Sex and Gender Syllabus
Dr. Margaret Gonsoulin
Office Hours: MWF 12:15-1:30 & M 5:15-6pm
Office Location: SS 226
Office Telephone: 278-7731
Email: mgonsoulin@csufresno.edu
Location and Times: MWF 10-10:50 in IT101
Course Description: Teaching about “taken for granted” social differences in our society is one the
hardest tasks that we do as sociologists. Gender is one of these “taken for granted” social differences. A
constant in our lives, it is hard to see the underlying social structures, everyday discursive and active
behaviors, and relational interactions that reinforce or diminish the social boundaries defining gender.
Furthermore, social difference is often seen as function of personal choice and not of structural
constraints. One way to overcome the essentialist arguments is to take a comparative approach – either
historically or cross-culturally. This class will work to describe the state of current American systems of
sex and gender, and then, it will occasionally turn to other systems from past times, American subcultures or world cultures to aid the understanding of the dominant American culture.
Books:
1. Reading Women’s Lives by Pearson Custom Publishing (noted “Text” on syllabus)
2. Additional readings will be put into a booklet and can be purchased at the print/copy department
in the bookstore (noted “reader” on syllabus)
Tests and Papers
 Three exams during the semester. Exams are multiple-choice :
 Exam 1 (15%)
 Exam 2 (15%)
 A comprehensive final exam (20%)
 Three written assignments are required (described in detail below). You will need an electronic as
well as a paper copy; instructions are below in the syllabus.
 One page paper as a response to the film “Is it a boy or a girl?” (15%)
 One page paper entitled “The kind of feminist I am” (15%)
 Four page paper based on a combination of readings and scavenger hunt materials (20%)
Week 1 –
M – 8/28 - Introduction
W – 8/30 – Biological Variation in Gender (Text: Hubbard)
F – 9/1 Film – “Is it a boy or a girl? (Text: Coventry)
Response Paper on “Is it a boy or a girl?” due Friday 9/8
Week 2
M – 9/4 No Class for Labor Day!
W – 9/6 Psychological Explanations of Gender
F – 9/8 Using Psychological Theories (READER: Chodorow)
*****Monday September 11th is the last day to drop.
Week 3
M – 9/11 Women’s place in human history
W – 9/13 Cross-Cultural Sociological Theories
F – 9/15 CCST Part II (READER: Blumberg)
Week 4
M – 9/18 CCST Part III
W – 9/20 CCST Part IV
F – 9/22 Discussion /Catch up time
Week 5
M – 9/25 Cultural Sociological Theories (Text: DeBeauvoir)
W – 9/27 Cultural Theories (Text: Lorber)
F – 9/29 Discussion Day/Catch-up Time
Week 6
M – 10/2 Exam 1
W – 10/4 Feminist Theory (Text: Hogeland)
F – 10/6 Liberal Feminism (Text: Truth)
Week 7
M – 10/9 Radical Feminism (Text: Faludi)
W – 10/11 Discuss 3 Feminism lectures on blackboard (Reader: Gilligan, Butler, & Text: Martinez)
F – 10/13 Men’s Studies (Reader: Torres & Steinem)
Extra Points Paper- see instruction in course policies - due Wednesday 10/18, no exceptions.
Week 8
M – 10/16 Education & Women (Text: Keirnam)
W – 10/18 Work & Gender (Text Kessler-Harris)
F – 10/20 Work & Gender (Text: Waring)
Paper “The Kind of Feminist I am.” Due Friday 10/27
Week 9
M – 10/23 Work & Gender
W – 10/25 Discussion / catch-up time
F – 10/27 Sexuality Studies (Text: Pharr & Katz)
Week 10
M – 10/30 Film - We are Dad
W – 11/1 Discussion / catch-up time
F – 11/3 US Family (Text: Lehrer)
Week 11
M – 11/6 US Family (Text: Hochschild)
W – 11/8 International Diversity of Family Forms (Text: Bacca-Zinn)
F – 11/10 Exam 2
Week 12
M – 11/13 Religion (READER: Stanton)
W – 11/15 Ancient Religions and Women (READER: Pagels)
F – 11/17 Focus on Fundamentalisms
Week 13
M – 11/20 Discussion & Catch-up Time
W – 11/22 Thanksgiving No Class!
F – 11/24 Thanksgiving No Class!
Week 14
M – 11/27 Islam in SE Asia
W – 11/29 Politics (Text: Norrander and Caiazza)
F – 12/1 Politics (Text: Bohmer & Parrot)
Final paper on scavenger hunt results due Friday 12/8
Week 15
M – 12/4 Discussion / catch-up time
W – 12/6 Health (Text: Kreiger and Fee)
F – 12/8 Media (Text: Douglas and Michaels)
Week 16
M – 12/11 Intersections of Race, Class and Gender (Text: Coronel et al. & McIntosh et al.)
