ch 10 gender

sex

the biological differences distinguishing male and female 

gender

the social not the physical

• Social expectations about behavior regarded as appropriate for the members of each sex 

social construction of gender

rejects biological gender differences

gender identities emerge in relation to perceived sex differences in societies and cultures which turn in shape and even perpetuate those differences

biological essentialism

rationalizes and legitimizes gender differences as the natural and inevitable consequences of the intrinsic biological natures of women and men.

“natural”

gender binary

the belief that there are only two genders: male and female, and that everyone must fit into one of these two categories.

transgender

umbrella term for gender identity differing from the gender they were assigned at birth 

intersex

individuals with both male and female genitals 

• rare, sociologists become interested with how people around react

gender identity

how individuals see and describe their own gender 

gender roles

social roles assigned to each sex and labeled as masculine of feminine 

agents of gender soc

school, media, religion, public policy

hegemonic masculinities

social norms dictating that men should be strong, self reliant, and unemotional

emphasized femininity

set of socially constructed ideas about model womanhood 

gender stereotypes

Research shows that college-educated White males in professional jobs identify potential leaders as people who are like them. Women are thus assessed negatively because they deviate from this norm

agender

describes a person who does not identify with any gender or feels they have no gender.

gender fluid

a person whose gender identity can change or shift over time.

genderqueer

a person whose gender identity does not fit traditional categories of strictly male or female.

social construction of gender around world

depending on cultural traditions, beliefs, and social norms. This demonstrates that gender expectations are learned rather than being entirely biological.

college/majors

women focus on fields associated with caring and nurturing, whereas men tend to pursue fields that emphasize logic and analysis.

female-typed and male-typed majors - pressure from society and socialization

early socialization

girls wear pink and play with barbies, boys do the opposite

• leads to pressure to fit into one category

pay gap

narrowed in recent years,

white women earned 82% as much as male counterparts

gender typing

expanding areas of lower level work - secretarial or retail sales - attract a substantial proportion of women

• Job hierarchies are built around the assumption that men will occupy superior positions, while a stream of women will flow through subordinate jobs.

glass ceiling

a promotion barrier that prevents women’s upward mobility

male dominated fields

glass escalator

men’s rapid ascent up the hierarchy when they work in female-dominated professions

glass cliff

a situation in which women are promoted to higher positions during times of crisis or turmoil or amid an economic recession, when the chance of failure is more likely

sexual harassment

unwanted or repeated sexual advances, remarks, and behavior that are offensive to the recipient and cause discomfort or interfere with job performance.

• power imbalances facilitate this

STEM fields

draw a scientist, most kid drew a man

women are underrepresented in these fields

politics

women are becoming more important, but far from equality - slow pace

tend to be affiliated with Democratic Party

separate spheres

woman is supposed to be the caretaker and the man in supposed to provide

dual earner households

a family in which both partners work and earn income, rather than having only one partner financially supporting the household.

second shift

Women go out and work all day and come home and start their

impact of marriage

influences family structures, social relationships, economic resources, gender roles, and child-rearing.

human capital theory

wage differences are the result of differing characteristics of men and women 

• Those who invest more in their own skills and knowledge are considered more productive and consequently are paid higher wages.

liberal feminism

gender inequalities are rooted largely in social and cultural attitudes

• sexism and discrimination in the workplace

• do not see women’s subordination as part of a larger system or structure

radical feminism

the belief that men are responsible for, and benefit from, the exploitation of women.

socialist feminism

key themes of marxist theory, capitalist society is oppressive toward ethnic minorities and working class and poor persons

focuses on the ways that gender and social class intersect.

black feminism

concentrates on the problems facing black women

emphasize aspects of the past that inform current gender inequalities in the Black community

• slavery, civil rights movement

transnational feminism

focuses on intersections between nationhood, race, gender, sexuality, and economic exploitation against backdrop of global capitalism

postmodern feminism

challenges the idea that all women share a single basis of identity and experience.

reject the claim that there is a grand theory that can explain the position of women in society or that there is any universal category of “woman.”

doing gender

symbolic interaction

• how people perform and present their own identity, what does it look like 

sexuality

encompasses behaviors, attractions, identities 

• Multiple dimensions - considerable variation

sexual identity

refers to how a person understands and identifies their own sexuality, including their sexual orientation and how they describe themselves in relation to attraction.

sexual orientation

an umbrella term which encompasses behaviors, attractions and identities

refers to one’s enduring emotional, romantic, or sexual attraction to other people.

heterosexism

 the belief that heterosexuality is superior to other sexual orientations, along with individual and institutional discrimination against those with other orientations 

sexual scripts

 teach us what is appropriate behavior for each gender 

compulsory heterosexuality

Assuming heterosexual relationships are the standard - force it on people even if they deviate 

sex education

lacking in public and private schools, can lead to more teen pregnancy and poor decision making

Kinsey study

revealed a tremendous discrepancy between the narrow beliefs about sexual behavior that prevailed at that time and actual sexual conduct taking place

• work was announced as immoral

• People participating in sexual activities that were still strongly disapproved of on a public level concealed them, not realizing that others were engaging in similar practices behind closed doors.

functionalism sexuality

Regulation of sexual behavior is functional for society 

• Prevents instability and conflict 

• Latent functions 

conflict theory sexuality

Perpetuates inequality - race, gender, class 

• Sexual violence results from power imbalances, particularly between men and women

symbolic interaction sexuality

Sexual identity is a social construction 

• Experiences shaped by society and culture 

• Queer theory - no fixed or stable identities - sexual identity is fluid, society is characterized by homophobia

queer theory

no fixed or stable identities - sexual identity is fluid, society is characterized by homophobia