sociology

In my sociology class today we were talking about how society shapes who we are and how we behave, and how we "cannot" behave. I made a comment in my class saying that it's so interesting how society gives us a frame and says that we can paint whatever we want inside of it, but we have to remain within the boundaries of the frame. I explained to my teacher (and in front of all 150 students in my class) that I get frustrated because what if I want to use materials other than paint and what if I want to hang flowers and feathers off the side of my painting, and not within the bounds? I said that if I was to do so, people would label me as crazy or stupid because I can't "color within the lines."

My teacher's response was that people actually CAN get rid of that frame, but it means taking a huge risk, and others might make fun, beat them up, or "drag the person behind a truck or something" (exact quote from my teacher). He said, "For example, if I wanted to be a hairdresser, people would automatically assume that I was homosexual. It's not typical for a man to become a hairdresser because that occupation does not fit the role society has created for men. So, some people might mock me, or beat me up, or drag me behind a truck."

Two girls were sitting next to me (I met them this semester in class) and one of them said, "Please don't, Kat, you'll get dragged behind a truck!" And the laughter begins.

Later in class, my teacher was saying that even how you have sex is because of a social construction, and society places boundaries on couples.

The other girl sitting next to me says, "Ya hear that, Kat? No feathers. Stay within the bed"frame"work."

They were picking on me because I'm the only one that's married of the three of us. After class, they apologized for teasing me (I thought it was funny actually) and they said, "Okay Kat, you can get rid of that frame work, but you might be dragged behind a truck!"

Gee, I hope not.