SOC100 - Lecture 8 Gender inequality

ascribed status

statuses assigned to individuals at birth or assumed involuntarily later in life

achieved status

statuses that individuals do have at least some control over

master statuses

an individual in one which in most or all social situations will dominate or overpower all other statuses

* coined by Everett Hughes

verstehen

empathetic understanding of human behavior

* walking in someone else’s shoes

standpoint theory

knowledge stems from social position

epistemology

branch of philosophy that examines the nature and origins of knowledge

feminist

the belief in social, economic and political equality for the sexes

feminism

as a theoretical category and movement is an ideal type

patriarchy

system of male domination in society

what are the 4 tenets of feminism?

* focuses on various aspects of patriarchy
* male domination and female subordination are determined not by biological necessity but by structures of power and social convention
* examines operation of patriarchy in micro and macro settings
* existing patterns of gender inequality should be changed for the benefit of all members of society

sex

a person’s biological classification as a male, female or intersex

sexuality

a person’s sexual orientation, which comprises that person’s sexual attraction, behaviour and identity

gender

socially constructed identity that traditionally corresponded to the binary sexes, male and female but also includes non-binary identities

non-binary

any gender identity that is not strictly male or female all the time and so does not fit within the gender binary

cisgender

a person for whom their gender identity matches the sex they were assigned at birth

gender identity

each person’s internal and individual experience of gender

gender expression

the way someone presents themselves in terms of gender

gender roles

parts of gender prescribed by society outside of one’s self

intersex

general term used for the variety of ways in which a person is born with an anatomy that doesn’t fit the conventional biological definitions of female or male

how do we define sex biologically?

* chromosomes
* internal reproductive organs
* reproductive hormones
* reproductive genitals
* ability to bear children

social construct

idea created and accepted by the people in a society through interactions and social processes

evolutionary theory

* reject the fact that humans are above nature
* highlights how diversity ensures survival

heteronormativity

the belief that sexual activity between people of the opposite sex is the natural expression of sexuality

trans

umbrella term that covers all gender identities/expressions that transgress society’s rules/conceptions of gender

cultural diffusion

spreading of ideas and issues between countries

male privilege

social, economic and political advantages or rights that are available to men solely on the basis of their sex

sexism

belief that innate psychological, behavioral and/or intellectual differences confirm the superiority of men over women

innate

refers to something being natural, inherent, instinctive or something one is born with versus something learned or taught

structural sexism

the ways in which the organization of society and specifically its institutions, subordinate individuals based on their sex

* product of gender socialization (stereotypes)

cultural sexism

the ways in which the culture of society perpetuates the subordination of individuals based on their sex

what does second shift refer toÉ

where women work full time and also work more hours then men at home with childcare and chores

traditional masculinity

the normal societal expectations for men

hegemonic masculinity

aspects of masculinity that promote the dominant social position of heterosexual men and the subordinate position of women and non heterosexual men

hegemony

the legitimating norms and ideas that promote the dominance of one group over another

toxic masculinity

the norms that lead to negative behaviours like sexual harassment, domestic violence

bad apple theory

there is no larger problem or issue but the problem exists at the individual level

* problematic

what does the term fatherhood premium refer to?

the way that employers have been found to see men with families as more dependable and better workers resulting in promotions and wage boosts

how would a symbolic interactionist look a situation to understand toxic masculinity?

* look at the was assault affects women and men on a personal level

how would a conflict theorist look a situation to understand toxic masculinity?

* look at the balance of power and how men are much more often in authority positions that allows for abuse unchallenged

asexual

a person that usually does not feel sexual attraction to anyone

agender

not having a gender identity or having a neutral identity

polygender

characteristics of multiple genders, deliberately refuting the concept of only 2 genders

xenogender

a nonbinary gender identity that cannot be contained by human understandings of gender

* lexical gap

lexical gap

an absence of a word in a particular language