Essay Summary of Gender Identity

Gender Identity PSY/265 February 3, 2013 Gender Identity To understand gender identity you first need to know what gender identity is and what factors are involved in gender identity. “Gender identity is one’s belief that one is a male or female. ” (Rathus, Nevid, & Fichner-Rathus, 2011, p. ). Since we know what gender identity is, we need to have an understanding of what factors determine gender identity. The factors that play a role in gender identity are genetic factors, environmental situations, psychosocial factors, as well as sexual hormones.

The genetic factors have to do with the moment the child is conceived and the 23 male chromosomes and the 23 female chromosomes join together and create a zygote. At six weeks into the pregnancy our bodies already know what gender we will be and at seven weeks genetic code starts to show itself. When you are talking about the environmental situations in gender identity you are talking about the role that society plays on what is acceptable. Society in a whole divides male and female by their gender attributes.

The psychosocial factors of gender identity have to do with peer relationships as well as the parental relationships. The Sexual hormones have to do with the hormones in our bodies and their makeup. Masculine traits are being independent, being intelligent and competent of the world around you, the ability to be rational, assertive, analytical, and brave in situations as needed. Other traits that are considered masculine are strong, ambitious, active, competitive, insensitive, sexually aggressive, and attractive because of achievement.

Whereas feminine traits are to be submissive, dependent, unintelligent and incapable, emotional, receptive, intuitive, weak, timid, content, passive, cooperative, sensitive, sex object, and attractive because of physical appearance. Concerning my gender identity I feel that being born female played a big part in my gender identity. The other factor that played a big role in my gender identity would be psychosocial factors. Being raised in a family where a girl dressed like a girl, wearing dresses, having long hair, and long nails, as well as being prim and proper played a large role when it comes to my gender identity.

Now do not get me wrong I was raised by a single father and was taught to be independent and take care of myself, and stand on my own two feet but I have no problem letting a man take care of me in the sense of wanting to provide for me in the sense. I also believe that environmental situations played a big role in my gender identity in the sense of where I grew up and the way that society looks at males and females individually. While reading the differences in masculine and feminine traits I have to admit that I had never put thought into which traits attributed to myself.

It is said that a woman is to be dependent and that a man is to be independent. Personally I feel that I am very independent. My father wanted me to know that I could not only take care of myself financially but also that I knew how to do minor repairs around my home so that I was not dependent on any man. They say a female is to be unintelligent and incapable whereas a man is intelligent and capable. Once again I have to find myself on the masculine side because I am intelligent and capable.

I find intelligence is a value needed to survive in the world today as well as being capable to do for you as a individual. They also say that a female should be submissive and that a man should be dominant. Once again on the masculine side I find myself to be very dominant and I think the reason being is because my father taught me to stand up for what I feel is right and not to let anybody walk all over me. Although I have quite a bit of masculine traits I have just as many of the feminine traits.

I am very sensitive to what is going on around me as well as other people emotions and feelings. I am very receptive to things and people that are around me and feel that because of this it gives me the ability to be very intuitive to people that I am around. Because of the variety of the traits that I have I do not feel that traits played a big role in my gender identity. References: Rathus, S. A. , Nevid, J. S. , & Fichner-Rathus, L. (2011). Human Sexuality in a World of Diversity (8th ed. ). Boston, Massachusetts: Allyn & Bacon. Top of Form Bottom of Form