Chapter 10: Inequality on the basis of gender and sexuality

for exam #3

how much percent do women make of the US congress?

28%

motherhood penalty:

disadvantage faced by women in the workplace due to the unequal distribution of caregiving responsibilities

gender nonconforming:

individuals whose behavior, appearance, or expression does not align with societal expectations of masculinity or femininity

sex of a person:

• biological characteristics

• chromosomes, hormones, anatomy

gender:

• social and cultural meanings

• roles, expectations, identity

• learned and performed

gender idenity:

internal sense of self

gender expression:

• external presentation

• clothing, voice, behavior

sexual orientation with examples:

• refers to emotional, romantic, sexual attraction

• examples: heterosexual, gay, lesbian, bisexual, asexual

sexual and gender minority:

includes: LGBTQ+, intersex, nonbinary

• umbrella term

• groups facing social disadvantage

socialization agents:

• family

• peers

• schools

• media

gender role socialization:

• process of learning gender roles

• includes socialization agents

• gender norms are culturally produced

doing gender:

• west & zimmerman (1987)

• gender performed in everyday interaction

• clothing, voice, body language

what reinforces gender norms?

social reactions

biological essentialism:

assumes gender differences are natural, this ignores cultural variation

two-spirit:

indigenous people use this to describe people who embody both masculine and feminine spirits

theories focus on:

• social stability

• power and oppression

• economic systems

• race, class, and global inequalities

society:

system of interrelated parts

the gender division of labor:

• George murdock

• studied over 200 societies

• found gender-based division of labor worldwide

• argued specialization was efficient

what are the two family roles?

1. instrumental role (provider, breadwinner)

2. expressive role (caregiver, emotional support)

what are the critiques of functionalism?

it assumes that gender roles are natural and ignores inequality and power

feminist theory:

explains gender inequality, focuses on womens unequal position in society

liberal feminism with examples:

inequality rooted in discrimination and unequal opportunity and focuses on legal reforms

examples: equal pay act, civil rights legislation

patriarchy:

system of male domination

radical feminism:

focuses on patriarchy, oppression is rooted in family and social institutions

socialist feminism:

focuses on capitalism and patriarchy, gender and class inequalities intersect

transnational feminism:

• focus on global inequalities

• examines colonialism and globalization

• gender inequality varies worldwide

postmodern feminism:

this rejects single explanation of gender inequality and emphasizes diversity of experiences

functionalism:

gender roles promote stability

gender shapes:

• hiring

• promotion

• pay

• workplace culture

• occupational opportunities

what is the glass ceiling?

invisible barriers to advancement for women

the glass escalator:

men in female-dominated professions often get promoted faster

the glass cliff:

women promoted during crisis so they have a greater chance of failure and the success is harder to sustain

#metoo movement:

this movement created more reporting and public discussion about women

housework is shaped by:

• gender

• marital status

• parental status