Chapter 9 notes

Gender Stratification

• Definition: Gender stratification refers to the unequal distribution of wealth, power, and privilege between genders in society.

• Sociological Significance: It serves as a mechanism for controlling and restricting female members' access to social, political, and economic opportunities, which are often primarily reserved for males.

Sex vs. Gender

• Sex: Biological characteristics, such as chromosomes, anatomy, and hormones, that differentiate male from female.

• Gender: The social, cultural, and psychological attributes attached to being male or female, shaped by societal norms and expectations.

Gender Roles

• Definition: The expected behaviors, attitudes, and feelings associated with being male or female in a particular culture.

• Examples:

  • Boys are socialized to become leaders and earn wages.

  • Girls are socialized to emphasize youth and attractiveness, commonly preparing for homemaking and motherhood.

Gender Typing

• Process: Incorporating characteristics of culturally defined gender roles into one’s personality.

• Historical Context: Work types have been gender-typed, e.g., construction for men and caregiving for women.

Gender Stereotypes

• Definition: Overgeneralized beliefs about the differences between men and women, assuming biological superiority in certain tasks.

Sexism

• Definition: Action that discriminates against one sex, often targeting women under the belief of male superiority.

Sexual Double Standard

• Definition: The perception that specific behaviors are acceptable for one gender but not for the other, affecting individual actions based on gender norms.

Sexual Harassment

• Definition: Any unwanted sexual advances, primarily occurring in the workplace due to power imbalances.

• Key Points:

  • Both men and women can be victims or harassers.

  • The harassment can be from supervisors, co-workers, or external parties.

  • Victims do not need to be the target of harassment directly; they can be affected by the conduct.

  • Conduct must be unwelcome for it to be deemed harassment.

Glass Ceiling vs. Glass Escalator

• Glass Ceiling: The metaphorical barrier preventing women from rising to top management positions due to sexism.

• Glass Escalator: Men in traditionally female professions (e.g., nursing) often receive faster promotions compared to their female counterparts.

Second Shift

• Concept: Women who are employed still face the expectation to manage household responsibilities after work, often resulting in a double workload.

Feminism

• Philosophy: Advocates for equality between women and men across political, economic, and social spheres.

• Feminist Theory: Critiques women's social realities and proposes ways to improve their status and rights.

Waves of Feminism

• First Wave: Focused on legal rights, particularly suffrage; characterized by both radical and conservative branches.

• Second Wave: Emerged in the 1960s, addressing issues like workplace equality and social reform regarding violence against women.

• Third Wave: Concentrates on global women's rights, challenging various systemic issues like education access, reproductive rights, and cultural violence.

Violence Against Women

• Issues: Women have historically faced violence due to physical disparities and social power dynamics.

• Types of Violence: Domestic violence, sexual assault, and honor killings, where women may be killed for supposedly dishonoring their family.

Women and Social Structure

• In Education: Gender biases exist in classroom dynamics, with teachers overlooking women's contributions and discouraging them from pursuing higher level math and sciences.

• In Mass Media: Men often occupy leading roles in media portrayals, while women are depicted in passive or sexualized roles, misrepresenting their capabilities.

• In Workplace: Women face pay gaps (earning $0.85-0.90 per dollar earned by men in similar roles) and are underrepresented in leadership positions.

• In Athletics: Title IX mandates equal funding for women's sports, but funding disparities still exist due to prioritization of male sports programs.

• In Religion: Major religions often reflect gender biases, with women often limited to supportive roles and denied leadership opportunities.

• In Arts: Contributions by female artists are often undervalued compared to their male counterparts, highlighting historical patterns of male dominance in art and culture.

Gender Stratification
Gender stratification refers to the unequal distribution of wealth, power, and privilege between genders in society.

Sexual Harassment
Sexual harassment is defined as any unwanted sexual advances, primarily occurring in the workplace due to power imbalances. Both men and women can be victims or harassers, and the harassment can come from supervisors, co-workers, or external parties. Notably, victims do not need to be the target of harassment directly; they can be affected by the conduct, which must be unwelcome for it to be considered harassment.

Sex
Sex refers to the biological characteristics, such as chromosomes, anatomy, and hormones, that differentiate male from female.

Gender
Gender refers to the social, cultural, and psychological attributes attached to being male or female, shaped by societal norms and expectations.

Feminism
Feminism is a philosophy that advocates for equality between women and men across political, economic, and social spheres. Feminist theory critiques women's social realities and proposes ways to improve their status and rights.

Three Waves of the Women’s Rights Movement

• First Wave: Focused on legal rights, particularly suffrage; characterized by both radical and conservative branches.

• Second Wave: Emerged in the 1960s, addressing issues like workplace equality and social reform regarding violence against women.

• Third Wave: Concentrates on global women's rights, challenging systemic issues such as education access, reproductive rights, and cultural violence.

Glass Ceiling
The glass ceiling is a metaphorical barrier preventing women from rising to top management positions due to sexism.

Glass Escalator
The glass escalator refers to the phenomenon where men in traditionally female professions (e.g., nursing) often receive faster promotions compared to their female counterparts.

Acquaintance Rape Reporting
Many acquaintance rapes go unreported in society due to various factors including:

• Victims often fear not being believed or blamed for the assault.

• There may be worries about repercussions for their social life, particularly if the perpetrator is someone they know.

• Some victims may experience shame or guilt, contributing to their decision to remain silent about the incident.