Androgyny Essay

Androgyny Essay
An individual with characteristics of Androgyny are not bound by traditional gender roles, but are
more inclined to demonstrate characteristics reminiscent of both. Weiten (1997) defines (as cited in
Holt, 1998) gender roles as "expectations about what is appropriate behaviour for each sex". What
really makes a male or female behave entirely in that manner? Is it the image presented? Could it be
the culture, and environment surrounding the individual or is it biological. In 1973, a psychologist
named Sandra Bem decided to invent a new method of testing these attributes and explored the
reality behind a word that has been in use since classical methodology and early literature. Even
though Androgyny has only been a concept, Bem's ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Bem defines a sex–typed individual as "someone whose self–concept incorporates prevailing
cultural definitions of masculinity and femininity". Hoffman & Borders (2001)
Hoffman, et al study argued against Bems ideology that sex–typed individuals process information
into gender–linked terms and non sex–typed persons do not. They believed that individuals do not
have to be "sex–typed in order to use gender as a primary organising principle" (p.4). An example
would be a feminist, who is unlikely to be regarded as feminine, due to the power struggle against
inequality for women. Bem (1985) further (as cited in Hoffman, et al 2001) reconsidered her theory
that "human behaviours should no longer be linked with gender" (p.4).
Another contributing factor in Holt (1998) and Bem's (1974) research having similar outcomes was
the educational similarities of the two research study: both groups were psychology students,
whereas Edwards and Ashworth (1977), investigated students at a small Southern university, in a
library, not a classroom, and they were varied in their studies. The research is still consistent in
showing that men are more inclined to hold traditional views on gender roles.
Female roles in general have changed dramatically since the turn of the century. Konrad & Harris,
(2002), study discussed, the statistical comparison to women at the turn of the century to now. In
1900 women made up 18.3%
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What Is Androgyny
In this essay I will be discussing and analysing, androgyny and gender. More importantly, how
gender was and is an important part of society; as well as, how people have challenged the basic
stereotypes of gender through fashion and photography and how androgyny is links in with this. I
will be using theories from authors like: Judith Butler, Rebecca Arnold and Stuart Hall to support
my research analysis. I will also be adding images to back up and secure my research analysis.
The image I have chosen to analyse is Jean Paul Gaultier 1984–1985 autumn/winter dress from his
barbes collection; the photo was taken in 1994 by Paolo Roversi and modelled by Tanel
Bedrossiantz. In the photo Bedrossiantz is positioned in a feminine–like pose. He is ... Show more
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During this time, power dressing was the trend. Working class women would wear oversized suit
jackets with large shoulder pads; some women still kept the skirt with the suit, while others
abandoned them for trousers. Many women chose to dress in a more masculine way to be seen as
equal to men. Although it was said that this way of dressing was wrong for the work place. A book
was even written for the working women who wanted to know how to dress appropriately for the
work place. It was written by John T. Molloy. Molloy argues that "...beyond any doubt the uniform
should be a skirted suit blouse or a jacket".(___:___) However, fig 1. was taken in the early 1990s
during this time the Third wave of feminism had just began and unlike before many women were no
longer wanting to look like men to be equal. Feminism came back to deal with cultural issues, not
just equality for white women but for all races. And gender theories came to light. Due to what was
happening in the different times, it can be argued that there was some sort of conflict between the
designer (Jean Paul Gaultier) and the photographer (Paolo Roversi). By the 1990s women found
better ways to fight for equality and Roversi found a way to portray it in a

Androgynous: Ambiguity Traits In Women
Androgynous is defined as "a partly male and partly female in appearance; of indeterminate sex"
(Oxford dictionary, 2015). Androgyny is a term that was expressed by assembly two Greek words
which are Andros means male and gyne means female Therefore, Androgyny was used to refer to a
condition in which a person's gender is not clearly defined (Harper 2015).
Men are generally identified with a strong characteristics and do not do things like crying and
cooking otherwise they will be considered as feminine. Likewise, there are some characteristics that
women do not have if they do not want to be considered as masculine such as strong or tough. To
some extent either feminine traits in men or masculine traits in women is considered as something ...
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It causes the ambiguity in defining their sexual identification. However, it does not mean they do
not have a clear sexual identity from physical evaluation. They are absolutely male or female but
have dichotomy characteristics which covers both masculine and femininity in balance.
Even though, Androgynous associated to psychological problem but it is not fundamentally proved
as a pathology or illness. Many people also associates androgyny to homosexuality but there is no
recognized connection between them. Although an androgynous may have dominant characteristic
from the opposite sex but there is no such evidence proves that they are more likely to be
homosexual. It's a kind of generalization if people tend to equate androgyny likelihood of
homosexuality.
Androgyny is just like Gender which is both largely defined and constructed by the society. It does
not typically affect anything other than people perception. Each perception has historical roots, for
instance woman were housewife and whilst men were food provider. Hence, a female enters male
dominant personnel and clothes in a masculine fashion, they might considered as androgyny and

The Interpersonal Communication Concept Of Gender Roles
To begin, let's classify what is meant by roles. By definition, a role is a set of behaviors expected of
someone in a particular position. In theater, there are numerous roles with different individuals
portraying the set character. Additionally, in a hospital, there are human beings acting out roles such
as doctors and nurses. Characters are divided further into detail between males and females. Gender
roles are norms for how women and men are supposed to act. Wait. What is a norm? A norm is
classified as rules or expectations that guide people's behavior in a culture – or in their biological
sex type. Conclusively, the United States has pictured certain identities for men and women about
how they should act/function is the world. Additionally, each portrayal is then distinguished by
specific categories (i.e. masculinity), time, and culture. The interpersonal communication concept of
gender roles is studied by various theorists previously and currently to distinguish a particular
theoretical understanding of the phenomenon.
Popular by name, Sigmund Freud was not only a physician, but a neurologist when he first began
his study. Freud was the first to develop a "psychodynamic/psychoanalytical theory of gender
development" when human beings started to realize the difference between women and men. In the
beginning, Freud was exploring adult patients with fear and anxiety disorders. All linked to
problems correlating to their childhood about traumatic experiences, parenting, or

Androgyny: The Complexity Of Gender Stereotypes
Androgyny in fashion undermines stereotypically masculine and feminine dress stereotypes created
in the 1950s in Western societies. People have started to reject stereotypically masculine and
feminine clothing styles in favor of more androgynous, ambiguous dress. Additionally, gender has
been defined by adults, teens, children as its genitalia origin and has since been redefined over and
over by the form of dress, walk, or talk that a person adapts as they age. As a social institution,
gender is one of the major ways that human beings organize and center their lives. Essentially,
gender is simply a classification of male and female. However, there is a difference between
biological "sex" versus socially constructed "gender."Although sex and ... Show more content on
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Equivalently, androgynous fashion conforms less to standards set by "masculinity" and "femininity"
stereotypes and is more fitting of a combination of both genders. It is the fashion industry that has
brought about a change in common gender stereotypes. The complexity of gender is forced into two
categories by Western society: male or female, masculinity or femininity.
Gender is a social production. The origin of gender derives from the necessity for labels or
classification. From birth gender roles are assigned to girls and boys. Before a child is born the baby
is either dressed in baby blue or bubble gum pink, for many years this has been the norm. Not only
are living beings gendered, but so are inanimate concepts such as color. From the moment boys can
hold an object they are taught to play with race cars while girls are told that dolls and playing
playhouse is what is ideal play. These assigned roles begin at an early age and continue to affect the
individual development of a person. However, all of these ideas are constructed by individuals. In
fact, "like all social identities, gender identities are dialectical: they involve at least two sets of
actors

