Auto ethnography Essay
What do your experiences teach us about the larger workings of class, race, gender and/or sexuality in our society? It is not possible to tell your whole life story here or to address all of the aforementioned statuses. Narrow your focus and develop a specific sociological analysis. Your thesis should answer the broad questions: “What do your individual experiences teach us about the larger social system?”
Race specifically is a pattern in which the humans are categorized into different groups or teams. It is mostly based on shared physical traits, body structure, color, and social or cultural backgrounds. For example, black people in the United States are categorized as African Americans due to their color, ethnic, and cultural background. Race biases present in almost every society in the world today in which some races are considered superior then the others, such as white Americans are considered as superior as compare to the African Americans due to their race and ethnic background. Similarly, the gender is a term used to differentiate between men and women. It is a state of being male or female. Gender is considered as a social institution. “As a social institution gender is one of the major ways that human beings organize their lives” (Lorber and Farrell). Gender and race have a strong relationship with each other as these are one among the most important factors of any society. In the societies, gender and race have different patterns of working and have different levels of considerations. The working pattern or class of the societies prefer the male as compared to females, and if the working class females belong to a race that is less considered by the society then it is more difficult for them to survive in the working environment.
I have analyzed in my life that there are different rules and regulations for men and women in the most societies in the world today. Most societies are male dominating, in which the females are less likely to work or if they work, they have to suffer from the male dominance. Males are less likely to provide space for women, especially in the working environment. Moreover, as compared to females, males easily got the jobs. Many times in my life, I have realized that women are working on lower ranks or lower positions as compared to their accountabilities and abilities because they are not offered suitable positions. I have a friend named Martha, who is a university graduate in fashion designing and working as an assistant buyer in a popular company. She shared with me her experience that, many times her promotion stopped and she does not get promoted due to the male dominating environment. She also told me that many males, who are less compatible then her and less in qualification are working on good positions in the company as compared to her. It depicts the male dominance and different scenarios for males and females in the society.
Moreover, when it comes to race, women suffer more than men. Such as my another friend named Maggie who is working in a firm, but due to the fact that she is an African American, she faced several troubles during her job. She told me that the employer of the company is good but the rest of the staff is biased with race and ethnic issues. Several times she faced abuse from the white male staff, but she needs the job and know that complaining about the staff will not help her, she always adopts the way to stay quiet. Race and gender for males are less complicated as compare to females who suffer more if they are females and belongs to a race less acceptable in any society.
According to C. Wright Mills (1959), “The sociological imagination enables a person to take into account how individuals, in the welter of their daily experience, often become falsely conscious of their social positions” (Mills). Social positions mostly determined by the society and these are the ones which allow the societal pattern to grant different social positions to men and women. In male dominating societies, social positions of women are inferior then the men and men take several advantages due to their social position in the societies. Similarly, racism also exists in the gay and lesbian community. However, many gay activists believe that there is no racism issues exist or persist in the gay community (Tarrant). But it is not true, in my perception gay community also faces racism issues as they have to face difficulties due to their cultural and ethnic background. My father told me about a gay couple at his office, who used to date but due to ethnic issues, they separated as they faced several issues regarding their relationship. In my opinion, racism and racial issues are severe and complicated as well, and these are consistently impacting negatively to the most world societies. According to my perception, considering that one’s race is perfect or superior is the major flaw, and considering that one’s race is less than the other ones and it is shameful to belong with this race is another major flaw of the society. These societal issues are hindrances in the peace or welfare of many societies such as the United States of America. But male dominance does not exist in the United States due to certain rights and freedom as compared to the other world countries.
Works Cited
Lorber, Judith, and Susan A Farrell. The Social Construction Of Gender. Newbury Park, Calif.: Sage, 1991. Print.
Mills, C. Wright. The Sociological Imagination. Oxford [England]: Oxford University Press, 2000. Print.
Tarrant, Shira. Men Speak Out. New York, NY: Routledge, 2013. Print.
