Gender and identity more than just chromosomes.
Before delving into the concept of an identity crisis, we should identify what identity is and what makes a youth of today experience an identity crisis. Operationally defined by Erik Erikson (1970b), identity is a subjective sense and an observable quality of personal sameness and continuity. This is often paired with a belief in the continuity of a single shared world image. In this type of person we find an exceptional union of what is given. This includes emotions, physique, ideology, talents, weaknesses and immaturity. These are mirrored in the roles such as possible occupations, first sexual experiences, shared values, established friendships, and acceptance of mentors. Ultimately, identity is a persons similarity with the world around them.
Identity is a unique feeling of well-being for every person. It is the sense of self, the knowledge of who we really are. Having your own identity is beyond just knowing yourself, your achievements and goals. It is having a deep understanding of ones self, celebrating every part of it, cherishing the strengths and finding ways to either accept or improve the weaknesses. Establishing an identity gives a person a sense of fulfillment that one will not find on material things, even on others. It is finding your very own unique qualities while maintaining a sense of belongingness into the society where you fit in.
Several factors including events, people and experiences shape up a persons identity. An experience does not necessarily have to be good to create a positive change into a persons identity. Crises and hardships, if taken in a positive light, can actually do well in shaping a persons identity. Even events, good or bad, also shape a persons identity. Interaction with other people can also bring positive or negative effects on a persons identity. In a nutshell, we can say that identity is a melting pot of a persons experiences, relationships with other people, and the persons inner thoughts, beliefs and personality.
Gender, on the other hand, is defined by the World Health Organization. WHOs definition aptly describes that gender need not be limited to a persons physical or sexual characteristics, it also encompasses what the society expects of them as men and women. It also expresses the variability of these expectations from society to society. There are no standard expectations around the world on how women and men should act. It is dictated by the norms of the particular society. Thus, both men and women cannot just act according to how they want to act. If they want to be accepted in the society, they should act in accordance to what the society requires or them. Any lack or excess in these expectations is a form of deviance is not socially accepted.
Recently, however, more and more men and women have tried to free themselves from those limitations the conservative society has implanted into the minds of the people. These are people who dared to go out of the box of femininity and masculinity, either to embrace both sexes or to trade their own gender for the other one. They go by many names, like gays, lesbian, homosexuals and bisexuals. And just like any deviant act, embracing homosexuality and bisexuality was initially met by outrage, resent and ostracism by the society. Any person who dares to be different is ridiculed and judged.
As time heals all wounds, it makes norms bend as well. The new culture of homosexuality and bisexuality began to be slowly accepted and it is presently distinguished. Presently, several people believe in accepting a persons sexual identity rather than correcting and hindering it from growing if it is found deviant. Gays and lesbians became the newest forms of sexual identity together with the traditional male and female. Music, literature, art and other social sciences have been useful catalysts in making this sexual revolution happen. Our society is now a melting pot of differing sexual orientations.
Gender and Identity
These two important aspects of a persons life gender and identity, are important facets that are interrelated with each other. A persons sexual orientation is a big part of his or her identity in the same way that a persons identity is an indispensible part of his sexual orientation. A balance between these two aspects of ones life, whether in a traditional or deviant way, brings about harmony and peace into a persons life. Knowledge and acceptance of a persons identity and gender are important milestones in a persons development.
Beautiful as this may sound, identity and gender development are not done easily. Shaping gender and identity takes a lot of time, experiences and events. It cannot be rushed each person has his or her own phase, although many believe that the initiation of gender and identity development occurs during adolescence. Factors that can affect the development of both gender and identity are the persons sex, family, heredity, society and life experiences. Good and bad experiences, especially those that have occurred in a persons formative years, have great effects in shaping a person gender and identity. But different people can react to different situations in different ways. A situation that can bring about a positive effect to a person can have the opposite effect on another. The difference lies on each persons inherent adaptation and defense mechanisms. It is on how a person reacts on these events, that mirrors who heshe is and who heshe can be. Life is a constant action and reaction, what happens in between changes us, shapes us, for better or for worse.