A Critique Of The New Policies On Elite Female Athletes
Title: Out of Bounds? A Critique of the New Policies on Hyperandrogenism in Elite Female Athletes
Author(s): Katrina Karkazis, Rebecca Jordan–Young, Georgiann Davis, Silvia Camporesi
Date:2012
Keywords: feminist ethics, gender/ sexuality, intersex
Research Question/Problem: The policies concerning female athletics were unfair and targeted only
women and not men.
Method/Approach: Describing the IAAF and IOC policies and uses an example of a female athlete
(Caster Semenya).
Argument/Conclusion: The policies concerning female athletics are made to seem fair but at the
same time they target only those women who look more masculine than the others and as a result
intensify the "gender policies" that plagues women's sports.
Argument ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
–IAAF went under extreme criticism for the way they handles Semenya's case
–New IAAF policy was that only women who had under 10 nmol/ L of testosterone levels could
compete in female athletics.
–Women who have been identified for evaluation must undergo three exams and then go under
treatment if needed.
–policies make assumptions about gender and its relationship to bodies; sex and gender although
expected to be consist with each other do not always do so.
–target gender nonconforming female athletics; no real evidence showing that testosterone levels are
the cause for unfair advantages
Strengths/Weaknesses: Compelling argument of how the policies concerning female athletics are
unfair to those women who do not meet society's norm of what they consider to be female. Target
the women who look more masculine since they consider them to have an advantage over the
"regular" women. Strengths would be the example of Caster Semenya and the actual policies that
were incorporated in the article.
Title: The Measurement of Psychological Androgyny
Author(s): Sandra L. Bem
Date:1974
Keywords: feminine, masculine, androgynous, sex–role inventory
Research Question/Problem: testing sex– roles and taking into consideration androgyny

Method/Approach: Using data of how students rate masculine, feminine, and neutral words and
seeing the social desirability between femininity, masculinity and androgyny
Argument/Conclusion: Investigators should focus on the

Masculinity In Giovanni's The Sun Also Rises
In exploring masculinity, relations between men, or homosocial bonds are important to maintaining
male relations. In the Sun Also Rises, the homosociality is allowed to be a non–hidden aspect of the
text's iceberg, although it is admitted that this is only due to the physical separation from the
American setting. While homosocial bonds between women are accepted and deemed natural in
American, homosocial bonds between men run the risk of tainting perception of masculinity
(Sedgwick). Male homosociality in particular cannot exist in hetero–normative Puritanical America
where emphasis is placed on an untainted perception of masculinity, and still exists years later in the
setting explored in Giovanni's Room. In order for homosociality to occur, Bill ... Show more content
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The matador is a figure both of masculinity in his strength and gender, and femininity in his
passivity, dress, and manipulation of desire. The passivity of the feminized matador "becomes her
strength ... against the man who goes 'straight to the point'" (Schwartz 65). This question of "going
straight to the point" is questioned in the text and is analogous to the loudness and failed
performances of masculinity and men like Cohn are further likened to a bull. While figures of
androgyny exercise great power in the book and failed male figures, the bulls and the men Brett
controls fall to the figure of androgyny, Hemingway complicates the power of the androgynous
figure through his masculine figure, Jake. Jake in unable to go "straight to the point" as he is
impotent. Instead Jake's position involves a triangulation of the desire manipulated in a bullfight and
he represents an observer. He both observes the object of his affection Brett manipulate the desires
of men and he watches the figure of a matador manipulate the desires of the bull, suggesting a

Androgynous Man
The Androgynous Man
At a point in Noel Perrin's life, he suddenly became conflicted over his masculinity. It was such a
breakthrough, that he had to analyze the whole situation. Although it took some years to finally
grasp the concept of it, Perrin is now comfortable and understands the logic behind the typical
gender roles; not from research and other people's work, but from his own experience and his own
ideas. At an age where you would generally start to develop from a boy to a man, age sixteen, Noel
Perrin found himself on a three–day trip from New York to Steamboat Springs, Colorado to become
an assistant horse wrangler. On this trip with him, Perrin brought Gone with the Wind and a handful
of magazines that obtained some ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Mostly they're terrified of finding that there may be something wrong with them deep down, some
weakness at the heart. To avoid discovering that, they spend their lives acting out the role that the
he–man naturally lives. Sad. (Perrin, Page 247–248) I completely disagree with that. Perrin makes it
sound like it's such a burden to be envious or jealous of those manly qualities. I think it's human
nature to do that and there is nothing wrong with acting out that way. No man is going to say "I
want to be that guy", instead they're saying "I want to be LIKE that guy", combining the qualities
you have already with the ones that you don't have. I believe if you're not constantly searching to be
better in life or have better qualities, whether they're manlier or not, what's the point of existing in
life? It's human nature to try to be better in one way or another. For example, if there's an update for
your iphone, are you not going to take it? No, because that update is going to make it better. Same
rules apply to human life.
Another issue I have with another one of Perrin's opinions is he also believes that "...they [imitators]
aren't as free as us androgynes" (Perrin, Page 247). Perrin doesn't really back up his opinion here, as
he also states that his "Answer is mere speculation, but not casual" (Perrin, Page 247). Well, if you
can't back this up, don't state it. I'm not going to sit here and tell you that Ford is better than
Chevrolet and

Gender Differences Between Psychological Androgyny...
Abstract
This study aimed to test the idea that there are gender differences in psychological androgyny
masculinity and femininity scores. Two hundred and twenty nine first year undergraduates (175
females and 54 males), completed one questionnaire measuring masculinity and femininity – Bems
sex role inventory (BSRI). Results were analysed using independent t–tests, which revealed that
males scored higher than females on the masculinity scores, whereas females scored higher
compared with males on the femininity scores. Results lend support for the idea that gender
differences do exist in psychological androgyny. Knowing that males and females may differ on
these constructs will hopefully lead to a greater appreciation and understanding within society.
Introduction
Research into gender differences in psychological androgyny has been an ongoing investigation
throughout many years. One line of interest investigates whether gender identity is now being
recognised as psychologically androgynous, as societies are perhaps now becoming less
stereotyped. 'Gender identity' is an individual's awareness of the extent to which they conform to
their prescribed gender role (Burke, Stets and Pirog–Good 1988;Spence 1985). 'Psychological
Androgyny' is an individual who has simultaneously or equally masculine or feminine traits (Bem,
1975). Considerable research has been conducted within this area and has found that psychological
androgyny is constructive

