Gender Structure Theory Essay examples - 1179 Words

Embedded deep within the psyche of modern society, gender is a persistent feature of everyday life. It creates normalized behaviors and characteristics for each person, holding them accountable for even the most trivial actions. Individuals are not supposed to step outside the binary male-female framework, otherwise they risk backlash as an attempt to force them back into culturally designated roles. This binary is disturbed by the very existence of intersex individuals – as they cannot be placed into 100% male or 100% female on a binary scale. One of the areas where intersex has caused complications is in organized sports, specifically the Olympics. Since the International Olympic Committee (IOC) requires athletes to be divided into men†¦show more content†¦These individual differences are assumed to be either biological or social in origin. The interactional level focuses on social interactions and accountability to the expectations of others. This involves the ide a of â€Å"doing gender† where individuals are expected to possess certain mannerisms, speech patterns, dress codes, and demeanors which are indicative of the gender society believes them to be. Lastly, the institutional level focuses focuses on how the various social institutions create gendered behaviors through rules, laws, and ideologies. These three levels of gender structure theory allow for disentangling information across a variety of places, times, and contexts. The recommendations by the IOC effectively constrain athletes at the individual level by not only limiting their ability to choose, but also in policing their gendered identities. Policing of intersexed individuals behaviors and choices is not uncommon within greater society as it integrates the idea that these so-called â€Å"deviant† actions can be corrected through intervention – whether it be psychological, surgical, or hormonal. The athletes affected by the IOCs actions who once found their gender status investigated through mandatory gender exams involving chromosome testing, now must pass a verdict by on-site medical panels which would attempt to fit them into the male-female binary. The need for intervention itself is the result of socially constructed expectations about what it means toShow MoreRelatedThe Sociological Framework Of The Social System1064 Words   |  5 Pagesframework interacts with and shapes all the other pieces. The components of the framework include: the social system, culture, social structure, socialization, individuals, and interaction. The social system is comprised of social groups that cohere together to make some kind of whole, in this case gender. The social system is directly shaped by culture, social structure and interaction. Culture is a set of knowledge, beliefs, values, and rules about behavior that are held commonly within a system. 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