http://teaching.ust.hk/~sosc102u/index.htm
SOSC 102 U. Lecture Note 2
Sex and Gender
Sex and Gender
• Sex: classification of
people based on
genitalia
• Gender: a process of
creating
distinguishable social
statuses for the
assignment of rights
and responsibilities
between males and
females
Definition of the Bi-polar Gender
System
• Classify people into two kinds: man and woman
• The criteria of classification: what the genitalia
look like at birth
– Baby boy and baby girl (no in-between
gender)
• Not all societies take the bi-polar gender system
• Some people cannot be classified into either of
the two categories
Gendering the Sex Roles
Sex Category
Men
Women
Biological
differences
Sperms, etc.
Eggs, etc.
Gendering
social
expectations
Masculine:
aggressive, strong,
determined,
rational, etc.
Feminine: docile,
compile,
subordinate,
submissive,
emotional, selfdenial, etc.
How does the bi-polar gender
system work?
•
•
•
•
Example 1: clothing
Example 2: the “sex-role model”
Example 3: schooling
Example 4: the social construction of
hetrosexuality
• Example 5: force a transsexual to change
From Bi-polar Gender System to
Sexism
• Definition of Sexism: A system of advantage
based on sex. In general, it refers to the
oppression of women by men in a society that is
largely patriarchal.
• Definition of patriarchal society: maledominated, male-identified, and male-centered
society. Most institutions and aspects of culture
contrives to rationalize and perpetuate the
dominance of men and the subordination of
women (Paula S. Rothenberg, 2004: 121).
• A patriarchal society worships masculinity, and
takes it as the prime standard of mankind.
From Sexism to Homophobia
• Masculinity as Homophobia: men’s fear of not
being “men” enough; the attempt of keeping
distance from any effeminate behavior
• Definition of Homophobia: “Homophobia is more
than the irrational fear of gay men, more than
the fact that we might be perceived as gay….
Homophobia is the fear that other men will
unmask us, emasculate us, reveal to us and the
world that we do not measure up, that we are
not real men. We are afraid to let other men see
that fear”
– Kimmel, Michael S., in Rothenberg, 2004: 88.
From Homophobia to Racism
• Why would homophobia develop into racism?
• The “Real Men” vs. the “Others”: The manhood
is constituted by masculinity. But the idea that
masculinity only belongs to a distinct group
leads to anxiety. Therefore, those selfproclaimed “real men” would try to prevent the
“others” from achieving masculinity. The “others”
include women, gay men as well as other men
who do not share the same manhood.
From Homophobia to Racism
(examples)
• How does racism
work?
• Discriminate
against people of
foreign origins by
emasculating them
• E.g. discrimination
against new immigrants
in the U. S.: In the end of
the 19th Century, “true
American men” thought
that new immigrants from
Irish and Italians were not
“real men”: too
passionate and
emotionally volatile.
Racist Image (1)
Source: Canada’s Digital Collection
(http://collections.ic.gc.ca/generations)
• A Chinese immigrant
was portrayed as a
weak subject. The
cartoon was
circulated in British
Columbia in the late
19th century when
gold rushes ended
and economic
recession set in.
Racist Image (2)
• A depiction of Japanese
wonu, or “dwarf slave”, a
derogatory term applied
to the Japanese from Han
dynasty onward. Chen
Yinghuang, Renleixue
[Anthropology], Shanghai,
1918.
– Cited from Frank Dikotter,
The Discourse of Race in
Modern China, CA:
Stanford U. Press, 1992, p.
160.
Interplay between Sexism,
Homophobia and Racism
• Neutral classification vs. discrimination:
– Neutral classification: Classification based on one’s
achievement (such as talents, motivations, and
competence)
– Discrimination: Based on one’s ascribed status (such
as race, gender and ethnic backgrounds)
• “We group” vs. “the others”:
By valuing the characteristics and lifestyles of
certain individuals or groups and devaluing those
of others, society constructs some of its
members as “other”. These “others” are
understood to be less deserving, less intelligent,
even less human.
Betty Friedan, The Feminie
Mystique (1963 [1973])*
• “How could we ever really know or love each other as
long as we kept playing those roles that kept us from
knowing or being ourselves? Weren’t men as well as
women still locked in lonely isolation, alienation, no
matter how many sexual acrobatics they put their bodies
through? Weren’t men dying too young, suppressing
fears and tears and their own tenderness? It seemed to
me that men weren’t really the enemy—they were fellow
victims, suffering from an outmoded masculine mystique
that made them feel unnecessarily inadequate when
there was no bears to kill.”
