Sociology Exam 2: Chapter 9- Constructing Gender and Sexuality
bill that sought to correct gay discrimination by placing sexual orientation within a protected class with race and gender so employers could not legally discriminate based on sexual orientation
Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA)
an individual's self-definition or sense of gender
gender identity
Ulrich's take on where sexual orientation originates?
genetic-- most likely related to hormones
type of homophobia that is expressed through derogatory comments, discriminatory actions, and physical attacks
individual
sometimes legitimizes individual homophobia, government, businesses, church or other organization discriminates against people of a specific orientation
institutional
position of the family member who provides the family's material support and is often an authority figure (men according to Talcott Parsons)
instrumental role
gender-neutral references
mail carrier, firefighter, server, chairperson, humankind
The English language seems to assume the default category for all human experience is ____.
male
How many women lived to cast a ballot after the 100 that made the Declaration of Sentiments?
one- Charlotte Woodward
individual's membership in one of two biologically distinct categories-- male or female, based on hormones, chromosomes, reproductive organs
sex
What are some examples of homosexuality being introduced to television (started in 1997 with Ellen and first kiss on Will and Grace in 2000) but still may not achieve same acceptance level as heterosexuality
NYPD, Ellen, Will and Grace, etc.
What did Semenya go through?
beat her time by 8 seconds in 800 meter race and speculated for being a male and forced to undergo tests
involves the lack of sexual attraction of any kind; no interest in or desire for sex (1%)
asexuality
How are women's nicknames a function of social control?
baby, cupcake, etc. things that must be coddled or eaten
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 i.e. male-dominated occupations generally hold more prestige and are better paid; women may encounter difficulties entering male-dominated occupations, whereas men may more easily succeed in female-dominated occupations
conflict theory
In United States vs. Windsor, the court ruled that the section of which act that defined marriage as between a man and a woman was unconstitutional? Parts of the act were left intact allowing states to refuse to recognize same-sex marriages from other states
Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA)
lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer; sometimes "A" is added to include "allies"; likely to undergo prejudices as sexual orientation becomes a point of social stratification
LGBTQ
Some opponents of gay marriage are actually _______, and do not support it as it is viewed as assimilationist and they just accept heteronormative structures, such as _____ gender roles and _____, rather than critiquing them.
LGBTQ, binary, monogamy
belief in the social, political, and economic equality of the sexes; also the social movements organized around that belief (both a theoretical perspective and a social movement)
feminism
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
feminization of povertyse
What was Laura Allen and Roger Gorski's take on homosexuality and being born with it?
fibers connecting the hemispheres of the brain is 1/3 larger in gay men
the earliest period of feminist activism in the US, including the period from the mid-nineteenth century until American women won the right to vote in 1920 i.e. began in Seneca Falls, NY where there was a convention with a Declaration saying all men and women are created equal
first wave
the lifelong process of learning to be masculine or feminine, primarily through four agents of socialization: families, schools, peers, and media
gender role socialization
Why has the "gay gene" been criticized?
genetics are much more complicated and it doesn't explain intermediary sexualities like bisexuality
fear of or discrimination toward homosexuals or toward individuals who display purportedly gender-inappropriate behavior i.e. it is suggested that it is not a true psychological phobia, but rather a prejudice like racism or anti-Semitism that are culturally learned and transmitted
homophobia
tendency to feel sexual desire toward members of one's own gender (4% of adults, minority)
homosexuality
What does this describe? ambiguity of physical encounters with expectations of nothing further gaining popularity in modern-day youth; described as when a girl and a guy get together for a physical encounter and don't necessarily expect anything further
hook-up culture
sexualizing pre-pubescent children to sell products (lie Honey Boo Boo), fulfills some sort of fantasy and lends itself to violence and susceptibility
infantilization
What jobs are expected to decline next, largely female-dominated
manufacturing jobs
Since the 1968 Olympics, Soviet female athletes that were accused of being men and women since then have had to undergo ___ ______ testing by gynecologists and endocrinologists
sex-determination
the inclination to feel sexual desire toward people of a particular gender of towards both genders
sexual orientation (sexual identity)
the character or quality of being sexual; describes sexual behavior, desires, and fantasies that people both do and dream about
sexuality
process of learning behaviors and meanings through social interaction and internalizing expectations of those around them i.e. baby girl is treated gently may observe the roughhousing of baby boys with alarm
social learning theory
Some _______ reduce male-female relationships to the biological function of procreation.
sociobiologists
primary source of socialization; socialization occurs before birth once the sex is determined and start talking to the stomach a certain way/decorating the room i.e. we grow up watching them and use them as role models; in adulthood may still influence careers and mates and household and raising children
family
in the media, how is relative power in gender explained
women are more vulnerable and men are toughter and more respectable
What does the "great equilizer" mean?
women's lung cancer deaths tripled in past twenty years, evening out mortality where women and men are concerned
present at birth
congenital
factors such as facial and body hair and musculature
secondary sex characteristics
How does the English language perpetuate double standards?
