Chapter 10: Sex and Gender Objectives (slide 1 of 2) 10.1 Defining Sex, Gender, and Sexuality • Distinguish the concepts of sex, gender, and sexuality from the perspectives of biology, behavior, and inequality. 10.2 Sexuality and Varieties of Sexual Behavior • Illustrate biological and cultural aspects of sexual behavior. 10.3 Theoretical Perspectives on Sexuality • Compare and contrast the three main theoretical perspectives on sexuality. 10.4 Gender Socialization • Identify common agents of socialization and show how they operate in gender socialization. Objectives (slide 2 of 2) 10.5 Gender Social Stratification/Inequality Around the World • Describe the role of patriarchy in gender inequality. 10.6 Gender Stratification/Inequality in the United States • Illustrate aspects of gender stratification and inequality in the United States. 10.7 Theoretical Perspectives on Gender • Compare and contrast different theoretical perspectives on gender inequality. Sex • Sex: The biological distinction between males and females • Primary sex characteristics: A person’s genitalia and a woman’s ability to bear children and nurse • Secondary sex characteristics: Physical characteristics not directly related to reproduction, such as general body shape, the amount and distribution of body fat, height, weight, muscular strength, the amount of body hair, and the tone of one’s voice Gender and Sexuality • Gender: The social status associated with a person’s sex • Sexuality: A person’s sexual orientation, sexual behavior, and attitudes about sexual behavior Biological Perspectives of Sexuality • Intersexual people: People whose bodies have the characteristics of both sexes • Transsexuals: People who have the biological characteristics of one sex but identify with the other sex • Transgendered: People of one sex who live as a members of the opposite sex, with which they identify • Gender reassignment: Usually surgery and hormone treatment to make a person’s body conform with his or her self-identity Cultural Perspectives of Sexuality • Sexual orientation: A person’s preference for sexual partners of a particular sex • Heterosexual: A person attracted to members of the opposite sex • Homosexual: A person attracted to members of the same sex • Bisexual: A person is attracted to members of either sex • Asexual: A person who has no sexual attraction to other people regardless of their sex Societal Norms • Sexism: A belief that one sex is superior to the other • Double standard: Different standards of sexual behavior for men and women • Key studies: – The Kinsey studies – The National Health and Social Life survey Sexual Orientation • Genetics • Hormones • Socialization Homosexuality in the United States The heterosexual–homosexual continuum Homosexual Rights Homophobia: Prejudice and discrimination against homosexuals driven by an aversion to or even hatred of homosexuals and their lifestyles Social Movements • Stonewall Riots (1969) led to gays seeking equal treatment under the law. • In 1973, pressure from lobbying groups for homosexual rights forced the medical community to remove homosexuality from the list of mental illnesses. Sexual Issues • Prostitution: Paid sex • Pornography: The portrayal of sexual subject matter for the purpose of sexual arousal Pregnancy and Abortion • Teen pregnancy is a long-standing concern because most teens, though biologically capable of having children, are often not ready to handle the burdens of parenthood and are less likely to complete their education once they are responsible for a child. • The General Social Survey has found relatively consistent support for abortion when the woman’s health is seriously endangered (near 90%) and somewhat less support for abortion when she is pregnant as a result of rape or there is a strong chance of a serious defect (around 75% or 76% most recently). Sexual Violence • Rape: Forced, nonconsensual vaginal, oral, or anal intercourse Premarital Sex • In 1972, only 27% of respondents indicated it is not wrong at all for a man and woman to have sex relations before marriage, while 37% indicated it was always wrong. By 2010, 53% of respondents indicated it was never wrong and only 22% indicated it was always wrong. Other Views of Sex Hookup Culture • Hookups: Casual, usually one-time encounters with others that may lead to sexual activity but often stop short of intercourse Technology and Sexuality • Virtual sex: When two or more people use some form of communications technology, such as text, photos, or video,s to arouse each other sexually by transmitting sexually explicit messages • Sexting: The transmission of sexually explicit photographs, videos, or messages by cell phone • Cyber sex: Virtual sex using computers over the Internet Theoretical Perspectives on Sexuality Structural-Functional Theory • Attempts to explain sexuality in terms of the positive functions for society • Reflects the desire to regulate sexuality to preserve family, inheritance, and support of children Symbolic Interactionism • Emphasizes the social construction of reality through interaction • Helps explain differences in sexual practices across societies Social Conflict, Feminist, and Queer Theories • Conflict theory argues that class conflict accounts for much of social life. • Feminist theory focuses on the domination of women by men. • Queer theory focuses on heterosexual bias in contemporary culture. – Heterosexism: A view that labels anyone who is not heterosexual (including homosexuals, lesbians, bisexuals, and transsexuals) as “queer” Gender Socialization (slide 1 of 2) • Gender roles: Expected behaviors associated with males or females Gender Socialization (slide 2 of 2) • • • • • Parents Peers Teachers and schools Mass media and technology Sports Gender Social Stratification/ Inequality Around the World • Patriarchy: A system of social relationships in which men dominate women • Matriarchy: A system of social relationships in which women dominate men • Egalitarian system: A social system in which both sexes have equal authority Violence Against Women • Dowry deaths: The murder of brides for failing to provide adequate dowry payments • Selective abortion • Human trafficking and sexual exploitation Gender Stratification/Inequality in the United States • Gender stratification: The distribution of wealth, power, and social prestige among men and women The Gender Pay Gap and Comparable Worth (slide 1 of 2) Gender pay gap: The difference between average pay for men and women • The gender pay gap is greater for older workers than for younger workers. • Gender pay gap in other countries The Gender Pay Gap and Comparable Worth (slide 2 of 2) • Pink-collar jobs: Female-dominated occupations • Comparable worth: The principle that jobs requiring similar levels of education and training should be paid at similar levels regardless of whether they are predominately female or predominately male occupations Sexism and Harassment • Glass ceiling: A barrier that, while not obvious or easily visible, blocks women’s movement into the top ranks of management • Institutional sexism: Discrimination against one sex that results from the day-to-day operations, rules, and policies of organizations and institutions • Sexual harassment: Unwanted attention based on someone’s sex or sexuality that interferes with job performance or causes discomfort Gender Inequality Gender Inequality in Family Roles Gender Inequality in Health Care • Second shift: The extra hours women often spend performing childcare duties, cooking, and cleaning after a full shift of work outside the home. • Doctors participate in unintended sexual discrimination in disease treatment that is not gender related. • Health issues related to gender are treated differently. Gender Inequality in Education • The proportion of women earning professional degrees has increased for degrees such as medicine, dentistry, law, and theology. • Even when women achieve the same levels of education as men, they tend to paid less. Violence, Gender, and Sexuality • Domestic violence is a leading cause of death for: – Women ages 15 to 44 – Pregnant women • African American and Native American women are at the highest risk of intimate partner homicide. • Eighty percent of rape or sexual assault victims are female. Structural-Functional Perspectives on Gender • Explains the dominance of males as a consequence of biological differences between men and women related to reproduction • Men are better suited for instrumental roles, performing goal-directed behavior, whereas women are better suited to perform expressive roles providing for supportive, emotional relationships. Conflict Perspectives on Gender • Argues that cultural ideologies evolved to support male dominance over females, stressing the “natural” physical and intellectual superiority of males and nurturing instincts of females Symbolic Interactionism Perspectives on Gender • Patterns of interaction continually reproduce gender inequalities. Feminism • Feminism: A perspective that argues men and women are essentially equal and should be treated equally in social life • Three “waves”: – 1830-1920: Women started advocating for the right to vote. – 1960s: Women attempted to achieve greater equality in the workplace. – 1990-present: Women are emphasizing diversity. Types of Feminism • Liberal feminism: Seeks to improve the lot of women through reform of existing social institutions • Socialist (Marxist) feminism: Argues that it is necessary to have a more socialist society, in particular socialized means of child care • Radical feminism: Argues that equality requires the elimination of patriarchy • Postmodern feminism: Rejects the notion that all women share a single perspective and experience that can be explained by a single grand theory