Sex Roles Are A Social Construct Society
Sex roles are a social construct society has placed upon the sexes to do things that are within their
nature. For example, a woman, has been seen as a mother, caretaker, housewife, whereas, a man, is
seen as a "breadwinner", hunter, and so on. Those depict occupations men and women are labeled to
have. In other terms, sex roles can indicate personality traits. For example, women are seen as
gentle, caring, and emotional. Men are seen as aggressive, brave, and sometimes hostile. Theories
have shown why the sexes are different biologically and how children grow up conforming to
society's role of what is masculine and feminine, or even androgynous.
Researchers in the 1930's have noticed differences in the responses of men and women pertaining ...
To be masculine is to have those personality traits. In contrast, femininity are traits such as,
nurturing, empathetic, and expressive of emotions. In turn, one can express traits that of masculine
and feminine, being androgynous. For example, I being a female, am not expressive of my emotions
and tend to be assertive at times. That being the social construct of masculine and feminine does not
pertain to each sex anymore. Androgyny is the fact that one can express both traits on the spectrum
and not just being on one side. Overall, sex roles are reinforced by the socialization theory, that
explains children are reinforced to be masculine or feminine. For example, when a boy does an
action of out his role, plays with dolls, he is reinforced by parents or older adult figures that what he
is doing does not make him masculine and take away the doll. In contrast, for girls playing with
trucks is seen as not feminine. Research to support the social role theory found that individuals
assigned a supervisor role were more dominant versus being the supervisee and being submissive.
As well as the social learning theory which states children model behavior of the gender they are
associated with. Boys watch their dad watch sports and fix cars, where as, girls watch their mom
cook and clean. More than often, the parents teach them and want them to model after

The Lack Of Lack : The Uniqueness Of Pilate
Quan Wang focus on the uniqueness of Pilate in her article "The Lack of Lack: The Lacanian
Androgyny in Pilate", arguing that through the existence of androgyny, that is, the co–existence of
femininity and masculinity value in one body, Pilate serves as a solution to the rigid gender
dichotomy that demands females to live up in their appropriate gender roles assigned by patriarchal
culture, and represents herself as a full and complete human being. While I agree that Pilate is one
of the most exciting figures who carries symbolic significance in Song of Solomon, I consider
applying the lens of androgyny to analyze her image as problematic, and further disagree with the
understanding of her "wholeness" as a solution to the dilemma faced by ... Show more content on
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In addition to bravery, independence is also a trait shared by many female characters. For example,
Ruth risks her own safety to travel alone at night to her father's cemetery, just so that she can
connect with the dead one she loved. Ruth and Macon's daughter Corinthians developed a
relationship with Porter, a tenant of her father's property. Following her own will and relying on her
independent judgment, Corinthians led her hair loose and went to bed with him, swearing that she
would not "collect her hair into a ball at her nape" for anything in the world (202). The exertions of
bravery and independence from the female characters might not be as drastic and thorough as Jake's
converting wasteland into farm and Milkman's heroic quest to the South, due to the confinements
black females faced in in the 20th century America, they nevertheless reveal the frequency and
intensity of women declaring independence in Song of Solomon. Since Wang argues that Pilate
differentiates herself from the female cast due to her androgynous nature that integrates masculine
and feminine qualities, the critic implies that other female characters display only "feminine"
attributes. However, Wang reaches such conclusion by assigning gender to neutral traits like bravery
and independence, establishing a premise according to the stereotypical gender codification that
invalidates the critic's conclusion about the Lacanian androgyny in

Orlando by Virgina Woolf
In Virginia Woolf's novel, Orlando, she flawlessly interlaces the realism of biography with elements
of science fiction. In a time where every work of fiction was subject to the discerning eye of
obscenity law, the discussion of sensitive topics, which went against the grain of public acceptance
were susceptible to censure. The insertion of fantastical elements allow Woolf to fly under the radar
of obscenity law, and experiment with the deconstruction of gender and the uprising of androgyny,
as well as explore homosexual relationships. With Orlando's switch from the gender category of
male to the category of female, with a distinct lack of change in personality, Woolf denies the
existence of a male or female gender core. The androgynous representation of Orlando's gender
affiliation throughout the novel innately leads to the deconstruction of absolute categories of gender.
Orlando's plot is unrealistic enough that one can postulate this is what made it more acceptable in its
time. Woolf presents the reader with a modern view of the individual as complex and fragmented,
and she criticizes the need to limit individuals after fraught identity categories under the guise of
science fiction. The genre of science fiction 'officially' became self–conscious in 1926 with
publication of Hugo Gernsback's Amazing Stories sci–fi magazine; two years before the publication
of Orlando and 20 years before what is known as the 'golden age' of science fiction (Roberts 496;
Attebery 37).

Femininity, Masculinity, And Androgyny
When I took the "BEM Sex Role Survey" I got 62.5 masculine points, 69.167 feminine points and
54.63 androgyny points. I would never say I have been the 'tomgirl' or the stereotypical 'girly girl'.
These points seem accurate to describe my femininity, masculinity, and androgyny. I have never
thought of myself as super feminine, I don't wear makeup, I don't normally wear dresses or high
heels, I usually always wear my hair up in a ponytail. I have never considered myself 'girly' yet I
have always considered myself feminine.I may not be the stereotypical feminine which is why I
agree with my scores all being relatively close together for masculine and androgyny. When we took
the facial recognition test and the visual–spatial test I scored a 53, for the facial recognition and
average for the visual–spatial test. My scores almost matched the theories about the male and female
brain differences. On average it is ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
If people didn't use the pronoun 'she' when they saw me, or talked about me I'm not sure what I
would think or do, because that is part of who I am, and always has been. It's hard for me to say how
much being a women and identifying as being female is a part of my identity. I like to think about it
as kinda the "base" of who I am, it does not completely makeup my identity because I am more than
just female, however, when people see me even if they don't know me or anything about me they
can see that I am a girl. When I was little I went ice fishing with my uncle, a 'non–girly' thing to do.
I can't say being female is the only thing that makes me, me because there are still some activities
that I enjoy doing that they world thinks as a predominately male or a masculine thing to do, and
things that are not gender related that make up a huge part of my identity. If I woke up tomorrow
and was completely androgynous, that would probably be a little scary to me. I feel as if I am most
myself as a female, not male, or

