Sociology Chapter 10
Age of awareness of gender
Age 2
Peers
Age 3: preference for same sex groups Boys more likely to be mocked by peers for violating gender norms
Men's rights movement
Because of feminism, men suffer discrimination o Men overlooked as victims o False accusation o Unfair courts
Conflict Theorist Perspective on Gender
Because of the traditional division of labor in families, males have had more access to resources and privileges and have sought to maintain their dominance.
Human sexual dimorphism
Belief that the experiences of women and men differ as a result of differences in anatomy
Constructionalists
Believe that gender is socially constructed 2 gender system is one possibility Inequality is not natural Masculinity / Femininity vary in history and societies (Margaret Mead Study)
Essentialists
Believe that gender roles have a genetic or biological origin & cannot be changed. Gender is two categories- Male & Female "Gender is immutable and derived solely from biology"
Sex
Biologically distinct categories of male or female
Girls vs. Boys in School
Boys: o Challenging questions o Praise for intellectual work o Receive more attention o More likely to be called on o More likely to be punished Girls: o Higher grades in elementary school o Credited for hard work over ability- which affects success after graduation
Frederich Engel's perspective
Conflict Theorist. Noted that capitalists benefited from maintaining patricharchal families, with women in the private sphere and men in the public workplace.
Third wave of feminism
Diversity and rights of women globally
Expressive roles
Emotional support & nurturing
Second wave of feminism
Equal access to education and jobs o Equal Rights Amendment: Passed by Congress but not ratified by enough states 1972-1979 (extended to 1982) o Was not ratified
Family
Men are more likely to report never having been married Women more likely to be primary caregiver after divorce Women more likely to be single parents
Pro-feminist men's movement
Men should support feminism because: o It is fair o Men are constrained by gender rules too o Male superiority ideology is a burden o Men would be happier if society was less sexist
Teacher- Student influence
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Intersexed
17 out of 100 are not born exclusively male or female (hermaphrodites) Surgery and sex assignment viewed as one "remedy"
Grade in which gender norms are firmly established
5th Grade
Feminism
A belief in the social, political, and economic equality of the sexes
Symbolic interactionist perspective on gender
Gender is learned through the process of socialization; gender inequalities are reproduced through interactions with family, peers, schools, and the media
Talcott Parson's Perspective
Instrumental Role: Task oriented, authority, breadwinner Expressive Role: emotional support & nurturing Necessary for child rearing & stabilizing the instrumental partner
Gender
Physical, behavioral, and personality traits a group consider to be normal and right for male and female members. Masculine vs. Feminine
Gendered Language
Positions of power & authority use male language Gender maker: Lady policeman, Male secretary Gender messages: Bob and Sue instead of Sue and Bob
Functional perspective on gender
Social roles are suited better for one gender Society is stable with these norms Gender segregation upholds traditional family
Instrumental roles
Task oriented, authority, breadwinner
Gender identity
The Roles and behaviors that are associated with a particular gender. Gender identity is about what we do
Social learning
The process of learning behavior and meanings through social interactions.
Gender role socialization
The subtle, pervasive process of becoming masculine or feminine. Begins early and continues throughout our lives.
Health
Women live longer Women more likely to suffer from depression Heart disease & cancer similar men/women
Feminization of poverty
Women more likely to live in poverty than men o Gender wage gap o Childcare o Higher proportion of single women heading household
First wave of feminism
Women's suffrage (campaign to vote) o Ratified 19th Amendment 1920
Ways schools socialize students
• Women are rarely objects of study • Books by women are rarely assigned • Textbooks- sexist language/stereotypes • Women concentrated in lower teaching • Interaction between teachers and students most important