Gender is Essential

Early January of this year there was a razor ad created by Gillette that screamed controversy. If you haven't seen We Believe: The Best Men Can Be, I posted the link at the bottom. Essentially this advertisement depicted the negative roles that men in our society are playing today contrasting against Gillette's vision of how men should manner themselves. The commercial called on men to embrace a new kind of masculinity, a message well received by many but seen as an unnecessary scolding by others. As a public relations major, I take interest in dissecting advertisements and a companies public image. Gillette's audience at interest for product consumption are perspectively men and used their gender roles in hopes to not only promote their product but also promote values within our societies.

I personally commend Gillette for their courage and the risk taken to acknowledge particular behavior changes that can impact our societies is a brighter light.

So what does any of this have to do with families or you and me? Gender is pivotal in understanding our identity. As gender has been the main controversial subject that has changed just about the lives of everyone wether you have personally been effected by it or not. This controversial topic has been in the mouths of law-makers for quite some time as some states have actually made it possible for parents of newborns to put gender-neutral on their child's birth certificate. What are your thoughts on this? While pondering about this, the gender presented on their birth certificate from that day forward until the child themselves has opportunities to change it legally has the identification of either male or female. If my child for instance was born female and therefore I put "female" on their birth certificate, later on in life if she felt she identified better as a male and wanted to make that change, it's possible that she could be upset with me as her/his parent for identifying her/him as a particular gender when I was given the option of selecting gender neutral. This therefore can spark attitudes of parental expectations in the child's eyes and put strains on that relationship.

With the multiple changes that spark from this controversial topic, I think it's worry some that gender here in the near future will mean absolutely nothing at all. Soon there will be no gender on birth certificates or separate restrooms designated for men and women. This is scary in the sense that our gender defines some pretty specific roles, especially concerning families.

I am not against same sex families, in fact I've met some pretty amazing people who have a wonderful life and family with their significant other. I think that marriage is special with whomever you want it to be special with. As a woman, I personally am attracted to males and have always been a bit "boy crazy" as my mother likes to put it. I don't necessarily struggle with same-sex attraction although I have thought some girls are attractive. I have friends who have and act on those feelings while I also have friends who have and choose not to act on those feelings, yet I love them all as individuals. I personally think there are many benefits to having a typical nuclear family with a mother and father. I believe that women naturally have a natural nurturing given gift to them that paired with a masculine, providing male it creates unity within a family bond like no other.

With gender comes natural qualities and responsibilities, yet society in this day and age seems to be pushing for equality in just about anything. Well, when males are able to give birth, please let me know.

What gender responsibilities do you agree or disagree with and why? What would or have you put down on your children's or future children's birth certificate and why? I want to hear from YOU!

We Believe: The Best Men Can Be
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=koPmuEyP3a0