Ch. 10-Gender & Sexuality
I.
Sex-biological distinction between males and females
Gender-personal traits and social positions that members of a society
attach to being male or female; cultural understandings about what
constitutes masculinity and femininity
Gender roles-social and cultural expectations associated with each
sex; gender is socially constructed and subject to change over time.
Gender is learned behavior. Margaret Mead’s research-gender roles
are learned-1935
Gender stratification-the unequal distribution of wealth, power and
privilege between men and women
Patriarchy-a system of male dominance
II.
Sex and Gender-Theoretical Perspectives
a. Functionalism-gender roles provide clear social norms
Critics: does not explain need for traditional gender roles in
modern society
b. Conflict-traditional gender roles oppress women
c. Symbolic Interactionist-gender roles negotiated
Critics: lack of attention to macro level processes
III.
Social Institutions
a. Family-gender identity learned through socialization (social
learning; modeling); patriarchy-a form of social organization in
which males dominate females-most societies are patriarchal.
Men tend to work better and harder when married. Further, their
wages increase as well.
Wives who work outside of the home and are responsible for
traditional household tasks, along with raising children, are said to
assume “the second shift.” Hochschild’s research.
b. Education-Sadker’s research-boys given more encouragement in
school. Hidden curriculum often reinforces traditional gender
2
Gender
roles. Girls less likely to take STEM or advanced computer
classes, continue to take traditionally female fields of study such
as nursing or education.
c. Work-earnings disparity-in 2010, the median income for women
was $34,700; for men it was $42,800
Feminization of labor-the rise of female labor participation in all
sectors and the movement of women into jobs traditionally held by
men. While women overtake men in college enrollment, they
remain overrepresented in traditional female fields of study.
Reasons for earning disparity:
1. type of work-pink-collar (low-wage service occupations
traditionally done by females); traditional female fields of
study
2. childcare-by age 40-90% of men but only 35% of women in
executive positions had children
3. discrimination-glass ceiling for women vs glass escalator for
men
IV.
Global Perspectives & The Global Women’s Movement
70% of those who live in poverty are women
2/3 of those who are illiterate are women
Half the Sky-(Kristof and WuDunn)
Globalization and the rise of a global economy have created or
exacerbated a variety of inequalities faced by women. Traditionally,
the global Women’s Movement has focused in issues such as
reproductive rights, labor issues, eliminating sexual harassment and
violence towards women, and the right to vote. The global women’s
movement has grown dramatically in recent years because of
problems created for women by globalization and because of the
increased ability of those working on behalf of the movement to travel
globally and to communicate with one another.