Chapter 11: Sex, Gender, and Sexuality

SOCI 1301

Sex

the biological and anatomical differences between females and males

Primary sex characteristics

the genitalia used in the reproductive process

Secondary sex characteristics

the physical traits (other than reproductive organs) that identify an individual’s sex

Intersex person

a person who’s born with a reproductive or sexual anatomy that doesn’t correspond to the typical definitions of male or female

Transgender person

an individual whose gender identity doesn’t match the person’s assigned sex at birth

Crossdresser

a male who dresses as a women or a female who dresses as a man but does not alter their genitalia

Sexual orientation

an individual’s preference for emotional-sexual relationships with members of the different sex, the same sex, or both

Homophobia

extreme prejudice and sometimes discriminatory actions directed at gays, lesbians, bisexuals, or others who are perceived as not being homosexual

Gender

the culturally and socially constructed differences between females and males found in the meanings, beliefs, and practices associated with “femininity” and “masculinity”

Gender role

the attitudes, behavior, and activities that are socially defined as appropriate for each sex and are learned through the socialization process

Gender identity

a person’s perception of the self as female or male

Body consciousness

how a person perceives and feels about their body

Sexism

the subordination of one sex, usually female, based on the assumed superiority of the other sex

Patriarchy

a hierarchical system of social organization in which cultural, political, and economic structures are controlled by men

Matriarchy

a hierarchical system of social organization in which cultural, political, and economic structures are controlled by women

Gender stratification: Hunting and Gathering societies

relative gender equality

Gender stratification: Horticultural and Pastoral societies

decreasing gender equality

Gender stratification: Agrarian societies

low women’s status

Gender stratification: Industrial societies

low women’s status

Gender stratification: Postindustrial societies

varied gender equality

Gender bias

consists of showing favoritism toward one gender over the other

Who shows the most gender bias?

teachers

Gender-segregated work

the concentration of women and men in different occupations, jobs, and places of work

Labor market segmentation

the division of jobs into categories with distinct working conditions

Gendered pay gap

the disparity between women’s and men’s earnings

Comparable worth (pay equity)

the belief that wages ought to reflect the worth of a job, not the gender or race of a worker

“Sandwich Generation”

when persons are caught between the needs of young children and their older relatives

Gender Stratification: Functionalist and Neoclassical economic perspectives - the human capital model

individuals vary widely in the amount of human capital they bring to the labor market

How is human capital acquired?

by education and job training

Gender Stratification: Conflict perspectives

the gendered division of labor within families and in the workplace results from male control and dominance over women and resources

Feminism

the belief that women and men are equal and should be valued equally and have equal rights

Liberal feminism

gender equality is equated with equality of opportunity

Radical feminism

male domination causes all forms of human oppression

Socialist feminism

the oppression of women results from their dual roles as paid and unpaid workers in a capitalist economy

Multicultural feminism

race, class, and gender are forces that simultaneously oppress these women