Social construction gender

The Social Construction of Gender Associated with Disordered Eating Patterns. In the US alone, there is reported to be over 1 million malnourished cases. Of all the above, a significant percentage are self-imposed malnourishment, which implies that, they do not occur as a result of lack of nutritious food but rather as a result of the rush for beauty. More than ever before, women want to look and feel thin and ‘small’. This is what is in the contemporary times viewed as beauty. The media, community as well as peers have all contributed to the development. This paper explores the concept of thinness as reflected in the contemporary society especially the role of eating disorders in the endeavour for beauty. 1. Introduction The social construction of gender has been attributed to numerous challenges facing women since time immemorial. Numerous happenings which influence or affect human beings have been given a social interpretation and therefore resulting onto the coining of the term â€Å"social construction†. The term basically refer to those belief widely held by the society which influence the interactions. In reference to gender, social construction refers to the social process in which men and women are subjected to different conditions in an endeavour to understand better how each one functions as well as the interconnection between the two genders. Social construction aims at looking at the effects the differential treatment of women has on their social life as well as their cultural practices. Although not widely researched on, social construction of gender had much influence on eating patterns. The fact that modernization has yielded much pressure on today’s human is a point to the fact that social construction is in action in almost all spheres of life. Unlike in the fact when beauty has not so much tied to one’s body weight/mass. The 21st century has seen a rise in the emphasis given to being slim especially on the part of women although overweight, obesity or under weight are problems that affect both gender, not is worthy noting that much of the emphasis on keeping fit in the sense of remaining slim is usually used in regard to women. From a gender perspective women are under much pressure to look and keep’ smart. The reason why majority want to remain slim is due to social pressure which stems from the fact that many cultures and especially the western culture value slimness and views it as a lading quality of beauty. The following discussion focuses on self-scheme less space as well as lack of voice as basic concept which advances social construction of gender. On the other hand, the discussion analyses gender identity from a woman perspective while at the same discussing the valuable concepts such as the power associated with beauty as well as the pressure of period the community at large as well as the effects these have on women. . Self-Schema This refers to the experiences of people in regard to their interactions with the society. Self-schema has been defined by, Lorber, & Farrell,(1991) as the organization of personal information all related to one experiences all of which have an impact on what people do and focus on. In regard to social construction, self-schema may refer to how wome n perceive and describe themselves. Such may include women role in the family women and leadership, women and beauty, which is the main focus of this paper. Schema in human beings is concerned with beliefs, pas experiences in life. In case of women various schemas can be attributed to eating disorder. These includes, what the society holder as the ideal weight, what the society beliefs to be the ideal height the ideal hair colour, the idea colour as well as what the society holds to represent heavily. The above contribute to childhood experiences as well experiences in teenage, early adulthood as well as late adulthood as well as late adult shapes ones mind set on many issues. For instances whether a lady perceives herself as beautiful cut, attractive or one of the above is greatly influenced by what she has undergone in life. The experiences shape beliefs over perception of the general public. In regard to women and dietary habits any consistent staring aimed at an overweight or round figured lady can lead to the lady believing that the stares are as a result of her body size, shape or figure and this further contributes to social construction of women. Self schema depends and is shaped by a woman’s experiences and at the same by stimuli in the society such as reactions from people, fashion, attitudes as well as cultural and environmental factors. Self schema on the other had is determined by the company or peers of a woman, the environment whether office or human environment. Determinants of self schema in women. Experience, how often a woman has been subjected to particular self-schema in women. Experiences of how often a woman has been subjected to particular self-schema determine how one is likely to respond or react. Importance of self-schema in women. While self schema could sometimes be detrimental to a woman’s health, the fact that some self-schema is represented positively is worth noting. Of particular interest to feminists is the fact that women who result of self-schema hold high opinions of themselves are more likely to resist social pressures which cause many women to confirm to society’s expectations which are mostly anti feminine. Problems of self-schema Self-schema can cause a number of problems to women. Such may include the development of stereotypes which revolve around certain attributes being assigned to specific groups of people. For instance, there exists, a stereotype about the western woman being slim and tall as apposed to African who are viewed as plum and short. Stereotypes can lead to misconceptions of facts and a lack of clear interpretation to meaning this in turn results into women suffering especially if the stereotypes come in the way of woman