GENDER STEREOTYPE

Gender Stereotype

Gender Stereotype

Introduction

A stereotype is a widespread preconception that arose from people ascribes certain attributes, characteristics, roles, because of its apparent membership in a particular social group. Although stereotype is a mental process necessary to organize and categorize the information received in order to simplify the understanding that cognitive function is problematic when operating to ignore needs, desires, abilities and circumstances of people that result in the limitation or denial of fundamental rights on the one hand, and the hierarchy between social groups, on the other. Specifically, gender stereotypes are related to the social and culturally assigned to men and women from the physical differences based on gender. While stereotypes affect both men and women have a greater negative effect on the latter, since historically society has assigned supporting roles, socially less valued and less hierarchical. The social subordination becomes particularly serious when it is institutionalized by law. This happens when laws, policies and government practices incorporate, reinforce and perpetuate gender stereotyping, giving strength and authority. Ultimately, the effect is that society accepts it uncritically as true and inevitable, and eventually people shape and adapt their behavior and self-image to the social mandate. Therefore, the issues related to Gender Stereotype will be discussed in detail.

Main Body

In order to clarify the understanding of what a gender-based stereotypes, Dr. Rebecca Cook, an academic at the University of Toronto, distinguished three categories. The first corresponds to stereotypes based on biological differences between men and women. An example is the claim that men are stronger than women, an issue that can effectively be supported statistically by reality, but that is unfair to those a typical social group. There is a need to think that woman who, despite being stronger than many men, is prevented from entering the Fire Department because of their sex. Sometimes the laws has taken up this kind of preconceptions based on a particular idea of ??female vulnerability, preventing women from exercising certain jobs, like working at night, and participate in certain activities of the Army. While these measures are intended to "protect" women, they promote their marginalization and exclusion of certain professional fields and depriving them of their right to choose (Eagly, 2000, 160).

The second category established by Cook refers to stereotypes about sexual behavior of men and women, marking exercise which forms of sexuality are socially acceptable. Thus, the stereotype that says that women are the property of man has sometimes interpreted the law and prescribed. For example, debit and non-carnal configuration of rape between spouses, and those institutions tolerate domestic violence and forced marriages. An example of a widespread preconception about the sexual behavior of men and women is considered women's sexuality is necessarily linked to procreation, marriage, love relationships and creating a family. This premise is reflected in the forms of legally regulating sex work and the fact that in several countries is punishable only to the service provider and consumer or even certain legal criteria, where in divorce decrees and custody ...