Gender.

Gender.

Gender is a socially constructed term to refer to the characteristics of women and men or girls and boys. As it is a constructed one, gender is distinguished from essentialist conceptions of sexual identity. Essentialist theorists believe that sexual difference is determined by the human body or biological differences

We are not supposed to equate gender with sex or male and female with masculine and feminine. If we use the term in such a way that naturalizes the standard traits of sexual difference established in society. Men are physically strong and they are associated with the world of labor, sport, and physical compact. Men are active in the public domain. Women are physically weak, and therefore they are passive and they have to confine only at home. Their bodies determine their role as a mother and an object of male desire. These are the socially constructed or established differences between males and females. The term sex is entirely different from gender as it is determined by the biology and human body. This dualism (dual roles attributed to the male and female) reinforces male authority or patriarchy and continues heterosexuality as a natural or as a normal sexual identity. Therefore this dualism has to be removed from the society

In her essay, 'Compulsory Heterosexuality and Lesbian Existence', Adrienne Rich argues that heterosexuality is the political institution that makes way for the male to dominate over the female in physical, economical, and emotional spheres. Further, she argues that women have to direct their attention and energies towards other women rather than men. Rich also questioned the notion of women's dependence on men for socio-economic support and adult sexuality.

The hierarchical binary (socially constructed gender roles) opposition of male/female reinforces patriarchy and consequently, that leads to disadvantages for women, lesbians, and guy men. The study of gender is necessary to understand reality. Feminists and others have understood the analysis of gender as most necessary to defeat sexism and important to bring changes in false beliefs in society. Once we understood gender as a socially constructed one, it is very easy to deconstruct it. Feminists and others wanted to deconstruct the gender roles constructed by society.

The analysis of gender has been already conducted in various academic disciplines like literary studies and cultural studies. Most of the studies look at how women are represented in a text. A text can be any piece of written or spoken discourse that communicates with readers and the audience. The studies on Shakespearian drama reveal the discrimination against women in the Elizabethan era. Males are always used to assign roles to actors, males had to take roles as actors, and women's roles are always disguised and crossed dressed by boys. They believe that women are not capable to take the role of actors. This also shows that sexual identity is not natural it is historical and cultural. 

The association of ‘gender studies' with feminism has given more attention to the representation of women. The concept of masculinity is also an integral part of Gender. This discussion has reached inside and outside of academy, among the mens groups and many liberal socialist, etc. But it made a mixed response from feminists. 

Masculinity also came to discussion in Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick’s study of ‘homosocial’ relations shaping literary and film texts (1985). In the text he challenges normative codes of masculinity and heterosexuality within gay studies and queer theory. There are many critics like Connell, and Seidler have conducted detailed study on masculinity.

The recent ‘gender theory’ emerging from an intersection of queer theory, feminism and post modernism. It can be seen in the work of Judith Butler. She sees ‘compulsory heterosexuality’ as reinforcing a ‘gender coherence’ or gender roles. Further, she says, this coherence has to trouble and give more attention to the performative aspect of the sexuality. Women can adopt personae like butch lesbian, femme lesbian and drag queen.