Gender and Race/Subjectivity and Identity

In the article "The Social Construction and Institutionalization of Gender and Race" the author explains that gender and race are not just biological facts but they are determined by social beliefs. I found it very interesting that the term gender came about in order to "free our thinking from the constrictions of naturalness and biological inevitability attached to the concept of sex." The expectations of each gender differ from one another and these expectations continue to change in society. This article also introduced me to relationality which is the idea that race and gender consist of categories that can be ranked which gives them meaning in relation to one another.

In Chapter 6, "Issues of Subjectivity and Identity" the author writes that identity is thought of in different ways. Identity can either be thought to be something that we possess or it is entirely cultural. Although I think identity is heavily dependent on culture, I am not sure that I would agree that it is entirely cultural.