Relationship Between Masculinity And Androgyny
On the first survey, I scored 62.5 out of 100 in masculine points, 79 out of 100 feminine points, and
61.6 out of 100 androgynous points. I would say that this study does represent me fairly well. I am a
feminine person, but do have some masculinity/androgyny in me. I enjoy adventuring, doing
slightly risky activities (nothing too crazy), and I would say I am self–dependent. Self–dependence
is a big one for me personally because I feel as though a lot of girls depend on men to help them.
While I am not saying, I did not fall victim to that at one point, I do feel as though I have moved
mostly passed it, and wish I could help other girls do the same. But with all of that, I do have the
feminine side where I like everything to be clean, neat, and like to take care of myself. In ... Show
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This put fairly close to the feminine and androgynous line on the chart. I would also agree with this
survey. The results from both are in accordance with each other.
I can definitely remember all the little details I thought went with each gender, especially in a
relationship. When I was younger, I believed that in order to date a boy, the boy had to be taller than
the girl, the boy also had to be older (same age was okay, but he definitely could not be younger).
Boys were always stronger than girls, and of course, the man was the main breadwinner for the
household. There was also the typical "boy" TV shows that I did not want anyone to find out that I
watched. The main show I loved watching but would not tell anyone was Jimmy Neutron. My views
since then have changed a lot. I realize now that age and height shouldn't affect your decision

Androgyny : Best Of Both Worlds?
Androgyny: Best of Both Worlds?
Erin Williams
FYS 182 Honors Bombodied
Dr. Jim Wolfe
December 10, 2014
Introduction Androgyny is a term, I've come to realize, that not many people completely understand.
It surprised me that even my parents were unclear on its meaning when I first told them about my
research paper. I was even more taken aback to find out that some people in my class were also
uncertain of its definition, despite the fact that the word has appeared in multiple readings we've
read throughout the semester. I deduced that there are two possible explanations, the first being that
too many people have read the readings and the second being that I was so overwhelmingly
fascinated by androgyny that I thought everyone else should be interested in it as well. After
thinking about it, both are most likely true. Androgyny is not a term that is used often in regular
conversation, but it really isn't a difficult concept to grasp. In simplest terms, when a person is
androgynous they exhibit a mixture of qualities or characteristics that are stereotypically associated
with masculinity and femininity (Cook). While there are two types of androgyny, the two being
behavioral androgyny and psychological androgyny (Swierzewski), this paper is going to focus on
psychological androgyny and whether or not it truly exists. The term androgyny comes from
classical mythology and literature so the concept isn't particularly new (Hoffman). However, in the
1970's Sandra Bem, a

Gender Conformity And Expectations Through Time
Orlando by Virginia Woolf addresses the issues of gender conformity and expectations through time;
in this case, three centuries during the Elizabethan Era in the area around Europe. The main
character, Orlando, experiences a gender change during his lifetime to become a female and that
drastically modifies the way that she lives. Through the motif of Orlando's gender change and
androgyny, Orlando experiences both life and love, which is not common for men and women
regardless of the time period. Orlando began life as a young boy, living in a house in the country
before being taken into the city by the Queen. As a child, he encourages himself to chase masculine
pursuits in life, as his father and other ancestors do before him. Despite the encouragement of
masculine activities as his family is known for, during his isolation, he decides instead as an adult
that "they and their deeds [are] dust and ashes" (Woolf, 81) and that he would like to live life the
way that he wants to, as a poet searching for love. Even as a man, Orlando has the power and
authority to live his life how he wishes, but he always craves love. A poet at heart, Orlando has
many loves, such as the girls in his sonnets, and he always writes about them in the way he finds
best. He claims "Love [has] meant nothing to him but sawdust and cinders" (40) and he cannot find
the love he is always searching for. Without love in his life, Orlando reaches out to experience new
things and "thus... this Nobleman [has]...

Norval Morrisseau Androgyny
Androgyny is the name of one in many beautiful paintings by the famous Ojibwa artist, Norval
Morrisseau. Created in 1983, the artwork is 366cm x 610cm in size. Like all of his other works, he
painted using mostly acrylic for this one too. Androgyny is filled with natural aspects resulting to a
very busy and compact effect. There is a hill right on the bottom center with a hole inside filled with
fish swimming to the left. While, the hill itself has a lot of animals that are connected with thin lines
and a human lying against the tunnel. A snake's tail is seen half wrapped around the human's head.
However the snake's head was faced to the center of the painting, poking halfway out of the hill. On
top of the hill, there are three humans on each ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
They are shown to be very focused on the eagle, paying close attention while the big bird is in the
air spreading its wings majestically stating that it is in a higher ranking than the others. This is most
likely a representation of life, the world's ruler that connects everyone and everything together. The
artist went with a very natural way of presenting the art adding more effect to what I think the
meaning is behind this piece of painting. Since I had done some research about the eagle and
aboriginal people, the eagle represented love and is known to be the closest to communicate with
the creator because eagles can fly up the highest. I think the artist is trying to get the audience to
interpret the painting this way. However this is just my way of seeing the art, many others have
different perspective like this artwork may mean something else, with a whole different meaning to
it. At first glance I would describe this artwork as a busy piece of art, but taking a closer look I think
the painting gives off a happy, positive and united feeling. The artwork overall is very detailed and
there are many hidden messages making it something inspirational. I really like inspiring or any art
with a deep meaning behind it. It gives off something even more special when there's a hidden
important lesson in the artwork, which this painting has. All in all,

Androgyny In Punk Style
This deconstruction of gender binaries and the use of androgyny within Punk style grows in
significance when examining another major influence, glitter rock. The style of glitter rock is
centered on the musician use of glitter, outrageous clothing and make–up as a part of the
performance. The costumes and styles were flamboyant or campy and often played with
androgynous ideas and new construction of gender roles. A particularly key figure in glitter rock as
well as a major style influence for Punk was David Bowie and his many musical personas. Through
his work David Bowie was able to bridge glitter rock and the New York foundation of punk together
to create a style that British punk could connect to. Theme drawn upon in David Bowies work cover
ideas that were more relatable to the English working class youth yet congruently tied androgyny
and gender as a symbol of ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
However, this use of androgyny and gender within music moved away from how these notion were
address with similar bands of the time. Ideas of gender and dress were used as a method to create
discourse within Bowie's work. Similarly the personas Bowie created drew thematically on album
each character was attached to. For other band that engaged with idea of gender binaries, such as the
New York Dolls, this wasn't the case. As stated in Please Kill Me the New York Dolls the purpose of
interacting with new gender constructs was to create a shock and excitement element in their work.
This is highlighted in in the text during an interview with and member David Johansen in which he
states; "The audience there were pretty depraved, so we had to be in there with them. We couldn't
come out in a three piece suite and entertain that bunch. They wanted something more for their
money." (117,

