Introduction to Gender
Studies and Ideology
Lecture slides corresponding to chapters 1 and 2 of textbook for Sociology 14
Sex and Gender…The same thing?
Introduction to Gender Studies
• Sex refers to the biological differences between males and females.
• Male-bodied vs female bodied
• Primary and secondary sex characteristics
• Gender refers to the social and cultural patterns attached to women and
men, or the symbolism of masculinity and femininity we connect to being
male or female bodied
• Masculine and feminine characteristics
• Is this naturally occurring or created by society?
• More on this is chapters 2 and 3…
Gender and Distinction
• Sociologists believe that most differences we see between men and
women are the outcome of active efforts by people to distinguish
themselves from one another, a process called…
• Distinction
• Efforts to distinguish one’s group from others; working to identify oneself with a
particular group or many groups
• What groups do people want to show they are a part of? How do they show this?
• Statuses
• Status symbols and conspicuous consumption
We have asked what groups people want to show they are a part
of…we have asked how they do this…the next question is why? Why do
people distinguish themselves from one another?
The story of high heels…
Distinction and Social Hierarchy
• We all engage in distinction (aligning ourselves with some groups and
differentiating from others) for various reasons, many of which are
positive:
• Feel connected with others
• Give ourselves a sense of identity
• Give our lives meaning-Define our values and beliefs
• However…distinction also helps to justify inequality and uneven
distribution of power, privilege and wealth-maintain social hierarchy
• Sometimes there is a choice in how to distinguish oneself, but with certain
social markers, there may be no choice depending on ideas and beliefs in a
culture.
American Ideology-Dichotomizing Gender
• Often, social categories are seen as a dichotomy, groups that are
mutually exclusive and in opposition to each other.
• The Gender Binary -Refers to the idea that there are only two types of
peoplemale bodied people who are masculine and female bodied
people who are feminine
• Dichotomization encourages the sense that there are just two categories of each
subgroup, and that everyone fits easily into one or the other, which often creates
an “us” vs. “them” mentality
The Personal Exception Theory of Gender
• The personal exception theory of gender: Allows us to
reconcile our own complex gender identity with what we
think we know about men and women by assuming that we
are unusually unique
• If the gender binary doesn’t describe a large number of people,
where does the idea come from?
• Reading on page 11-12
Gender Ideology
• Ideology is a set of ideas widely shared by members of a society that
guides identities, behaviors, and institutions
• The gender binary is a gender ideology
• What are some examples of opposing gender ideologies from different cultures
and/or historical time periods?
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Number of genders?
American Indian tribes?
Bangladesh? India? Oaxaca, Mexico? Brazil?
The Dayak people of West Borneo? The Hau of New Guinea?
Afghanistan and sex switching…Why?
Gender as a Social Construction
What does it mean that a category is socially constructed?
Meaning Changes across_________ and __________.
• Difference is created rather than intrinsic to a phenomenon.
• Social processes (political, legal, economic, scientific, and religious
institutions) create differences; determine that some differences are more
important than others; and assign particular meanings to those differences.
• What is socially constructed? How is gender socially constructed? Why are women
sometimes more emotional and men sometimes more aggressive?
Socially Constructing Meaning
• Whether we like to or not, culture has taught us to see objects, actions,
symbols, etc., through Gender binary glasses: a pair of lenses that separate
everything we see into masculine and feminine categories
• Give us a sense of cultural competence -an understanding of how members of a
society typically think and behave
• However, due to Associative memory, which is the ability to make connections
between concepts and ideas, sometimes we are quick to remember stereotypical
occurrences and forget or even change memories that deviate from stereotypes
• We reinforce socially constructed stereotypes despite evidence to the contrary
The Binary and Our Bodies
• So maybe everyone doesn’t fit neatly into masculine or feminine
categories (gender), but everyone fits neatly into male-bodied or
female bodied (sex), right?
The Binary and our Bodies
• The 1%-Clear physical evidence against the binary
• Intersexuality
• Gender dysphoria and transsexuality
• Gender identity
• Who is Thomas Beatie?
The Binary and our Bodies
• The Other 99%
• Even though a small percentage of people don’t fit the gender binary, most
other people do, right? Are women’s and men’s bodies far more naturally
different than they are alike? Or far more alike than they are different?
• Height? Hair/hairy? Breasts? Hips? Shoulders? Strength? Agility? Flexibility?
Muscle mass?
• Are the differences we see natural or created through distinction?
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Salads vs steaks
Cardio vs weights
Tight vs baggy clothes
Ways to sit, stand, speak, and show emotion
How are many people challenging the gender binary? Parents? Media
outlets? Artists?
In your notes…
• Attempt to summarize the main point of today’s lecture
• What do you see as the main ideas from chapters 1 and 2?
• What questions do you have?