Gender and Racial Socialization_1

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Ohio State University *

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HUMAN RESO

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Sociology

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Nov 24, 2024

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docx

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1 Gender and Racial Socialization Student’s Name Institutional Affiliation Instructor’s Name Course Date
2 Gender and Racial Socialization Socialization is a complex process of internalizing the ideologies and norms of society. Ideally, socialization relates to how people learn and teach social and cultural aspects in society. Gender and race are fundamental aspects that define people due to the different norms, ideologies, attitudes, and beliefs every person acquires based on their gender or race. Gender socialization is the process of orienting people on how to act according to the social expectations of their gender, which is male or female. Conversely, racial socialization is how individuals are taught and acquire unique norms and beliefs relating to their ethnicity, thus determining how they perceive themselves and others around them. This essay will evaluate gender and racial socialization by focusing on when they happen and the kinds and forms of messages incorporated. Notably, socialization often commences during childhood in the family unit, where children are taught and learn what society expects of them as they grow. Gender socialization commences immediately after children are born or when they become conscious of their surroundings ( Amin et al., 2018) . Parents or guardians name their children based on their gender, with specific names afforded to boys and others to girls. For instance, a boy can be called John while a girl can be called Mary. Names are fundamental aspects that distinguish boys and girls. Additionally, children are also dressed differently based on their gender to distinguish them. For example, while boys are primarily dressed in pants and shorts, girls have unique clad such as dresses and tops. Ideally, parents and siblings are the primary agents of gender socialization techniques. However, schools and media platforms also play fundamental roles in gender socialization by teaching boys and girls and men and women what is expected in society. These agents of
3 socialization teach men and women what is expected of them at every stage of their life ( Amin et al., 2018) . Inevitably, gender socialization is accompanied by unique types and forms of messages that reinforce the acquired behavior, values, attitudes, norms, and ideologies of every gender. As a result, individuals determine what it means to be male or female, and the expectations bestowed on each gender towards themselves and society. For instance, while men are taught to be tough and courageous, women are taught to be gentle, caring, and nurturing. Like gender socialization, racial socialization is also unique and complex since every ethnic group has its special set of norms, ideas, attitudes, and behavior. During childhood, racial socialization commences when children obtain the perceptions, behavior, attitudes, and values affiliated with their unique racial or ethnic group ( Huguley et al., 2019) . These aspects determine how they perceive themselves and others of the same category. Unlike gender socialization, racial socialization is an essential endeavor, particularly amongst racial minorities, due to the discrimination and prejudice prevalent in society. Individuals are mainly racially socialized by their parents and siblings and other members of their racial and ethnic groups, teaching them unique aspects of their group and how to associate with others in society. Racial socialization teaches people the obstacles one may experience, such as bias against racial minorities ( Umaña & Hill, 2020) . Therefore, this form of socialization may vary amongst racial majorities and minorities in the United States because they experience distinct challenges. As discussed above, gender and racial socialization are essential processes that acquaint individuals with the values, norms, beliefs, attitudes, and ideologies affiliated with their gender and how to perceive themselves and others with similar features. Notably, both racial and gender socialization commence during childhood in the family unit, and they progress throughout
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4 people’s lives as they advance. Inevitably, gender and racial socialization are fundamental because they instill individuals with the necessary skills and awareness and the societal expectations bestowed on them based on their gender or race.
5 References Amin, A., Kågesten, A., Adebayo, E., & Chandra-Mouli, V. (2018). Addressing gender socialization and masculinity norms among adolescent boys: policy and programmatic implications. Journal of Adolescent Health , 62 (3), S3-S5. Huguley, J. P., Wang, M. T., Vasquez, A. C., & Guo, J. (2019). Parental ethnic–racial socialization practices and the construction of children of color’s ethnic–racial identity: A research synthesis and meta-analysis. Psychological bulletin , 145 (5), 437. Umaña‐Taylor, A. J., & Hill, N. E. (2020). Ethnic–racial socialization in the family: A decade's advance on precursors and outcomes. Journal of Marriage and Family , 82 (1), 244-271.