Module 8

sex

the anatomical biological characteristics of women and men

trans

people whose gender identity does not match their assigned sex at birth

gender identity

someone’s internal sense of being male, female, etc.

asexual

sexual orientation where someone does not experience sexual attraction toward any gender

sexuality

the way people experience and express themselves sexually

intersex

someone who does not fit conventional male or female sex categories

gender

socially constructed expectations associated with a given sex category

gender binary

categorization of people as male or female

cisgender

gender identity that corresponds to sex assigned at birth

two-spirited

some indigenous use this as a way of distancing themselves from the gender binary imposed by colonial society, while other see it as a holistic expression of gender, sexuality, and spiritual identity

heteronormativity

sexual activity between people of the opposite sex is the natural sexuality

heterosexuality

preference for members of the opposite sex as sexual partners

gender roles

behaviours that conform to expectation of how male and female should act

essentialism

gender differences are a reflection of biological differences between women and men

functionalism

traditional gender roles help integrate society. gender role socialization teaches each generation to peform such roles. society becomes integrated when men and women adopt conventional feminine and masculine characteristics

conflict theorists and feminists

essentialists ignore the historical and cultural variability of gender, it generalizes from the average which ignores variation in gender groups, little evidence directly supports essentialists claims, and essentialists explanations for gender differences ignore the role of power

engels

class inequality is the root of male domination; men gain power over women when preliterate societies first produced more than the amount required for their own subsistence

conflict theorists and feminists

behavioural differences between women and men results more from men being able to impose their interests on women than in essential differences between them

essentialists

view masculinity and femininity as innate and universal traits of men and women that derive from biological/social necessity

social constructionists

social processes sustain apparently natural or innate features of life; symbolic interactionism is a variant of this

glass ceiling

a social barrier that makes it difficult for women to rise to the top level of management

queer theorists

people’s capacity for erotic expression cannot be reduced to sex or gender

sexual orientation

someone’s pattern of physical, romantic, and emotional attraction to individuals of a different, same, or no gender, which can vary over time

liberal feminism

the main sources of women’s subordination are learned gender roles and the denial of opporunities to women. they advocate nonsexist methods of socialization and education, more sharing of domestic tasks between women and men, and the extension to women of all the educational, employment, and political rights and privileges that men enjoy

socialist feminists

women’s relationship to the economy is the main source of women’s disadvantages. Socialist feminists assert that the reforms proposed by liberal feminists are inadequate because they can do little to help women in the working class, who are too economically marginalized to take advantage of equal educational and work opportunities. Socialist feminists conclude that only the elimination of private property and the creation of economic equality can bring about an end to the oppression of all women.

radical feminists

find the reforms proposed by liberals and the revolution proposed by socialists to be inadequate. Patriarchy—male domination and norms justifying that domination—is more deeply rooted than capitalism. the idea of gender must change to end male domination

postfeminists

young women who take their equality with men for granted

sex discrimination

unequal treatment of men and women in the workplace

horizontal occupational sex segregation

unequal sex distribution of workers across occupations

vertical occupational sex segregation

the unequal sex distribution of workers within occupations

motherhood penalty

tendency for women who become mothers to experience drop in earnings

fatherhood premium

tendency for men who become fathers to experience a boost in earnings

what is the gender wage gap caused by

In sum, the gender wage gap is not based on inherent differences between men and women. It is the result of social circumstances.

how can we eliminate the gender gap in the labour market

Two main policy initiatives will probably be required to bridge the gender gap: the development of a better child-care system and of a policy of “equal pay for work of equal value.”

equal pay for work of equal value

the equal dollar value of different jobs; the value of work is established in gender-neutral terms by comparing jobs in terms of the education and experience needed to do them and the stress, responsibility, and working conditions associated with them.

sexual harassment

any conduct, comment, gesture, or contact of a sexual nature that is likely to cause offence or humiliation to any employee, or that might, on reasonable grounds, be perceived by that employee as placing a condition of a sexual nature on employment or on any opportunity for training or promotion