WMNS 2020 (220R)- Femininities, Masculinities, Alternatives
A Hijra in India (a 3rd gender)
Term: Spring 2014
Day/Time: T TH 9:30-10:45am
Room: Buckingham Hall N101
Ms. Travesti Brazil 2013
Gender Questioning in U.S.
Instructor: Sara Jamieson, Ph.D.
Office: S120 Buckingham Hall
Office Hours: W 2-4pm
Required Texts:
Nanda, Serena 2000 Gender Diversity: Cross-Cultural Variation. Waveland Press
Several articles are posted on D2L and are to be read for the class date on which they appear
Purpose of Course /Goals and Objectives:
In this course we will approach “sex”, “gender”, and “sexuality” as fundamental aspects of the
human experience as well as analytical constructs. We will begin with an exploration of how
ideas of femininity, masculinity, and alternatives are both created and experienced in
contemporary U.S. society, as well as at earlier moments in Euro American history. We will
then study the gender systems and identities of Native North America, Polynesia, India and
Brazil. On completion of the course, students will have gained knowledge of gender-based
systems of social classification in Euro-American and non-Western societies, and acquired
knowledge of the ways in which gender impacts on the lives of women and men throughout the
world.
Goals and objectives for Student:
1. To become knowledgeable about the essential role played by gender in all human societies;
this means that we will draw on the historical framework, methodology, and research findings
of various relevant disciplines; this course is broad in scope and will integrate various
perspectives; the interrelation of knowledge will be emphasized.
2. To critically view the multiple ways in which gender is elaborated in a variety of social and
cultural constructs; this means that students will identify issues involved in human welfare and
foster cross-cultural understanding.
3. To develop a critical ability to understand and engage in on-going theoretical debates about
gender; thus I aim to foster critical and independent thought.
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4. To develop writing and communication skills.
Course Organization:
The Course is Divided Into Four Sections:
I.
Origins: Nature-Nurture, searching for the essence of a gendered humanity
II.
Theories of Gender Inequality in U.S.
III.
Cross-Cultural Case Studies on gender roles, puberty rites & sexual practices
IV.
Gender Diversity around the globe
Course Evaluation
300 pts.
2 Exams: 1 Midterm Exam (150 pts. each) and a cumulative final exam (150 pts.)
These will be part essay, part identification, and part multiple choice.
100 pts.
Group Discussion Leader Assignments, Pop Quizzes and Writing Assignments: Pop
quizzes (which cannot be made up if you miss a class) will cover information in
the readings, films, or lectures. Both pop quizzes and writing assignments will be
worth anywhere from 20-25 points.
100 pts.
Final Research Paper (75 pts & Presentation 25 pts):
This paper will be on a topic of personal interest to you. Be on alert throughout
the semester for case studies or individuals or issues who spark your interest. I
will help you choose a topic if you would like. Some examples of topics are the
transgendered Muxe of Oaxaca Mexico, the impact of Betty Friedan’s (1963)
book, The Feminine Mystique on American women and men, the Women’s
Suffrage Movement, transgender rights in the U.S. or the contemporary
movement to redefine masculinity.
=500 pts. TOTAL
Course Expectations
Student Success: To succeed in this class, you will need to attend regularly, keep up with the assigned
readings, participate in class discussions, think critically about the material we read, discuss, and watch, and
complete all assignments on time. Because studies show students who form study groups do much better than
those who study alone, I am requiring that you form study groups with your classmates for the first exam.
Given that you all live in Buckingham, this is relatively easy to coordinate.
Late and Missing Assignments: I do not accept late assignments. Neither will I accept emailed assignments. If your
printer malfunctions, use one of the many printers available on campus. Please note that if you miss an exam, I will
only allow a make-up exam in the case of a documented emergency (i.e., note from a doctor, funeral home director,
etc). If you must miss class on the date of an exam, let me know in advance so we can make arrangements for you to
take the exam early.
