Title
Male and female’s contemporary views
of gender roles in Singapore.
Abstract
This study aims to discern the extent that contemporary
gender roles are linked to our biological sex. The
capricious nature of contemporary gender roles gives rise
to confusion in self-identity and renders self-destructive
behaviours, including suicidal thoughts. It also seeks to
address the general reaction towards the acceptance of
homosexual/intersex gender roles and a possibility of a
‘sexless’ society. Results shows that though contemporary
roles of women are acceptable, some traditional gender
roles still governs and influences self-identity whereas
the roles of homosexual/intersex people are still perceived
negatively and that a ‘sexless’ society seems inevitable.
Two structured interviews were conducted separately with one
male and one female participant. The recorded interviews
were transcribed and analysed.
Introduction
The aim of this study is to distinguish the male and female’s
contemporary views of sex and gender roles in Singapore
context. The erratic nature of gender roles and its rapidly
changing ideals culminated in gender roles conflicts that
are extremely destructive and confusing. Some current female
sex roles depicted in our society - the excessive promotion
of desirable appearance and beliefs (being thin is desirable),
are psychologically damaging (resulting in eating disorders)
and are incompatible with reality. Male gender role conflicts
are associated with problematic interpersonal and
self-destructive behaviours –from emotional inexpressiveness
to the drive to amass money, power and sexual partners; thus
enacting the rigid, traditional male characteristics. Men who
experience these conflicts feel less positively and are less
willing to seek treatment. Interpersonal psychotherapy is
highly recommended as a support for restrictive performance
of traditional male roles.
A recent study has revealed the high rates of suicidal
thoughts amongst men and women primarily in early adulthood.
This indicates the pressing mental confusion of the demands
of sex roles at this crucial age where the idea of self
identity is of utmost important. The increase in the suicide
rates of young men in many countries seems to indicate a
greater problem with male gender roles. Suicide
researchers should pay more attention to these roles
and attitudes at this critical age. There is a rising
awareness that gender role issues are pressing and need to
be incorporated into treatment planning in counseling and
therapy.
In our contemporary society, men and women perform distinct
gender roles- which are supposedly biologically determined.
If traditional sex roles are biologically programmed then we
would expect such roles to be universal, however this is
evidently not the case. Are we correct to assume that
traditional gender roles are absolutely correct? It is more
likely that society and not biology determines our gender
roles. The media is powerfully reinforcing these cultural
gender roles and society forces people into certain
unyielding roles that are considered proper.
A study by Margaret Mead found the Tchambuli tribe
displayed reversed gender roles that are prevalent in
our society. The women are the sexual aggressors
and the principle workers, and they are dominant
and controlling. In contrast, the men are emotionally
dependent on the women, vain about their
appearance, and are irresponsible. There is an innate
belief that masculinity and femininity are opposites. This
dichotomy when taken to the extreme is detrimental. This
study, though not ambitiously conducted; endeavour to probe
into the opinions of two Singaporeans who are existing in
the midst of the prevalent gender roles’ confusion as well
as been brought up with the ideals of traditional gender
roles.
Method
In this experiment, two separate semi-structured interviews
were conducted in English in a quiet Japanese restaurant.
There are fifteen questions in each interview
(a duration of around twenty minutes). There are only two
participants, one Singaporean male, an engineer and one
Singaporean female, a housewife, of similar age – 47 years
old. Participants’ names have been changed to protect their
identities. Participants were told that their interviews
will be recorded and that they will be used solely for the
purpose of this study.
The interviews are conducted solely by the researcher.
Both interviewees were interviewed separately so that their
responses will not influence the other. They do not know
about the topic until the interview. The reason for this is
to elicit spontaneous and genuine responses rather than
carefully designed answers. Both interviews start with a
brief introduction of the topic - Sex and gender roles. Then
the questions were asked in exactly the same order for both
interviewees. The interviews were recorded using a MP3
player, and transcribed with a pen on paper. The transcribed
texts were then typed into a laptop computer and thematic
analysis is conducted on the discourses. Participants were
each given a synopsis on the intersex phenomenon at the end
of the interviews.
Analysis
The research question is how do male and female views
contemporary sex and genders roles in Singapore. The
findings show that family values and peers, play an
important role in instilling gender roles and the media
helps in blurring these gender roles although some innate
characteristics are distinctly male or female. Modern
women dual roles are viewed as both positively and
negatively whereas the modern sensitive men,
homosexuals and intersex people are frowned upon.
Parents greatly influenced participants with the distinct
roles (both have domineering fathers and submissive mothers)
they assumed in the family and by assigning distinct gender
roles to their children. Peers also have a significant
influence in their gender roles: With peers, Philippe
experienced their dominant‘man’ conversations and Lisa grew
up with the impression that girls are expected to be vain,
desirable and dependable.
Both participants feel that media has an impact in
delivering contemporary gender roles, blurring the
distinction in gender differences –Macho Philippe realised
that ‘Women are also professional,… can be good as man
(Philippe, 40) ‘… that man are not always superior towards
the other gender’ (Philippe, 41/42). ‘Could be a marketing
tool, they don’t want to restrict just selling to the ladies,
like hairgel ‘Gatby’ gel for man, they will also show some
women need it’ (Lisa, 65-67). In other areas like fashion or
reading magazines, it appears to merge more –‘like Hip Hop
wear, female, male can wear too’(Lisa, 72/73) ‘…female
magazines have articles for men…(Lisa, 77) you make more
dollars if you open up to both men, women’ (Lisa, 82/83).
