Gender Communication

Answer the following prompts, you are free to use any outside resources as long as they are cited. Please show your understanding of the topics and make sure your answers are well thought and detailed.

1) Why do you think  people continue to adhere to myths about rape and battering?  Are these forms of abuse just too terrible to face, so we manufacture false ideas about them?  Knowing that these myths exist because somebody believes them, how can we expose and debunk them?

2)  What role does religion play in the establishment of one’s gender identity?  What role does religion play in our views about emasculation and empowerment?

3) Think of a person who holds a position of power and authority in her or his job.  This person might be one of your parents, your doctor, someone you’ve worked for, and so on.  What’s the sex of that person?  If that person’s male, do you  think he’d have as much  power and respect in his job if he were female?  Would he have to change his communication style or the way he deals with coworkers, subordinates, and clients if he were female?  If the person is female, what kinds of barriers or challenges has she faced as she achieved that position of respect?

4)  In both Politics and Athletics, what gender communication issues exist?  Discuss differences by sex in the policies and practices existing in these two arenas of life.