins. This essay aims to discuss these arguments, referring to module readings and exploring them in more detail as we go along.

Gender, as Connell (2005) put it, is the way social practices are organized. The fact that gay, lesbian, trans, and other nonconforming sexualities play a crucial role in shaping hegemonic men's gender practices was ignored by reports on homophobia (Kimmel, 1994). Men tend to exaggerate traditional masculine behaviors because they're afraid of being seen as homoerotic or not true males (Kimmel, 1994). They live with elaborate fears, including the fear that they don't live up to the standards of hegemonic masculinity (Kimmel, 1994). Hegemonic masculinity is a form of masculinity that gets its power and status from a hierarchy that it can dominate (Segal, 1993).

Governments and societal leaders often use people's sexual desires, relationships, and identities for sociopolitical and economic goals when they fail to meet their promises. The agendas of Western countries and Western-dominated organizations in African countries are tied to debates around sexual orientation and same-sex relationships. Studies suggest that women, in both law and practice, often have fewer rights and freedoms than men. This includes sexual freedom, high levels of sexual objectification, sexual and gender violence, and a higher risk of HIV/AIDS (Dunkle, 2004). Girls and women, especially lesbians, transgender women, and other queer folks, are more likely to face threats of rape and other forms of sexual and gender violence because they "threaten" hegemonic masculinity. Caster Semenya, who is cisgender, rarely questions her gender identity because it aligns with her birth sex (Wilmot, 2017). In some parts of Africa, homosexuality and non-heteronormative practices are almost invisible, not because they're un-African, but because society and laws criminalize them (Kopano, 2014).

This brings us to Katie Hopkins' main argument in the article. She highlights rigid binary notions of gender, where men and women are expected to follow their traditional roles based on their biological sex (Wilmot, 2017). Studies show that wherever women are seen as having lesser rights and freedoms than men, including sexual freedom, there's likely to be high levels of sexual objectification, sexual and gender violence, and HIV & AIDS (Dunkle, 2004). Hopkins believes that a woman should dress like a woman and play the role of a woman. Gender anomalies, like Caster Semenya, disrupt these neat categories and are often seen as threats (Wilmot, 2017).

Connell places homosexual masculinities at the bottom of a gender hierarchy among men. He further explains that gayness is often equated with femininity, hence the intensity of homophobic attacks. There's a structure of inequality between men and women. Men benefit from patriarchy in terms of honor, prestige, and the right to command. They also gain materially, especially in rich capitalist countries, where men's average incomes are roughly double those of women. Men are far more likely to control significant capital as CEOs of major corporations or as direct owners. They're also more likely to hold state power than women (Connell, 2005).

Chimamanda Adichie supports some of Connell's points. She notes that, while there are slightly more women than men in the world, men hold most positions of power and prestige. A man and a woman doing the same job with the same qualifications often see the man getting paid more just because he's a man. Adichie shares her struggles as a woman, like when she was stopped by a guard at a top Nigerian hotel and questioned about why she was there and whom she was visiting. The assumption was that a Nigerian woman alone in a hotel must be a sex worker, while a man would not face such harassment. She also mentions that women can't enter many reputable clubs and bars alone; they need a man with them. Society has taught people that men are more important than women. Women aren't supposed to express anger because it's seen as threatening. This gives a sense of the solidarity around gender inequality (Adichie, 2014). These facts tie back to Hopkins' main argument that a woman must always play the role of a woman. She must dress and act like a woman. The idea of a woman dressing "like a man" offends Hopkins' sense of "normal" (Wilmot, 2017).

Boys and girls are biologically different, but socialization exaggerates these differences and starts a self-fulfilling process. Women face gender expectations, from doing things society expects to prove their worth, to doing housework to be seen as real women (Adichie, 2014).