The socialization of gender affects relationships in that you can never truly be yourself with your partner. Because of gender roles, the man and the woman are expected to act in different ways. What if a man makes less money, is more loquacious, or more expressive than his female partner? This could cause people, or her, to question his manhood. In our society’s gender norm, women are supposed to be the ones who are meek and wait for the guy to take charge in initiating a relationship, but all personalities are different. A shy woman therefore has extreme and sometimes unreasonable pressure to flirt and be open and giddy like women are supposed to act. Same holds true for men of personalities not typical of gender stereotypes. This can surely cause conflict in a relationship or even with your social circle who doesn’t approve of or understand the unconventional way that your relationship works.
Homosexuals probably don’t feel as comfortable with their PDA as heterosexuals do because people tend to judge them negatively. They face a complex, yet most likely freeing situation in their intimacy because they are more likely to be equal and not pressured to take on concrete masculine and feminine roles. Attached to homosexuals, however, are negative attitudes because they are not following the traditional male-female relationship, but do not follow they typical gender roles.
I agree with what you say about the heterosexual relationships being affected by the socialization of gender. I never really thought of that. I am a shy guy and in my relationship with my girlfriend I don't normally take charge in the relationship, as I like to find a balance. The norm is a problem with relationships, because everyone expects the individuals in the relationship to perform or to be exactly like the way society makes out the men and women to be. But everyone is unique, and I think that's where many people tend to not remember, because people always look at what society tells them to act, instead of staying true to who they are.
ReplyDeleteI think that the success of the relationship has a lot to do with how it starts. If gender roles aren't a big issue in the beginning (i.e. friends first)then they most likely won't saturate the relationship. I can also ease your worries by letting you know that my husband is the ONLY person in the whole world that I CAN be myself around.
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