Sociology Chapter 9

Microaggression

everyday uses of ordinary language that may send denigrating messages to members of certain social groups (page 253)

Transphobia

fear of or discrimination toward transgender or other gender-nonconforming people (page 252)

Same-sex marriage

federally recognized marriage between members of the same sex; made legal in the United States in 2015 (page 266)

Sexism

the belief that one sex, usually male, is superior to the other (page 252)

Second wave

the period of feminist activism during the 1960s and 1970s, often associated with the issues of women's equal access to employment and education (page 265)

Gender

the physical, behavioral, and personality traits that a group considers normal for its male and female members (page 243)

Social learning

the process of learning behaviors and meanings through social interaction (page 247)

Second shift

the unpaid housework and child care often expected of women after they complete their day's paid labor (page 261)

Patriarchy

literally meaning 'rule of the father'; a male-dominated society (page 252)

Men's liberation

a movement that originated in the 1970s to discuss the challenges of masculinity (page 266)

Rape culture

a set of beliefs, norms, and values that normalizes sexual violence against women (page 248)

Binary

a system of classification with only two distinct and opposite categories (page 245)

Gender expression

an individual's behavioral manifestations of gender (page 244)

Sex

an individual's membership in one of two categories -- male or female -- based on biological factors (page 243)

Gender identity

an individual's self-definition or sense of gender (page 244)

Men's rights movement

an offshoot of male liberationism whose members believe that feminism promotes discrimination against men (page 266)

Pro-feminist men's movement

an offshoot of male liberationism whose members support feminism and believe that sexism harms both men and women (page 266)

Feminism

belief in the social, political, and economic equality of the sexes; also the social movements organized around that belief (page 264)

Cisgenderism

belief in the superiority of cisgender persons and identities (page 252)

Heterosexism

belief in the superiority of heterosexuality and heterosexuals (page 252)

Homophobia

fear of or discrimination toward gay, lesbian, and bisexual people (page 252)

LGBTQ

lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (sometimes 'A' is added to include 'allies') (page 247)

Bisexuality

sexual attraction toward members of both genders (page 246)

Homosexuality

sexual attraction toward members of one's own gender (page 246)

Heterosexuality

sexual attraction toward members of the other gender (page 246)

Queer theory

social theory about gender and sexual identity; emphasizes the importance of difference and rejects ideas of innate identities or restrictive categories (page 247)

Intersex

term used to describe a person whose chromosomes or sex characteristics are neither exclusively male nor exclusively female (page 243)

Cisgender

term used when gender identity and/or expression aligns with the sex assigned at birth (page 244)

Gender nonconforming

term used when gender identity and/or expression differs from societal expectations about gender roles (page 245)

Transgender

term used when gender identity and/or expression is different from the sex assigned at birth (page 244)

Heteronormativity

the belief that heterosexuality is and should be the norm (page 247)

Sexuality

the character or quality of being sexual (page 246)

First wave

the earliest period of feminist activism, from the mid-nineteenth century until American women won the right to vote in 1920 (page 265)

Feminization of poverty

the economic trend showing that women are more likely than men to live in poverty, caused in part by the gendered gap in wages, the higher proportion of single mothers compared to single fathers, and the increasing costs of child care (page 259)

Sexual orientation or identity

the inclination to feel sexual desire toward people of a particular gender or toward both genders (page 246)

Asexuality

the lack of sexual attraction of any kind; no interest in or desire for sex (page 246)

Gender role socialization

the lifelong process of learning to be masculine or feminine, primarily through agents of socialization (page 247)

Third wave

the most recent period of feminist activism, focusing on issues of diversity, globalization, and the variety of identities women can possess (page 265)

Suffrage movement

the movement organized around gaining voting rights for women (page 265)

Expressive role

the position of the family member who provides emotional support and nurturing (page 253)

Instrumental role

the position of the family member who provides material support; often an authority figure (page 253)

Essentialists

those who believe gender roles have a genetic or biological origin and therefore cannot be changed (page 245)

Constructionists

those who believe that notions of gender are socially determined, such that a dichotomous binary system is just one possibility among many (page 246)

Coming out

to openly declare one's true identity to those who might not be aware of it; short for 'coming out of the closet,' a phrase used to describe how gays and lesbians have felt compelled to keep their sexual orientation secret (page 253)