The Cycle Of Socialization Analysis

Bobbie Harro states in “The cycle of socialization” (2000), “No one brings us a survey, in the womb, inquiring which gender, class, religion, sexual orientation, cultural group, ability status, or age we might want to be born. These identities are ascribed to us at birth through no effort or decision or choice of our own” (p.16). I was born into a system, just like everyone else, where I was judged and labeled due to the social categories that I identify with. What I have experienced throughout my schooling has shaped and molded my sense of self and the way that I view myself in terms of my gender and race/ethnicity. I live in a world where I have been both praised and ridiculed for these differing characteristics that seem to define me, but

I was almost instantaneously exposed to the fact that someone will always have power over me whether it be my boss, manager, or supervisor. They were dominant and I was subordinate and that is just how the system works. Tatum (2000) describes, “People pay attention to those who control their outcomes. In an effort to predict and possibly influence what is going to happen to them, people gather information about those in power” (p. 12). As an attempt to move up the ladder, I had to observe and also please the boss with my work ethic. However, I also discovered that just because I worked hard, did not mean I would be rewarded, I no longer had control over me, my boss did. At Sportsman’s Pizzeria, women were more privileged than the men. We were promoted more quickly, given raises faster, and the boss was even more polite to us. The men did heavy lifting jobs and were often ridiculed and even taunted. Stereotypes were set in place, girls stayed in the kitchen while only the boys were capable of handling the heavy, physical work. In this situation, I was lucky to be given the opportunities to be paid more based on my gender, but at the same time I fell into the stereotypes and they continued to define me for the rest of my career at the pizza