SOCI2410 Sociology of Gender Lecture Notes

SOCI2410 Sociology of Gender: Winter 2026

Class Schedule and Events

  • Date of Lecture: Monday, January 26

  • Topic of Discussion: Gendering Classification

  • Reading: Londa Schiebinger's article "Why Mammals are Called Mammals: Gender Politics in Eighteenth-Century Natural History" from Nature's Body: Gender in the Making of Modern Science (1993)

Upcoming Event: Teach-in on Human and Charter Rights in Alberta

  • Date: Wednesday, January 28

  • Location: Andy's Place, Anderson Hall Room 100

  • Event Duration: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM

  • Organized by: ULFA's Gender Equity and Diversity Committee (GEDC)

  • Event Description: A series of panels featuring experts from the U of L discussing recent legislative bills in Alberta and their societal implications.

Event Schedule:

  • 9:00 AM: Welcome

  • 9:30 - 11:30 AM: Panel Topic: "Trans Lives Matter: Resistance & Renewal"

  • 11:30 AM: Speaker: ULFA President

  • 11:45 AM: Presentation: "Orlando"

  • 12:00 PM: Performance: Songs of Solidarity and Struggle

  • 1:00 - 3:00 PM: Panel Topic: "Notwithstanding Clause: History & Practice"

  • 3:00 - 4:00 PM: Panel Topic: "Fairness notwithstanding: Sport, transantagonism, and policing the gender binary"

Key Text: Londa Schiebinger's "Mammals"

  • Author: Londa Schiebinger, John L. Hinds Professor of History of Science, Director of Gendered Innovations at Stanford University.

Insights from Schiebinger's Article

  • Main Concept: Schiebinger argues that Linnaeus' system of classification was influenced by the sociopolitical context of his time, thus intertwining scientific categorization and societal norms.

    • Quote: "Zoological nomenclature - like all language - is to some degree arbitrary; naturalists devise convenient terms to identify groups of animals. But nomenclature is also historical, growing out of specific contexts, conflicts, and circumstances." (Page 392)

  • Significance of Linnaeus' Classification:

    • Linnaeus' categorization of species served to reinforce cultural norms, particularly regarding gender roles.

    • Argument: The term "mammalia" legitimized the sexual division of labor by suggesting a naturalized role for females, both human and nonhuman, in caring for offspring through suckling and nurturing.

    • Quote: "Linnaeus's term mammalia helped legitimize the sexual division of labor in European society by emphasizing how natural it was for females—both human and nonhuman—to suckle and rear their own offspring." (Page 409)

Discussion on Gender Identity

  • Gender Identity: Refers to an individual's intrinsic sense of their gender, which may or may not align with societal norms. It is personal, complex, and context-dependent.

  • Key Terms:

    • Gender Expression: The external manifestation of one's gender identity, expressed through clothing, hairstyle, movement, gestures, mannerisms, and other outward behaviors.

    • Cisgender: A term describing individuals whose gender identity corresponds with the sex assigned to them at birth.

    • Transgender (Trans): An umbrella term for individuals whose gender identity differs from the sex they were assigned at birth.

    • Nonbinary: Individuals identifying outside the binary framework of male and female.

    • Third Gender: Terms that may affect those who don't fit strictly into the historical binary of gender.

    • Other identities include: gender fluid, androgynous, trans masculine/feminine, demi-, neo-, agender, gender expansive, genderqueer, gender nonconforming, Two-Spirit, and culturally-specific terms.

Small Group Discussion Prompts

  1. What are the benefits of increasing the precision of our language around personal identity and gender?

  2. What potential drawbacks might arise from using very specific terminology?

  3. What other factors should be considered in discussions about gender and identity?

Reminder for Next Class

  • Note: Attend the ULFA's Teach-in at Andy's Place (AH100) during the scheduled class period on January 28.