Gender Status and Power (lecture 2)

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GENDER, STATUS, AND POWER

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WHAT IS GENDER?

• Sex vs. Gender

  • Sex: Refers to biological differences in genetic composition, reproductive anatomy, and function.

  • Gender: Describes socially defined traits and characteristics that society deems acceptable for males and females.

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GENDER: A BROADER DEFINITION

• A classification system that influences access to power and resources.

• Shapes the relations among women and men.

• Pervasive at various levels:

  • Societal

  • Interpersonal

  • Individual

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INFLUENCE ON SOCIETIES AND CULTURES

• Hierarchical structures are influenced by gender.

• Power: The ability to control outcomes for others by providing or withholding resources.

• Status: Social standing that elicits respect.

• Most modern societies exhibit patriarchy.

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GENDER AND POWER

• Men primarily create laws (only 24.3% of women worldwide are in congresses/parliaments).

• Organized religion contributes to maintaining the patriarchal structure.

• Men dominate public forums, commentary, and entertainment.

• Only 31% of TV directors in the 2018-2019 period were women.

• Men generally possess more wealth and leisure time across societies.

• Women have restricted access to education.

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GLOBAL GENDER GAP INDEX

• Health and Survival

• Educational Attainment

• Economic Participation and Opportunity

• Political Empowerment

• No country has reached complete equality in this index.

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JUSTIFYING GENDER INEQUALITY

• Legitimizing Myths: Attitudes, values, and beliefs that justify hierarchical social practices.

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JUSTIFYING GENDER INEQUALITY

• Types of discrimination include:

  • Prejudice

    • Sexism, racism, heterosexism, ableism, and ageism.

  • Discrimination

    • Impacts job hiring, promotions, education, and finance.

  • Oppression

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LOVE AND GENDER IN SOCIAL INTERACTIONS

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EXPRESSION OF FEMININITY AND MASCULINITY

• Major gender construction occurs through women's appearance in industrialized cultures.

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GENDER AS A PRESENTATION OF SELF

• Self-Presentation: Acting out a self that responds to societal expectations.

  • Differentiates between in-person vs. internet presentation.

  • Involves self-fulfilling prophecies and portrays gender as a performance.

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STUDIES SUPPORTING THESE THEORIES

• Mock Job Interviews:

  • Study (Latu et al., 2015) shows men rated higher can influence perceptions of women’s competence, affecting their hiring potential.

• Perceived Attractiveness and Personality:

  • Study (Snyder et al., 1977) illustrated how men’s perception of attractive women positively impacted evaluation by blind judges.

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GENDER IN CONVERSATION

• 96% of interruptions in male-female dialogues are initiated by male speakers.

• Intrusive Interruptions: Active attempts to dominate the conversation by ending others' turns.

• Contextual significance: Men dominate in higher-stakes situations.

• Concept of "Mansplaining" emerges here.

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NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION

• Nonverbal dominance reinforces status inequality.

• Observations:

  • Women tend to smile more than men in social contexts.

  • High-status individuals often indicate their status through touch.

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STRESSORS

• An increase in daily hassles corresponds with higher rates of anxiety, depression, anger, low self-esteem, and social discomfort.

• Women of color face more sexist experiences than their white counterparts, encountering:

  • Microaggressions: Brief verbal or behavioral indignities communicating hostile or derogatory attitudes.

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STATISTICS ON SEXIST EXPERIENCES

• Treatment unfairness based on various categories (e.g., teachers, co-workers) shows significant percentages of individuals experiencing sexist events over a lifetime or year.

• High percentages of confrontations with sexism indicate widespread issues affecting women.

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WHY TOLERATE SEXIST HASSLES?

• Belief systems intertwine dominant behavior with masculinity.

• Concepts of backlash and the double bind contribute to gender management strategies.

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GENDER SHAPES INDIVIDUALS

• Gender Typing: Acceptance of social distinctions related to gender, where individuals conform to predefined traits, behaviors, and roles.

• Denial of Personal Discrimination: Slower action for change when individuals do not feel a personal sense of injustice.

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SEXISM

• Ambivalent Sexism: Encompasses both hostility and benevolence towards women.

• Hostile Sexism: Beliefs that regard women as inferior and threaten male dominance.

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SEXISM

• Benevolent Sexism: Views women as special and deserving protection, which can be problematic as it:

  • Exaggerates differences between genders.

  • May lead women to accept restrictions under the guise of care.

  • Erodes women's confidence regarding their abilities and perpetuates competence stereotypes.

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HOW CAN WE CHANGE INGRAINED BELIEFS ABOUT GENDER NORMS?