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Crystal Chavez

Professor Granillo

English 101

29 October 2018

Let’s Talk Gender

Gender has become a topic debated amongst many in society and is now pushed into

politics. Gender is referring to the role of a male or female in society, known as a gender role, or

an individual's concept of themselves. It plays part of many issues that are brought upon the topic

of gender such as the gender roles. The meaning of gender roles is the norms they behave that

are widely considered to be socially appropriate for individuals of a specific sex. The topic of

gender does revolve around the ideal of gender roles as people don’t like that and some do prefer

that regardless of what they identify as or who they are with. It has become an issue to same sex

couples specifically because gender roles aren’t being imposed on straight couples yet is

enforced upon them. Imposing gender roles is wrong and gender roles don’t play part of a same

sex relationship as some may not like it and it doesn’t display who they are from that, however

enforcing gender roles is nothing wrong at all because gender can portray who they are and

prefer to be a specific someone.

Many people assume that couples have a certain label on them, gender roles; however it

is certainly wrong to enforce that on same sex couples. It has become common today to suggest

that same sex couples have gender roles in that relationship. In the article “What about Gender-

Roles in Same Sex-Relationships?” Stephen Mays states, “Imposing gender roles on gay couples

is even more ridiculous than doing so with straight couples” (596). Mays is saying that it is

absurd for people to press assumptions of gender roles on same sex couples when they don’t do
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it to straight couples. However, it is not wrong if that person or couple being imposed don’t care

about it as the gender characteristics they have portray who they are. It leads to other

assumptions that gender roles being imposed upon don’t play part of a same sex relationship.

In recent discussion of gender roles being enforced, a controversial issue has been

whether it doesn’t play part of a same sex relationship. On the one hand, some argue that gender

roles do play part of same sex relationships. In the words of Stephen Mays author of “What

about Gender-Roles in Same Sex-Relationships?”, ”When it boils down to it all, gays and

straights alike, comprise many characteristics” (597). Basically, Mays is saying that each

individual regardless of their gender identity hold many traits to they are similar with and don’t

need a role to be called. Though surely right, there are over assumptions to which the person may

enjoy those traits as does their partner, it leads them to portray who they are. If they didn’t like

the traits they could of say something to indicate that they do not seek to be labeled.

Enforcing gender roles on same sex couples is wrong when they do not like that and it

doesn’t make any difference to express who they are. On the other hand, it is alright to enforce it

on same sex couples because gender can portray who they are and prefer to be a specific

someone. Same sex couples don’t like to be labeled that person in the relationship as it doesn’t

portray who they are and are uncomfortable with it. Some other same sex couples don’t mind the

gender roles as they might prefer to be that person in the relation and are comfortable with it. It is

both alright and not alright to enforce gender roles on same sex couples. It is a topic of gender

that will continue to be fought over with. Overall make sure that it is alright to enforce the

gender roles in any relationship, especially same sex ones as some may take offense to it.
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Works Cited

Mays, Stephen. “What about Gender-Roles in Same Sex-Relationships?”. They Say/I Say, Gerald

Graff, Cathy Birkenstein, Russel Durst, 4, W.W.NORTON, 2018, pp.596-598.