Essay Example on Race, Gender and Sexual Orientation

Race, gender, and sexual orientation are very crucial aspects in shaping ones life. The race is a group of people identified as different from other groups due to their physical or genetic characteristics shared by the panel. They are united by common history, nationality or physical distribution. Gender is typically the state of being a male or female (Calmore, 1991). Sexual orientation, on the other hand, is a terminology used to describe which gender people are sexually and romantically attracted. Race, gender and sexual orientation play a significant role in shaping ones life.

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The race we belong to determines our life chances and opportunities in the modern society. Who we are, what we are, and where do we come from are three essential questions used to shape our lifes. The race one belongs to helps them to presents them with power, prestige and even control over running of the societies. For instance, there are those opportunities in the employment sector which may be spared for people of a certain race only (Calmore, 1991). As a result, members of that race will feel much more favored and will use that opportunity to improve their livelihoods.

In some nations where race is a major consideration factor, services are offered based on the race you belong to. Race administers education. Those who belong to the favored race end up getting the high-quality education as compared to their counterparts. All the other services will be delivered by race and by so doing race will end up shaping our lifes for better if our race is preferred and favored. On the contrary, if our race is not preferred we are discriminated against the race popularly referred to as racism, and therefore race shapes our life in an adverse manner (Calmore, 1991).

Some races are considered superior to others, and this will be used to make members of that race strive to be better than others and therefore shaping their lifes well. Gender also plays a significant role in shaping once life. The state of being male or female cannot be overlooked when it comes to sharing of resources and giving opportunities. The majority of the societies in the past centuries emphasized empowering males. This made those with male gender be favored in jobs opportunities and education. Boys could be educated more than girls. The enrollment of men in learning institutions was far much higher than for the female and therefore gender in this case shaped the life of men better at the expense of women (Bohan, 1996).

There were career opportunities preserved for men, and this shaped their life better. However, for the last few decades, much emphasis has been given to the girl child who has witnessed female gender almost outsmart males in all fields (Ridgeway, 2009). Besides, there are some societies whose beliefs place on sex in a better position than their counterparts.

Sexual orientation also shapes ones life. Societys customs and norms are essential when it comes to sexual orientation. Most of the societies are based on some religious orientation, and they tend to discriminate some sexual orientations (Ridgeway, 2009). For instance, members of the community who are homosexuals may be highly condemned in the society since that practice may be termed immoral according to that society. As a result, such members will even be discriminated and even segregated due to certain traits. Bisexuals will also go through the same treatments in the societies, and this negatively affects their lifes. Societies majorly favor heterosexuals and this factor of shapes ones life.

To sum it up, race, gender and sexual orientation play a key role in shaping ones life. In most cases, the society discriminates the female gender. In addition, racism is still practiced where the blacks and people of color are discriminated in most of the cases. The community will use these three instruments as the standard measure in evaluating how they will treat, model and direct lives of its individual members.

References

Bohan, J. S. (1996). Psychology and sexual orientation: Coming to terms. Psychology Press.

Calmore, J. O. (1991). Critical Race Theory, Archie Shepp, and Fire Music" Securing an Authentic Intellectual Life in a Multicultural World. S. cal. L. rev., 65, 2129.

Ridgeway, C. L. (2009). Framed before we know it how gender shapes social relations. Gender & society, 23(2), 145-160.