Their opinions on gender differences in intelligence,
academic studies and career choices, has shown no
distinction with more women taking engineering jobs.
However, participants claimed that there are some
differences in cognitive processing - in women being more
organised, detailed and able to multi-task while men only
need to see the big picture to get things done; and in
emotional differences, women are considered more
‘emotionally’ built than men and tends to get depressed
easily.
Both participants agreed that while modernisation has
equipped women with more financial opportunities , it has
also robbed her of her significant nurturing roles for the
children; and for the men, it erodes their manliness. The
idea of the modern, softer and sensitive new age men is
taken negatively by both participants.
On homosexual/intersex’s gender roles, both participants
exhibit instant repulsion and aversion. ‘I am very
religious-based, from what we are taught, there is no such
thing of having a sexual identity crisis’ (Lisa, 217/218).
‘I think they are very screwed-up’ (Phillippe, 169)).
Homosexuals/intersex with their ambiguous gender roles are
seen as outcasts.
Finally, on what it really means to be a man or a woman,
both participants still adhere to the traditional values
of men being the main provider and women are seen to be
associated with nurturing the home.
Discussion
Family and peers play a significant role in instilling
gender roles in children. These gender roles bestows a
strong sense of identity in children and help them to
integrate into the society. This seems to confirm
Erikson’s psychosocial theory, the shaping of a core
identity in adolescence where the idea of a distinct
self-identity is significantly influenced by family and
peers. This core identity may compromise or incorporate
new ideals yet the core traditional values were never
entirely abandoned; they can be bent but not entirely
broken.
Both Philippe and Lisa grew up in the 60s and 70s where
traditional roles were not deeply tainted with gender roles
confusions, has rendered them an unshakable conviction in
their strong sense of identity- Lisa, sees her traditional
role as binder in the family to build a warm home( 283-288)
and Philippe reaffirmed his male role as being dominant,
in control, the hunter, go and get what he wants, and
provides for the family (222-237).
Modernisation is seen as a double-edged sword, on one hand
liberating the women - by having more earning power renders
them to be less submissive, thus developing a more assertive
quality but on the other hand their nurturing nature seems
to degenerate. Thus having more to contribute financially may
incur the price of robbing their children of precious time,
bonding and affection. Men seem to accept women’s financial
contribution favourably only if children are not deprived of
her nurturing role.
The modern, new age, sensitive man appears to be a negative
phenomenon. With the women becoming more assertive and
dominant, there is an increasing apprehension that men are
losing their distinguishing characteristics – dominance,
leadership and manliness. Another implicit assumption is
that the ‘softened’ version of the male gender might result
in losing the ‘man’ identity and consequently, might
encourage the ascent of homosexual ideals. Homosexual
/intersex relationships are being frowned upon, they are
seen as an abnormality rooted in mental or emotional
disorders.
The idea of a ‘sexless’ society is an uncomfortable thought.
A sense of something ominous, a perception most would prefer
to avoid, as Philippe (‘it seems to be going that way,(207))
and Lisa (‘nothing is going to stop it’, ‘it is going in
this direction now’ (231) have envisaged with resistance.
Some homosexuals who assigned pseudo-male and
pseudo- female gender roles to themselves are
influenced by the society’s idea that distinct gender
roles confer a workable self-identity. However,
there are also many homosexuals who are able to
live with neutral ‘non-gender’ roles successfully,
sharing equal responsibilities and these
responsibilities are assigned to the one most suitable for
it and that reap benefits for the couple. In conclusion,
this study shows that gender roles have become more
flexible, however traditional gender roles still have
significant influence in self-identity.
Reflective analysis
Qualitative research methods using the Hermeneutic
approach are profoundly effective in eliciting
individual’s values, belief and ideals. The detailed
analysis of meanings reveals valuable subjective,
psychological and social meanings. Some in-depth meanings
are not easily articulated in daily conversations and need
to be probed into to elicit implicit meanings that
participants themselves may not even be conscious of.
For example, the participants’ aversion of sexual disorders:
even when substantial evidence points to the inevitably
ambiguous sex organs of intersex people, they reacted with
repulsion and disbelief, lacking the sensitivity and
sympathy as they would have for an abnormal, inseparable
twins. What is the inner significance of this aversion? The
researcher is deeply affected by the general lack of
sensitivities and support for intersex people.
The general public are not aware of this, including the
researcher until the research for this study. This
secretive hiding of the intersex phenomenon is not healthy.
They should be equally understood and accepted by the
general public.
The researcher’s personal upbringing experience differs
greatly from the participants. She was brought up
single-handedly by a domineering mother. There was a
significant lack of male presence in her upbringing.
Roles to her, should not be allocated according to
distinctive male or female gender roles but based on the
ideal benefits derived from it. She would endorse the new
age sensitive man, she find them more assured in their
self-identity that they do not need to try too hard to
prove their ‘manliness’ by being dominant and controlling.
However, she feels that women should maintain their
femininity with gentleness even if they are assertive
and men should still gracefully treat women with chivalry.
Are we ready for a society of ‘sexless’ gender roles?
