Week 4

 The discussion this week focused on the role of gender in the home as well as same-sex attraction and transgrenderism. 

gender roles

    The first question we faced in this discussion was whether or not gender/sex mattered, the answer being yes, it does matter. Men and women are just biologically different and naturally want to perform different behaviors and tasks. Women more often choose to nurture and succeed in those tasks whereas men are more likely to want to provide physically. My own beliefs are that our Father in Heaven made men and women different and more capable for different roles on purpose. A man will never be able to do all a woman does in the way she does it, neither will a woman be able to do all a man does in the way he does it. They are meant to work as equal partners to create a much greater whole, especially in a family setting. These roles are expressed very clearly in early childhood, especially by children who are too little to be influenced by society. Studies find that with some exceptions, little girls are more likely to take interest in nurturing and social play based on people, where little boys are more inclined to physical, constructive and destructive play that is more "thing" or object based. Female is simply made to nurture, where male is made to protect, provide, and preside. There are always those with varying inclinations to these behaviors, and not everyone will fit into them as greatly as some others, but in the end the two most basic points stand. Nurture and protect, provide, and preside. 

same-sex attraction

    The theorized causes of same-sex attraction were discussed, those being biologic factors, social media influence, response to trauma, and free will and choice. 

    The two discussed most prevalently were genetics and trauma, the other two theories are a bit self explanatory in my opinion. Young people are influenced by social media and popular trends that help them "fit" and everyone is entitled to their agency. When it comes to genetics, groups of twins were studied with the hypothesis being that if 100% of identical twins experienced same-sex attraction then there is some form of biologic component influencing those feelings. In the end, only 7-11% of identical twins experienced same-sex attraction, causing the theory of a biologic component to be rather unlikely. When it cam to theory of trauma response causing the attraction, 62-72% of gay men have been sexually assaulted in their youth, usually after the age of twelve by an older individual. These odds gave us more evidence towards it being a developed behavior through experience in life. 

    The most difficult part of this discussion and the formation of opinion on it is the lack of data. Especially in today's world, this topic is considered taboo and not to be questioned or debated. People are allowed to feel what they want and it's just the way a person is. This is faced not only in broad society, but in the family unit as well. Those that experience same-sex attraction want to be accepted, and their families want to love them, but there is a difference in accepting and loving. There is a slippery slope between being loving towards and individual and encouraging a behavior. There are also family dynamics that might encourage same-sex attraction as well, theories find that individuals raised with overly-involved mothers and distant fathers are more likely to experience same-sex attraction. 

    Another theory discussed stemmed from Daryl Bern's study on sexual orientation called exotic becomes erotic. This theory discuses that male and female children are born with differences, as they age preferences in play emerge and as they grow further feedback on their behavior ensues. It's been found that young girls with more atypical gender behaviors were more widely accepted than atypical young boys. Gender typical is to follow the regular stereotype of boys and girls, atypical is to vary form the expectation formed by stereotypes. Being atypical does not mean an individual experiences same-sex attraction or is transgender, they just have different preferences in activities and in the way they conduct themselves. As children continue to develop into puberty, they will experience nonspecific autonomic arousal, which is not sexual unless it is made so through inappropriate media or assault. Gender typical would be attraction to the opposite gender whereas atypical would be excited by their own as atypical individuals are usually already interacting with the opposite gender, making those of the same gender exotic. 

    Once again, none of those feelings are sexual unless made so. The hyper-sexualization of the world today has made them to be so much sooner than it should be, this is why it's important to be mindful of what your children are exposed to. The world also likes to put labels on people, if you feel a certain way or don't feel any way at all, you will be labeled as such and youth especially are more likely to strive and fit those labels. These labels only enforce the behavior. Many of those that identify with a label often aren't that way at all, they are just atypical form their gender and that is okay. It doesn't make them gay, or lesbian, or trans, or any other label. The solution to these things would be to stop sexualizing themselves and others, develop healthy relationships and boundaries, and to stop fixating on these feelings and these labels.