DefinitionsDefinitions

Sex Sex The biological distinction The biological distinction between males and femalesbetween males and females

Gender- Gender-

Culturally learned differences Culturally learned differences between men and womenbetween men and women

Gender IdentificationGender Identification

An individual’s internal sense or An individual’s internal sense or perception of being male or perception of being male or

femalefemale

Gender Role Gender Role

The behavior patterns, obligations The behavior patterns, obligations and and privileges that are considered privileges that are considered appropriate for each sex appropriate for each sex

Cognitive InfluencesCognitive Influences

Cognition: Cognition:

The act or process of The act or process of knowing knowing including both including both awareness and awareness and judgmentjudgment

Cognitive assignment of gender occurs as Cognitive assignment of gender occurs as the child grows up…….the child grows up…….

1)1) Child categorizes self as boy or girl Child categorizes self as boy or girl

2)2) Begins to value maleness or femalenessBegins to value maleness or femaleness

1)1) Begins to act according to gender Begins to act according to gender expectationsexpectations

2)2) Views his behavior against these Views his behavior against these expectationsexpectations

Gender role is learned Gender role is learned fromfrom

Observation of parents Observation of parents and other significant and other significant persons (e.g., tv)persons (e.g., tv)

Reinforcement and Reinforcement and punishment by parents, punishment by parents, older sibling peers, teachersolder sibling peers, teachers

Cultural InfluencesCultural Influences

Society prescribes Society prescribes

How a male or female ought to look How a male or female ought to look and behaveand behave

What type of personality s/he ought What type of personality s/he ought to haveto have

What roles s/he should performWhat roles s/he should perform

B.B. Class exerciseClass exercise

Read the following personality Read the following personality traits and identify whether these traits and identify whether these are typically male or female in are typically male or female in your culture.your culture.

Male or Female Trait?Male or Female Trait?

ActiveActive AdventurousAdventurous AffectionateAffectionateAggressiveAggressive AttractiveAttractive AutocraticAutocraticCourageousCourageous DaringDaring DependentDependentDominantDominant DreamyDreamy EmotionalEmotionalEnterprisingEnterprising FearfulFearful ForcefulForcefulIndependentIndependent ProgressiveProgressive RobustRobustRudeRude SensitiveSensitive SentimentalSentimentalSevereSevere Soft-heartedSoft-hearted SternSternStrongStrong SubmissiveSubmissive UnemotionalUnemotionalSuperstitiousSuperstitious WeakWeak WiseWise

Striking agreement on gender Striking agreement on gender stereotypes by college students stereotypes by college students from 25 different countriesfrom 25 different countries

2/3 agreed to the following gender 2/3 agreed to the following gender roles:roles:

ActiveActiveAdventurousAdventurousAggressiveAggressiveAutocraticAutocratic

Courageous Courageous DaringDaring

DominantDominantEnterprising Enterprising

ForcefulForcefulIndependent Independent ProgressiveProgressive

RobustRobustRudeRudeStern Stern

Severe Severe StrongStrong

UnemotionalUnemotionalWiseWise

Affectionate AttractiveDependant DreamyEmotionalFearfulSensitiveSentimentalSoft HeartedSubmissiveSuperstitiousWeak

In general, In general,

Male stereotype is centered on a Male stereotype is centered on a set of traits called “instrumental” set of traits called “instrumental”

Female stereotype is centered on Female stereotype is centered on “communal” traits“communal” traits

Wage InequitiesWage Inequities

Update from 2001 Bureau of Labor Statistics of the chart on page 328 of Robertson’s chapter on Social Inequalities in Reader II:

National median annual wage for full time male employees was $37,544

National median annual wage for full time female employees was $28,184

The average woman earns 75% The average woman earns 75% of of the the average man average man

Steady increase from 60% in Steady increase from 60% in 1975 1975 to 78% in 1993 (see to 78% in 1993 (see Reader Reader IIII))

Has remained relatively steady Has remained relatively steady since thensince then

Average woman has less Average woman has less education than average maneducation than average man

Average woman has less job Average woman has less job experience than average man experience than average man (due to child rearing leave, which (due to child rearing leave, which women take more than men)women take more than men)

Reasons for inequities Reasons for inequities (or non-comparable worth)(or non-comparable worth)

Employers perceive Employers perceive women as less able women as less able and less committed and less committed than menthan men

Old boy network; Old boy network; women prevent women prevent other women from other women from rising (competing)rising (competing)

Education InequalitiesEducation Inequalities

Statistics from US Census, people Statistics from US Census, people aged 25 and older in 2000aged 25 and older in 2000

PercentagePercentageAll RacesAll Races BlacksBlacks

MaleMale FemaleFemale MaleMale FemaleFemale

High School High School Diploma or Diploma or Equivalent or Equivalent or higher higher

84.284.2 84.084.0 78.778.7 78.378.3

Bachelor’s Bachelor’s Degree or Degree or higherhigher

28.528.5 25.125.1 16.516.5 17.717.7

In the Virgin Islands in 2000, according to In the Virgin Islands in 2000, according to the US Censusthe US Census

60.6% of people 25 and older 60.6% of people 25 and older graduated from high school or have a graduated from high school or have a GED (compared to 84.1% in USA)GED (compared to 84.1% in USA)

16.8% of people 25 and older 16.8% of people 25 and older graduated from college (compared to graduated from college (compared to 26.2% in USA)26.2% in USA)

Research in Jamaica, Barbados and Research in Jamaica, Barbados and St. Vincent in 1994-5, revealed that St. Vincent in 1994-5, revealed that girls achieve higher scores in school girls achieve higher scores in school (Parry, 1996 in (Parry, 1996 in Reader IIReader II) Possible ) Possible reasons includereasons include

Cultural expectationsCultural expectations

Male = machoMale = macho

Academics = “effeminate,” “sissyish” & Academics = “effeminate,” “sissyish” & “nerdy”“nerdy”

So, male students conform to gender So, male students conform to gender identity and few males enter education identity and few males enter education as a professionas a profession

Teachers differentiate subject areas Teachers differentiate subject areas along gender linesalong gender lines

Woodworking, technical drawing = maleWoodworking, technical drawing = male

Home nutrition, English = femaleHome nutrition, English = female

Teachers have clear expectations of Teachers have clear expectations of gender-appropriate behavior in gender-appropriate behavior in classroomclassroom

““Rough” and “boisterous” = maleRough” and “boisterous” = male

Males who do not follow expectations Males who do not follow expectations receive peer and teacher pressure to receive peer and teacher pressure to conformconform

Teachers have different expectations Teachers have different expectations of gender-specific response to of gender-specific response to verbal disciplineverbal discipline

Conceal response to verbal Conceal response to verbal chastisement (esp. sarcasm) = chastisement (esp. sarcasm) = malemale

Reading assignments for Reading assignments for Gender:Gender:

““Inequalities of Gender and Age” by Ian Inequalities of Gender and Age” by Ian Robertson in Robertson in Reader IIReader II. .

Please note that the research and conclusions by Please note that the research and conclusions by John Money on page 316 have been refuted. John Money on page 316 have been refuted. Disregard that paragraph.Disregard that paragraph.

““Class, Race, and Gender Issues in Child Rearing Class, Race, and Gender Issues in Child Rearing in the Caribbean” by Elsa A. Leo-Rhynie in in the Caribbean” by Elsa A. Leo-Rhynie in Reader Reader II.II.

““Caribbean Masculinities and Educational Failure” Caribbean Masculinities and Educational Failure” by Odette Parry in by Odette Parry in Reader IIReader II..