W – 12/13 Discussion / catch-up time
Final Exam will be held on Wednesday December 20th from 11-1pm
____________________________________________________________________________
Course Policies and Procedures
Course Goals and Student Learning Outcomes:
At the successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
 To question our “taken for granted” understanding of men and women and their roles in the world.
 To understand what micro-level and macro-level factors help to create and maintain systems of gender
 To understand how race, class and gender intersect
 To understand the role of societal institutions and cultural systems in shaping and defining gendered
systems.
Attendance
Regular attendance and participation are expected of all students.
Make-up exams or late papers: Make-up exams will be permitted only if an acceptable reason is
presented before the exam; this must be something along the lines of a doctor’s note with specific dates or
a note from the athletic/academic department explaining that you were out of town on the day of the
exam. All make up exams are given during the study days at the end of the semester. There are no
exceptions to this policy. The make-up exam is Friday, December 15th at 1:00pm. Late papers will be
accepted for two weeks and marked down ten percentage points for each day late (including weekends
and days where class is not held). At the end of two weeks, late papers automatically become an “F”
(except in extraordinary situations).
Turning in Papers: You must turn in papers BOTH electronically and a hard copy in person. To turn in
your papers electronically, log into blackboard and click on “course materials.” In side this window, you
should find the title of the paper assignment as a “turn it in” link. Click here and enter your name and
paper title and attach your file. If you do not do both, you will get a zero on that paper. Warning! You
only have a 4 number of days to turn it in electronically.
If you have a problem: If you send an important email and do not receive a response within twelve hours;
you should assume that there is some kind of problem with the email. In this case, it is your
responsibility to contact me to by phone and keep trying via email. Also, I will take no responsibility if
you contact me too late for me to assist you with your problem. For important issues, be sure to seek
assistance at least three days before you actually need some kind of resolution to your problem.
Exams: Everyone will be required to sign a “sign-up” sheet before taking each exam given in this class.
Final Exams (special case): examinations or final class meetings are required of all courses and shall be
held at the time and place identified in the Schedule of Courses. No final examinations may be scheduled
prior to the time specified in the Schedule of Courses. Any exceptions must receive written approval of
the department chair and dean; it is your responsibility to seek such approvals with a minimum of three
weeks before the exam date.
Grading Policy and Procedures
Exams and papers are assigned points, and final letter grades are based on the following scale:
90-100% = A., 80-89% =B, 70-79%=C, 60-69%=D, below 60%=F.
Extra Points: There is only one chance to get extra points in this class. You must watch the film “Iron
Jawed Angels” and write a one-page paper (12 point font, double spaced, one-inch margins) in which you
respond the film. Tell me:
 What you found most informative, compelling, disturbing or intriguing about this film.
 Also, reference the lectures on feminism and how they correlate to the film
 What did this film tell you about gender relations in the US past and present?
 What does it tell you about the way Americans think of feminism in the US past and present?
 How (if at all) did it change the way that you think of feminism?
 You may earn up to 1.5 final percentage points depending on the quality of the paper.
Email Policy: Information related to this class will be sent out via email; students are required to check
their email on a regular basis. This is especially important before assignments are due and exam dates.
University Policies including Cheating and Plagiarism
University policies including those regarding classroom conduct, cheating and plagiarism will be
followed. Students are responsible for understanding these polices. Refer to the General Catalog or the
Schedule of Courses for details.
 Cheating involves ”fraudulent and deceptive acts for the purpose of improving a grade or obtaining
course credit.” Although this usually occurs in relation to examinations, it is not limited to exams but
includes any action intended to gain an unearned academic advantage by fraudulent or deceptive
means. Students should not turn in the same project (or parts of the same project) for two different
classes without specific permission from both instructors. Students may not use the same writing in

more than one general-education course with a mandated writing requirement because the intent of
the GE requirement is to require students to do more writing.
Plagiarism is a specific form of cheating related to the misuse of published and/or unpublished works
of another person by representing that material as ones own work. Penalties for cheating and
plagiarism depend on the seriousness of the situation. Students may be given an F grade for the
assignment or an F grade in the course with a “Cheating/Plagiarism Report” filed in the student’s
permanent academic record. Please read the excellent discussion of plagiarism by Earl Babbie on the
web at http://www.csub.edu/ssric-trd/howto/plagiarism.htm.
