Critique of The Social Construction Approach to Gender

Social Construction theory is based on assumptions collected through various sources about the world around us. It is a theory, which is constructed on the basis of the norms and historical stories. Social Construction theory is a debate by itself which states that gender differences and gender inequality is rooted through assumptions, historical stories, cultures, beliefs and teachings. It is not a scientifically This theory suggests that the society and its culture, traditions, and norms plays a huge role in defining the gender roles, these gender roles are considered as the appropriate behaviour for the specific gender. Gender norms are taught from birth and it varies across space; social institutions such as culture, religion, politics, mass media and education helps to formulate this perceived behaviour.

This approach is further elaborated in an article, “Introduction to Beyond the Natural Body” by Nelly Oudshoorn. “For thousands of years, the “one-sex model” dominated biomedical discourse, even to such an extent that medical tests lacked a specific anatomical nomenclature for female.” This quote focuses on the idea of gender equality and similarities between both genders. The only factor distinguishing them is the direction of their reproductive organs. Female body was considered similar to the male body, and their organs were assumed to function in the same manner. This misconception was to this extent that female organs were described by the name of male organs; for example, ovary was regarded as the female testicle.

Terms such as vagina, ovary, and clitoris were not used in that timeframe. Female body structure was conceived as an inferior model of the male body and they lacked a separate identity of their own as a completely different gender. This shows the backwardness in the scientific methods and the understanding of the human bodies. “Man is the measure of all things, and woman does not exist as an ontologically distinct category”. Women were not considered as competitive as men in ancient times, their sex was not given separate status and identity. Men were conceived as the perfect image of God’s creation, and women's status was analyzed and portrayed in comparison to men. This notion was a result of the patriarchal thinking that existed at that time.

“By the late nineteenth century, medical scientists had extended his sexualization to every imaginable part of the body: bones, blood vessels, cell hair and brains”. “Only the eye seems to have no sex”. From this time period onwards, medical scientists started focusing on the differences between both genders and contradicted the previous notion.

Women’s body was distinguished on the basis of their non-identical organs and its functions to that of men. The role of their reproductive organs gave them a distinct identity. This shift in the medical history changed the overall status of women in society by giving them an identity; although they were still considered as inferior being this idea started the revolution for gender equality which is still present in today's society. Till this date, a biological determination is still an argument that separates gender differences, social status and race. They are assumed as the “inevitable outcome of nature and biology”. The same concept was portrayed in the article “Snow Brown and the Seven Detergents” by Banu Subramaniam. This article depicts the efforts of a girl to fit into society's mould. In the process of changing herself into what was considered to be “normal” or “socially acceptable” by the patriarchs in the workplace, she lost her identity.

Regardless of this fact, she still couldn’t fit in and was treated as an inferior and weak being. While standing around her body, patriarchs still chose to reason her death instead of showing some remorse. “But she was too emotional, a very fuzzy thinker. Some people are just not meant to pursue Scientific Truth. I wish they would learn, accept it, and leave instead of creating all this melodrama.” Banu Subramaniam stated that, due to historical, cultural forces, and the stereotypes it has been difficult for women to adjust in a society where to till this date, men are considered superior to women. The perceived assumptions which are associated with gender make it difficult to be “socially acceptable”. The gender inequality gives rise to many issues for females such as oppression and lack of opportunity to grow.

This statement suggests the hypocrisy of the patriarchs and the image that is associated with the female character. The fact that they were all men shows that she was the odd one out and the problem wasn't her accent, colour or her culture; the only problem was that she was a woman and they couldn't stand a woman having equal status as them. Although she had the capabilities and the determination to climb up the ladder, society’s notion of male dominant society couldn’t allow it; this suggests that this perceived inequality is not natural rather it’s socially constructed. Lastly, Social construction theory is the mutual understanding of the society and human interactions which further leads to the assumptions and the perceived gender roles. The assumptions can be contradicting the reality but these shared thoughts from the norm in our society, which is later passed onto the other generations. In my opinion, the social construction approach is useful because it gives individuals a chance to give meaning to the world around us. It helps in understanding the idea that there is more than one way to look at things.

For example, “There is nothing inherent, Asians being super smart, these are the stories told by people, and social construction theory is just a step to give meanings to such thinking’’. Certain roles are associated with genders; for example, women are perceived to stay at home and nurture their children and earning money is associated with men. Hailing from Pakistan, I’ve seen many women convincing their family to let her do the job but by allowing this, they would break the norm. Women face many difficulties in Pakistan because of the existence of the male dominant society. However, when I moved to Canada the thinking is entirely different. Over here every individual is considered competitive regardless of their sex. This shows that social assumptions differ from place to place. Therefore, it can be concluded that social construction theory is not a standardized approach, but is a stereotypical outlook that varies.

References

1. Nelly Oudshoorn,“Introduction to Beyond the Natural Body” P. 109-113 in Gender and Women’s Studies Second Edition, edited by Margaret Hobbs and Carla Rice published by, Woman’s Press
2. An imprint of CSP Books Inc. Toronto 2018 Banu Subramaniamion, “Snow Brown and the Seven Detergents’’: A Metanarrative on Science and the scientific method. Women's Studies Quarterly, 28,. (1/2,) Spring - Summer, 2000), 296-304