What Are The Positive And Negative Benefits Of Worshipping...
McKenna Werner
Professor Henry
THEO 282
29 November 2017
Hinduism Research Paper Shiva is one of Hinduism's Supreme Beings, the god of the destroyer of
evil and the transformer within the Hindu Trimurti, that also includes Brahma and Vishnu. Shiva is
known as "the Lord who is half woman," thus implying Shiva is androgynous for there is a
masculine Shiva and a feminine Shiva that are together as one, known as ardhavari–ishvara. Shiva
as ardhavari–ishvara is one of many examples of androgyny of Hindu gods in the Vedic literature.
From scholarly analysis, androgyny of Hindu gods, with the focus of this paper on Shiva as
ardhavari–ishvara, creates a positive aspect with the presence of non–gender conformity of the
divine within the Hindu faith system. This also causes problems and confusion from the Western
world perspective and within the Hindu worshipping communities in the that this lack of gender
conformity can lead to the mislabeling of the identity of Hindu worshippers and the divine. This
paper will strive to discuss the positive and negative benefits of worshipping androgynous gods,
especially in today's society where there are still gender inequalities, misinterpretations and many
varying definitions surrounding what constitutes gender within social context or even religion. Most
other religions require followers to refer to their God with gendered terms, but this is an interesting
and positive quality that the Hinduism faith does not adhere to.
Shiva is a part of

Androgyny And Masculinity
Many people believe that he is gay. He dresses in feminine colors and treats others with a more
delicate touch, but can be aggressive and hard working. He exhibits qualities that men and women
both have. He goes beyond the rules society has set for him. He's a straight male who wears pink,
doesn't have a naturally aggressive personality, and is okay with feelings. Maybe you're a bit
confused. The man described is a very generalized depiction of the word "androgyny." Androgynous
men and women show equally masculine and feminine traits. Today in our world, men and women
alike are bound to the idea that men must be masculine and women must be feminine, but that isn't
the case.
Being a high school student, masculinity and femininity don't play a huge role in day to day life,
but, when you take a step back and really look, you see this idea is everywhere. Starting at the
beginning of your life, gender identity and gender roles are present in the color hat you wear; boys
wear blue, girls wear pink. From the very first time your mother holds you in her arms, she can
associate you with an idea of what your gender represents. Boys tend to be the ones who play more
sports, have more fights, and be more stubborn while girls tend to join more clubs, dress in softer ...
Instead this idea and way of living is a way of creating a more connective way of thinking between
the sexes. In turn, this not only benefits the individual person but also would virtually get rid of
gender roles in a social setting like work or school by making everyone more

Kate Chopin's Awakening
In Kate Chopin's The Awakening, the main character, Edna leaves her husband to find place in the
world. Edna believes her new sexually independent power will make her master of her own life.
But, as Martin points out, she has overestimated her strength and is still hampered by her "limited
ability to direct her energy and to master her emotions" (22). Unfortunately, Edna has been educated
too much in the traditions of society and not enough in reason and independent survival, admitting
to Robert that "we women learn so little of life on the whole" (990). She has internalized society's
conception of woman as guided by her emotions and not her mind and, therefore, in the search for
another man to fill the void of love in her ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The grand patriarchal tradition of marriage refuses to be so easily destroyed.
Realist resistance to the romantic ideal was necessarily vague during the fin de siecle, partly because
of intensifying competition between the irreconcilable paradigms of Victorian domesticity and the
feminism of the New Woman. Raised to believe that such a woman as Adele Ratignolle is
Madonna–like in her passivity and self–effacement, Edna is unavoidably confused by her instinctive
rebellion: "She was flushed and felt intoxicated with the sound of her own voice and the
unaccustomed taste of candor. It muddled her like wine, or like a first breath of freedom" (899). The
same vague confusion and hazy awareness that comes with intoxication fills her mind when she
becomes drugged with freedom. Chopin uses dream imagery to contribute to the atmosphere of
ambiguity. Edna's sleep is "disturbed with dreams that [are] intangible, that elud[e] her, leaving only
an impression upon her half–awakened senses of something unattainable" (913). She is only half–
awakened because she is like a child not knowing what to do with her new toy, and does not possess
the skills to turn idealism into realism. According to Michael T. Gilmore, both Chopin and Edna
remain trapped in habits of thought they oppose, conceptual systems that prove so pertinacious that
they saturate the very act of opposition. Edna, who

The MThe Measurement of Psychological Androgeny by Sandra Bem
Sandra Bem, a pioneer in social psychology, introduced the concept of androgyny in her 1974 study,
'The Measurement of Psychological Androgyny'. Bem was the first in her field to suggest that
masculinity and femininity range on two separate dimensions as opposed to one single dichotomy.
The study encountered statistically significant results to this idea and it was found that Bem's idea of
androgyny had been supported. Further psychological research has shown that Bem's original study
had great impact on the psychological and sociological communities together, influencing further
researching and becoming applicable as a reference in court proceedings such as, that of Norrie
May–Welby (Bibby, 2013). In 1981, Bem furthered her research with 'Gender Schema Theory: A
Cognitive Account of Sex–Typing', a revision of the findings from her 1974 study with an additional
analysis on how gender is perceived and determined by the individual and the cognitive processes
involved in identifying maleness and femaleness in the environment. The BSRI remains applicable
to both disciplinary and practicing psychology and will still produce similar results (Carver et al,
2013). Bem was a significant influence on the study of psychological androgyny and social
psychology as a whole. The 1974 study prompted much criticism, which Bem often considered in
her further works, assisting to further the understanding of androgyny and gender in psychology.
Bem believed that the masculine/feminine

Androgyny And The Third Gender Essay
Androgyny and the third gender are present in many cultures and each combination of masculine
and feminine qualities make it a unique phenomenon that is on an individual basis. Since ancient
times to present day, the idea of the third gender has been discussed by many scholars, as well as
what gender truly can be defined as. It is undeniable that androgyny has become more mainstream
as of recent, especially with help from the fashion industry in the early 2000s when they began to
employ androgynous models as well as designing androgynous clothing. Since this third gender is
finally receiving more recognition, it is important to understand where the term comes from, and
how it exists in many cultures. In this paper, I intend on exploring the history of androgyny, discuss
figures that have analyzed typical gender roles, present the multitude of cultures that have a third
gender, and finally examine the fashion industry's relationship with androgyny.
The definition of androgyny is being partly male and partly female in appearance, and of
indeterminate sex. The origin of the word comes from the Greek terms "andros" for man and "gyne"
for woman. Individuals consider themselves androgynous usually either exhibit behavioral
androgyny, where they adopt the roles or activities associate with the opposite gender or
psychological androgyny, where they have ambiguity regarding gender or sexual identity. There are
three distinct forms of this third identity. The first is biological sex,

