Vanshika Kundra- Week 1

Sex is an inherent part of an individual- it is what one is born with; however, gender is a social institution that has been constructed to dictate every single aspect of an individual's life. From what a person wears, to how a person behaves, all is directly related to their gender. Gender roles have been constructed and been made rigid by the society and it is highly difficult to break out of these roles. As Judith Lorber puts it, gender has led to a stratification in society which also ends up deciding which occupation a person must pursue on the basis of their gender. Gender is so deeply incorporated into society that people change themselves completely to be able to conform to gender roles and be conventionally attractive.
Science and scientific study is conventionally supposed to be free of any biases or personal opinions, however, as Emily Martin puts it, reflections of gender norms can be seen in the way sex and sexual organs are spoken about in medical science books. While the sperm is described as an "active" participant of the reproductive process, the female reproductive organs are referred to as wasteful and passive. This can also be reflected in the fact that women are usually considered by society to be fit for jobs where they have to be passive for long periods of time whereas it is said that men are fit for more active jobs. This goes to show how gender inequality occurs at all levels- be it in medical science books or the real world.