ABSTRACT
Gender, like race, is not a static category. It is not a given, natural property or master status that defines our identities once and for all. It is in fact an accomplishment: it is created through conscious, reflective pursuit and must be established and reestablished under varied situations (West and Zimmerman, 1987; West and Fenstermaker, 1993; Fenstermaker, West, and Zimmerman, 1987; Messerschmidt, 1993; Connell, 1987). That is, gender is an activity concerned with “managing situated conduct” according to society’s normative expectations of what constitutes essential maleness and femaleness (West and Zimmerman, 1987:127). Moreover, gender is a means by which actors express their manliness or womanliness. They do so with an eye to how their behavior is interpreted or evaluated by others. Central to this conceptualization is the notion of “accountability.” At all times, and in all situations, actors are concerned with whether their behavior will be seen to be in accordance with approved standards for their assigned sex.