Adolescence Development Defined
Now more than ever, the youth faces challenges regarding their sexual orientation and personal identity. Aside from the inherent confusion and changes that adolescence brings, the youth of today is faced with the dilemma to conform to the traditionally accepted norms or to try to stand out with the more aggressive and newly accepted modes. Peer pressure, family pressure and other factors like academics can also affect an adolescents gender and identity development.
According to Wagner (n.d.) and Harders (2002) Erik Eriksons Stages of Development, adolescence is the stage where in a person experiences major physical and sexual changes that prepares the adolescents body for the adult functions it will be handling in the future. This is also the time where curiosity about gender arises in the minds of the adolescent. The teenager also begins to yearn for independence, lay-out future plans and define, at least vaguely, what heshe wants to be in the future. Such a difficult stage, really, when you try to think of it. Youre body is changing and youre starting to question some deep rooted assumptions and principles about you and your society. You experience several emotions, desires and bodily functions that are foreign to you, foreign until now. You try to explain and rationalize these things, but all the explanations might confuse you all the more. without proper guidance and coaching from the family and adults and fellow adolescents in the society, yes, this stage can be difficult, both for the adolescent and the society.
The primary role of the adolescent stage is to achieve Role Identity and avoid Role Confusion. Role Identity is being able to understand and accept who you are as well as to clearly define and be comfortable with your role in the society where you exist. Role Confusion, on the other hand, is the presence of conflicting thoughts and emotions regarding ones identity and his or her roles in the society. This happen when the adolescent feels left out and undecided about his identity. Role confusion is normal at the early years of adolescence, but as the teenager grows, clarification of these roles as well as his sexual orientation for him or her to grow up as a healthy individual, ready to face the challenges and developmental tasks of the subsequent stages. Failure to establish role identity will result in result in more problems, especially in achieving the developmental tasks of the other stages.
Robert Havighurst (1972) further specified the general concept of Erik Erikson into more specific developmental tasks.
Achieving new and more mature relations with age-mates of both sexes. These includes establishing relationships with people of both male and female, being able to communicate feelings and thoughts effectively, and forming emotional and long-lasting attachments, such as friendship or other relationships.
Fulfilling socially accepted malefemale role. This is where sexual orientation comes in. the adolescent needs to be able to make his or her choices regarding which sexual orientation he or she will conform to, be able to properly orient his or herself with the roles, responsibilities, and expectations in that particular sexual orientation and how he can contribute in the development of the society by fulfilling that role. Above all, the adolescent must be comfortable with this orientation .
Body image acceptance. Since much of the physical changes that prepare the person for adult roles occur during adolescence, it is important that the adolescent learn to accept his or her physique or body built, as well as other physical factors like weight, height and skin color. This can be a challenge since the society, more specifically the media, has long since inculcated in the minds of the people certain physical standards that makes a person beautiful, like thin body, long hair, white silky skin for females and muscular body, wavy hair and strong physique for males. adolescents lacking these characteristics may feel insecure and inferior towards those who are blessed with these characteristics, which can result into discrimination and low self-esteem. Adolescents need to understand that beauty comes in many ways and there is no single cookie-cutter mold for beauty. Being able to use the body effectively means experiencing its full potential to achieve goals. It also means not abusing it through drugs and other forms of vices that may deem harmful to the body.
Being free from emotional dependence from parents and other adults in the society. Independence during adolescence can be defined as being able to knowing what you want, standing on your own, and making decisions for yourself that you know will benefit you in the future. Developing emotional independence from parents and other adults may take some time and it definitely needs some coaching and guidance from parents and other adults. Adolescents need to learn decision making procedures, that decision making takes time, and their choices, however big or small, greatly affects himherself, other people, the events of his or her life and the society . These foster a sense of responsibility for ones own welfare.
Emotional preparation for intimate relationships and family life. This is the perfect time to orient teenagers regarding marriage, sex and family life, because they can actually see and experience the changes that prepare their bodies and their selves for these matters. Early education regarding these matters also prevents untoward events like early marriage and pregnancy. Adolescent should be thought that pregnancy, parenthood and building a family requires years of emotional, physical and financial preparation and should be dealt with a responsible attitude .
