GENDER INEQUALITY

HOW IS GENDER IDENTITY LEARNED?

Gender socialization

HOW DO SOCIOLOGISTS DISTINGUISH SEX/GENDER?

Sociologists use the term sex to refer to biological identity and gender to the socially learned expectations associated with members of each sex.

SYMBOLIC INTERACTIONALISM- GENDER INEQUALITY

gender is learned through the process of socialization- FAMILY/PEERS/SCHOOL/MEDIA doing gender

HOMOPHOBIA

is a fear of or discrimination toward homosexuals or toward individuals who display purportedly gender-inappropriate behavior.

SEXUAL ORIENTATION

is the inclination to be heterosexual (attracted to the opposite sex), homosexual (attracted to the same sex), or bisexual (attracted to either sex).

HETEROSEXISM

refers to the antihomosexual beliefs and practices embedded in social institutions.

GLASS ELEVATOR

the process by which men in traditionally female professions benefit from an unfair rapid rise within an organization, such as nurse, elementary teacher, social worker, etc.

GENDER ROLES

women- expressive, nurturing, supportive men- instrumental, task-oriented, authority figure, "breadwinner"

HETEROSEXISM- EXAMPLES

Hospitals do not recognize spousal rights for same-sex partners sick or dying or for same-sex parents with children in the hospital Gay, bisexual and lesbian issues are not included in school curricula School rules about name-calling, harassment or bullying are not enforced for anti-gay incidents Student rights laws or policies do not include sexual orientation as a protected category School social events are organized around assumptions of heterosexuality (dances, dating) Lesbians and gay men are assumed to be a threat to children in some professions: teaching, coaching, pediatric medicine

GENDER/CULTURE

How can studying members of different cultures help us understand the nature and nurture of gender and the social construction of gender? Navajo society Nadle Hijras in India

OVERARCHING QUESTIONS

How is gender a creation of society? Why is power invested in the male category? Why is gender an important dimension of social stratification? What does gender inequality look like and why?

PATRIARCHY

Male dominance in a society

GENDER AND EDUCATION

Women are more likely than men to finish high school and attend college. Men have been more likely to attain four-year and advanced degrees

GLASS CEILING

a promotion barrier that prevents a woman's upward mobility within an organization. This is common and problematic for women who work in male-dominated occupations.

Which theoretical perspective generally believes that there are still social roles better suited to one gender than the other?

a. Conflict theory b. Functionalism c. Labeling theory d. Symbolic interactionism

FEMINIST THEORIES

An activist approach that sees inequality as a systemic wrong that must be righted Many versions of feminist theory; they do not necessarily agree with each other Liberal feminism: working with the system Radical feminism: overthrow the patriarchal system Black feminism: race & gender

CHART SLIDE 23

CHART SLIDE 23

GENDER AND WORK- CAUSES

Culture, sexism Lack of qualification Glass ceiling Subtle and unconscious discrimination that prevents women from reaching higher and better-paying positions for which they are qualified Why glass ceiling exist? What career plans do you have? Is your career path open equally to men and women? If not, why not?

NATURE

Differences in male and female are innate, biological/psysiological, due largely to heredity

NURTURE

Differences in male and female are learned, due largely to environment

GENDER INEQUALITY

Equal access to societal resources Similar life options Women's and men's roles and activities valued similarly?

Sociologists believe that sex and gender are essentially the same thing.

F

GENDER ROLE SOCIALIZATION

Family The primary source of socialization From a very young age, we learn and internalize gendered behaviors from our significant others Have you grow up in a home in which females and males had different jobs and responsibilities? How did this affect our view of gender?

GENDER AND WORK

Gender inequality is highly visible Many jobs are gendered, "pink-collar" jobs In 2009, 97.8% of all teachers of young children and 96.8% of secretaries were women; 1.3% of all aircraft pilots were women

WHAT FORMS OF INEQUALITY EXIST BETWEEN WOMEN AND MEN?

Gender stratification refers to the hierarchical distribution of social and economic resources according to gender. Gender stratification in the United States is obvious in the differences in men's and women's responsibility at home, education, occupations, wages, and so on.

