Gender Identity and Sexuality

How does culture shape sex, gender, and sexuality?

Culture influences the definitions and expectations of sex, gender, and sexuality, leading to diverse identities and roles across different societies.

What are gender ideologies and how do they change?

Gender ideologies are beliefs about gender roles that evolve over time and vary widely across cultures.

What was the basis of gender ideologies in the 19th to mid-20th century U.S.?

They were based on biological determinism, asserting that males and females are fundamentally different and 'naturally' attracted to each other.

What is the difference between sex and gender?

Sex is biological, while gender consists of culturally-invented expectations that are fluid and not strictly binary.

What are examples of third gender roles?

Two-spirit people in Native American cultures and hijras in India.

How are public and domestic spheres defined in large, stratified societies?

Men dominate the public sphere, while women are associated with the domestic sphere, emphasizing social separation and male control.

What is an example of a cultural practice that reflects male dominance?

Honor killings, where women are killed due to suspicions of dishonorable sexual behavior.

How do alternate models of gender differ from patriarchal structures?

In non-patriarchal societies, gender roles may be more equal, non-binary, and fluid, with couples working in complementary dyads.

What hypothesis about male dominance emerged in the 1960s?

The 'Man the Hunter' hypothesis, which suggested that male dominance is rooted in our primate heritage.

What is a critique of the 'Hunting Way of Life' narrative?

Primate groups are not all patrifocal, and gathering food was often a more stable means of subsistence than hunting.

How does culture define family beyond biological relationships?

Family is a cultural construct that includes social roles, legal relationships, and societal regulations regarding kinship.

What is unique about Na people's family structures?

Na people have various family structures, including patrilineal households and extended families where young adults explore relationships without formal marriage.

What challenges exist in defining male dominance?

Dominance is complex and influenced by economics, power, authority, and cultural beliefs, making it difficult to study universally.

What was Ruth Landes' argument about matriarchy in Brazil?

She claimed that Candomblé represented a matriarchal community where women held power, though her conclusions have been disputed.

What significance did Hillary Clinton's candidacy have in the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election?

She was the first female candidate to represent a major political party, facing scrutiny and double standards related to gender.

What is heteronormativity?

Heteronormativity is an often-unnoticed system of rights and privileges associated with normative sexual choices and family formations.

What defines transgender identity?

Transgender individuals experience a gender identity that differs from their assigned sex at birth and may or may not transition.

How do cultural understandings of sexuality differ globally?

Labels like 'lesbian' or 'gay' are culturally specific; in many cultures, same-sex behavior is seen as an action rather than an identity.

What are examples of culturally specific sexual identities?

Toms and Dees in Thailand, and Lalas and Tongzhi in China.

What role do women play in anthropology?

Women are more likely than men to bring families during fieldwork, but disparities in rank and publication rates between male and female professors persist.

What is the focus of gender studies in anthropology today?

Gender studies now includes masculinity studies, examining how boys and men learn to perform manhood and the culture of violent masculinity.