Readiness for a profession. Adolescents should understand that to be able to survive in this world, they need to be educated in their chosen field in order have a job. Financial stability, as well as economic preparedness, is a principle that adolescents need to understand at these early stage. It fosters responsibility and professionalism, which are characteristics they will need in the future.
Development of a set of values, morals and ethics. Adolescents need role models and idols that they can look up to with pride. This brings about positive effects on a childs value formation. Adolescence is the stage where values, beliefs and principles acquired in childhood are further cemented and practice until it becomes a habit that the teenager carries for the rest of his or her life.
Having a socially responsible attitude. Adolescents should develop an inherent yearning to do what is right, to adhere to moral and ethical principles whatever his or her sexual orientation and personal identity may be. Doing right and being good are general principles that should be adhered to by all people regardless of race, age, gender and religion. Adolescents needs to develop the love for what is good and right, in fairness, justice and peace, so that they will grow up as responsible and law-abiding individuals. This can be particularly difficult because adolescents, in search of themselves, sometimes resort to rebellion as a form of self expression. Parents should be able to discipline them with a kind but firm attitude.
These developmental tasks need to be achieved in the span of adolescence. Some are easily achieved, some takes time. It takes a lot of experience, practice, interaction, guidance, decision-making and events to shape up an adolescents personal identity and sexual orientation. This is not always an easy and enjoyable process. Even the most demeaning events and adversities are necessary to develop inner strength and self reliance in an adolescent. Good experiences and happy moments are equally important to make an adolescents life memorable and easier to deal with.
The Society and Medias Role in the Youths Gender and Identity Development
Naturally, adolescents cannot deal on these developmental processes alone. They need a support system, like their parents, teachers and other adults that has been on the similar journey and understand what it feels like to be a teenager. Parents, for the most part, are the principal front liners when it comes to dealing with and disciplining teenagers. Parents must understand that they have the greatest influence but not control over their adolescents. The difference maybe hair-thin but it is very significant, especially in decision making issues. Parents should always give their adolescents a chance to decide for themselves while being they become the safety nets that guides their children into making the best decisions. They should also understand, that they could no longer force a decision into the child, or decide for the teenager without consulting himher. Every option should be discussed and weighed not only by the parents but with the adolescent as well. In this way, the parents let their teenager feel a sense of freedom, self reliance and independence (which is a developmental task) while still being in control of their childrens welfare.
Open communication between the adolescent and parents is also a very important tool in helping them grow. Generation gaps can be present, especially when it comes in clothes, music and other forms of expression the adolescent thinks are necessary for their self development, but it can be bridged through proper communication. Parents need to fully understand the adolescents need for these things and value them too, even if they think that some of them are unnecessary or in excess. They also need to understand the adolescents need for privacy and confidentiality, and not misinterpret it as something bad. Adolescent are growing, literally and figuratively, and they need more space to breathe in and develop their talents.
The media, on the other hand, plays a big role in influencing the youth. Adolescents give a lot of importance on what is the latest trend in music, print and multimedia. They follow bands, tv shows, athletes, actors and actresses and movies as closely as a fanatic follows a religion. This is because of their inherent need for mentors, idols and role models, someone or something to imitate and believe in because they are too confused to believe themselves.
That is why second to the parents, the media a big role in the adolescents gender and identity development. Responsible broadcasting and journalism is the key to avoid negative influences to adolescents. Censorship and proper regulation of what an adolescent can and cannot watch should be implemented not only by the government, but by the media companies and publications themselves. Actors, actresses, musician and athletes should act as role models themselves by leading good lives.
Being part of what people call The Youth Today is not easy. Aside from being stigmatized as being young, inexperienced, nave and immature, the youth of today faces more than what was an average adolescence generations ago. They live in a culture that provides more choices, but more room for ridicule and judgment. They also live in a society of high technology and fast-paced living, but leaves no room for mistakes. These and all the factors mentioned in this research work make being an adolescent today harder than before.
But the adolescents search for identity and sexual orientation need not be a rough road all the time. With the proper guidance, acceptance and understanding of the society, these teenagers can grow into what our heroes call us the hope of our nations. The media always plays a big role in assuring that the youth grows into morally and ethical upright, as well as law abiding men and women of the future.
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