development issues. A. Disappear/Less Space A prejudice concerning a woman as not being beautiful for instance may put the particular woman at a disadvantage when it comes to making choices especially in her social life. For instance where prejudice of a woman in terms of her appearance and shape is dominant, chances are that the woman is more likely to suffer and be at a disadvantage compared to others who are not subjected to the prejudice. . Woman’s gender Identity Self schema may be problematic in that, they may lead to a woman being discriminated against in light of her beauty or lack of it. Since society mostly conceptual ones beauty a physical appearance, a woman may be discriminated against as account of her physical looks. This in turn may cause numerous effects in that the woman who is not equally physically endowed may miss out on opportunities she rightfully qualifies for. Woman gender identity From a gender perspective a woman has been portrayed as the weaker sex. Although it is hard to trace the origin of this common belief, it can be attributed to the domination of man in most spheres of public life such as politics and religion. Also the religious teachings of many religious have perpetrated this understanding in that their teaching which often call for nor-compromising adherence preach about how a woman should be submissive to a man. This has had the greatest impact in the lives of more women than any other factor, for instance, a woman is more likely to be denied a place in some churches or religious purely because of the fact that the particular religion teachers that. Power of beauty Power of beauty has been known to bring down ever the mightiest in the society. From the biblical records of King Solomon to Samson, from presidents to kings, beauty has been cited as one of the greatest assets the female gender has at its disposal. Even at household levels, beautiful women have a high bargaining then not so beautiful woman, for a beautiful woman, the beauty acts like a fall-back position and one is likely to use it to her advantage. However beauty as a gender concept is given different interpretation from culture to culture as well as from society to society, however, the immense power those of the females who are beautiful yield makes them at bargaining. The concept of beauty and the emphasis accorded to it has meant it more of a tool of bargain than it is a natural gift endowed to a woman. Women are investing in healthy and nutritious foods as well as seeking services of beauty consultants. Overall, the role of diet and food in beauty can not be over-emphasized. To remain beautiful, at least according to American standards one has to keep close watch on their weight, this has in turn has contributed to eating disorders. This is a big blow to proponents of health. Unlike in the past, currently the once promising trends as far as malnourishment cases in the society are concerned have started to revert and more cases of malnourishment are being reported. It is common knowledge that nowadays; women are keen to ‘keep fit’ at all costs. However, what makes the topic of interest and concern to social constructionist is the fact that the problem does not reflect in men as much as it is reflected in women. This phenomenon has led to feminists calling far changes in the way beauty is perceived in the society so as to alleviate the impeding danger of malnourishment. Recent happenings in some beauty events early this year clearly illustrates the extent to which the problem has become another challenge for governments and other stakeholder such as health departments. Role of media Media has been termed as one of the strongest agent of change in the 21st century. From the internet to television adverts, mobile phones and computer technology. Media in all its forms whether print or electronic is the vehicle through which the society mostly utilizes in communication. For instance, in advertisement, the medial constantly portrays the beautiful women as that who is slim slender or not weighing a lot. Due to its power of communication, audiences often fall for what the media passes across and only a few take the time to review it and give it a critical review. Thus, the media has in some sense been misused to misconstrue facts and there has altered meanings of some concepts such as beauty. On the other hard, media can be used positively to rectify the negative perception inculcated in minds of people especially about what entails beauty. The media can come up with programmes aimed at advancing a different dimension, which perhaps de-emphasises sliminess and concentrates on other aspects such as beauty of the heart as well as beauty of being truly health through use of natural means such as healthy food, and exercises. Role of community/Team In terms of beauty at least every one grows knowing a beautiful colleague. It is hard to fail to arrive at consensus on who is beautiful than, who usually the judgement does not need experts but each society is socially constructed in such a way that, it has attribute and even values which as highly associated with beauty, it is these values than the community and ones peers hold about being beautiful and what is beauty that, make the role of community and peer central to the understanding of beauty. The society especially peers have enhanced the constructing of beauty as thinness is that, even in most cultures, being overweight is more revered than being under weight. This clearly points to the fact that, thinness has been taken to be a synonym for beauty and vice versa. Conclusion As long as society continues to give more power to thinner women, eating disorders will continue. Women are expected to look and act a certain way in order to have a small portion of the power men have. As feminist we must help create a society that avoids discrimination. Eventually that is the only way that we will help alleviate many issues women deal with, such as eating disorders.

