Discussion: Gender Identity Analysis

Males typically identify with the male gender and females with the feminine gender. The question for many researchers today and for this Discussion is: How does this gender identification occur? How do individuals come to identify with and accept themselves as either one gender or the other? This concept is termed gender identity in psychology.

There are two terms associated with gender identity that are important to highlight: gender stability and gender consistency. Gender stability means that gender is a stable personal characteristic and does not change with age or the situation or the environment. Gender consistency means that you identify with your gender regardless of how you are behaving. If you are a male and put on a pink dress, you show gender consistency if you still identify with being male, even though you are behaving like a female.

In this Discussion, you will explore some of the significant factors that influence gender identity and how these influencing factors impact society as a whole.

To prepare for this Discussion:

• Review Chapter 6 in the course text, Gender: Psychological Perspectives. Focus on how different factors influence gender identity. Read “Demographic and Psychosocial Factors Associated With Psychological Distress and Resilience Among TransgenderIndividuals” and “Cross-Cultural Analysis of Gender Roles: Indian and US Advertisements.”
• Watch a few different TV shows, sitcoms, commercials, or news reports. Also, look at a popular magazine and peruse the ads. Think about how these media sources 1) influence and or reinforce gender identity and 2) play a part in influencing gender bias. Focus on specific examples.
• Using yourself or your child (or someone else’s child with whom you are close), think about the most important influential factors on gender identity, including biological, environmental, family, peer group, and cultural.

With these thoughts in mind:

By Day 3

Post your thoughts on how biology, environment, culture, family, peer group, and the media impact gender identity in the United States. Briefly describe how this influence on gender identity is accomplished. Then, describe the reasons individuals may experience gender dysphoria. Finally, provide some examples for how you think that society can best support the transgendered community. Be sure to support your examples with evidence from your research.

Be sure to support your postings and responses with specific references to the Learning Resources.