Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458. All rights reserved

Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458. All rights reserved.



Chapter 4: Gender


Core Concepts


The Difference Between Gender and Sex

Gender The behavioral, cultural, and psychological traits

associated with being male or female Sex

• Refers to the biological makeup of males and females, especially in terms of their reproductive organs and bodily structures

• Difficult to find significant differences between baby boys and girls, especially right after birth

• Not until early childhood the gap between genders widens


Continued

Girls have strong tendency to be more verbal, compliant, and empathetic

Boys exhibit more aggression and independence

Studies suggest that socialization is part of the cause

Process of learning gender roles continues throughout childhood and into adolescence


Gender Construction and Identity

Idea regarding what is and is not “normal” for a particular gender not based on biological set of traits• Product of social behavior

Childhood is primary time for developing and understanding these standards• Children follow cultural rules and try to meet

the expectations of gender they perceive themselves to be

Gender Identity


Continued

Sociologists West and Zimmerman• There is a difference between “doing gender”

and “having gender” “Doing gender” refers to act of matching

one’s behavior to certain set of gender-related standards

“Having gender” refers to simply being male or being female

• Constructs can become so fixed that children who don’t fit the mold are often ostracized


Patriarchy

Patriarchy• Social system in which men control majority of power

and exert authority over women and children Matriarchies

• No pure matriarchies exist in the world• Some women may seem to have more influence than

men In most cultures, there are clear lines of male

dominance in the social system• Women in general have less power in society


Sexism

Sexism• Belief that one sex is superior to the other

In a patriarchy• Women typically viewed as weak and incapable

of matching man’s physical or intellectual prowess

Even in societies that give women same civil rights as men• Different standards placed on women

Income inequality


The Lolita Effect

Dr. M. Gigi Durham• The Lolita Effect: The Media Sexualization of Young Girls

and What We Can Do About It• 5 common myths about sex and sexuality:

Girls don’t choose boys. Boys choose girls, but only sexy ones

There is only one kind of sexy—preferably Caucasian Girls should work to be that type of sexy The younger a girl is, the sexier she is Sexual violence is sexy

• Myths believed to be true by impressionable girls


Gender Roles

Gender Roles• Society’s expectations of how males and

females should think and act• Men assumed to be tough and authoritarian

Policemen, politicians, businessmen• Women nurturing and tolerant

Nurses, social workers, housewives• Our society still imposes gender roles on

children


History of Gender Differences


Rooted in Religion

Gender differences and stratification often have their roots in religion• Early Christians blamed Eve for fall of man• Over time, Christianity transferred this belief to

society Gender inequality stems from and

contributes to religious beliefs around the world


Present in the Early Colonies

Same themes followed women to the colonization of the Americas

Although women important to functioning of new society• Still treated as second-class citizens• Couldn’t own property or inherit land

Colonization was a small step toward female rights


Effects of the Feminist Movement

Feminism• Philosophy based on political, social, and

economic equality of sexes Specifically, woman’s right to have same

opportunities as a man Mary Wollstonecraft

• A Vindication of the Rights of Woman in 1792 One of earliest examples of feminist thought Argued for woman’s right to education Set off other forms of feminist thought


Continued

Three distinct “waves”• First wave started by early feminists:

Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady• Protested legal inequality• Led to passage of the 19th Amendment ratified in 1920

• Second wave began in the 1960s with rise of women’s liberation movement

Betty Friedan: The Feminine Mystique• Introduced idea that a woman could and should seek

personal fulfillment outside home and family Era also brought to light other controversial issues

• Women’s reproductive rights and domestic violence


Continued

Third wave began in early 1990s• Branched out to protect rights of minorities and

underprivileged women• Maxine Hong Kingston, Gloria Anzaldua, bell

hooks (née Gloria Jean Watkins), and Audre Lorde

Called attention to how race, capitalism, and gender affect the lives of women throughout the world


Does Gender Make aDifference?


Education

52 percent of college graduates are women Men earn majority of science and engineering

degrees Income Gap

• Difference in earnings between different demographics• Becomes wider with higher levels of educational

background Woman’s education is not valued as much as a

man’s?