Do More Androgynous Self-Images Lead to Higher Levels of...
Do More Androgynous Self–Images Lead to Higher Levels of Moral Development? Throughout our
lives we undergo many developmental changes. Two developmental areas of interest are self image
and moral development. As we move through the developmental stages, the way we interpret sex
roles and our self–image according to those changes, as does the way we interpret moral dilemmas.
There are several theories that claim different forms of development parallel with our sex role self–
concept (i.e Loevinger's ego development theory. Leahy & Eiter, 1980). Our sex role self–concept
may also parallel the development of post conventional moral thinking; meaning that those who are
more androgynous will have higher post conventional moral thinking as ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
The high school subjects were given 30 minutes to complete the BSRI and took the DIT in two
sittings, whereas the college students did both the BSRI and DIT in one 45 minute session (Leahy &
Eiter, 1980). The scores on the BSRI were then analyzed for androgyny and disparities among real
and ideal self–images. These were then correlated with DIT scores to see if higher androgyny
correlated with higher post conventional thinking. Leahy and Eiter (1980) found that among the 13
and 17 year old girls more post conventional use was related to a more masculine real self image
and less disparity between their feminine self–images. For females at all the ages, higher moral
judgment was associated with either of the self–images having opposite sex characteristics/more
androgyny (Leahy & Eiter, 1980). It appeared that only when males got to college did higher post
conventional scores correlate with low disparity between real and ideal feminine self–image (Leahy
& Eiter, 1980). The general pattern also showed that masculine traits became the most desirable for
both males and college age females (Leahy & Eiter, 1980).
While Leahy and Eiter's study was well constructed there are a few limitations to it. For one their
study consisted of white, middle–class individuals. While this may limit some variables that could
skew the results, not including individuals of

Androgyny Scale
Androgyny Scale:
When calculating the results, I began to realize that a lot of my answers were based on how I felt,
and was raised. The reason, I say the way I was raised was because my mother was both my mother
and father, so she showed us the nurturing aspects of life. Also, this was why my highest score of 76
was femininity (nurturing), however there was a score of 32 that described a more instrumental
approach. "During history, we represent sex as whether a person is male or female, and gender
refers to an individuals nonbiological actions and characteristics that views them as masculine or
feminine" (Bradbury & Karney, 2014, p.132). Although, many individuals male and female will
have different ways of dealing with and accepting many situations. Throughout my life, I have grew
up in a county that really did not accept many LGBTQ individuals. Although I see nothing wrong
with these individuals, it was hard for my cousin to come out because according to society guys
were suppose to be masculine instead of feminine. This made me feel like how can someone just put
a label on an individuals, even if they are not LGBTQ, we still label each individual just on they
way they act. Gender stereotyping in my life has always been neutral because I see that a girl can act
instrumental and still have that nurturing side, vise versa. So, I believe all individuals should be seen
equally, but this is not always going to happen. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
I was kind of confused on how to determine the outcome, but I believe two scores was feminine,
and one was masculine. So, based on the Androgyny scale they both was a lot similar, except I
scored a little higher on the masculine part of Communication

Androgynous Man
The Appeal of the Androgynous Man "Androgyny is a term derived from the Greek words andros,
meaning man and gyné, meaning woman, referring to the combination of masculine and feminine
characteristics. This may be as in fashion, sexual identity, or sexual lifestyle or it may refer to
biologically inter–sexed physicality, especially with regards to plant and human sexuality."
What makes a good relationship? Is it healthy for two people in a relationship to be exactly alike? In
my opinion two people that are exactly alike won't last in a relationship. In the article "The Appeal
of the Androgynous Man" written by the editor in chief of "O" magazine Amy Gross, she talks about
what kind of man should appeal to women? Amy Gross feels that an ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Does that make him any less of a man? I would have to disagree.
I strongly believe that opposites attract. Two people that are exactly alike won't last in a relationship.
My views are what makes a good relationship is attraction, communication, compromising, and
overall just how that person makes you feel! So if Amy Gross would prefer an "androgynous man"
rather than an "all man's man, so be it. A woman should not judge another woman's preference in the
type of men she chooses. Women should take a look at their own needs and choose a man that will
fulfill what satisfy's their needs, regardless of whether he is an "androgynous man" or an "all man's

Examining Sub-Cultures: The Goth Culture
Individuals in society are inherently subject to collaborative norms and values that have been
instilled in humanity, with the consideration that this varies across cultures. The paradigm between
collective action and individual desire results in the formation of what is deemed socially
acceptable, such as gender roles, sexual orientation, gender performance etc. "It is social norms that
provide the constraints by which the interaction between the basic dyad of self and other is
governed...social norms also provide the source of identity between the individual action, the
complete system and the overall social order itself resides in the identity between the action and the
system" (Jinks, 2005; 78–79) Deviations form societal norms ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
This is mirrored in Brills writing, as she begins to see that the contradictory workings of gender
performance might be explored on living bodies and their dress.
Brill (2008) examines the idea of androgyny as a means of challenging the norms of hegemonic
masculinity. By displaying characteristics of both a masculine and feminine nature
heteronormativity is in theory challenged by members of the Goth culture. Brill (2008) highlights
while in Goths align themselves to the notion of genderlessness, upon examination it is clear that
they are engaging in "Hyper femininity as an empowering and protective masquerade represents a
general way in which female Goths emotional investments in their style can be understood" (Brill:
2008). Thus both male and females are aligning to themselves to the feminine.
"Elements of style coded as feminine ( e.g. make up, long hair, delicate fabrics like mesh or lace,
skinny fit clothes, skirts) are popular among both male and female Goths" ( Brill, 2008: 3). Like
many subcultures dress and physical appearance is used as a means of not necessarily
genderlessness but rather hyper femininity. Males and females embrace typical female normative
appearance and overemphasis it, leading to both dramatic dress and make up in both males and
females.
Arguably, although Goth dress and physical expression is not expressing genderlessness as intended,
it is still challenging the hegemonic norms of masculinity. By

Gender Identity, Gender And Androgyny: What Is Gender?
What is gender?
Gender is the intersection of the relationships between sex, gender identity, sexuality and gender
expression; gender is an achieved status
Gender is not just sex, gender identity, gender expression and sexuality. These aspects are a basis for
gender, but they do not determine gender.
Sex is the measurable organs (anatomies), hormones and chromosomes that determines us as male,
female or intersex. It is what we are born with, a product of biological processes (DNA, evolution,
mutation, replication, reproduction, and selection), sex is a biological construct, as opposed to
gender which is a social and cultural construct.
Gender identity is one's self perception, sense of belonging to being woman, man or a genderqueer
(both or none). It is our own interpretation of who we are, and what we recognize ourselves as. It is
our internal sense of self.
Gender expression ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
There are many different ways to organize society, and to interpret our sexual reproductive biology
across cultures.
In different cultures, there are various classification systems and interpretations. There are binary
and plural systems, as well as the idea of genderless. Androgyny is the cultural ideal of
genderlessness, where it is neither masculinity nor femininity. Binary systems categorizes the world
into only two genders – man and woman, while plural systems recognizes that there can be more
than two genders culturally.
For example, the Fafafini is the third gender in Samoan culture. Biologically, Fafafini are men who
have been raised since early childhood to assume female gender and sexual roles within Samoan
society. They are considered a gender altogether separate from male and female, with distinct
gender roles specific to them; different from those of either men or women. Samoans traditionally
recognize the Fafafini as an essential third gender and afford them total respect and acceptance for
having taken on the complete role of a