Attendance, promptness and participation: I will take attendance in the beginning of each class. More than 3 absences
will result in a drop of a half grade point, for example, if you have earned a B in the class, you will drop to a B-. Each
subsequent absence will drop your grade another half grade point. Missing the equivalent of 3 weeks of class (6 classes for
a T/Th class and 9 classes for a MWF class) will result in your failing this course. You are accountable for keeping up with
the assigned readings, attending class regularly and being engaged with the course content while in class. “Engaged”
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students are those who actively listen, take notes, ask relevant questions and share their thoughts about the course
material. Given that I reserve the right to makes changes to the syllabus (which I will announce during class) it is important
to attend class regularly and to ask classmates about any assignments that may have been announced when you were
absent. Arriving to class more than 5 minutes late is considered an absence. Please notify me if you have a class across
campus immediately before or after this class.
Technology in the Classroom: Silence all cell phones and place them out of sight. The use of laptops to take notes is
prohibited. Research shows that this is for your own good.
D2L: You are responsible for checking D2L Learn regularly as I may post assignments or any changes regarding our
class schedule. You are also personally responsible for verifying that your completed assignments and exam scores
have been entered into the D2L grade book. If there are assignments that you have completed but didn’t receive credit
for, the burden of proof falls on you, meaning you will have to reproduce a copy of your assignment. In other words,
always save electronic versions of your assignments.
Course Schedule (subject to change)
Week #1
T Jan. 14
INTRODUCTION TO GENDER & SEX
Introduction to course and each other
Th Jan. 16
PART 1: ORIGINS of GENDER DIFFERENCES: NATURE vs. NURTURE
Sex Difference- XX, XY & Intersex- An Intro to Gender and the Biology of Sex
1. Check out: Intersex Society of North America Web Site
http://www.isna.org/
2. READ: “Beyond Pink and Blue” (S. Preves)
Week #2
T Jan. 21
ORIGINS: The Case for Nature: Biological Determinism or the “Essentialist
Position”
1. Conduct an Internet search on testosterone and estrogen (one hit/hormone).
Read them and bring these to class with you.
2. READ: “The Trouble with Testosterone” (Robert Sapolsky)
“The Battle of Sex Differences” on Neurosexism (Cordelia Fine)
Th Jan. 23
SEX ID and Sexualities: Homo— Hetero— Bisex—Assex
1. Go to http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/sex/results.shtml and
complete your sex ID profile
2. The Prism of Gender (J. Spade & C. Valentine)
Week #3
T Jan. 28
The Nurture Case: Cultural Determinism or the “Constructivist Position”
Heteronormativity and the Gender Binary in the U.S.- History of the Gender
Binary, the Medical Model & Contemporary Struggles for Inclusiveness of “NonNormative” Sexual and Gender Identities
1. READ: “The Social Construction of Gender” (M. Anderson & Dana Hysock)
“What it Means to be a Gendered Me” (Betty Lucal)
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2. Go to: PflagBoulder.org to find out about this organization
Is there a similar organization in the city/town in which you grew up?
Th Jan. 30
READ:
“Toward a New Vision: Race, Class, & Gender as Categories of Analysis
and Connection” (Patricia Hill Collins)
“Gender and other Socially Constructed Prisms” (J. Spade & C. Valentine)
Week #4
The Case for Nature: Learning and “Doing” Gender- Socialization and
Gender Performance
T Feb. 4
CU DIALOGUES Program on Sex and Gender Identity
Th. Feb 6
READ: “Gender and Group Process” (Eleanor Maccoby)
“Playing the Gender Transgression Zone” (S. McGuffey & Lindsay Rich)
Two Origin Stories: "Genesis" [Judeo-Christian]; "Emergence"
[Apache]
Week #5
T Feb 11
Cont. Learning and “Doing” Gender
READ: “No Way My Boys are Going to Be Like That” (Emily W. Kane)
“Dude, You’re a Fag: Adolescent Masculinity and the Fag Discourse” (C.J.