Are we able to construct a workable self-identity and
function effectually as we strayed from traditional gender
roles that are considered rigid and at times oppressive?
A workable sexless society could still retain subtle
feminine and masculine qualities to sustain an attractive
tension and vibrancy. This thought-provoking vision might
simmer for awhile, meantime we can only learn to live as
valuably as we can in the midst of these capricious gender
roles.
Any future development of this study should also consider
if age,cultural differences, single parent upbringing, the
temperament of the parents or the gender of the interviewer
contribute to other diverse impact in influencing
participants’ perception of gender roles.
Reference
Cooper, T., Roth, Ilona. (2002). Challenging Psychological
Issues. United Kingdom: The Open University.
Hunt, Kate, MRC Social and Public Health Sciences Unit.
(2006). Social Psychiatry:
Sex, gender role orientation, gender role attitudes and
suicidal thoughts in three generations: A general
population study. Suicidal Ideation Classification:
Behavior Disorders & Antisocial Behavior (3230).
Retrieved March 8, 2008, from
http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&
db=psyh&AN=2006-09717-007&site=ehost-live
Mahalik, James, R., Boston, C., Chestnut, H. (1999).
Psychology: Interpersonal psychotherapy with men who
experience gender role conflict. US Source: Professional
Psychology: Research and Practice, Vol 30 (1), 5-13.
Wester, Stephen, R., Christainson, H. F., Vogel, D. L.,
David L. (2007). Gender role conflict and psychological
distress: The role of social support. Psychology of Men
& Masculinity, Vol 8(4), 215-224. Retrieved March 8,
2008, from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?
direct=true&db=pdh&AN=men-8-4-215&site
=ehost-live
APPENDIX 1
Before I start the interview I like to give you a brief idea
of the topic of this interview – Sex and Gender roles.
Gender roles are roles that society assigns to men
and women. They are traditionally divided into strictly
feminine and masculine gender roles. A person's gender
role is composed of several elements and can be
expressed through clothing, behaviour, choice of
work, personal relationships and other
factors.
Societies impose certain expectations on the
behaviour of its people resulting in prescription
of specific gender roles. Additionally, the media,
movies, advertisement helps communicate these
cultural values and shapes the way we think and
interact. These elements are not concrete and
have evolved through time.
Cultures and societies are dynamic and
changing. Gender roles for men and women
have been changing significantly. People have
differing views about gender and usually this is
link to biological sex.
In this interview I will be asking you some questions
regarding your personal view about sex and gender
differences along with its changing roles.
APPENDIX 2
Interview Questionaire
1. How do you think your gender role is influenced by
your family?
2. How were you influenced by your peers?
3. Do you think the media do influence and prescribe
certain gender roles? How do you think the media help
to reinforced these gender roles – this is male gender
role, this is female gender roles?
4. Do you think males and females read different kinds of
books and magazines?
5. What about academic, do you think there is a difference
- like boys are better in maths, girls are better in
language?
6. Are career choices limited solely by gender types?
7. What about social differences, do you think it is
acceptable, for a women to take 2 roles, they work and at
the same time look after the family?
8. Have you heard about the book ‘Mars versus Venus’?
Is there any difference in the way a woman and man
express themselves emotionally?
9. What about some mental disorders like depression,
do you think they are gender specific?
10. Do you think modernization have robbed us of our
traditional gender roles?
11.What do you think about males taking over female grooming
habits, do you see this in positive light, does it take
away their gender roles?
12. How do you feel about the new male gender role ‘the
sensitive new age guy’ they are more emotional, more
empathetic, how do you feel, do you accept that as a
male gender role?
13. What about homosexual females, homosexual males,
what do you think their gender roles are like?
14. Do you see gender roles changing into a sexless,
neutral roles, women going to be more like men, and
men like women?
15. What it means to you to be a man and what it means
to you to be woman?
APPENDIX 3
Interview with Lisa
Interviewer: (Question 1)
I want to bring you back to your childhood, 1
how do you think your gender role
is influenced by your family?2
Let’s say, when you are young, were you told,
for example, 3
parents might tell you - boys cannot wear pink.
Lisa:For me, gender role is greatly influenced by my family,4
the role model of the mother and the father, the things 5
your father assigned for your brothers 6
to do and the things that he asked you to do is very different.7
Interviewer: Can you give me more specific examples? 8
Lisa: For instance, my father is very domineering person,9
he leaves my mum to ran the home and when she get 10
stressed up, he would only call my sister and me to helpout11
with the household chores….er..hmmm or anything to do 12
with the home, go marketing or any household. 13
Interviewer: So, in other words,
the girls did the more nurturing role. 14
Lisa: Yes, we did the nurturing. 15
Interviewer: Then what about the man roles? 16
How does your dad trained your brothers? 17
Lisa: Its usually things like money matter, help my father in 18
decision-making in the office, he always asked opinions 19
of my brothers. 20
Its kind of like having
a strong distinctive between the two, 21
so I kind of like grow up thinking it’s like that. 22
Interviewer: For your mum, is it neutral,
did she also give you the 23
impression… gender roles are different? 24
Lisa: Er..hmm.. no she is very passive. 25
Interviewer: what was the expectation of your father of 26
the gender roles for girls? 27
Lisa: You mean my father’s? 28
Interviewer: Yes. 29
Lisa: No. I think he is the old fashion school,
if you don’t do well 30
in school, he keep assuring you that never mind, worst 31
Interviewer: Quite old fashioned, but for the boys? 32
Lisa: For the boys, he is very hard on them, on their studies. 33
He always specify to them, they are going to be the 34
bread winner, they had to support the family. 35
Interviewer:
(Question 2) What about your peers? , how were 36
you influenced by your peers?
