"What is a Woman?" -- Simone De Beauvoir

Just as Saussure believed every society has a premandated image for each word, Simone de Beauvoir believes images are engrained into our psyche from birth of gender roles and lack there of. De Beauvoir states in, "The Second Sex," "What is a woman? 'Totamulier in utero' [or] 'woman is a womb.'" Woman have been attempting to even the battle field with their masculine counterpart by attempting to become masculine as well. She also stated, "Are there really women?"
If women are continuously attempting to change the image of what gender roles are, what then constitues a woman from a man besides physical differences? I immeditely think of woman weightlifters and body builders. Some are accused of taking steroids in order to reach their ideal body image, but in the long run, a woman begins to trade her feminine frame for a masculine, non-curvy solid form. Is this not a major form of equalizing the battle field of male and female? I think women and men are supposed to look different for a reason, because we are different. We have different functions, physically, mentally and emotionally. I am not saying a woman should be in the home raising babies and making dinner while the man should be working in the world. I merely believe woman and men are meant to conquer different obstacles in different ways.
Another example of signs being mental images in our psyche that, as Saussure has suggested, relates a sound image automatically, depending on what society you are born in, is the use of clothing. Women are expected to wear certain attire while men are expected to adhere to a different attire.
De Bouvior states, "In truth, to go for a walk with one's eyes open is enough to demonstrate that humanity is divided into two classes of individuals whose clothes, faces, bodies, smiles, gaits, interests, and occupations are manifestly different." Clothing represents ones gender-- if someone were then to wear clothing expected from the opposite sex, they are assumed to be more of that opposite sex. We should not be judging eachother by what we wear. Of course our society has precursors of what a man and a woman should do to keep the world in a constant balance. But HELLO, our world is tilted on an axis!!! We are not balanced and never will be.