Pascoe)
Th Feb. 13
READ: “The Measure of a Man: Conceptualizations of Masculinity of HighAchieving African American Male College Students” (Sean. R. Harper)
“The Pervasiveness of the Feminine Beauty Ideal in Children’s Fairy
Tales” (Lori Baker-Sperry & Liz Grauerholz)
Week #6
T Feb 18
Exam 1 & The Gendered Body
*EXAM 1*
**Required Attendance: Tues. Feb 18th at 5:30pm Screening of Miss Representation in the
Family Room**
Th Feb 20
READ:
“Tracing Gender’s Mark on Bodies, Sexualities and Emotions” (J. Spade &
C. Valentine)
“The Western Woman’s Harem” (Fatima Mernissi)
“Body Rituals among the Lauxesortem” (J. Eisenberg)
Film: Killing us Softly - 4 (45 min.)
Film: Excerpts from “Mansome” on the metrosexual
Week # 7
PART 2: ANALYZING GENDER THEORIES
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T Feb. 25
Evolutionary Theory
READ: “Men and Women in Prehistory: An Archaeological
Challenge”
**Required Attendance: Tues. Feb 25th at 5:30pm Screening of TOUGH GUISE 2 in Kitt
Central**
Psychological Theories
READ: Nancy Chodorow
READ: “The Slaying of Monsters”
Th Feb 27
Materialist Theories
& Structuralist Theories
Read: Ortner, S. -“Is Female to Male as Nature is to Culture?”
Week #8
T Mar 4
CONT. GENDER THEORIES CONCERNING the POWER of LANGUAGE
Discourse Analysis
READ: Martin, E. - “The Egg and the Sperm”
Th Mar 6
Gender and Language
READ:“A Cultural Approach to Male-Female Miscommunication”(Maltz & Borker)
“Put Down That Paper and Talk to Me!:” Rapport-talk and Report-talk (D.
Tannen)
READ: “Gender at Work” (J Spade & C. Valentine)
Week #9
T Mar 11
PART 3: GENDER SYSTEMS IN CROSS-CULTURAL PERSPECTIVE:
Socially Made Gendered Bodies and Gender Relations
The Sambia of Papua New Guinea: Masculinizing the Male Body During Initiation
READ: “Semen Transactions in Sambia Culture” (G. Herdt)
Film: Guardians of the Flute” (55 min.)
Th Mar 13
Week #10
T Mar 18
Intro to Wayuu Culture
Film Clip: Life on the Guajira Peninsula
Wayuu Girl’s Puberty Rites: Making Proper Females through Puberty Seclusions
READ: “The Wayuu Girls’ Puberty Ritual in Historical Context” (S. Jamieson)
Th Mar 20
Cont. Wayuu Puberty Rites, Urban Bodies & Wayuu Culture
Week #11
March 24-28th SPRING BREAK
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Week #12
T April 1
PART 4: GENDER DIVERSITY AROUND THE GLOBE
North American Indians
READ: Gender Diversity-pp. 1-9. Ch. 1 (pp. 11-26)
READ: “Navajo Cultural Constructions of Gender and Sexuality” (Wesley
Thomas)
“We;wha and Klah The American Indian Berdache as Artist & Priest”
(article by Roscoe)
READ: “The Rites of Gender” about We-wha, the Famous Zuni Two-Spirit
(Roscoe, W.)
Th April 3
Film: Two-Spirit (54 min.)
Week #13
T April 8
North American Indians
No class- Attend one panel at the Conference on World Affairs that relates to
this course. It begins April 7-11th.
Th April 10 READ:
Week # 14
T April 15
Th April 17
Week #15
T April 22
Th April 24
“I Am a Lakota Womyn” (Beverly Little Thunder)
“Traditional Influences on a Contemporary Gay-Identified Sisseton
Dakota” (Michael Red Earth)
“A Berdache By Any Other Name…Is a Brother, Friend, Lover, Spouse:
Reflections on a Mescalero Apache Singer of Ceremonies (Claire R.
