Gender as an American Co-Culture

Paper Summary:

This paper takes a look at how the cultural phenomenon of equality has led America to fall under a sublime spell of believing that despite obvious differences, men and women are the same. The paper discusses the cultural influences that seep into the everyday lives of the average American leave conflicting notions on the mind about gender and its roles.

Outline:
Gender Culture
Women are from Venus
Men are from Mars
Gender Roles
Independence vs. Connection
Competition vs. Cooperation
Internal vs. External
Larger vs. Smaller
Communication: Language of Gender
Speaking Masculine
Speaking Feminine
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"Male culture tends to be removed from emotion and more reserved to reason. Pragmatism, function over form, is a big part of the co-culture in contrast to irrational emotions. Being overly emotional for a boy can lead to being called names like girly or sissy. To be compared to a woman demeans a man's masculinity and status. Emotion is in opposition to logic and reason, and directly associated with the female. To combat loosing status by being unmanly, men are more detached than women from their emotions. They react to larger passions like anger and love, which are considered appropriate to react to, and not the brief fleeting feelings of everyday aspects of life. Such emotions are considered trivial, and would distract from getting things done. Not only do emotions hamper progress, but they make a man look weak, demeaning his authority and status."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Davilla, Roberta & Pearson, Judy. "The Gender Construct: Understanding Why Men and Women Communicate Differently." Women and Men Communicating: Challenges and Changes. Eds. Laurie Arliss & Deborah Borisoff. 2nd ed. Prospect Heights: Waveland, 2001. 3-12.
• Eckert, Penelope & McConnell-Ginet. Language and Gender. Cambridge: University, 2003.
• Hartwell, Steven, Hutak, Renata & Pace, Roger. "Women Negotiating: Assertiveness and Relatedness." Constructing and Reconstructing Gender: The Links Among Communication, Language, and Gender. Ed. Linda Perry, Sterk, Helen & Turner, Lynn. Albany: State U of NY, 1992. 127-34.
• Hoar, Nancy. "Genderlect, Powerlect, and Politeness." Constructing and Reconstructing Gender: The Links Among Communication, Language, and Gender. Ed. Linda Perry, Sterk, Helen & Turner, Lynn. Albany: State U of NY, 1992. 127-34.
• Howard, John & Prividera, Laura. "Gendered Nationalism: A Critical Analysis of Militarism,

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