The Interconnection between Gender Roles and Emphasized Femininity
Concept Connection (450)
In Sociology, gender roles refer to the expectations for the behavior of men and
women, including such things as an interest in playing sports or talents in writing and
reading (-). Emphasized femininity refers to the practices of femininity that conform to the
needs and desires of men, and thus the subordination of women (-).
These concepts intertwine with the experiences I had through the media I
consumed, which served as secondary agents of socialization. Shows like Big Mouth, On
My Block, and Never Have I Ever portrayed coming-of-age stories centered on high-school
relationships, where sexual satisfaction and desire were parts of the partnership. Through
these narratives, I learned girls meet their boyfriends’ sexual needs to be natural and
expected. And so, when my own partner asked about initiating sexual intercourse while
stating that his friend had already done so with his girlfriend, I felt pressured to respond in
favour of my partner. The media taught me the expectation of fulfilling a partner’s desires
and if I had not met up with that expectation, I would not have maintained a strong
relationship with my partner. At the same time, I worried about external judgement: if
others discovered I had had sex, I might be labeled and perceived negatively. Despite these
worries, I remember my own parents’ relationship, where my mother performed most of
the caregiving. Her role modeled that women maintain relationships by meeting others’
needs, which influenced me to accept what my partner wanted and to engage in sexual
intercourse regardless of worries.
, According to Talcott Parsons, parents play a critical role in socializing children into
appropriate gender roles (-). In my family, this process normalized the idea that women’s
value lies in caregiving. Seeing my mother as the caregiver of the household reinforced my
belief that satisfying my partner’s sexual desires was needed to sustain the relationship.
Despite my fears, I chose to engage in intercourse which resulted in subordinating my own
boundaries to what I perceived as my partner’s need. This choice represents emphasized
femininity in action: by prioritizing my partner’s desires over my hesitation, I enact a form of
femininity which conforms to patriarchal expectations and thus accepted subordination.
This represents emphasized femininity practices of femininity that conform to the
desires of men, and thus the subordination of women (-). The secondary agents of
socialization and primary agents created a script that left me feeling like I had little choice
when my partner had asked about having sexual intercourse. Reflecting now, I realize
forces of gender roles and emphasized femininity shaped not only that decision but also
helps to understand the sense of restriction it made.
Applied Research (594)
“The Effects of Self-Esteem, Traditional Gender Roles, and Gender on Reward,
Intimacy, and Enhancement as Motivations for Sexual Relations” speaks on how social
Concept Connection (450)
In Sociology, gender roles refer to the expectations for the behavior of men and
women, including such things as an interest in playing sports or talents in writing and
reading (-). Emphasized femininity refers to the practices of femininity that conform to the
needs and desires of men, and thus the subordination of women (-).
These concepts intertwine with the experiences I had through the media I
consumed, which served as secondary agents of socialization. Shows like Big Mouth, On
My Block, and Never Have I Ever portrayed coming-of-age stories centered on high-school
relationships, where sexual satisfaction and desire were parts of the partnership. Through
these narratives, I learned girls meet their boyfriends’ sexual needs to be natural and
expected. And so, when my own partner asked about initiating sexual intercourse while
stating that his friend had already done so with his girlfriend, I felt pressured to respond in
favour of my partner. The media taught me the expectation of fulfilling a partner’s desires
and if I had not met up with that expectation, I would not have maintained a strong
relationship with my partner. At the same time, I worried about external judgement: if
others discovered I had had sex, I might be labeled and perceived negatively. Despite these
worries, I remember my own parents’ relationship, where my mother performed most of
the caregiving. Her role modeled that women maintain relationships by meeting others’
needs, which influenced me to accept what my partner wanted and to engage in sexual
intercourse regardless of worries.
, According to Talcott Parsons, parents play a critical role in socializing children into
appropriate gender roles (-). In my family, this process normalized the idea that women’s
value lies in caregiving. Seeing my mother as the caregiver of the household reinforced my
belief that satisfying my partner’s sexual desires was needed to sustain the relationship.
Despite my fears, I chose to engage in intercourse which resulted in subordinating my own
boundaries to what I perceived as my partner’s need. This choice represents emphasized
femininity in action: by prioritizing my partner’s desires over my hesitation, I enact a form of
femininity which conforms to patriarchal expectations and thus accepted subordination.
This represents emphasized femininity practices of femininity that conform to the
desires of men, and thus the subordination of women (-). The secondary agents of
socialization and primary agents created a script that left me feeling like I had little choice
when my partner had asked about having sexual intercourse. Reflecting now, I realize
forces of gender roles and emphasized femininity shaped not only that decision but also
helps to understand the sense of restriction it made.
Applied Research (594)
“The Effects of Self-Esteem, Traditional Gender Roles, and Gender on Reward,
Intimacy, and Enhancement as Motivations for Sexual Relations” speaks on how social
