Gender-February 12

I thought this week's reading called "Leadership for Change" relied too heavily on gender based stereotypes in an effort to analyze the weaknesses of the patriarchal structure of leadership.  I understand the article's purpose is to highlight the positive aspects of women's nature and apply it to organizational structure.  However, the article focuses too much on criticizing masculine stereotypes rather than accepting the challenge of eliminating gender and incorporating leaderships strategies that are relevant to all.  According to Kokopeli and Lakey, women's organizations are more successful due to the nurturing tendency associated with womanhood.  In contrast, patriarchal groups are likely to rebel due to men's desire to maintain the most power and control.  We have learned that gender is a social construct based on biology.  However, the binary understanding of sex and gender are limiting and therefore reject humans who do not conform to either categories.  Due to this, Wittig argues that classification based on gender must be eliminated from the public.  This article, on the other hand, distinguishes gender quite clearly.  In fact, it reinforces gender roles that patriarchal authority thrives on.  If a well organized, democratic group is to be egalitarian, it must recognize that each person is a human.  Each person can get away with their thoughts when they feel passionate about a project or idea.  It is not in the best interest of an organization to restrict these tendencies based on sex.