Unit 3- Sexism and Gender Inequality

Front: What is patriarchy?

Back: The elevation of all stereotypical male traits over all non-male traits; literally means “father’s rule.”

Front: What does women taking their husband’s name symbolize?

Back: Symbolic branding—women were considered property of men; if they wandered off, they could be “brought back.”

Front: What question challenges people who claim not to be sexist?

Back: If people aren’t sexist, why do social outcomes still reflect sexism?

Front: What is feminism?

Back: The full restoration of dignity for all women/non-men; an existential commitment to humanity.

Front: What is prejudice?

Back: A biased or negative idea; pre-judgment.

Front: What is discrimination?

Back: Acting out prejudice.

Front: What is sexism?

Back: An unequal power relationship between men and women/non-men, reflected and reproduced in all major social institutions.

Front: Can women engage in sexism toward men?

Back: No, women can’t engage in sexism because they lack institutional and collective power on the basis of sex.

Front: What institutions reflect sexism?

Back: Schools, medical system, politics, criminal justice, legal system, economic system, workplace, religion, and entertainment.

Front: How is society structured in terms of gender?

Back: Society is structured in a binary “either/or” way, though real experiences are complex and gray.

Front: What institution holds the most power in society?

Back: The economic system.

Front: What traits are valued in the economic system?

Back: Ambition, intelligence, wealth, competitiveness, and rationality—traits coded as male.

Front: How many CEOs are women, approximately?

Back: About 5% of CEOs are women.

Front: What do women often have to do to succeed in leadership roles?

Back: Adopt “male” traits and suppress traits fundamental to being human.

Front: What do ads sell besides products?

Back: They sell normalcy and the idea that consumers are lacking something.

Front: What keeps the advertisement industry running?

Back: Consumers believing it’s normal to think they’re not good enough or pretty enough.

Front: Who are the majority of ads designed toward?

Back: Women.

Front: What dual issue do women face in modern society?

Back: Living in fear of sexual assault while also being objectified.

Front: What do most people believe about XX chromosomes?

Back: That they influence the way we grow up and become who we are.

Front: What is sex?

Back: A biological designation that distinguishes females from males (XX, XY).

Front: What is gender?

Back: A social position; a set of social arrangements built on the notion of sex.

Front: Can something socially constructed have real consequences?

Back: Yes, even though it is not biologically “real,” it has very real social consequences.

Front: How do people “become” a man or woman?

Back: One is not born, but rather becomes a man or woman through socialization.

Front: What are gender roles?

Back: A set of behavioral norms assumed to accompany a person's status as male or female.

Front: Are there major gender differences before puberty?

Back: No, girls and boys don’t have much difference until puberty.

Front: How do gender roles influence desires and life choices?

Back: They funnel people to believe certain likes and desires are natural, reproducing perceived differences.

Front: How do gender roles impact sexuality?

Back: They influence desires and preferences.

Front: What is hegemony?

it’s how power and dominance become accepted as normal or natural.

Front: What is hegemonic masculinity?

Back: The dominant, privileged category of men (visible and invisible) that shapes culture and reinforces patriarchy.

sexism

system of beliefs that assert the inferiority of one sex and that justify discrimination based on gender

sexism at personal level

attitudes and behaviors communicated in everyday interaction

Q: What are descriptive gender stereotypes?

A: Beliefs about what men and women actually do.

Q: What are proscriptive gender stereotypes?

A: Beliefs about what men and women should do (e.g., women: sensitive, passive; men: assertive, competitive, independent).

Q: How does sexism affect social interaction?

A: Women are constantly reminded of inferior positions, and men take social arrangements that serve their interests for granted.

Q: What is objectification?

A: Treating people as objects, particularly reducing women’s social value primarily to their looks.

Q: How do men and women differ in bodily demeanor due to socialization?

A: Women’s demeanor is restrained, takes up less space, expresses submission; men’s demeanor is expansive, conveys power.

Q: Who is more at risk for sexual harassment in the workplace?

A: Women, especially in service and blue-collar jobs.

Q: What is the effect of sexual harassment and assault on women?

A: Reinforces positions of dominance and power, limits freedom, and has negative psychological effects.

Q: What challenges do LGBTQ Americans face?

A: Discrimination, bullying, threats, violence, negative treatment from families, and anti-LGBTQ attitudes leading to self-harm.

Q: What is rape as a means of social control?

A: Historically used to exert control over women, limit their freedom, deny self-determination, and subordinate them economically and socially.

Q: How does victim blaming manifest in the U.S.?

A: Cultural beliefs and legal responses often focus on women’s complicity, blameworthiness, or dishonesty; victims must prove their innocence.

Q: What is the ideology of “biology as destiny”?

A: Belief that men and women are biologically different, used historically to justify unequal treatment and limit women’s opportunities.

Q: How have institutions historically been masculinized?

A: Social institutions incorporate masculine values (aggressiveness, competition, efficiency), making it harder for women to enter or succeed.

Q: How does gender inequality manifest in health and healthcare?

A: Women face higher premiums, intrusive medical attention, underrepresentation in research, and assumptions of biological frailty affecting authority and work.

Q: How does industrialization affect gender roles at home?

A: Men dominate the marketplace; women’s household labor remains undervalued and unpaid, reinforcing gendered division of labor.

Q: How does gender inequality appear in education?

A: Girls outperform boys academically, but societal beliefs undervalue girls’ abilities in math and science, affecting career paths and college majors.

Q: How does gender inequality manifest in the economy?

A: Women earn less, face discrimination, limited career mobility, and workplace obstacles like penalties for maternity leave or family-friendly policies.

Q: What is the sex-segregated workplace?

A: Women enter male-dominated occupations, but men rarely enter female-dominated ones; occupations dominated by women are paid less.

Q: What is the wage gap?

A: On average, women earn about 80 cents for every dollar a man earns; the gap widens with age and persists even in the same occupations.

Q: How can gender inequality be remedied?

A: Increase women’s access to traditionally male occupations, ensure nondiscriminatory practices, and implement broader public policies.

Q: What is the global devaluation of women?

A: Women remain physically and economically disadvantaged worldwide; no country has achieved full gender equality.