Work

Income gap between men and women created great divide in the workplace

Women earn just $0.77 for every $1 that a male counterpart makes

Gap is a financial burden and stifles woman’s career advancement and devalues her efforts


Continued

Choices women make in workplace have an effect on how much they’re paid• Women choose positions that offer flexibility

rather than high salary• Avoid extensive overtime or business travel

because of home responsibilities• Tend to take breaks in work careers due to

maternity leave or child-rearing duties


Continued

2007 Cornell University study• Mothers are penalized in the workplace• Perceived by employers as less competent and

offered lower starting salaries than equally qualified childless women

• Men aren’t similarly penalized for being parents


Politics

2008 presidential election groundbreaking on many levels• Realization of the first African American president• Potential for first female president or vice president of

the United States Only 17 of the 100 members of the Senate are

women Women account for only 17% of House of

Representatives Women face same double standard in politics as

they do in educational institutions, social settings, and workplace



Health

Women have a life expectancy seven years longer than men

Women start to outnumber men by around age 35• Gap continues to grow with age

Despite longer life expectancy, women often suffer from health disadvantages• Heart disease is number-one killer of women in US• Females not always given same aggressive treatment

for heart attacks Due in part to faulty idea that women are not as

susceptible to heart attacks


Theories of Gender Related to Social Problems


Feminist Theory

Feminist theory examines how gender affects experiences and opportunities of men and women

Feminists seek to achieve the following:• Greater equality in the workplace and in

schools• Equal opportunities for men and women• A world in which rights, opportunities, and

income are no longer stratified by gender• An end to sexual violence


Continued

Central theme of feminism is equality for all people

Two major groups• Radical feminism and Liberal feminism

Liberal feminists tend not to stray from primary focus of feminism• Equal rights

Women should receive equal pay for equal work The right to hold political office Same educational and professional opportunities as

men Safety from domestic violence


Continued

Radical feminists• Believe in the same core concepts as liberal feminists• See men as the social dominators• Blame patriarchal system for all forms of oppression in

society Class oppression and racial oppression

• Believe that radical action must be taken Women should avoid taking on any traditional roles

through marriage or childbearing Women should avoid participating in capitalism

because structure favors men


Functionalism

View society as system of many parts working together to form a whole

Examine how different gender roles complement each other and help society run smoothly

Children watch and learn from parents and step into these roles early in life• Girls expected to help mothers with domestic chores• Boys primed to work outside the house as fathers do


Conflict Theory

Interested in the struggle for power between groups• Especially economic power

“Feminization of Poverty”• Women more likely to be poor than male counterparts• Result of job and wage discrimination in system

Friedrich Engels• Women were actually the first group to be oppressed


Symbolic Interactionism

Look at micro-interactions of daily life and how they influence the ways in which issues are perceived

Gender role definitions more fluid in society today than 50 years ago• Societal views on household labor have been

modified


Social Policies in Place to Prevent Domestic Violence


Preventing Domestic Violence

Oppression becomes abuse• When it starts to cause physical, emotional, sexual, or

psychological harm National Institute of Justice and the Centers for

Disease Control and Prevention 2000 survey• A large number of these crimes go unreported

Only 1/5th of rapes, 1/4th of physical assaults, and 1/2th of stalking committed against women by their intimate partners are reported


Continued

Abuse is about power and control and can come in many forms• Some abusers use intimidation• Children involved in the relationship may be

used as pawns in the struggle• Abuse can occur through no contact at all

Isolating the victim and making her feel insecure and alone

• Any physical attack is considered abuse


Continued

Resources available to help victims• Often too scared or ashamed to come forward• Don’t understand that what they’re

experiencing is illegal and undeserved. Law enforcement and community

organizations• Initiated campaigns against sexual assault and

domestic violence


Title IX

1972, Patsy T. Mink Equal Opportunity in Education Act (Title IX)• Prohibits exclusion of any person from

participation in an educational program on basis of gender

• Most extreme controversial effect Allocation of funding to female

extracurricular activities, specifically sports• Though women’s participation in athletics has

increased, goal of equality still not met


Continued

Still fail to receive equal funding for sports programs in girl’s schools• receive 45% of Division I scholarship money

and only 32% of recruiting dollars Title IX requires equal treatment of male and

female teams Does not require schools to spend equal

amounts of money on male and female athletes

Documents

Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458. All rights reserved