Buy to Let Investment Market Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Buy to Let Investment Market - Assignment Example This paper will focus on four areas of the buy to let marketplace: explanation of the taxes a property investor will be subjected to, how the property investor can minimize their capital gains tax liability through careful tax planning, how to be careful not to attract an investigation by the Inland Revenue, and, the tax benefits of setting up a property company to save property tax. There are a variety of taxes that the investor will be required to consider when investing in buy to let properties including: stamp duty and inheritance tax. There are some taxes that can be reclaimed against the tax on rents for buy to let properties such as "costs of maintenance, such as insurance, cleaning, gardening, agent's commission and other reasonable management expenses (but not home improvements) and a wear and tear allowance of 10% of the rents received may be deductible." (Alan Harvey, 2006) liable when, land or residential property is purchased where where the purchase price is above 60,000, or where it is transferred and the outstanding mortgage amount is greater than 60,000. The rates of stamp duty vary between 1% for properties less than 250,000 and 4% for properties over 500,000. It is also worth noting that there are certain areas that are exempt from stamp duty, where the property is purchased for less than 150,000. (Weller and McTernan, 2006) if at the timeThe other tax that the investor will be responsible is inheritance tax which is commonly referred to as the 'gift' or 'death tax'. Weller and McTernan (2006) explain the inheritance tax: if at the time of your death you pass on part or the whole of your estate then again the inheritor could be liable to pay Inheritance Tax. There is currently an IHT threshold level of 263,000 for the 2004-2005 tax year. Anything above this amount is taxed at 40% i.e. at the highest rate. This means that if at the time of death, your whole estate is valued at less than 263,000 then the inheritor will have no tax to pay. (Weller and McTernan, 2006) The two things you can't escape are death and taxes, but, why not make an investment work for the investor. By buying into the buy to let scheme, an investor's main goal is to gain equity buy minimising what they will pay to the Inland Revenue department. The investor's objective is to minimise their capital gains tax liability through careful tax planning. Minimising Capital Gains Tax Capital gains tax is payable "if a property is sold for a higher price that what was paid for it, or when a property or part of a property is transferred to someone who is not your spouse." (Weller and McTernan, 2006). Thus "the capital gain is calculated by deducting the allowable costs and Inland Revenue tax relief's, from the selling price of the property. Examples of allowable costs include, property extensions, purchasing related costs etc." (Weller and McTernan, 2006). As some investors fail to realise that when they sell their property, they could end up paying an extremely large tax bill of anywhere up to 40% of the net profit of the sale of the property.

Business ethic case Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Business ethic case - Essay Example Counselors have a responsibility to help mitigate the damage done by racism in the workplace. Companies have a responsibility to act justly toward their employees and shareholders. Government has a responsibility to protect the liberty of its citizens. Minorities have a responsibility to speak out against such oppression wherever possible. The majority has a responsibility to protect the weak. Employees have a responsibility to their employers and co-workers to maintain an egalitarian work ethic. Ultimately, the primary stakeholders are individual families, the only stakeholders who are secondary victims of a racist corporate culture. Consider the roots of workplace racism proactively. What causes racism in the workplace? It could be a matter of resources. There may not be enough jobs to go around and people want those of their own race to benefit over others, or it could be a matter of personal intent. People tend to express aggression toward those they see as somehow inferior either physically, mentally or socially. Usually, this tends to be a matter of self-esteem. What understanding must people have to avoid workplace racism? The basic belief everyone must adopt in order to avoid racially charged conflict at work is simple. We must understand that although we may not all look, think, and act alike, everyone has the right to live and survive peaceably within our society. That means although I may not like a person for whatever reason, I should give them the room they need to provide for themselves and their families. If there is no other reason I feel this way, it should be because I wish for the same. If othe rs feel hostile toward me, I want them to leave me alone enough to feel secure in my job and at home at the very least. Some thinkers have posited this notion as the basis for the social contract. Why do humans not simply overrun one another with force and