Accommodations for Students with Disabilities
Upon identifying themselves to the instructor and the university, students with disabilities will receive
reasonable accommodation for learning and evaluation. For more information, contact Services to
Students with Disabilities in Madden Library 1049 (278-2811).
Changes to Syllabus
This syllabus and schedule are subject to change in the event of extenuating circumstances. If you are
absent from class, it is your responsibility to check on announcements made while you were absent. All
changes to the syllabus including all changes in exams or assignments must be confirmed by the
instructor in person (and/or on BlackBoard or by email).
Late Assignments
For each day that an assignment is late, a ten percent (10%) penalty shall be deducted from the total
points of the assignment. No late assignments will be accepted after two week past the original due date
for that assignment.
Information on Papers:
1.
Response to “Is it a Boy or a Girl?”
Write a one-page paper (12 point font, double spaced, one-inch margins) in which you respond
the film viewed in class entitled, “Is it a boy or a girl?” Tell me:
 What you found most informative, compelling, disturbing or intriguing about this
documentary.
 Also, reference the two articles that you read on the topic. These are the articles written
by Hubbard “Sexism in Sociobiology” and Coventry “Making the Cut” that are assigned
readings from your textbook. Use at least one quote and/or paraphrase on argument from
these articles in your paper.
 What did this film and these readings tell you about gender relations in the US? What
does it tell you about the way Americans think of gender in the US? How (if at all) did it
change the way that you think of gender?
2.
The Kind of Feminist I am.
Write a one page paper (12 point font, double spaced, one-inch margins) in which you:
 Explain what type of feminist theory/philosophy makes the most personal sense to you,
which body of the literature “feels” the most correct to you
 Explain what it is that attracts you to this way of thinking; why would you be this kind of
feminist over other kinds



3.
Make sure that your knowledge of the materials we read (choose at least one from:
DeBeauvior, Hogeland, Fauldi, Truth, Gilligan, Martinez, Butler) and covered in lecture
are specifically referenced in this paper
Go to the library and find one additional reference (chapter or article) for use in this paper
At the end, answer this question in a sentence or two: Do you really consider yourself to
be a feminist? Why or why not?
Results of the scavenger hunt paper.
Write a 4 page paper (12 point font, double spaced, and one inch margins) using observational
materials collected in the scavenger hunt (you should have minimum of six objects that you found
on your hunt), two library references (chapters or articles) and two references from your book in
class.
This paper gives you the most freedom to explore the topic of gender of any of the papers that
you have been asked to write this semester. Therefore, with freedom comes fewer guidelines and
instructions.
You are free to choose a topic as long as it relates to gender and you are able to weave in the
items from your hunt, 2 class references and 2 academic references.
You may to choose as a theme the nature of how gender is shaped everywhere in all of the little
things we do, see and interact with daily. Or, you may want to focus on a particular aspect of life
such as family, religion, work etc. Or, you may choose a particular issue such as reproductive
rights, discriminations, or legal issues. Finally, you may choose a particular group of people
characterized by race, religion, nationality etc.
The paper must include:
 what you learned (by doing the scavenger hunt) about the everyday assumptions we make
about gender
 how do we “do” gender everyday without questioning where it comes from
 how does the world around us continuously reinforce the “proper” way to be a woman or
a man
 incorporate some sociological/feminist theory to help explain your findings (choose at
least two references from any of the articles in your textbook, blackboard and two library
references that you found on your own)
 Attach proof of the six scavenger hunt items
Scavenger Hunt Items:
1. A multiple choice item from an exam which makes an assumption about gender roles.
Explain the assumption(s).
2. A cartoon strip with a sexist premise. What assumptions are being made? How do the
assumptions make the cartoon funny?
3. A photocopied paragraph from a book or article that is currently being used in a college
course that uses all male pronouns (include the text title, copyright year, and class
required for). Why is it written this way in your opinion?
4. A photocopied magazine article (only copy relevant part or first page of article) that
stereotypes men or women in some way. Explain the stereotype.
5. A newspaper article about a prominent woman that makes NO mention of her family,
status as a mother or grandmother, clothes, hair or appearance in any way. What section
of the news is this article in? What is the subject of the article?
6. A church bulleting which uses either inclusive or exclusive language (“people” vs.
“his/hers” in the prayers, responsive readings, announcements). Why is it written this
way?
7. 4 or more ads from the personal section of any newspaper: two or more ads seeking
female and two or more ads seeking a male. What adjectives are used (for physical
attractiveness) when seeking a male v. female? What are the differences, if any,
between the emphases on physical attractiveness in the ads seeking females vs. males?
8. Lyrics from a relatively recent (within the last 4-5 years) popular song (title and or
melody should sound familiar to people of various ages, races, etc.) that depicts a male
as a sex object. Include artist and title of song. What is the message of the song,
regarding men?