Farrer)
India Hijras
READ: Gender Diversity Ch. 2 (pp. 27-41)
Visit this site for recent legislation regarding Hijras
http://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/2013/nov/11/hijras-now-separategender
Polynesia
READ: Gender Diversity Ch. 4 (pp. 57-70)
Film: Paradise Bent (1999; 50 min.)
Brazil
READ: Gender Diversity Ch. 3 (pp. 43-55)
READ: Excerpts from Travesti on D2L (Kulick 1998)
Read: Travesti (1998) on D2L TBA
Visit this website: http://extra.globo.com/noticias/rio/miss-travesti-brasil2013-10495894.html
*Presentations*
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Week #16
T April 29
Th May 1
Wed May 7
Gender Diversity: summary and questions
READ: Gender Diversity Ch. 6-7 (pp. 87-106)
*Presentations
Last day of class. Review for Final Exam
*Presentations
FINAL EXAM 4:30-7:00pm in this room
UNIVERSITY POLICIES (Spring 2014)
(1) On Disabilities: If you qualify for accommodations because of a disability, please submit to me a letter from
Disability Services in a timely manner so that your needs be addressed. Disability Services determines accommodations
based on documented disabilities. Contact: 303-492-8671, Willard 322, and
http://www.Colorado.EDU/disabilityservices
If you have a temporary medical condition or injury, see guidelines at:
http://www.colorado.edu/disabilityservices/go.cgi?select=temporary.html
Disability Services' letters for students with disabilities indicate legally
mandated reasonable accommodations. The syllabus statements and answers to
Frequently Asked Questions can be found at:
http://www.colorado.edu/disabilityservices
(2) On Religious Observances: Campus policy regarding religious observances requires that faculty make every effort
to deal reasonably and fairly with all students who, because of religious obligations, have conflicts with scheduled exams,
assignments or required attendance. In this class, please inform me about your religious obligations as early as possible
so that I can make arrangements with you regarding missed material, assignments and tests if applicable. See full details
at: http://www.colorado.edu/policies/fac_relig.html
(3) On Classroom Behavior: Students and faculty each have responsibility for maintaining an appropriate learning
environment. Those who fail to adhere to such behavioral standards may be subject to discipline. Professional courtesy
and sensitivity are especially important with respect to individuals and topics dealing with differences of race, culture,
religion, politics, sexual orientation, gender, gender variance, and nationalities. Class rosters are provided to the
instructor with the student's legal name. I will gladly honor your request to address you by an alternate name or gender
pronoun. Please advise me of this preference early in the semester so that I may make appropriate changes to my records.
See policies at: http://www.colorado.edu/policies/classbehavior.html and at:
http://www.colorado.edu/studentaffairs/judicialaffairs/code.html#student_code
(4) On Discrimination and Sexual Harassment: The University of Colorado at Boulder policy on Discrimination and
Harassment, the University of Colorado policy on Sexual Harassment and the University of Colorado policy on Amorous
Relationships apply to all students, staff and faculty. Any student, staff or faculty member who believes s/he has been the
subject of sexual harassment or discrimination or harassment based upon race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability,
creed, religion, sexual orientation, or veteran status should contact the Office of Discrimination and Harassment (ODH) at
303-492-2127 or the Office of Judicial Affairs at 303-492-5550. Information about the ODH, the above referenced
policies and the campus resources available to assist individuals regarding discrimination or harassment can be obtained
at: http://www.colorado.edu/odh
(5) On the Honor Code: All students of the University of Colorado at Boulder are responsible for knowing and adhering
to the academic integrity policy of this institution. Violations of this policy may include: cheating, plagiarism, aid of
academic dishonesty, fabrication, lying, bribery, and threatening behavior. All incidents of academic misconduct shall be
reported to the Honor Code Council (honor@colorado.edu; 303-735-2273). Students who are found to be in violation of
the academic integrity policy will be subject to both academic sanctions from the faculty member and non-academic
sanctions (including but not limited to university probation, suspension, or expulsion). Other information on the Honor
Code can be found at: http://www.colorado.edu/academics/honorcode/
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