# Reading Response 5
## Gender, Communication, and Contribution
Boys play harder than girls. Or, at least, that's what my brother used to say. After a long day of playing outside together, this was my brother's go-to phrase to try and reason why I was not nearly as exhausted as he was. At the time, I did not understand the meaning of him saying this to me. I would usually brush this off and remain silently satisfied knowing I was the "superior" athlete. As I grew up though, this statement eventually became humorous. Although I know he did not mean it maliciously, it is evident my brother displayed the understanding of sex-linked behaviors early on. Growing up, we hear of the sexism and gender differences society demonstrates daily, despite many trying to argue the "science" behind it. As stated in the Wired article, "science has, too often in human history, been a tool for literal dehumanization as a rationale for oppression." This "science" is the same information that is forced into our minds when the question of gender superiority is present yet ignored when basic human rights are placed into the hands of the government. Not surprisingly though, this logic has made its way into the workplace. This article discusses a document submitted by a Google employee which questions the fact that the company has made gender representation a corporate priority. Like many pieces regarding this subject manner, this is seen as an attempt to permanently foster a power dynamic that should not exist in a professional environment, let alone at all. When some companies try to take one step forward to create a safe and secure work environment, people like this take us two (more like two hundred) steps back. But why are we even at a point where gender equality is something we need to specifically maintain as a society? Shouldn't this go without saying?

In addition to the workforce, gender differences has made its mark in technology as well. Krasnova discusses the theory of gendered self-construal, stating its use to derive the role of gender in the relationships on SNSs (social networking sites). Due to the activity of these individuals, gender groups are the easiest and largest for SNS providers. Just as the data suggests, gender stereotypes remain consistent virtually. For example, table 2 in "The Role of Gender Differences" compared evidence for female relational interdependence and male collective interdependence. Females are more likely to ask home and family questions, more likely to stress about relationships and feelings, and more interested in social topics. Men, on the other hand, are more likely to promote their work on these networks, more likely to use SNS for educational and professional purposes, and more likely to stress their strength and power in their portrayals. While some of these data points are valid, others can be viewed as "feeding into" the stereotypes. This reenforces the idea that women are only into their looks and social life, while males prioritize their jobs and use social media to network rather than for personal enjoyment. Regardless of the setting though, gender inequality has fostered a negative ideology in the way we act, think, and speak.