Diabetes Mellitus Type 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Diabetes Mellitus Type 2 - Essay Example Glucose is the major source of energy and is often derived from food and the liver’s ability to manufacture glucose from its glycogen stores. During the first phase of the disease, insulin secretion is regulated with the balanced production and output of glucose by the liver. The defects of the beta-cell function, results in the loss of inhibitory effects (Daniels & Nicoll, 2011). During a carbohydrate load from a meal, glucose production by the liver is not a requirement, however, owing to the loss of inhibitory effects, the liver continues to produce glucose thus contributing to a state of hyperglycemia in the body (Daniels & Nicoll, 2011). In the pre-diabetes state, the high glucose levels build up over the years and eventually triggers insulin secretion (hyperinsulinemia), for the purposes of regulating blood glucose and to counteract the tissues that are resistant to insulin. During the second phase, the beta-cells continue to secrete high levels of insulin for years to r egulate blood glucose levels. Eventually, the beta-cells failure occurs resulting in a decrease in insulin production. These slow and stealthy pathophysiologic changes in type 2 diabetes occur gradually taking up to 20 years to develop (Daniell & Nicoll, 2011). There are a number of identifiable risk factors of diabetes. These factors include obesity, old age, family history of diabetes, and history of gestational diabetes, insulin resistance, impaired glucose metabolism, physical inactivity and less than optimum intrauterine environment.

Impacts of the Globalization on International Law and Tradition on Research Paper

Impacts of the Globalization on International Law and Tradition on Quatar and the UAE - Research Paper Example According to the Universal Declaration on human rights however restricting the accessibility of the facilities, goods, and services on the basis of gender is unlawful. Hence the UN has criticized the human rights law practiced in Qatar on multiple occasions. The international laws practiced in UAE have also been largely criticized by the international institutions on law enforcement. Example: The UAE’s Draft Labor Law introduced in 2007 received a number of sever criticisms from the Human Rights Watch. Accordingly, there is an urgent need for provisions of workers’ rights to organize and bargain collectively, protecting all the categories of workers including local farmers and grazing workers by the labor law, clarifying the minimum age of employment and non discriminatory accessibility to all the categories of work by women and local labors. Further, the remedies or sanctions that are placed to deter the violations of UAE labor law are inadequate according to the Unive rsal Declaration of Human Rights. The government is advised to provide effective penalties for violations and be effective and efficient in applying them (HRW, 2007 p.13). Nevertheless, Qatar ranked in 36 among the 186 countries listed in the Human Development Index (HDI), 2012. Evidently adopting a legislation which is heavily different from the dominating western countries has not impeded the socio economic development of Qatar. It can be due to the fact that Qatar’s strategic restrictions that are placed upon the International trade. International trade regulations had been highly liberal despite the controversy status in human rights. Example: Export tax are not imposed in Qatar despite import and sale of... This paper is one of the best examples of comparison of the evolution of legislative systems of two of the most economically developed countries of the Middle East region, the UAE and Qatar, which is driven by the globalization process. The influence of the globalization on cultural traditions of these two countries is also assessed. Establishing international level interdependencies can improve the laws and traditions practiced in countries. However the profitability of such international alliances largely depends on the availability of common interests, values, principles and procedures that are transparent across all the member states. Successfully implemented globalized economies are more powerful than the individual states. Globalization has positively influenced the international law in Qatar and the UAE. These two countries have significantly improved the international laws during the late 2000. This lead to decrease the cost of labor in the country. In 2005, the number of migrants in UAE labor market amounted approximately 2.7 million . It is evident that labor law and migrant law have supported the high economic growth rates in UAE. The traditions of the UAE and Qatar however face significant challenges in a rapidly globalizing environment. Although similar domestic legislation and traditions are observed in both the countries, international law has been substantially different. Differences in international have been unfavorable towards the UAE compared to the Qatar.