So.. when you are a teenager 37
you are influenced by peers, how are you aware of that 38
gender differences, what do they encourage you to do, 39
to substantiate it is your gender role… like we are ‘girls’ 40
Lisa: Ya, I think being vain, to look beautiful,
to be desirable. 41
Interviewer: That’s right. 42
Lisa: Do make-up during certain age, we are suppose to do 43
certain things like girls…
we are suppose to look pretty, 44
attract attention from the guys. 45
Interviewer:And what about the guys? How do you think they 46
are influenced, differently? 47
Lisa: Ya differently,
I think we are influenced by their friends in school, 48
sports, they are always outdoors, competitive. 49
Interviewer:
(Question 3) Do you think the media do influence and 50
prescribe certain gender roles? How do you think the 51
media help to reinforced these gender roles – this is 52
male gender role, this is female gender roles? 53
Do you think media help in reinforcing these ideals? 54
Lisa: I think not so much now. 55
Interviewer: Ya, I think you are right, not so much now,
but last time 56
they used to associate the household things
with women. 57
So, now, for example,
you don’t see a man in commercial 58
selling some detergent, is it acceptable? 59
It would be hilarious isn’t it? 60
Kind of subtly assigned that pressure so erhmm, 61
anything about the media,
do you still see anything 62
about the media, sometime subtly 63
or obviously assigning these roles? 64
Lisa: Not so much now, Could be a marketing tool,
they don’t want 65
to restrict just selling to the ladies,
like hairgel ‘Gatby’ gel for man, 66
they will also show some women need it,
they are not just 67
getting sales from men. 68
Interviewer: Even…. in fashions, do you find any change? 69
Lisa: Whether there is distinction? 70
Interviewer: Nodding affirmatively. 71
Lisa: Not so much distinction in fashion,
like Hip Hop wear, female, 72
male can wear too. 73
Interviewer:
( Question 4) Do you think males and females
read different 74
kinds of books and magazines? 75
Lisa: Magazine, there is a distinction, but at the same time,
I know 76
that female magazines have articles for men,
I think there was 77
once an article for men on
‘why do men read women magazines’, 78
so they found that er..hmmm.. 79
strong percentage of men tend to read women magazine, 80
I think they tend to merge it abit more. Then again,I think 81
it is a marketing thing,
you make more dollars if you open up to 82
both men, women. 83
Interviewer: that is a very interesting point. 84
(Question 5) What about academic,
do you think there is a 85
difference- like boys are better in maths,
girls are better in 86
language? 87
Like we used to have this saying that boys are better in 88
maths and girls are better in language. 89
Lisa: I don’t think that holds anymore. 90
You look at engineering now,
so many women are doing 91
engineering, compare to the old school of thought. 92
My niece is going into engineering,
I ask her why isn’t that’s 93
more a man’s field, she laugh at me and say no,
not at all, 94
a lot of her female friends aretaking engineering,
so I think now 95
people tends to not what to put things in 96
boxes for female, and what belong to males, as much as, 97
still my point, not as much as old days. 98
Interviewer:
(question 6)
So career choices are not limited solely by 99
gender types? 100
Lisa: Yes, not anymore. 101
Interviewer:
(Question 7)
what about social differences, do you think it is 101
acceptable, for a women to take 2 roles,
they work and at 102
the same time look after the family? 103
Should a woman stay at home after marriage or you think 104
That society applaud to women who has career,
can handle 105
career while taking care of the home? 106
It’s a double role, its hard for the women. 107
Lisa: Pressured a lot more by multi-task for the women 108
Interviewer:
and also in marriage, in terms of marriage the gender roles 109
does it changes? 110
Are men still the provider? 111
Lisa: I should think so they…
I think now they expect the women 112
to contribute. 113
Interviewer :
( Question 8)
Have you heard about the book 114
Mars versus Venus’ 115
Is there any difference in the way a woman and man 116
express themselves emotionally?
