Extra credit

Karanvir Gill

            The socialization that I have had in my life has pretty much been dominated by masculine and feminine thoughts/behaviors. From day one, my parents described how I am supposed to live, think, and speak based on my male gender. I was supposed to be strong, being able to lift heavy objects that just got heavier as I grew older. I don't mind being strong at all, it is amazing, but it would have been nice to have a choice in the matter. Since I was a child, I was supposed to be independent and experienced. My parents would always remind me to ask help only when needed, and to try and learn things by actually doing it. Again, I do not mind these teachings that are ingrained in me, as today I am confident in new experiences and challenges while others are not.  These are a couple of masculine traits that shaped my socialization. All the feminine traits, however, were shunned from my development process. I was taught to not be soft, weak, emotional, passive and many other "traits" that are exclusively feminine. Even though I was advised from parents to avoid these traits, it turns out that I actually am somewhat passive, and a bit emotional. And my socialization is influenced by having these traits by how people treat me. Luckily, I have been treated mostly good throughout my life, but I believe that is because I am not overly emotional or passive, and still have many masculine traits. If I was born the opposite sex, I am pretty sure I would be the complete opposite of who I am now because I would have been taught to be feminine instead of masculine. There would be constant lectures from parents to be a "good" female in society. But even without influence from parents, I probably would not want most masculine traits anyways. I don't think I would want to be the girl that is stronger than all the other girls and some boys. I believe that I would succumb to be how society would want me to be. The influence from society is just too strong.

 

http://icati.catishack.com/uploads/Karanvir/Karanvir-18184366582-20140911-1410398785.626.mp3

What I heard my interviewee is that he is influenced from the male side of the family, and lives by what is expected from them. He told me that the male side of this family does a lot of male stereotype things such as watching sports and being strong. After I asked the respondent how life would be for him if he was a female, he told me he would probably be like his grandma and mom, the female influences in his life. They are organized, settled and live with "pace", and my interviewee said he would probably be the same because it is what's expected from a female.