Kimmel The Gendered Society Chaps 1-9

Gender Inequality

gender is not simply a system of classification by which biological males and biological females are sorted, separated, socialized into equivalent sex roles

Biological Determinism

The idea that all humans behavior is determined by genes, brain size, or other biological attributes

Differential Socialization

men and women are different because we are taught to be different

Interplanetary Theory of Gender

"Boys are from mars and girls are from venus"

Invisibility of Privilege

the way in which people in majority identities can consider themselves generic and universally generalizable and not acknowledge their privileged position while also assuming that others have the same opportunities and rights as they do

Hegemonic definition of manhood

states men are above women

emphasized femininity

women do whatever to please the men

deceptive distinctions

differences come from your position in society rather than gender

What is Kimmel's argument throughout the book?

Gender inequality is a result of gender differences

Social Constructionist Approach

we are who we are because we are socially constructed to believe something

Evolutionary Imperative

says that our reproductive choices are genetic

Just-So story

our genes are not our drive to reproduce

Example of 5 monkeys

testosterone exaggerates the aggression that is already there

Finnish Study

testosterone correlates with hostility only among violent men

Hermaphrodite

a person born with both male and female characteristics

Biological Essentialism

politically conservative because these arguments tend to postulate that the status quo is a part of the unchangeable state of nature

essentialism

things have preset characteristics

Gender Inversion

as if women were the reference point against which gay and straight were to be measured

Arapesh culture

all members are passive, gentle, emotionally warm; shared childrearing

Mundugamor

Both sexes are aggressive

Tchambuli

males = feminine

females = masculine

Functionalist Theory of labor

posits that a sex-based division of labor was necessary from the start for the preservation of society

Sexual division of labor

the assignment of different tasks between males and females

Coltrane

-the closer the father and son; society views the mother as having done a better job

- the more mothers and fathers share child rearing, the less men belittle women

Sanday/male domination

-is lower when men and women work together and is higher when men control political and ideological resources

-environmental stressors exaggerate male domination

Navaho

masculine men, feminine women, and Nadle (ambiguous)

Southeast Asia and South Pacific

Two-spirit person (cross dressing)

Mohave

Alyha - male adopts female role

Hwame - female adopts male role

male

female

Middle East

Xanith - males identify as females

Evolutionary biologist argue:

homosexuality is an aberration

gender fluidity

your own view of gender changes from childhood to adulthood

enthocentrism

judging another culture solely by values and standards of one's own culture

Androgyny

the combined presence of socially valued, stereotypic, feminine and masculine characteristics

Miller and Swanson believed:

All children begin life as FF and boys pass through Oedipal Stage and change

Parson two types of masculinity

instrumental - rationality, autonomy, and competitiveness

expressive - tenderness and nurturing

Bem Sex Role Inventory

explored the content of sex roles

Sex Role Theory

acquire our gender identity then we choose to behave either like a man or a woman

3 Levels of Social Constructions

1. Identity

2. Interaction

3. Institution

Gender is...

1. relational

2. situational

Agents of socialization

family, education, religion

gender socialization

what masculinity and felinity mean to us changes throughout our lives

gender processes all have...

gender inequality

intersexuality

people have a midway between a penis and vagina

sexual terrorism

reminders to women that we are vulnerable and targets b/c of our gender

Separation of Spheres

Men go work and women stay home

"Crisis of the Family"

women entered the labor force

feminine mystique

gave working women a political peg upon which to hand their aspirations and longings

traditional family is a _______ not a reality

normative idea

Gender socializations begins:

at birth

Problem with Day Care

No national funding

real problem: divorce

US divorce rates are higher than any other country

real problem: child custody

typically favors the mother

real problem: family violence

overwhelming amount of family violence is perpetuated by men

what do the families of the future need in order to be successful?

dramatic change of roles in men

gender policing

making sure that no one contravenes the rules of masculinity

school as a gendered workplace

women - elementary and kindergarten teachers

men - college professors

Title IX

Federal Law that:

-Guarantees any student regardless of their gender identity or presentation safe passage through the school system -Abolished sex discrimination in schools

-Mandated that women's sports be funded equally

fundamentalism

seek to return women to their rightful place

Promise Keepers

people who bring men back to the church

Two parallel problems with reengaging men in religion

1. increase mens involvement

2. make women's roles at least equal

"emotion work"

women set up a job for it to be easier for the man

"glass ceiling"

keeps women from moving upward in the business

"sticky floor"

keeps women on the minimum wage

"glass escalator"

men get promoted so much easier than women

"glass cellar"

men who are stuck in the most hazardous and dangerous jobs

tokenism

men enter a women occupation and vice versa

Anita Hill

started the sexual harassment movement

Pay Equity Act

can't pay different wages to males and females

"mommy track"

discrimination towards mothers have to stop

Gender Neutral Job Comparison System

measures job more fairly that comparable work programs

5 Sociology Big Institutions

Family

The economy

Polity (government structures)

Religion

Education