Any emotional distinction? 117
Lisa: Yes. I haven’t read it but I heard a lot about it. 118
Interviewer: Yes,
some personal difference about the men and 119
women thing. 120
know this joke,
it says something like eh…hmmm… 121
Before a man marry a woman, he hopes that 122
she never changes, but she changed, right… 123
but when the woman marry the man, she 124
hopes that he would change but he never change. 125
So in terms of emotion,
do you think there is a distinction 126
Between men and women,
like men are more closed-up 127
and women are more expressive. 128
Lisa: Ya, er, I still think that…that there is a difference,
is that, there, 129
women are pressured to think differently now. 130
I think deep down we are emotionally built. 131
Interviewer:
(Question 9) What about some mental disorders 132
like depression,
do you think they are gender specific? 133
Do you think women are
more subjected to depression? 134
Lisa: No I don’t think so. 135
Interviewer: Don’t think so,
because we do have some evidence showing 136
women are more prone to depression than men, 137
but you personally don’t think so. 138
They have the same emotional sensitivity? 139
So the bottom line
there are some emotional differences 140
between men and women,
do you agree with that? 141
Lisa: Yes, definitely. 142
Interviewer: Can you give me more examples of differences ? 143
Lisa: I think women are more detailed than men,
do things more 144
thoroughly, men more general in their outlook. 145
Maybe because they have to multi-tasks,
they have to work, 146
plus they have to ran the home,
they are very used to wear 147
many hats at one time, more detailed…
how do I put this… 148
more organised and detailed whereas 149
men just lookat the big picture,
ok, I want to make money. 150
Interviewer: Yes,
so they have quite different cognitive skills. 151
Lisa: Yes I think so. 152
Interviewer:
(Question 10) Do you think modernization have 153
robbed us of our traditional gender roles? 154
Lisa: Oh yes. 155
Interviewer: And that is a good thing? 156
Lisa: Pause.. 157
Interviewer: Quite difficult to answer
but your opinion from a female 158
point of view? 159
I think girls will take it more positively,
there are more 160
freedom for women. 161
Lisa: It got its good point and its bad point,
the good point is that women 162
don’t have to play a fully submissive role,
they are earning, 162
that makes a huge difference,
compare to my mother’s time … 163
er… but I think the other side of the spectrum
is I think you are 164
not going to get somebody
to nurture the children much 165
because they are not around because they feel it ... 166
I got to make my own interest
and make my own money…er… 167
in order to be…
to be treated equally by my husband, in order 168
not to be subjected to be submissive. 169
I can’t spend time with the children,
I can’t nurture the home… 170
to be equal with men. 172
So I think it rob the family life so family life is eroded. 173
Interviewer:
( Question 11)
What do you think about males taking over 174
female grooming habits,
do you see this in positive light, 175
does it take away their gender roles? 176
Lisa: I find that way, too much vanity. 177
It doesn’t develop their inner man quality. 178
Maybe because the new, softer, sensitive,
this is going to 179
affect their children. I mean, we were saying gender, 180
not so distinctive like before. 181
Interviewer:
( Question 12) How do you feel about the new male 182
gender role
‘the sensitive new age guy’ they are more 183
emotional, more empathetic, how do you feel, 184
do you accept that as a male gender role? 185
Interviewer: Ok, then what about this male gender role
being ‘softened’ 186
‘ the sensitive new age guy’
…er…hmm…they have more 187
empathy, abit more emotional ,
do you think this distinction 188
is good? 189
…that the men has become ‘softened’ , 190
they are taking more the female characteristic, 191
do you think it is good? 192
Lisa: Well, coming from a female point of view,
then you think you 193
get some help home and decision-making for the 194
but …er…
I think this also make your children struggles with 195
the gender identity because like…er…
for instance, my mum 196
are stressing my brothers are
so different and timid than to 197
how she was treated by her husband 198
and for my brother’s children
to see taking a more timid role, 199
more afraid of the wife,
is not the figure head at home, 200
the children don’t really know how to start up
…er he got 2 sons, 201
I don’t think the son’s
would be able to be a leader because 202
they see it differently now,
the mother is the domineering one. 203
Maybe because the new, softer, sensitive ( men),
this is going to 204
affect their children. 205
I don’t know, if this …to people being gay, 206
I don’t know, its questionable. 207
Interviewer:
(Question13) What about homosexual females, 208
homosexual males, what do you think their 209
gender roles are like? 210
What do you think about the culture in Singapore, 211
especially do you think we accept homosexual? 212
It seems to be more acceptable, would you 213
personally accept, say,
our brother or son taking that role, 214
would it find it comfortable? 215
Lisa: I think this is a different question, urmm…
but depend on your… 216
like me. I am very religious-based,
from what we are taught,217
there is no such thing of having a sexual identity crisis. 218
Interviewer: So its clear-cut, you’re either male or female? 219
Lisa: Ya. I probably think you have
to work through the members 220
of the family, the thing is, it is spiritual. 221
Interviewer: Ok, from your point of view,
it is religion-related. 222
Lisa: living in denial or some emotional struggle
that can be sorted out. 223
I think they are being rebellious,
some emotional role going on, 224
I don’t believe until now it is a genetic problem, 225
that is male lacking in male hormones or ladies 226
lacking in female hormones. 227
Interviewer:
(Question 14) Do you see gender roles changing 228
into a sexless, neutral roles, women going to be 229
more like men, and men like women? 230
Lisa: Nothing thing going to stop it,
that is going in this direction now. 231
Interviewer: Do you see this as liberating? 232
Lisa: er… yes and no. 233
Yes because as female we don’t need to be
submissive anymore
but no in the sense that it does create 234
problems like in a family 2 people
trying to be the leader, 235
there is this power struggle all the time. 236
Interviewer: er… coming back
to this gender homosexual thing, 237
actually it is found
that there are people who have 238
obvious problem,
say a man has a male sexual organ, 239
you see him as a man, and that is a perceived 240
gender identity. 241
Now there is a group of people, we call them ‘intersex’,242
these are people who have obvious male sexual organs 243
but they actually have female chromosomes 244
which is an XXY geno-type, not a lot of people 245
know about this or others may actually have 246
normal female sexual organs internally, so in other words 247
they are outwardly male, they may have taken that role, 248
but when these people reach puberty, they may 249
have their breast enlarged and menstruate 250
through the male organs. 251
Lisa: I never knew that. 252
Interviewer: That’s right, it is quite rare isn’t it? 253
So this person has difficulty
with his internal/external 254
sexual organ, in that sense,
these individuals are forced 255
to consider about what their gender role is.
