• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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• v.41 no.9
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• pp.149-161
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• 2003

The purpose of this study is to investigate the subjective experiences of female college students about how they accept, resist, and interpret their gender identities and roles. The research data were autobiographic essays reflecting research participants' gender identities internalization process. Thirty essays were chosen, and carried by qualitative content analysis. It turned out that most of these female students were not blessed their birth among their family members only because of their sexes. On the one hand, these female students were restricted their behaviors by their sexes in their daily lives such as responsibility on household work, not permitting drinking, late returning home, and sexual behavior before marriage. On the other hand, they sometimes took advantage of their sexes for self-rationalization. But they were proud of the fact that they will be mothers someday. It seemed that motherhood was center for their female identity.