"Friendship remains more important in contemporary lives than current gender theories attest. It continues to be little theorized even though friendships in fact provide significant emotional support, especially for young adults undergoing the stresses of insecure economies, more mobile relationships, and confusion around gender and sexuality. Although people of all ages enjoy and benefit from friendships, friendship is increasingly associated with youth, leisure, same-sex bonding, and experiences of consumption within shared markets of sports, travel, and shopping. While friendships bless people with the pleasures of similarity and comradeship, I argue that a major function of the institution of friendship is that it _______ individuals that they are performing gender appropriately and so _______ society's established gender norms and other social boundaries. On the other hand, contemporary friendships are indeed changing shape."

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The correct answer is A) reassures; reinforces because the passage discusses how friendships provide emotional support and help individuals navigate through life's challenges, including those related to gender and sexuality. It suggests that friendships play a role in reassuring individuals about their gender performance and reinforcing societal gender norms and boundaries.

"Friendship Remains More Important in Contemporary Lives Than Current Gender