• * Cited from Michael S. Kimmel, Manhood in America: A
Cultural History (1996: p. 261).
From bi-polar gender system to the
dichotomy between “Men’s Work,
Women’s Work”
Sex Category
Men
Sexual Division Production
of Labor
“Breadwinners”
Women
Reproduction
“Housewives” and
mothers
Workplace
Household
Paid work
Unpaid domestic work
Public Sphere
Private Sphere
“Men’s work”
“Women’s work”
Gendered Work
• Some jobs tend to be “women’s work” in one
country, but they might be “men’s work” in
another country.
• The sexual division of labor in a country may
vary over time.
• “Societies gender work by labeling activities as
appropriate for one sex or the other. These
labels influence the job assignments of women
and men, and they influence employers’ and
workers’ expectations of who ought to perform
various jobs” (Padavic and Reskin, p. 9).
Why Gendered Work is Unfair to
Women?
• Women’s work is mostly devaluated
– E. g. Women are paid less
• The construction of gender on the job
– When a new job is created, employers often
have a particular sex in mind.
– Oftentimes the required personality for highlevel jobs are associated with the social
expectations of men’s characteristics (such as
aggressive, self-motivated, independent, etc.)
Gender and Job Advertisement 1:
Receptionist
• BENETTON Group, is looking for high caliber candidates to join
us.
• RECEPTIONIST
Job Description
–
–
–
–
–
To provide professional reception services
Handle all incoming calls and greet visitors
Receive, distribute and register all incoming mails
Handle conference room booking
Provide a variety of administration and clerical support
• Requirements
–
–
–
–
–
F. 7 Graduate with minimum 3 years' relevant experience in MNC
Fluent in spoken English, Chinese and Mandarin
Excellent telephone manners, smart, pleasant and helpful
Good communication and interpersonal skills
Some computer knowledge in MS Word, Excel and Powerpoint
(Personal data collected will be used for recruitment purpose only)
• Source: http://www.classifiedpost.com,05, Feb. 2004.
Gender and Job Advertisement 2:
Key Account Executive
•
We are a subsidiary of a leading Fortune 500 Fast Moving Consumer Products
Company with leadership position across Asia. We are now looking for high calibre
professionals to take on the captioned positions.
•
KEY ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
Reporting to the Key Account Manager, he/she will be responsible for the following:
•
•
* Assist the Key Account Manager to plan and implement trade promotion
with key accounts and department stores
* Prepare sales analysis and update sales progress
* Monitor promotion funding with customers
Potential candidate should possess the following qualification:
* Degree/Diploma holder in Business
* Minimum 2 years of FMCG experience in key accounts
* Good interpersonal and communication skills
* Aggressive and self driven to achieve goal
* Software literacy in Excel, Word, Powerpoint, Spaceman
•
Source: http://www.classifiedpost.com,05, Feb. 2004
Gender and Job Advertisement 3:
Customer Services Officer
•
•
•
•
•
•
CUSTOMER SERVICES OFFICER
You will handle telephone responses from existing and new recruited
customers.
You will be involved in building customers relationships, providing
information and dealing with enquiries over the telephones and mails. As
well as communication and problem solving skills, you should be
proactive, patient, self-motivated and be able to work independently.
Good command of English and Chinese is essential.
You will join as at a time of exciting expansion. What's more, you will benefit
from all the advantages of a newly established with commitments in our
society and the next generation.
We offer a wide-ranging salary-packaging scheme including MPF, medical,
life insurance and year-end bonus.
Source: http://www.classifiedpost.com,05, Feb. 2004
From Bi-polar Gender System to
Gendered Work
Men
Women
Biological differences
classified by
reproduction function
Sperms
Eggs
Gendering social
norms between men
and women
Masculine: aggressive,
strong, determined, rational
Feminine: docile, compile,
subordinate, submissive,
emotional
Sexual Division of
Labor in Economic Life
Production
Reproduction
“Breadwinners”
“Housewives” and mothers
Workplace
Household
Paid work
Unpaid domestic work
Public Sphere
Private Sphere
“Men’s work”
“Women’s work”