Gender Studies Lecture Notes Review

A collection of key vocabulary terms and their definitions from gender studies and historical contexts discussed in the lecture notes.

Cisgender

Performs gender the same as their biological sex.

Transgender

Performs gender different from their biological sex.

Gender

Not biological; it is social and a performance.

Historical Context of Gender

Views of women as inferior date back to early philosophical works like those of Aristotle.

Plato's view on women

Thought women could be reasonable if freed from domesticity.

Menstruation

Historically seen as abnormal and used to justify women's discrimination.

Life Expectancy

Women typically live longer than men; women: 80.2 years, men: 74.8 years.

Double Bind

A situation where an individual faces conflicting demands or expectations.

Protective Legislation

Laws enacted to protect women in the workplace, often based on the assumption of their physical inferiority.

Affirmative Action

Policies designed to favor individuals belonging to groups known to have been discriminated against.

White Privilege

Societal privilege that benefits white people over non-white people.

Sexual Harassment

Unwanted sexual advances that create a hostile work environment.

Quid Pro Quo

A favor or advantage granted in return for something.

Hostile Environment

A situation where conduct creates an intimidating or abusive working environment.

Glass Ceiling

An invisible barrier preventing women and minorities from rising to higher positions in organizations.

Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

A U.S. law allowing eligible employees to take unpaid, job-protected leave for specified family and medical reasons.

Meritor Savings v. Vinson

A landmark case which determined that sexual harassment is a violation of the Civil Rights Act.

Intersectionality

The interconnected nature of social categorizations such as race, class, and gender as they apply to an individual or group.

Doing Gender

The idea that gender is a routine, methodical, and recurring accomplishment in social interactions.