RBC Centura Bank Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

RBC Centura Bank - Research Proposal Example Culture shares a common viewpoint regarding what constitutes appropriate business and interpersonal relationships and reflects the overall traditions and communications styles acknowledged within the business. At RBC Bank, efficiency and inter-staff respect are at the forefront of culture where expectations for performance begin at the highest levels of the business and trickle down to subordinate staff levels. In this particular organization, the ability to fit in with other employees generally involves being efficient at the job role. Inefficiency leads to an ineffective team and those who do not fit within this cultural norm regarding performance will generally have a difficult time making positive relationship with others. Organizational behavior, closely tied with culture, is the attitudes and actions which take place within the business environment. People in organizations do not work in proverbial vacuums, meaning that they consistently come into contact with others during the course of a regular workday. Organizational behavior are the various interactions between staff members which dictate the overall method by which business is conducted both externally and internally, such as how co-workers interact and how customers/clients are approached. Organizational behavior is the human aspect of how business and the individual interact (Delta Publishing, 2006). At RBC Bank, much like its culture, efficiency and performance are common behavioral characteristics and expectations. Mutual respect is on the forefront of the business’ policies, where all business and associate transactions occur with this premise in mind. All clients and associate workers behave according to high ethical guidelines, s uggesting that the organizational behavior at RBC Bank is one where leadership qualities are valued and developed. Diversity is a common theme at RBC Bank, defined as various differences in

Wright Family Essay Example for Free

Wright Family Essay Following is an estate plan designed for Wright Family. It consists of Margaret and Tom Wright, and their first child is about to come. Their objectives are: 1. To grow their wealth to ensure that their debt levels are reduced in the long term. 2. To have sufficient funding to ensure that their and their children’s needs are met, without both having to work full-time. 3. To ensure that their joint assets are protected as far as possible from any potential litigants. Thus, the aim of clients is to preserve and enhance the value of their estate and to avoid adverse consequences for their intended beneficiaries. Circumstances Margaret and Tom Wright are bright young professional couple expecting their first child soon. They come from middle class background. Tom is a partner in a medium sized accounting firm and Margaret is a doctor working in a local clinic. Both are doing well in their fields as Tom is a partner in middle sized accounting firm and Margaret has prospects of becoming a partner in the clinic where she works. Tom is quite a bit older than Margaret and has an eight year old son from his ex-wife whom he has divorced. As a result of his divorce, he has significant borrowings that funded his property settlement. Tom feels that his ex-wife and his son have been adequately compensated and now his key objective is to ensure that Margaret and their new baby are fully provided for in the event of his death. He wants to ensure that his former wife cannot overthrow any arrangement he establishes for the benefit of Margaret and his new child. Similarly, Margaret would like to ensure that Tom benefits from her assets, and not his former wife or his son. They want to have sufficient funding to ensure that their needs and, most importantly, the needs of their children, are met. Ideally, they would like to be able to maintain a comfortable lifestyle without both having to work full-time. Funding Tom and Margaret Wright have certain assets which shall provide them funding for their estate. They are: Tom’s Assets: 1. Interest in his accounting practice ( through a discretionary trust which he controls solely), 2. The equity in which is funded through a life insurance policy on his life in the event of his death, 3. Some superannuation (a portion of which has been ‘split’ with his former wife), 4. The family home that he and Margaret share, that is mortgaged to about 80 per cent of its value, 5. A trust funded by an advance of his inheritance from his parents, that he uses to fund his child support payments. Margaret’s Assets: 1. Savings from her years of working, 2. An investment property with the inheritance she received from her parents. In addition to these existing funds, they can also look for increasing their funds in future. This can be done by investing more in municipal bonds, real estate, modified endowments, stocks and mutual funds. Though the return through any investment varies, but careful planning and expert advice can yield expected results. Options and impediments From available facts, it appears that Margaret and Tom Wright are people of modest wealth who need to reduce taxes, protect their assets and secure enough to maintain their lifestyle. They are also at risk of litigation from certain parties and they would like to mitigate that risk. Considering their circumstances and objectives, it shall be wise for them to formulate an estate plan before actually finalizing their funding and investment strategy. An ideal estate plan ensures speedy transfer of estate to the intended beneficiary without any hassles. It also maximizes the value of estate by minimizing taxes and other expenses. The idea is to take benefit of various exemption clauses present. A major tax that comes in case an estate is transferred to a beneficiary is the estate’s tax. This can be reduced if the value of estate owned by the deceased is less at the time of his death. Most of the planning strategies achieve this by transferring the estate step by step by using annual gift tax exemptions in cases where a will is present. â€Å"Estate planning for people of modest wealth is challenging because they face significant death taxes but do not have such a large base of wealth that they can easily afford to make significant lifetime gifts or other transfers to reduce the taxes which will arise when they die. †