GENDER AND LANGUAGE

Language (certain words) reflect cultural values and norms Examples: congressman, chairman, policeman, fireman Nurse/doctor, fight attendant/pilot, secretary/executive English language seems to assume that the default category for all human experience is male Mankind, all men are created equal, man-made, manslaughter, manpower Double standards "Vulgar" vs "rugged and earthy" "No" "Go-getter" vs "bitches" "player" vs "sluts" The use of language, choices of words, they way of saying is reflect patriarchy Language reflects social change

CONFLICT THEORY- GENDER INQUALITY

Men have historically had access to most of society's material resources and privileges Therefore, it is in their interest to try to maintain their dominant position

GENDER AND FAMILY

Men(never having been married, being married) Women ( widowed, divorced) Financial difficulty among divorced women 2006, five of every six custodial parents were mothers 2007, one-quarter of custodial parents had incomes below the poverty level "Second shift"

GENDER AND MILITARY

Military is composed mostly of men E.g., in 2006, only 14.6 percent of enlisted personnel were female Being the object of unwanted sexual attention, report gender harassment 2009 pentagon report: 3000 women were sexually assaulted in 2008; 89%-90% unreported

GENDER ROLE SOCIALIZATION- PEERS/TEENAGE

Peers Childhood: preference for same-sex playmates Create gendered behavior Teenage: Boys: athletic ability, well-developed sense of humor, taking risks and challenging norms Girls: social position and physical attractiveness

CONSTRUCTIONIST APPROACH

Popular sociological perspective on gender They see gender as a social construction The meaning of masculinity and femininity may differ drastically in different societies and historical periods E.g., foot binding Gender is constructed, or created through our interactions with other members of society A person's life span: assignment to a sex category -> babies are dressed in a way that displays their sex -> others treat those in one gender differently from those in the other -> form gender identity -> parenting is gendered -> produce feminine or masculine

GENDER ROLE SOCIALIZATION- SCHOOLS/BOYS/GIRLS

Schools also socialize children into their gender roles. Boys: receive more attention and instructional time, called on in class, more challenging questions, receive punishment more often, great potential for future Girls: higher grades, hard work, focus on reading and social skills, diligent

GENDER

Social organization of sexual differences Social construct "feminine" "masculine" defined by soceity Role expectations Frames identity Gender- psychological, social, and cultural characteristics

GENDER RANKING

The valuing of one gender over another

STRUCTURAL FUNCTIONALIST- GENDER INQUALITY

There are social roles better suited to one gender than the other, and that societies are more stable when certain tasks are fulfilled by the appropriate sex The division of labor, springing from a biological distinction between the sexes, ensure the solidarity of the family and the stability of a society. MEN- INSTRUMENTAL, WOMEN- EXPRESSIVE

THINK SOCIOLOGICALLY

What sorts of values would you say Disney embodies? What kinds of messages does Disney send kids? What examples of gender stereotyp8ing have you noticed in Disney films? Do you find gender stereotyping to be more pronounced in the depictions of male or female characters? Do you think gender portrayals in Disney films have changed over time? If so, how? If not, what's been most consistent about them? What steps toward medial literacy and media education can you think of that we should teach children to help them critically evaluate Disney and other popular culture products for themselves? Should this kind of thing be taught in schools, the same way that analyzing literature is taught in schools? Why or why not?

HETEROSEXUAL PRIVILEGE- EXAMPLES

You can go wherever you want and know that you will not be harassed, beaten, or killed because of your sexuality You do not have to worry about being mistreated by the police or victimized by the criminal justice system because of your sexuality You can express affection (kissing, hugging, and holding hands) in most social situations and not expect hostile or violent reactions from others You can discuss your relationships and publicly acknowledge your partner (such as by having a picture of your lover on your desk) without fearing that people will automatically disapprove or think that you are being "blatant" You can legally marry the person whom you love in all 50 states You can receive tax breaks, health insurance coverage, and spousal legal rights through being in a long-term relationship

"DO" GENDER MEANS:

a. To "do gender" means to follow traditional conceptions of the responsibilities of men and women in everyday life and to reinforce the idea that gender is a natural means for society to differentiate itself. b. To "do gender" means to challenge traditional conceptions of the responsibilities of men and women in everyday life and to attack the idea that gender is a natural means for society to differentiate itself. c. To "do gender" means to take the traditional role of the opposite gender (men acting as women and women as men). This normally happens in special circumstances, such as a fancy-dress party where men come as women and women as men or in single-parent homes when Daddy has to change diapers or Mommy has to repair the sink. d. To "do gender" refers to the process by which children learn about traditional conceptions of gender roles.

Your friend Meghan overhears you talking about the difference between sex and gender with your classmate Roger. Confused, Meghan chimes in: "Wait a minute! I thought sex and gender were the same thing!" You explain that:

a. sex refers to the physical differences in the body, whereas gender concerns the psychological, social, and cultural differences between males and females. b. sex is what couples do to conceive, whereas gender is an attribute of their baby. c. a culture's understanding of gender determines what types of physical intimacy constitute sex. d. sex concerns the psychological, social, and cultural differences between males and females, whereas gender refers to the physical differences in the body.

PATRIARCHY IS

a. the name given to societies in which property is passed down by the male lineage b. the name given to societies in which Eastern Orthodoxy is the main religion c. the name given to societies in which women are treated as property d. the name given to male dominance in a society

SEX

biological, physical characteristics Primary and secondary sex characteristics