Locked into the binary

Stereotyping is the mental categorization of individuals in order to affect greater social control. In Gender Stereotypes: Reproduction and Challenge, Mary Talbot suggests, “Like caricatures, they focus on certain characteristics, real or imagined, and exaggerate them” (468).  Although simplicity is the goal of stereotyping, the nature of stereotyping is anything but simple—a complex relationship between language and social construction. The stereotype of binary gender assumption is an inherently flawed system. This research addresses the questions: What are the problems with the binary gender assumption and subsequent sex-typed gender roles? What possibilities and benefits are gained through gender fluidity? Read more…