So now you 256
know something new. (smile) 257
Lisa: Is that a fact? 258
Interviewer: Yes, this is a credible fact,
it affects one in 20,000 , 259
a small minority
but that is quite a lot if you consider 260
the whole world population. 261
So having known that,
would you still think that gender role 262
is specifically linked to your biological sex. 263
It is a bit complicating now, isn’t it? 264
We know gender roles
as if you have male organs, 265
you play this role, female… straight forward 266
but when biological …
it’s complex so gender role 267
is something like society construct it
and er…hmm.. 268
its quite different,
would you still think after all these years, 269
you have been aligned with thoughts like that… 270
that society has assigned certain roles
that we still believe 271
that male should be male
and female should be female. 272
Ok, do you think that gender roles is innate 273
or society assigned? 274
Lisa: I think nurturing play a huge role,
nature is what you are… 275
biologically 276
Interviewer: So gender role is like what
society prescribed in some ways? 277
Lisa: nodded affirmatively. Pause 278
Interviewer: Do we still judge people by stereo type? 279
Lisa: Yes, definitely. 280
Interviewer:
(Question 15) What it means to you to be a man and 281
what it means to you to be a woman? 282
Lisa: To me, it means, I think I am still traditional,
women need to 283
be a binder in the family,
the one to built a warm home, filled 284
with love not that man does not do that, of course,
they contribute 285
but majority of how your home function,
whether it’s a loving home, 286
I see that very imprinted as my role,
my identity as a woman, 287
I guess. 288
Interviewer: What about men? What it is to be a man? 289
Lisa: I think for men, very strongly,
from my own spouse and from 290
my sister spouse,
I see that when they are not a good provider 291
their whole world breaks down
they take it as a very important role, 292
they need to provide well,
so whether or not if wife is contributing, 293
if they have failed in that role… they failed as a man. 294
I think that is very strong for a man. 295
Interviewer:Ok, we have come to the end of the interview. 296
You have given me valuable information,
and this will 297
help me greatly in my experiment. 298
Thank you very much, Lisa. 299
I really appreciate this. (smile)300
APPENDIX 4 Interview with Philippe
Interviewer:
(Question 1)I want to bring you back to your childhood, 1
how do you think your gender role is influenced 2
by your family? 3
Philippe:
Gender roles, was basically set forth, forward by, 4
my dad was a very strong 5
kind of domineering kind of husband and my mother 6
was housewife, no career, so he is the head of the family 7
and she has no say, basically I have this chauvinistic type 8
of approach about man being in control. 9
Interviewer: Did you have siblings?, like sisters? 10
Philippe: Yes, 2 sisters, 3 brothers. 11
Interviewer:
Is there a different between the way your parents 12
treat them? 13
Philippe:
Of course, of course, we eat, the girls clean up and,14
we guys got abit of discount 15
Interviewer:
Do you think society assign these gender roles? 16
Philippe: not assigned, is born like that. 17
Interviewer: So you think its natural? 18
Philippe: nodded affirmatively. 19
Interviewer:
(Question 2) What about your peers? , how were you 20
influenced by your peers? 21
Phillippe:
Actually I influenced my peers by my own concept. 22
Interviewer: In what way? 23
Philippe: okay, I… come to a point when I grow older… 24
man and woman are equal, 25
initially I always taught man are always superior whereas 26
when you go into the corporate life. 27
Interviewer:
But you have not started corporate life,
during teenage time? 28
Philippe:
Oh, we are strong, the man kind of conversation, 29
the attitude that women should always be subservience,30
understanding and obedience. 31
Interviewer: So that is quite distinctive. 32
Philippe: That is a norm… an Asian man. 33
Interviewer:
( Question 3) Do you think media do influence and 34
prescribe certain gender roles? How do you think the 35
media help to reinforced these gender roles – 36
this is male gender role, this is female gender roles? 37
Philippe:
Right now, yes, the board casting, the television, this, 38
his have an impact in people approach about… 39
Women are also professional, they are…
can be good as man, 40
so the media… information to man, that man 41
are not always superior towards the other gender 42
Interviewer: So its changing? 43
Philippe: It does, there is an impact. 44
Interviewer:
(Question 4) Do you think males and females read 45
different kinds of books and magazines ? 46
Philippe: Depend on what type of magazine,
if I start reading playboy 47
than I get macho again. 48
Interviewer: So do you read woman’s magazines? 49
Philippe:
I only read woman magazine
when I want to look at lingeries.50
Interviewer: ( laughter, ha, ha) 52
Philippe:
I read national geographic,I see woman photographer going 53
to South Africa, doing her job,
my respect for her goes other side 54
as I think of what woman should not be
and the woman take 55
on a job that is a man’s job in the wilderness,
I respect her. 56
Interviewer: It is acceptable to you? 57
Philippe:
Of course, why not if she has been chosen for the job,
why not. 58
Interviewer:
(Question 5) What about academic,
do you think there is a 59 difference
- like boys are better in maths,
girls are better in language? 60
Philippe:
No such thing, actually women are smarter than men. 61
Interviewer: That is nice to know.(smile) 62
Philippe: …with brains that is between the.. 63
Interviewer:
(Question 6)
Are career choices limited by gender types? 64
Do you think they are equal, for example, 65
what do you think of female engineers ?
