Reading Reflection #4

"The very essence of who we are-out gender, our racial and class identity, our sexuality-is not private property"
-Identities and Inequalities: Learning Difference

This chapter began with an interesting story about parents who tried to keep their twins from learning gender specific roles but to their dismay found they were unable to do so. This is because they forgot that gender, as well as race, class, and sexuality, are not solely private matters but are also influenced by society. This chapter was interesting however it is similar material I have found we learn in many of our social work (if that is your major) and psychology classes. This idea that everything fits in a private and public world and is socialize according this both is a concept often covered in these classes. I thought the section that was interesting and not often covered was about learning sexuality. I have always felt that this subject can tend to be very hush hush and not often talked about. School occasionally tries to teach both males and females about "the birds and the bees" but unless you have parents who are very comfortable discussing sex and sexuality there is little else you are taught beyond what you see in the media and from peers. Newman backs up this idea by saying that "straightforward, direct sexual socialization is relatively uncommon-consequently, the information that children do receive tends to be largely informal, piecemeal, and peer-driven.(122)" I think this part of the chapter gave weight to the importance of education about sexuality. He also discusses the heteronormative aspect of the information that is out there which I feel further makes a case for the importance of sexual information both hetero and homo to today's youth. This chapter discusses how society socializes them with everything else. Why not sexuality as well?