Androgynous Man By Noel Perrin
In this week's lesson, we were told to pick between two articles in our textbook, provide our favorite
sentence and analyze the author's method, he or she used to portray a particular memory during
childhood. I found this week's lesson to be both intellectual and intriguing in the sense of opening
my mind to the ideas or beliefs of another individual. The world is made up of millions of people,
and no two individuals are the same in how they reflect or portray numerous events during their
lives. After reading both articles, one stood out more than the other. The article that I found most
fascinating was "Androgynous Man," by Noel Perrin.
The author Noel Perrin used a compelling method in his portrayal of his childhood memories
throughout his life. He used these memories to help him decipher what it meant to be an
androgynous man. Then he applied this knowledge to himself throughout his life. As a result, he
provided his understanding of what he feels it is and his opinion on androgyny. I noticed in his
article that he uses short sentences to get his point across. This method to me makes his writing
specific and direct to the point. In doing so, this eliminates the reader's ability to wonder or
misunderstand the point that he is trying to convey. Although his sentences were short, ... Show
more content on Helpwriting.net ...
His article is not only memorable, but it also opens up your mind to the concept and understanding
of androgyny. Literally, after reading this article, a sat for a good ten minutes applying his
understanding and knowledge of androgyny to memories of people that I know who share the same
qualities. To have the reader, comparing his or her insights and examples of others actions, beliefs,
and personal characteristics make this article successful. Not only does it open your mind to the
concept of androgyny. It also generates further questions over the meaning from the

Fashion As A Form Of Agency Or Structure?
Fashion is a form of expression and with its ever changing ideas and trends it explores and creates
an array of identities. As Bennett, A. (2005) states "Fashion...provides individuals with a key means
through which to manage their identities in the context of everyday life". I wish to explore how
fashion has developed to which identities can be created by oneself and what is around in everyday
life and culture that may influence choice in dress. Is fashion a form of agency or structure? I will
continue these ideas around gender and in particular fashion photography and how in which gender
is represented within the popular mainstream media. Looking at if fashion photography plays a role
in challenging gender roles, and therefore creating new ideologies of identity. Or, does fashion
photography intertwine with the rest of media in its representation and stereotyping of both genders?
Helmut Newton will be used as a case study and the interpretation of his work. This study will also
look at the theory behind androgyny and continuing by also looking at dandyism and if these
concepts are being constantly played with in the fashion media.
During our life we construct many different identities of who we want to portray ourselves as to the
rest of society; fashion plays a vital role in generating who we are. With the ideas from Storry and
Childs they state that "the way that we dress can either serve to confirm or to subvert various facets
of our identities, such as our gender,

Feuanahan's Arguments Of Androgyny
The central arguments in Furstenberg's reading (1988) include the gradual adaption that men created
from the early 1900s to today's modern culture. In Sara McLanahan's reading (2004), there is an
endorsement that certain variables whether it be a mothers' age, employment, single motherhood
and/or father involvement may affect a child's life/childhood. Both similarly have a peroration in
discovering what exactly benefits a child or children in a family, or rather what benefits a family in
general. Findings in these readings were results reflecting women extending from the domestic
sphere and into the workforce and an extension of the role of the father beyond the workforce.
I felt as though Furstenberg provided great points about androgyny being more embedded in ...
I solely agree that because of the undermining of stereotypes from women, men were able to break
out of this shell of hypermasculinity. I am not too sure how I perceive the notion of attractiveness
with women working instead of being at home moms as stated by Furstenberg (1988). During this
era (World War II), women were accepted into the work labor to make a living, not to look
"attractive". I am also uncertain on the notion that low income and low education fathers are the
ones that stay "connected" with their children – I believe that education and low income have very
little to do with the emotional desire of wanting to have a bond with their offspring. What truly
resonated with me from Furstenberg's reading was that if division of labor (workforce/household
work) were in place, the child would not see the conception of gender that is now

Orlando Gender Roles Essay
Emma Lowe
Image of Women
3 December 2014
A Look at Gender in terms of Femininity, Masculinity, and Androgyny in Virginia Woolf's Orlando
Orlando, the novel written by Virginia Woolf shows aspects from gender on both ends of the
spectrum as feminism, masculinity, as well as androgyny. Femininity is understood to be associated
with the female gender describing delicacy, soft, obedient, and domestic qualities. Masculinity is
understood to be the traditional qualities associated with men like strength, courage, and power.
Androgyny is the combination of masculine and feminine qualities or sexually ambiguous in nature.
Virginia Woolf uses all three of these aspects during this literary work. Masculinity comes to light in
the beginning of the novel. Orlando, as a young boy is shown to be favored by the Queen, who
describes him as "noble (23)". Noble being a common quality of men in high society. The queen
grants him lots of gifts to add to Orlando's property and wealth. "The long, curled hair, the dark
head bent so reverently, so innocently before her, implied a pair of the finest legs that a young
nobleman has ever stood upright upon; and violet eyes; and a heart of gold; ... Show more content
on Helpwriting.net ...
The lips themselves were short and slightly drawn back over teeth of an exquisite and almond
whiteness. Nothing disturbed the arrowy nose in its short, tense flight; the hair was dark, the ears
small, and fitted closely to the head. But, alas, that these catalogues of youthful beauty cannot end
without mentioning forehead and eyes. Alas, that people are seldom born devoid of all three; for
directly we glance at Orlando standing by the window, we must admit that he had eyes like
drenched violets, so large that the water seemed to have brimmed in them and widened them; and a
brow like the swelling of a marble dome pressed between the two blank medallions which were
temples

The Between Female And Female Roles
Psychologically defined, the term androgyny is used to describe and individual that presents both
male and female traits equally and simultaneously. Whilst this individual is assigned one biological
gender at birth, their own personal gender identity does not fit neatly into either the male or the
female gender role of their society.
In many mainstream religions, God's and Goddesses, posses one gender and a male and female
distinct and separate beings, yet there is a long standing history of androgyny in mystical writings;
that is to say the assertion that male and female qualities were originally contained within one body.
The term androgyny is given its roots within Greek mythology. The major underlying assumption of
both male and female sex roles is that an individual may act in either traditionally male or female
roles, depending solely on the situation and needs of that given situation. According to Swain, D. In
patriarchal societies men and masculinity have always been held in higher esteem to women and
femininity. Men have always held a superior status and position in these societies. This can arguable
be traced back to Aristotle who concluded that due to a males genitals being on the outside of the
body, this made him "hot and dry" and to be hot and dry was to be superior. Women within these
societies are often seen as lowers and not considered worthy or higher status jobs considered weak
and lowered to childcare and domestic services.
That said some cultures have

Androgyny: Rejection Of Gender Roles
After completing the quiz, I was not surprised by the results and I feel as if this test was fairly
accurate. My results came back as 64% feminine and 58% masculine; thus, stating it makes me an
undifferentiated–androgynous. Androgyny is the blending of masculine and feminine characteristics,
basically just a rejection of gender roles. This test does in fact reflect the way I view gender roles or
my own in general. Growing up my parents tried to stay away from assigning my brother and I any
specific gender roles. Instead, they allowed us to act and/or do what we pleased. Growing up my
brother would play dress up with me and I would play cars with him. We were never raised to think
girls only play with dolls, boys only play with toy guns, girls are the homemaker, and boys bring in
the money from their job. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
In my view, I do not agree with assigning individuals specific gender roles based on whether they
are female or male. I believe we should overlook the traits that are constructed for a specific gender
and engage without restrictions in any kind of behavior an individual pleases. In my opinion, there
should not be a separation of masculine or feminine behaviors. Furthermore, since this test was
written I believe our notions of gender have evolved immensely. For example, many people like
myself are starting to break away from the idea of gender roles and are not assigning certain
characteristics to people based off their gender. Additionally, it is becoming more common for
people to be born a female, but identify as a male and vice