or it is just 66
exclusively a man’s job? 67
Philippe: No. My boss is a woman. 68
Interviewer: Oh, ok, are you comfortable? 69
Philippe:
Very comfortable. I could be more comfortable 70
if she held my hands. 71
Interviewer: (laughter, Ha, ha.) 72
What if your son were to take on the kind of job that is 73
associated with female, for example, male nurse 74
or male secretary, would you feel proud or you 75
are not comfortable? 76
Philippe:
It doesn’t bother me, I have arrived to a point in life, 77
life is short, life is fragile,
do what you have to do… get on, 78
just function, your life to the fullest. 79
There is no discrepancy between maleness, femaleness, 80
male chauffer, female chauffer, male butler, female butler, 81
there is no such thing. 82
Interviewer:
But isn’t there a slight discomfort if he tells you ,
a male job- 83
engineer, won’t you be alittle more proud than he say 84
I am going to be a male nurse’. 85
There will be a slight difference right, even…? 86
Philippe: Not now, not now. 87
Interviewer:
(Question 7) What about social differences,
do you think 88
it is acceptable,
for a women to take 2 roles, they work 89
and at the same time look after the family? 90
Philippe:
That is the ideal situation, if they can handle it. 91
If they cannot handle it
they should concentrate on inculcating 92
family values, bringing up the kids,
and grooming the kids but if 93
they are super women
and they can ran a career and ran a family, 94
that would be ideal, not many people can do that. 95
Interviewer:
(Question 8) Have you heard about the book 96
‘Mars versus Venus’ Is 97
there any difference
in the way a woman and man express 98
themselves emotionally? 99
Philippe: very, very much, there is a vast difference. 100
Men are men, direct, 101
they say it, mean it and finish it, women are quite… 102
they will hold it, they will keep quiet,
they can keep to 6 yrs 103
if you say something wrong and 104
they bring it out. Men are like forgetters. 105
Interviewer: Ok, that’s a very interesting point. 106
(Question 9) What about some mental disorder 107
like depression,
do you think they are gender specific? 108
Philippe:
…Men, they do not deviate so much and
tend to be focussed, 109
women tend to be alittle scatterbrain (laughter)
and they, 110
they really get depressed easily
over small little things, 111
with or without… evidence,
they tends to over worry, worrier. 112
If they are worry or whatever it is,
they tend to create problem 113
for themselves and others… stupid 114
Interviewer: laughter, ha, ha 115
Philippe: stupid sense of insecurity. 116
Interviewer:
Do you think men and women can stay just purely friends? 117
Philippe: If you don’t kiss her is possible,
but if you do, it is not possible. 118
Interviewer:
Ok, but if you don’t kiss her, do you think you can stay 119
like that forever, ya, possible? 120
Philippe: ya possible. 121
Interviewer: Ya that is (laughter, ha ha) quite possible.122
(Question 10) ( Question 10 )
Do you think modernization 123
have robbed us of our traditional gender roles? 124
Due to modernisation, the roles are changing,
kind of rob 125
the woman of their traditional roles, do you think 126
this is positive, thus liberating of women and 127
doing the men’s job? 128
Philippe: It’s a double-edged sword, it works both ways.129
Its good for a man who is financially strapped
it’s good for 130
a women to supplement the family income. 131
But then again, it’s not good, if kid are young, 132
left to foreign care-taker,
and you leave it as trust and care 133
that nothing bad turns out, so it’s scary sometimes 134
you are financially strapped and you got a maid, 135
wife at work and leave it to somebody else. 136
Ideally the man has to bear the burden, 137
the woman has to stay at home and do the nurturing, 138
taking care of the kid until a substantial age, 139
when they are old enough to think for themselves. 140
Interviewer:
(Question 11) What do you think about males 141
taking over female grooming habits, 142
do you see this in positive light, 143
does it take away their gender roles? 144
Philippe:
Not overdo it. Men should be macho.(wry smile) 145
Interviewer:
(Question 12) What about, how do you feel about 146
the new male gender role
‘the sensitive new age guy’ 147
they are more emotional, more empathetic, 148
how do you feel, do you accept that 149
as a male gender role? 150
Philippe: Long pause. 151
Interviewer: They are ‘softened’ 15
Philippe: You are talking about men, women or others? 153
Interviewer:
Men, now men has taken up new role, they become, 154
what we think the ‘sensitive new age man’, 155
now not so macho. 156
Philippe: I will call the modern soft age man. 157
Interviewer:
Ok fair enough, how do you feel this new role for men? 158
Philippe:
it should be hammered around abit more, rough abit… 159
you still got to fight to survive,
most of them could not do it. 160
Interviewer:
Ok, so you don’t like the idea having this man 161
being ‘softened’? 162
Philippe:
I tell you, my son will never survive in this world, 163
outside if he is left alone 164
until he goes in the army,, and I hope he goes into it fast. 165
Interviewer:
(Question 13) What about homosexual females, 166
homosexual males, 167
what do you think their gender roles are like? 168
Philippe: I think they are very screwed-up. 169
Interviewer:
So you think it is not right to be homosexual? 170
Philippe: No if you want to connect electricity, 171
there is a male plug and a female 172
plug and you have to connect both to get electricity. 173
If there is a male plug and a male plug 174
there is no Bl**dy electricity. 175
Interviewer:
Ok, what about this… There are some sexual disorder, 176
we call this type of people ‘intersex’, 177
don’t know if you have heard of this but 178
there are people who are born… 179
for example with obvious male
sexual organs but at the same time
they have a double XXY 180 chromosomes
or they may have female organs inside them. 182
So in other words,
they are could be born with both male 183
and female organs together. And these people may 184
will grow up as male because outside organs are male 185
but later during puberty,
they may developed breast and 186
menstruate through their male organs? 187
So this kind of thing, is quite sad, isn’t it? 188
Philippe: So what? How can this be?