9. A photograph of (or rubbing from) a gravestone that says: “wife/mother of” etc.
Observe the gravestones of men, are they are likely to say “beloved husband” or
“father”?
10. A sexist statement in any relatively recent or current newspaper article. Include a copy
of the article.
11. A greeting card for a new baby boy that talks about how sweet, gentle, attractive…he is.
Or, find a card for a baby girl that talks about how smart and/or strong she is. Discuss
how easy or hard it was to find this card and why?
12. Read the arrest records written in the local paper; are some groups over represented in
these articles (men, women, people with foreign last names, people of color… if you can
tell by the name). What do you think drives these trends (assuming that you find any
trends)?
13. From a phone book from a smaller community (not Fresno): 3 listings where a woman’s
name is listed first (e.g. Doe, Mary and John). You can photocopy the listings. Why are
these listings less frequent than those in which a male’s name is listed first?
14. A magazine ad in which the woman is taller than the man (both figures should be
average sized adults). Why is this the case (e.g., why is the man lower in status than the
woman in this ad?)
15. An engagement or wedding announcement that lists the groom’s parents first. Why have
bride’s parents’ names traditionally been listed first?
16. A photocopy of the dedication of a book written or edited by a man (or men) to their
child(ren). What is the significance of this in terms of gender?
17. An article about a prominent man in the newspaper or a magazine that mentions his
family, status as a father or grandfather and/or his appearance. What is it say about this
man’s family or appearance? What section of the newspaper is this article in?
18. Rewrite the declaration of independence using gender inclusive language (not just
he/she). How does this change the nature of what is being said?
19. Find a nursery rhyme with a male or female (or both) as the main character(s) and either:
- Rewrite it to make the characters more androgynous. How does this change
the images presented in the rhyme?
- Or, explain the way that the male/female character(s) are described, and
explain the way that this teaches children to be gendered
20. A picture from a department store catalog showing children’s clothing with sex atypical
or unisex pictures on the clothes (e.g., sports on a girl, a girl in green with stripes,
flowers/pink on a boy or a boy in a lighter color with no tools or anything masculine on
his clothes…). Why is it so hard to find?
21. Analyze the gendered messages in the recent movie that you went to see. Give the name
of the movie, plot, main characters, the roles of males and females in that movie. How
are males and females viewed in this movie? What are their characters like? How is
that gendered?
22. A table of contents from a men’s magazine listing an article about male-female relations.
What type of message is this giving to men about relationships with women?
23. An “Old Maid” card (or photocopy of one). What does this card game reveal about our
attitudes toward older, single women?
24. Find a magazine or newspaper article about a woman of color. What is the basic
message of this article? Would you expect to see a similar article written about white
people? Would you expect to see a similar article written about men? Why?
25. A college course catalog (on-line listings acceptable) listing a men’s studies course.
What is the significance of this, in terms of gender?
26. A picture from a hotrod car magazine with a man laying across the hood or sitting a
sexy pose on a motorcycle <OR> a man used as a sex object for some ad in a woman’s
magazine. Was it hard to find? In what way is the man objectified?
27. A birthday card for a father that has flowers on it. Why do greeting cards for men
usually have dark colors, birds and other outdoorsy themes?
28. A table of contents for a men’s magazine listing a child raising article. What is the
significance of the article?
29. A picture showing male athletes displaying physical affection toward one another. Why
is it acceptable for them to be doing this?
30. Lyrics to a country-western song which describes nontraditional gender roles. Describe
the meaning and why is it nontraditional.
31. The business card of a saleswoman in a commonly “male job” (like computers, cars,
science, engineering.) Aside from avoiding charges of discrimination, why would a car
dealership want to hire a woman to sell cars?
32. Watch a TV show that is currently on-air. Describe at least one male and one female
character and their roles in the show. How is this show traditional/progressive? Is this
common or uncommon in terms of the way men and women are usually portrayed on TV
now days?
33. An anniversary or wedding card that does not specifically show a heterosexual couple
and it does not make any reference to heterosexuality (such as he/she, his/hers…). It
should be a card that you could buy for a couple that is not heterosexual. Was this
difficult to find? Why do you think it was easy or hard to find a card like this?
34. Photocopy a picture or illustration from a grammar-school or high school science
textbook that shows a girl or a racial minority doing a science experiment. Were there a
lot of such pictures? Did you have to look in more than one book before you found one?
What year was that book published?
35. If you find an object that you think makes an interesting statement about gender in our
society or your native country (if you do not identify as American), you may include this
object as one of your six objects. Be creative and explain what you think it tells us about
gender.