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Does Gender or Sexuality Affect a Young Person's Transition to Adulthood?

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Does Gender or Sexuality Affect a Young Person's Transition to Adulthood?
Does gender or sexuality affect a young person’s transition to adulthood? What is the theoretical background for your answer? Illustrate your position with examples.

In this essay there will be a discussion about whether or gender effects the transition to adulthood. There will be a brief definition of gender and transition. There has been great debate over gender but there has been little about masculinity and femininity and the transition to adulthood. It will look at the transitions that gender goes through in relation to that of the past and present day. Then which will be compared if they have changed or continuously stayed the same. There will be theoretical discussion of the psychoanalytic and biosocial theory and how this helps us to understand if gender effects the transitions to adulthood. Being in school and going into the workforce will be examples of how these theories can be applied and explain again if the transitions to adulthood are effect by gender. Then to finished there will be a conclusion.

When we think of gender we normal think of the sex of the person, so whether they are female or male. According to Mackenzie (2001:150) gender “relates to social divisions associated with notions of masculinity and femininity and such divisions vary according to changing contexts”. But is it as simple as this?! Gender is not just determined by whether you are male or female; it is a lot deeper than that as has a variety of aspects. These are gender assignment, gender role, gender identity and gender attribution. To become an adult there is considered to be five core transitions that a young person goes through. These are leaving home, completing school, entering the workforce, marriage and having children. This process is prolonged and varied compared to that of half a century ago. In comparison to then it takes longer for young adults to gain economic and psychological autonomy. According to Berlin et al (2010:20) “ experiences in early adulthood



Bibliography: Flood,M, Gardnier ,J Pease,b& Pringle ,K(2007) Encyclopedia of Men and Masculinities. Routledge:oxon Goodwin, M Lowu,da (2007 ) human development. Cape town: kagiso tertairy Mackinnon, C marchbank,j & Letherby ms g (2007) Introduction to gender: social sciences perspectives. Pearson essex Renold Jones, P. (2009) Rethinking childhood. London: Continuum

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