Androgyny Research Paper
Define: Androgyny There are many confusing words in the English language. Perhaps it's the
history behind the word that makes it confusing and so interesting. Also, how does a word gain its
meaning? What's happening today can change how a word is seen. Topics like this are perceived in
various manners. Words like androgyny have a very interesting past, present and future. On the
website, Dictonary.com, Androgyny has five different meanings. Except for the botanic definition,
they all refer to, "Being both male and female; hermaphroditic", this being genetically or just
characteristics one might show. Although, one who has been born with male and female physical
body parts is also considered androgynous, this term is usually applied people

Third Gender
In society, the biological difference between men and women is used as a justification for aligning
them with different social roles which restrict and mold their attitudes and behavior. Merriam–
Webster defines gender as the behavioral, cultural, or psychological traits typically associated with
one sex. Narrow minded society of today is not satisfied with the natural difference of sex, but each
insist on adding a cultural difference of gender to it. The unsophisticated, ideal physical facts always
become associated with the complex psychological qualities (Holter). It is not enough for a male to
be a man; he must also be masculine. A woman, in addition to being a female, must be feminine
(Magner). In a more evolved and accepting society, ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
From a historical stand point, it was always assumed that the head of the household was always the
male. Today's society have groomed people to believe and expect a man to be brave, industrious and
domineering, whereas a woman is suppose to be submissive and nurturing (263). Men have also
been raised to believe that their feelings and emotions are suppose to be hidden from others and
should be dealt with internally. With creating this society, men will be able to express themselves
without ridicule. Men will be able to continue to provide for their families, as well as maintaining a
clean image without being labeled as "queer." Men will have an overall promising and positive
impact on society by creating a community where children will have positive male figure in their
lives. This new type of man, one who is sensitive, caring and not afraid to vent his feelings will still
be able to carry the burden of taking care of the household and the children in the event there is
absence of the mother. The female and androgynous perception of a man will eliminate the
dominance of a male's ego.
Androgyny is a word made up of two Greek roots. "Andro" which means males; whereas, "gyn"
means female (Woodhill, 18). Androgyny is the state or condition of having a high degree of both
feminine and masculine traits (18). Under these circumstances, human beings have loosely defined
impulses and are free to

A Room Of One's Own Excerpt
Virginia Woolf's A Room of One's Own excerpt consisted of important matters that needed to be
brought to the table, but too many people were afraid of speaking up to society's rules. Virginia
implies facts about Shakespeare's life to add that Shakespeare's times was not the best times for
female writers and their opinions. While Virginia imagines Shakespeare's life with a sister, she says,
"Any woman in Shakespeare's days should have had Shakespeare's genius" (897). Shakespeare's era
was ruled and taught by men and known for the men having very important roles in society, unlike
the women. Virginia repeats the phrase "the element of grammar and logic" (896) to the emphasis
on Shakespeare learning opportunity unlike his "sister" named Judith. Shakespeare learned about
literature, how to solve problems ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Virginia uses the idea of androgyny to explain that the separation of men and women does exist in
the society. Woolf uses Coleridge and Shakespeare to explain the meaning of androgyny. Samuel
Coleridge believes "a great mind is an androgyny" (901). As for Shakespeare, the androgyny's
meaning is the androgyny of a "man–womanly mind" (901). The idea of marriage be the result of
the women to get attention because of their last name, but some women are forced to get married by
their parents. At the end, Woolf acknowledges that some marriages are only based on intercourse not
love like it supposed to be, Woolf states, "Some marriages of the opposites has to be consummated"
(904). Yes, most of Woolf's ideas are connected to today's society, especially the marriage could
only be about the intercourse, but the feelings of love are never present at

Summary Of Sandra Bem's Lenses On Gender
The Lenses on Gender by Sandra Bem (1993) focuses on gender polarization throughout chapter
four. The most significant aspect the to passage to me was the concept of androgyny. At first, it was
surprising to me that androgyny was harshly criticized, but I came to understand the issue with the
word. Androgyny, although trying to escape the grasp of gender polarization, still encompasses
gender polarizing qualities. Even knowing this, I find the word to be beautiful. It "provides both a
vision of utopia and a model of mental health that does not require the individual to banish from the
self whatever attributes and behaviors the culture may have stereotypically defined as inappropriate
for his or her sex," (Bem, 1993, p. 124). In a society, one

Androgynous Characters in Thomas Hardy's Novels Essay...
Androgynous Characters in Thomas Hardy's Novels
Androgyny may be defined as "a condition under which the characteristics of the sexes, and the
human impulses expressed by men and women, are not rigidly assigned" (Heilbrun 10). In the midst
of the Victorian Era, Thomas Hardy opposed conventional norms by creating androgynous
characters such as Eustacia Vye, in The Return of the Native ; the title character in Tess of the d
Urbervilles ; Sue Bridehead in Jude the Obscure ; and Marty South in The Woodlande rs. Hardy's
women, possessing "prodigious energy, stunted opportunity, and a passion which challenges the
entire, limiting world" (Heilbrun 70), often resemble men in actions and behavior.
Eustacia Vye may be considered androgynous ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
. . let me take your place for an hour or two on Monday night" ( The Return of the Native , Chap.
IV). Cross dressing illustrates the gender blurring so prevalent in the novels of Thomas Hardy. Tess
Durberfield is another androgynous character recognized as such in her rejection of typically
feminine characteristics. D.H. Lawrence maintains that Tess "despised herself in the flesh, despising
the deep female that she was" (Lawrence 440). The woman is also well–informed, versatile, and
learns quickly, traits normally associated with males during the time. She has expectations beyond
marriage, and yearns to "taste anew sweet independence at any price" ( Tess of the D'Urbervilles ,
Chap. XIV).
In Jude the Obscure, Sue Bridehead is represented in a gender–neutral way. She is considered a
tomboy in mannerisms, joining boys in their exploits. A comrade, Sue has a "curious
unconsciousness of gender" and mixes with males "almost as one of their own sex" (Wright 120).
Like Eustacia, Sue also dresses in men's clothing
When Hardy introduces Marty South, in The Woodlanders the girl is cutting off her most feminine
characteristic–– her hair. In this act, she severs herself from the female community and becomes
truly androgynous. Marty exhibits characteristics typically associated with men when she takes on
the responsibility of her father and performs his physical labor. Socially, Marty ostracizes

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Androgyny Essay