Essay Sample on Henig and Johnson's Description on Gender Experience

Johnson highlights the ethnographic range of differences that exist between men and women and those that contribute to the definition of gender. Johnson also includes a wide range of social roles played by women, differences when it comes to public status as well as cultural meanings (Johnson, 13). She describes the ideal concept of transgender and the efforts of churches to oppose same-sex marriage. Churches mobilized the members to advocate against same-sex marriage, but the efforts were not successful. Jessica also describes the experience of female administrators who have experienced gender inequality in the workplace.

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Henig considers how science is helping people understand the state of gender. Henig describes the story of E, who felt more boyish than girlish. She was questioning her gender identity instead of accepting her hobbies, such as playing ball and the choices of her wardrobe like dressing similar to a tomboy (Henig 1). People questioning their gender are at an extremely high risk of being bullied, sexually assaulted, or attempting suicide. There are evolving notions of the meaning of being a woman or a man, as well as the implications if agender, transgender, among others. Scientists are, therefore, uncovering many other new complexities when it comes to the biological understanding of sex.

The authors reveal that there are notions and stereotypes of gender roles. The society sets its own expectations of how different people are projected to act, groom, or generally conduct themselves. Women are expected to be typically feminine, be polite and accommodating while men are supposed to be bold, aggressive, and strong. The society condemns the issue of transgender and is against the people classified in that category. They do not seem to own anything in the community, and it unacceptable for them to be in such positions.

The expectations from gender stereotypes tend to affect people in terms of their physical appearance, personality traits, and sedentary behaviors, among others. As it is the case for Henig, E kept questioning her personality because society made her view her case in that manner. She could not enjoy her hobbies of playing basketball because they did not match the expectation of being feminine and acting in ways that show her sexism (Henig 2). The fact that she hated wearing dresses, liked basketball, playing video games, and also skateboarding put her in the masculine category even though she still wanted to be referred to as she.

The sedentary behaviors of the transgender do not match those of the society because they have defined genders as being only male or female. This way, the stereotypes impact the domestic behaviors of transgender people in that they act in ways that they prefer for themselves. In the story of Henig, he says that E did not want to be referred to as being transgender. Other kids of her kind talked about how they had always known that they were born into the wrong body. However, for E, she said that she thought she needed to alter her body a little to make it fell like the one she required (Henig 6). She meant that she wanted a body that did not have to go through feminine transitions like having breasts or menstruating, and she could also have more defined facial contours as well as a beard. Generally, the character was an individual who rejected the trappings of traditional gender roles.

Works Cited

Henig, Robin Marantz. "Rethinking gender." National Geographic 231.1 (2017): 49ff. 1-12

Johnson, Jessica N. Gender Inequality in the Workplace: The Experience of Female Administrators. California State University, Long Beach, 2018. 1-89. Retrieved from https://media.proquest.com/media/pq/classic/doc/4326025891/fmt/ai/rep/NPDF?_