I should think this is 189
a.. opinion formatting, 190
I never heard of this before. 191
… What is your direct question? 192
Interviewer:
How do you prescribe their gender roles because 193
they are ‘intersexed’. 194
Philippe:
Well, cut of what they don’t need,
like engineering terms, 195
cut losses. 196
Interviewer: laughter, ha ha… 197
So you don’t bother the mental part of them, 198
it has to be the physical part? 199
Philippe:
…psychology evaluation, psychological counselling, 200
everything must go through proper channel, 201
but if you really deemed unfit to be a man, just 202
cut it off and become a woman. 203
Interviewer: Ok, its quite fair. 203
(Question 14) Do you see gender roles changing 204
into a sexless, neutral roles, women going to be 205
more like men, and men like women? 206
Philippe: Yes. It seems to be going that way.
(wry smile) 207
Interviewer:
(Question 15)
Ok, the last question is what it means to 208
you to be a man
and what it means to you to be a woman? 209
Philippe:
Being a man is like ,
god give you all these god-given things, 210
appreciate beauty, appreciate life, work responsibility, 211
bring up a family, there are 3 cycle of a man’s life from 212
childhood to teenage to adulthood to marriage 213
and seeing his first born and… 214
Interviewer:
You ‘re not telling me your whole life story (laughter) 215
Philippe:
No, hopefully, being a grandfather it’s the same… 216
being a woman
but being a woman its role is totally different, 217
grow up to be pretty,
look for knight with shinning armour, 218
dressed in white gown, be walked down the aisle 219
and swept off your feet and
… different kind of expectation, 220
expectation come with gender roles. 221
Man always want to dominate, woman want to be 222
taken off her feet,
they want to be controlled, to be taken care of. 223
Men are hunters, women are gatherers, we go out, 234
we get what we want,
women gather what they need and 235
we provide for the family.
That’s why men don’t shop, 236
women shop, they gathers, men…hunt 237
Interviewer:
Ok, we have come to the end of the interview. 238
You have given me valuable information, 239
and this will help me greatly in my experiment. 240
Thank you very much, Philippe.
I really appreciate this. 241
APPENDIX 5
Intersex
The existence of intersex people is evident
in many ancient cultures. ‘Intersex’ is a term used to
describe a person with ambiguous sexual anatomy and no
distinctive definition of male or female sexual organs.
A person might appear to be female outwardly but have
a typical male anatomy internally or vice-versa.
Some of the males may have double XX chromosomes.
Many people are not aware of how frequently intersex
conditions arises in human beings or that they occur at
all. Sexual orientation and gender roles in these people
may result in conflicts. Gender identities which differ from
the norm are often the cause of ridicule and ostracism.
This may results in psychological problems. Some may try
to disguise their differences.
External social pressures may force some of these people to
adopt a persona which society considered appropriate and
proper while maintaining a somewhat different identity
privately. Society does not tolerate gender roles that are
emotionally charged and this makes life very difficult for
those whose gender roles differ from the established norms.
Androgen insensitivity syndrome:
Medical syndrome affecting 1 in 20,000 of those born with
an XY genetic make-up and affecting the typical male/female
bodily appearance. Symptoms include infertility and external
genitalia that can range from completely male to completely
female. Those with the syndrome may be raise as either male
or female. (Challenging Psychological issues, p. 125)
Klinefelter’s syndrome:
Medical syndrome affecting 1 in 500 males in which the
typical male chromosomal complement-XY
-is replaced by XXY. Accompanying features are
unusually tall stature, enlarge breast. Infertility and
problems such as diabetes.
(Challenging Psychological issues, p. 125)
Websites on intersex:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intersex
http://www.isna.org/faq/what_is_intersex
Tutor comment:
Total: 77 marks
cheryl,
you have done a great job in this tma.
You have done an interesting research journal.
It has been a pleasure reading and marking your assignment.
You have a very interesting title of which was kept to
the word limit. Your abstract was well written. It
contains the vital information within the word limit
and has high readability level. Your introduction too
is very interesting.
However, it lacked a literature review. You could further
improve on the introduction by adding some literature reviews
so that your research is an added on to it rather than a
stand-alone research.
Besides that, your research question was well posed.
You have also a good method section which is written in
detail and makes replication of the interview possible.
Next, your analysis section was also well done with the
themes clearly listed, analyzed and with interesting
excerpts from the interview added on to support them.
Your discussion section was also well written keeping in
mind the research questions. Next, you also have a good
reflective analysis done. Finally, your reference and
appendix sections were well documented.
Overall, this has been a very good tma done!
Keep up with the good work!
Warmest Regards
Boon Yeow
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