question 2

Throughout this course, many opportunities are available to post an initial response to a discussion topic as well as to respond to your classmates’ responses. After you have completed the reading, and without reviewing your classmates’ responses, post your initial response to the following discussion. Your post should be at least 200 words in length and should extend the discussion of the group, supported by your course materials and/or other appropriate resources. After you have submitted your initial post, review some of your classmates’ posts and respond to at least two of your classmates. Refer to your Discussion Board Rubric and the Syllabus for specific grading explanation.

Discussion Topic

The discussion for this week will focus on gender socialization and inequalities related to sexual orientation.

Please respond to the following:

· Based on your readings in Chapter 9, provide an explanation of how gender socialization impacts society.

· In your opinion, does family or the media have more of an impact on how an individual is socialized with regard to gender?

· What impact does homophobia have on individuals and society?

· What is one thing a human services professional can do to improve gender equality, and what is one thing they can do to decrease discrimination against the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer communities? Be specific.

· According to the readings, as a society we have a made up opinion of what gender roles should follow (Henslin,James 2020). For example, when I found out that I was having a girl, the first thing I did was paint the nursery pink and decorated it with lots of satin and ballet slippers. Ironic enough, I had a child that later in life relized they were transgender and my daughter is transitioning to a son as she associates as a male. As a family, this changed a lot of how we think of gender. 

· I believe that the media has a large impact on families associated with gender. Toys in the  media are geared toward one gender or another. Cooking commercials are geared to what moms will make for their families. Grilling is geared to men in the back yard with family and friends. I think society certainly shapes gender roles and subconsciously we may ingest it. 

· Often homosexuals are subjected to hate crimes and incredible judgement from family and friends.  This can make it scary for a homosexual to  come out to others. I believe alot of discrimination towards homosexuals comes from religious/ moral beliefs.  Society appears to make up their beliefs in right vs wrong depending on religion, and culture etc. This can cause lower self esteem, perhaps self harming behaviors along with not allowing them to live their best life because they can’t show the world all of them.  Side note- I recently heard of a thing going around trying to gain “acceptance” which is called age fluidity. In other cultures it may be acceptable, but in America, I don’t see this going over well and could become a huge target for hate crime.

· Being the parent of a transgender child, I found the best thing when gathering information was asking what a person identifies as. A human service professional can educate themselves on the LGBT community. Learn what is offensive even if it is not intentional. For example, my son’s biggest thing he hates hearing is “I don’t care who people want to sleep with as long as I don’t have to see it.”  Get comfortable with being around the community and “seeing” the PDA so that the “shock factor” is desensitised if that is something that is a thing for you. Prior to my daughter deciding to transition, she came out as lesbian. I had no issue with it, but was very uneducated. I said and did things that made her uncomfortable. I had not been exposed to many same sex couples, with encouragement of my child I went to some “gay bars” with her. Now 50% of my friends are part of the LGBT community. I think it is important for anyone working with the LGBT community to learn the struggles they face, and become part of their voice.

For respond 2

                Hello everyone. Society expects different attitudes and behaviors from boys and girls. Gender socialization is the tendency for boys and girls to be socialized differently. Boys are raised to conform to the male gender role, and girls are raised to conform to the female gender or role. Gender stereotypes can be a result of gender socialization. Girls and boys are expected to act in certain ways, and these ways are socialized from birth by many parents ( and society ). In other words, individuals are socialized into conceiving of their gender as either masculine ( male ) or feminine ( female ).

          The term homophobia was first described in 1972 by George Weinberg, and defined as an irrational fear, hatred, and intolerance of being in close quarters with homosexual men and women. Homophobia in society now plays out in many different forms, both subtly and explicit. More obvious forms of homophobia include laws and regulations, geared towards discrimination and undermining the basic human rights of lesbian, gay, and bisexual people. Also the pervasiveness of hate crimes and physical violence is also a constant source of stress for many who live in communities where there are not isolated incidents.

          One way a human service professional can do to improve gender equality is to raise aspirations of girls and their parents. They can help build girls' and women's confidence. One of the ways a human service professional can help decrease discrimination, is to deliver quality care without being bias or prejudice, and monitor and assess outcomes.

References:    Weinberg, G. (1972). Society and the healthy homosexual. New York: St. Martins Press

                        Meyer, I.H. (1995). Minority stress and mental health in gay men. Journal of health and social behavior, 38-56.