Essay - Sexism and Identity Construction the 'Sexism' Section of the Text...

Sexism and Identity Construction

The "sexism" section of the text Race, Gender, ***** Sexuality: Philosophical Issues ***** Identity and Justice demonstrates that sexism is not merely an *****sue of discrimination against women. Sex is the physical aspect of our body ***** makes us 'male' or female' or unclassifiable in the terms ***** our particular cultural construction, and gender is how culture interprets this sexually focused construction of difference. But racism and racial attitudes, and attitudes towards sexual behavior also affect ***** the genders are perceived, as does the sexual ***** of male ***** fe***** bodies.

***** instance, in Chapter 6, ***** essay "Racism, Sexism, and Pre*****rential Treatment" by Richard Wasserstrom shows how sexism and ***** cannot be separated, as both privilege hegemonic groups, although at times one form may predom*****ate. Sexual prejudices against Black men have been used to limit the social behavior of white *****, ***** vice versa. Likewise, in the ***** "Demarginalizing the Intersection," by Kimberle Crenshaw and "Mammies, Matriarchs, ***** Other Controlling Images," by Patricia Hill Collins demonstrate ***** gender is often constructed by ***** *****s of identity in such a fashion to marginalize ***** women as neither fully black nor female, neither powerless by virtue ***** their race, ***** powerful because of their gender.

The article "Oppression by Choice," Ann E. Cudd concludes, sameness and liberation ***** never commensurate, as not all women or racial groups have experienced the same *****s of oppression—heterosexual women experience the privilege ***** possessing ***** n*****mal identity of sexuality, according to society, while homosexual ***** do not accrue the benefits of maleness. Transvestite males may seek what some women consider oppressive trappings of ***** in dress ***** show ***** constructed nature of gender and sexuality, to express aspects of their identity that constructions of maleness deny. In contras, ***** transsexuals ***** seem the most transgress*****g of ***** alternative options to ***** and femaleness, quite often transsexual's speaking of their gender as 'truly male' or 'truly fe***** in a way that transcends the body beyond that of culture is used ***** 'proof' ***** gender is ***** constructed, but essential.

***** constructed groups have shown a certa***** jealousy of the rights and privileges accorded to others. For instance, the legal rational ***** Michael M. v. Superior Court of Sonoma County rested upon ***** fact that male and female sexuality in cases of statu*****ry rape should be equal, ***** to make male and female distinctions was unfair to males, and also to male homosexual couples. The case of Rostker v. Goldberg was put forth after a number ***** men ch*****llenged the constitutionality of the draft as discriminatory—***** not both ***** and men be forced to defend ***** country, under ***** onus of ***** law.

Women thus have the freedom and privilege ***** to serve in ***** military by compulsion, ***** to receive extra protections via their sexuality when young—privileges ********** used against them. Homosexual couples have the privilege of not having to engage in public affirmations or vows of their coupl*****g and suffering the