Chapter 12

DOMA

Defense of Marriage Act, a 1996 U.S. law explicitly limiting the definition of "marriage" to a union between one man and one woman and allowing each individual state to recognize or deny same-sex marriages performed in other states

True or False: The purpose of queer theory is to determine whether sexual orientation is a product of nature or nurture.

False

gender dysphoria

a condition listed in the DSM-5 in which people whose gender at birth is contrary to the one they identify with. This condition replaces "gender identity disorder"

sexuality

a person's capacity for sexual feelings

sex

a term that denotes the presence of physical or physiological differences between males and females

gender

a term that refers to social or cultural distinctions of behaviors that are considered male or female

transgender

an adjective that describes individuals who identify with the behaviors and characteristics that are other than their biological sex

homophobia

an extreme or irrational aversion to homosexuals

heterosexism

an ideology and a set of institutional practices that privilege heterosexuals and heterosexuality over other sexual orientations

queer theory

an interdisciplinary approach to sexuality studies that identifies Western society's rigid splitting of gender into male and female roles and questions its appropriateness

social construction of sexuality

socially created definitions about the cultural appropriateness of sex-linked behavior which shape how people see and experience sexuality

gender role

society's concept of how men and women should behave

double standard

the concept that prohibits premarital sexual intercourse for women but allows it for men

doing gender

the performance of tasks based upon the gender assigned to us by society and, in turn, ourselves

sexism

the prejudiced belief that one sex should be valued over another

transsexuals

transgender individuals who attempt to alter their bodies through medical interventions such as surgery and hormonal therapy

True or False: Chase grew up wanting to wear his sister's dresses over his brother's pants and button up shirts. When Chase turns 18, he decides to begin living as woman, though he's still only sexually attracted to women. He decides he doesn't want to undergo surgery. Chase is transsexual.

False

True or False: Jenny is given a doll for 2nd birthday, while her brother, Tyrone, is given a fire truck. This is an example of gender bending.

False

True or False: Tasha believes that gender is about the division of labor in the family. In the pre-industrial era, men were the hunter-gatherers and bread-winners, and women were keepers of the home. After World War II, changes in the family structure allowed women to become breadwinners also, altering the roles of the family. Tasha's thoughts come the sociological perspective of feminism.

False

True or False: When Jeanette's parents find out her twin brother, Rex, has been sexually active, they tell him to use protection. When they found out Jeanette has been sexually active, they ground her for a month. This is an example of a double standard.

True

gender identity

a person's deeply held internal perception of his or her gender

sexual orientation

a person's physical, mental, emotional, and sexual attraction to a particular sex (male or female)

When thinking about gender, Jeff sees men as the dominant social group and women the subordinate group. This exploitation of the subordinate group has created social problems, such as high rates of poverty among single mothers. Which sociological perspective best fit Jeff's views? a. Conflict Theory b. Structural Functionalism c. Cyberfeminism d. Symbolic Interactionism

a. Conflict Theory

Peggy accepts a job offer as an advertising copywriter. Her boss immediately assigns her campaigns for products such as makeup and cleaning products. Peggy asks for different clients, but her boss tells her she should stick to what she and "her kind" know best. Peggy is experiencing: a. Sexual orientation b. Sexism c. Masochism d. Homophobia

b. sexism

What is the difference between sex and gender? a. Sex refers to sexual orientation, and gender refers to physical or physiological differences between males and females. b. Sex is the extent to which one identifies as being either masculine or feminine, gender is biological characterization of anatomy. c. Sex refers to who a person is sexually attracted to, and gender refers to whom a person chooses to partner with. d. Sex refers to physical or physiological differences between males and females, while gender is the extent to which one identifies as being either masculine or feminine.

d. Sex refers to physical or physiological differences between males and females, while gender is the extent to which one identifies as being either masculine or feminine.

biological determinism

the belief that men and women behave differently due to inherent sex differences related to their biology