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Gender Roles: Gender Identity is Determined Socially Gender roles are learned mainly through social interaction instead of biologically. When we are born we have very little concept of our gender and we learn “proper” behavior through society and our relationships with others. Our gender identity is constructed through interaction with the media, our parents, and our peers at school, at work and at home. How we are raised in society reflects how we act as we grow older. Our society changes our attitudes and views on life more than our biological make-up. According to Ana Veciana-Suarez, author of “Thank Heaven for Little Boys,” many traits of boys and girls are instinctive and we are born with them. The genetics we are born with may affect our physical abilities, but children learn to act in certain ways by watching people in society. For example, when young boys watch cartoons or certain male-orientated TV programs, they are influenced to act like the characters they see on TV. The characters on these shows are shown in a more aggressive or violent manner; therefore, the children act that way. The main characters in shows like Batman or Superman are portrayed as strong athletic heroes who influence young boy’s everyday actions. In shows such as these, boys are often depicted as aggressive and destructive, therefore this shows boys that they should act competitively. Even as adolescents we are influenced by TV, movies, books, and music. For example the artist Eminem influence males to be violent, has homosexual references, and condemns women. At this young age, people are not mature enough to make their own decisions and they are easily influenced by society. People emulate what Eminem says in his lyrics about violence. For example in Columbine, the boys that killed innocent students got their ideas through certain movies and TV shows.
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