Cross-Cultural Study of Sex and Gender - Assignment Example

Cross-Cultural Study of Sex and Gender The society holds many issues as people see various problems that require solutions. They are negatively affected by the problems directly or indirectly. They may also address the existing issues out of concern for their fellow citizens. After all, everyone affects another either directly or indirectly. They are all interconnected which means collaboration may be part of the method to solve the arising discrimination in inequalities in the society. Prejudices and inequalities may deal with race, tradition, culture, social status, financial disposition, sex and gender. It has been widely known that all of those given parameters contain provoking issues that affect the whole society throughout history. There is no excuse as all forms of societies around the world have one or more of those problems. Each problem has its own topics of debates among the societal members. The pros and the antis regarding specific issues take their stance by proving the other side as wrong. They present details to support their claims and arguments are sometimes placed in a book form where they show all of the details. They explain those arguments as much as they can and share those to other people. Though that may be the case, some books do not side to any argument as they try to objectively study, analyze and present the issues and the probable solutions from both sides. As mentioned above, those issues are very important to solve though they already exist for decades. One of those is the issue of sex and gender and how the society views it. As a topic, it is a broad and controversial concept with many issues deep within. The concept is not restricted to the view on the sex as an act pertaining intercourse but also includes genital health, pregnancy, gender orientation, gender equality, and many more. They are all important topics to be discussed since everybody is affected by one or the other. In the paper, three books are presented and are reviewed critically regarding the various issues in gender and sexuality in various settings. Each book tackles different issue which is important to be disseminated to everyone to prevent oppressions and negative effects. After looking deep into the issues, possible solutions are made and further studies can be done to strengthen the understanding and establish the solid answers to existing societal problems. The first book is entitled Fixing Men: Sex, Birth Control, and AIDS in Mexico written by Michael Gutmann based on the research he made in Oaxaca. He revealed some unfamiliar facts mixed with new findings regarding the role of men in reproduction as AIDS has become rampant. In addition, the role of United States of America is explored as it deals with Mexican workers and their sexual health (Gutmann, 2007). Four years had been spent by Gutmann to finish his ethnographic research and made use of the drugs, AIDS and castration to connect the issues on male sexuality in Mexico. Five issues had been noted in response to the three ethnographic parameters namely hasty generalization on sexuality of men, the decision-making equality in family planning in couples, medical recognition of male sexuality, AIDS condition due to globalization, and culture that negatively view the overall sexuality of men (Gutmann, 2007). The research done by Gutmann was not based on numbers alone as compared to other studies heavily influenced by science as he made his research in an anthropologic fashion. He observed the Mexican health system, the dealings with AIDS patients and checked out the risks involved when it comes to AIDS exposure of male health workers. Despite of the good points that the research and published book had brought about, there are still some criticisms regarding the work of Gutmann. He used some anecdotes and personal opinions as supporting details to his claims which lack objectivity. Some of those inferences even spanned more than a page. Another one is the repetitive explanations given by Gutmann which can raise a question on his ability as an academic writer. Assumptions can be made that he might have poor writing skills or he tried to lengthen the coverage to reach a certain number of pages. In addition, by repeating the same thoughts might bore the readers unless repetition is needed matched with further explanations. Despite of those criticisms, the book came to be written for lay people as the terms and concepts were explained in easy-to-understand fashion. In addition, the writing style engages the reader to feel the actual study conducted by Gutmann. The explanations would have been cleared if figures were used to support the claims written in textual form about the male sexuality in Mexico. Perhaps the book pointed out that the generalized image of a male-dominated society might not be 100 percent accurate just like the cases in Oaxaca and its health system. Men had been depicted to be macho or rigid and sturdy but despite of those, they are still vulnerable to HIV that may later turn into AIDS. In addition, they should have a right to make equal decision in family planning, contraception and intercourse. In short, it talked about the concerns on male reproductive rights. The second book is entitled Kabul in winter, life without peace in Afghanistan by Ann Jones. The book covers the situation of women in Afghanistan as they experience the hardships and cruelties of the society. The gender discrimination has been rampant in Afghanistan despite of the equality destined by the Constitution between men and women as the society views the gender differently. The context of equality has been different as women are expected to be pure, good and always in-service for their husbands in the case of married women (Jones, 2007). Women are subjected to discrimination especially to morale crimes that cost them their some time in their lives being spent inside the jails. They do not have the right to make some appeals regarding their case and cannot appear in the court. They have been assigned some investigators to look through the case before the judge places the final verdict to the accused women (Jones, 2007). In turn, more women suffer from depression to suicidal tendencies. Female victims of prostitution and rape are even imprisoned because of moral crimes instead of considering them as plain victims. With that, they are also imprisoned instead of the perpetrators alone (Jones, 2007). In that case, women are considered collaborators with those rapists and sexual violators that is why they are also punished. The punishment for imprisoned women varies and the customs hold their fate by allowing the President to release them or to give them pardon during the last day of Ramadan (Jones, 2007). In that case, women are helpless and they could not do anything. Sometimes to avoid the peer pressure and societal discrimination, they commit suicide by burning themselves. Another burden for the Afghan women is the honor killing wherein their brother or father can murder them in case they have caused dishonor to their family like extramarital sex, getting married outside the arranged ones, and many more. They have shown how women are considered lowly and a property (Jones, 2007). Despite of the efforts of foreign aid to educate and assist the health of women, those group members who help them do not do their best in the jobs that led to unsuccessful projects. The women are still left with the same problems. Jones had found out how strict the patriarchal society in Afghanistan is and still not open to changes. The third book is entitled Made in China by Ngai Pun as the writer talked about the dagongmei or the female working class in factories. They were able to survive in the male-dominated society by their own dreams on what their hard-earned money can provide for them. Despite of the oppression and hardships inside the factory working for long hours with hardly any breaks, they were still able to survive (Pun, 2005). The market today is one of the possible factors for the dagongmei to endure the hardships in factories as they want to take charge of their lives. They sacrifice the lives in rural areas, leave their families and find the opportunity in the cities. They get to overcome their strict managers as they work together for their survival. Probably the issues presented showcased various conditions regarding gender and sexuality starting off with the undermined sexuality issues with males in Mexico followed by the low status of women in Afghanistan and ended with the young women in China who fought for themselves in a male-dominated society. Perhaps more studies may broaden those areas further to increase the understanding and awareness among people from various societies worldwide. Through deeper understanding, solutions would arise eventually that may suit the conditions of those people. References Gutmann, M. (2007). Fixing men: Sex, birth control, and AIDS in Mexico. California: UC Press. Jones, A. (2007). Kabul in winter, life without peace in Afghanistan. USA: Picador. Pun, N. (2005). Made in China: Women Factory Workers in a Global Workplace. Durham. Read More