Gender

8.0 Gender

  • Overview of gender as a multi-faceted concept encompassing aspects of identity, expression, and societal expectations.

8.1 Let’s Talk about Sex and Gender

  1. Sex: The biological attributes that distinguish humans as female or male, such as reproductive organs and genetic differences.

  2. Gender: A social and cultural construct that encompasses the roles, behaviors, activities, expectations, and societal norms associated with being male or female. Gender is not strictly defined by biological sex and can vary across different cultures.

  3. Sexuality: Refers to the capacity for sexual feelings, attractions, and behaviors. It encompasses a range of identities, orientations, and expressions.

  4. Sexed Bodies in the Premodern World: An exploration of how different cultures historically understood and categorized sex and gender, with inherent beliefs about body, role, and society.

  5. Contemporary Concepts of Sex and the Paradoxes of Gender:

    • a. Essentialist: The belief that gender is fundamentally linked to biological sex and implies specific roles and traits that are universally applicable across cultures.

8.2 Gender: What Does It Take to Be Feminine or Masculine?

  1. Androgynous: Combining both masculine and feminine traits, leading to a blended identity that does not conform to traditional gender binaries.

  2. Making Gender:

    • a. Transgender: Individuals whose gender identity differs from the sex they were assigned at birth.

    • b. Cisgender: Individuals whose gender identity aligns with the sex they were assigned at birth.

  3. Gender Differences Over Time:

    • a. Hegemonic masculinity: A dominant form of masculinity that asserts privileges and power over other masculinities and femininities, often associated with traditional male authority and expectations.

    • b. Feminism: A movement and ideology advocating for women's rights on the grounds of political, social, and economic equality to men.

    • c. Patriarchy: A social system in which male members of a society hold primary power, dominating in roles of political leadership, moral authority, social privilege, and control of property.

8.3 Growing Up, Getting Ahead, and Falling Behind: Gender Inequality

  1. Sexism: Prejudice or discrimination based on a person's sex or gender, often manifesting in societal or institutional practices.

  2. Growing Up With Gender: Discusses how individuals internalize gender norms from a young age and the implications on personal identity and social dynamics.

  3. Inequality At Work:

    • a. Sexual harassment: Unwanted and inappropriate behavior of a sexual nature in the workplace. It can include touching, advances, remarks, or other forms of harassment.

    • b. Emotional labor: The process by which workers manage their emotions to fulfill the emotional requirements of a job, often disproportionately affecting women in service roles.

  4. Occupational Segregation:

    • a. Glass Ceilings:

      • i. Glass ceiling: An invisible barrier preventing certain individuals (particularly women and minorities) from advancing to higher positions, despite being qualified.

    • b. Glass Escalators:

      • i. Glass escalator: A term describing the advantages that men might experience in female-dominated professions, leading to accelerated promotions and professional success.

  5. The Motherhood Penalty: The observed disadvantage in career advancement for women who become mothers, often leading to lower wages and fewer opportunities than non-mothers or fathers.

8.4 Theories of Gender Inequality

  1. Parsons’s Sex Role Theory:

    • a. Structural functionalism: A framework that sees society as a complex system whose parts work together to promote solidarity and stability, including divisions of labor based on gender roles.

    • b. Sex role theory: proposes that individuals are socialized into specific roles based on biological sex, thereby reinforcing gender norms and expectations.

  2. Psychoanalytic Theories: Suggest that gender identity is shaped within the family dynamic, particularly through interactions with parental figures.

  3. Rubin’s Sex/Gender System: A framework that examines how societies construct systems of power surrounding sex and gender, categorizing individuals and regulating sexuality.

  4. Conflict Theories: Perspectives that argue gender inequality arises from the conflict between different social groups, primarily due to power dynamics and economic disparities.

  5. “Doing Gender”: Interactionist Theories: The idea that gender is a routine accomplishment, actively constructed through social interactions and not merely an identity.

  6. Black Feminism and Intersectionality:

    • a. Intersectionality: The concept that individuals experience overlapping and interdependent systems of discrimination or disadvantage based on various identity markers, especially race and gender.

    • b. Matrix of domination: A framework recognizing that different groups experience oppression in various and interconnected ways, impacting how one navigates social structures.

  7. Postmodern and Global Perspectives: These perspectives question the universality of gender experiences and consider how globalization and cultural contexts influence gender identities and dynamics.

8.5 Sociology in the Bedroom

  1. Sex: From Plato to NATO: A historical overview of how ideas about sex have evolved, affecting societal values and norms regarding intimate relationships.

    • a. Bisexual: A sexual orientation characterized by the attraction to both males and females.

  2. The Social Construction of Sexuality:

    • a. Sexuality and Power: The idea that sexuality is often intertwined with power dynamics, affecting how individuals express and experience sexual identities.

    • b. Same-Sex Sexuality:

      • i. Homosexual: Pertaining to sexual attraction to individuals of the same sex.

  3. Contemporary Sexualities: The Q Word:

    • a. Heteronormativity: The societal assumption that heterosexuality is the default or normal sexual orientation, often marginalizing other sexual identities.

  4. “Hey”: Teen Sex, From Hooking Up To Virginity Pledges: An analysis of adolescent sexual behaviors and contemporary moral frameworks surrounding sex, such as the trend of virginity pledges.

  5. Sex and Aging: Discusses how sexual identities and behaviors continue to evolve as individuals age, addressing common stereotypes about sexuality in older adults.

8.6 Conclusion

  • Summarizes the key themes explored in the chapter regarding gender, sexuality, and inequality, reiterating the importance of understanding these complex social constructs.