"player" vs. "slut" if sex with multiple people "go-getter" vs. "bitch" if ambitious and driven
How many states (plus District of Colombia) approve same-sex marriage?
13
What are the two societies that acknowledge "third gender" and talk about them briefly. Keep in mind neither are ever referred to as "he" or "she" but just as their categorizing names.
berdaches ("two-spirit" people)- mostly biological males that dress and portray women's roles but can be vice versa, often for demographic reasons (like wanted a son to take care of the family no matter what, etc.) hijras- usually biological males with genitalia removed and act as females, voluntarily become this in their teens or twenties, good luck to have at wedding or birth of male child
another term to describe how since 2009, male unemployment rate has fallen sharply and female unemployment rate increased slightly
he-covery
term that is suggested instead of homophobia in order to align more to sexism and racism that describes an ideological system stigmatizing nonheterosexual behavior
heterosexism
sexual desire for the other gender; normative and dominant category
heterosexuality
a movement that originated in the 1970s to discuss the challenges of masculinity, reexamining what it means to be a man, need to free men from oppressive gender roles i.e. men suffered from greater stress poorer health and a shorter life expectancy and studies argued that this resulted from pressure to achieve success and inability to express themselves; men came together to discuss what it means to be a "real man"
male liberationism
literally meaning "rule of the father," a male-dominated society, most common form i.e. gender inequality can be traced back to hunting and warfare that women could not effectively participate in as much leading women to handle issues at home and men becoming more powerful controllers of resources
patriarchy
What are some ways women are disadvantaged in institutional settings in our society?
-disproportionate amount of housework -earn less than male peers at work -more likely to live in poverty
impacts of gender in family
-men are more likely than women to report never getting married and men are more likely to report getting married -women are more likely to retain primary caregiving role after divorce and suffer financially -primary caretakers and that can affect work -take on the second shift when they get home
impacts of gender on military
-men more likely to be in military -women were placed in non-combat only until recently -women receive more unwanted sexual attention -rape rates are going up
impacts of gender on criminal justice
-men more likely to die violent deaths -women are more likely to be victims of rape and personal theft and by people they know -men are arrested more (murder/rapes/sex offenses/theft/assault/drugs) -women primarily arrested for prostitution and runaways
impacts of gender on work and income
-more men in labor force -more men unemployed -single women more likely to work and married men more likely to work -mothers increasing in the work force -jobs are gendered (i.e. doctors- males; nurses- females) and their pay is affected with female jobs normally getting less
impacts of gender in health
-women live longer (80.5 vs. 75.7), perhaps due to hormones (men more likely to die in youth from car accidents, homicides, drownings; and then in their later life from heart disease, stroke, suicide, car accidents, and illness related to smoking/alcohol) -more women modernly involved with working outside the home, smoking/drinking and gap may be closing -women are twice as likely to have depression
impacts of gender in education
-women more likely to attend college -men more likely to attain a four-year and advanced degrees (women win numerically and men win proportionately) -men more likely to earn more money per degree
Before the _____, homosexuality was entirely absent from television and when it was there it was treated as negative or a disease.
1960s
Until _____-___, it was usually women whose unemployment rate rose higher and this changed when?
1981-82; 1980s
By age ___, children are aware of their own and others' genders and by ____ they begin to identify specific traits associated with each gender.
2, 3
When did the recession lose 7.5 million jobs, 5.4 million being for men and male unemployment going from 5 to 10.5% and women from 4.8 to 8%
2007-2009
Describe Bailey and Pillard's experiments with identifying whether or not homosexuality was congenital?
52% of identical twins of gay men were gay and 48% of identical twins of lesbian women were lesbian
What are the estimated values on how many are being trafficked worldwide each year
600,000-2.5 million
What happened in El Monte?
72 men and women held by guards and fences that were recruited in Thailand and taken to US, told not to leave or else abuse and deportation, terrified of police so much that they didn't leave immediately when freed; first slavery since Civil War
What is the earnings ratio as of 2010 for men and women?
77:100 (77 cents earned by the woman for each dollar for the man)
Gay rights movement won a victory with this law's repeal in 2010. Originally signed in 1993, military policy required discharge of gay people and this law tried to curb discharges by requiring military administration not ask about sexuality and service members not tell, leading them to have to live in secrecy and even participate in anti-gay protests; the repeal of this allowed them to openly serve as gays
Don't Ask, Don't Tell
Who spoke in Killing Us Softly 4?
Jean Kilbourne
Who identified the two complementary roles of genders in functionalism?
Talcott Parsons
In 2000, the ____ ____ worked to form a convention to fight transnational organized crime and drafted the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children
United Nations
What are some ways schools can help support those in the LGBTQ community?
anti-bullying policies, staff intervention, supportive peer environment, school programs like Gay-Straight Alliances
Lepowsky's take on nature vs. nurture in gender roles
biological differences may result from culturally prescribed behavior rather than the cause of it i.e. men engage in more aggressive behavior and produce more testosterone
sexual attraction to both genders; sexually attracted to both males and females (3% of men, 4% of women)
bisexuality
What are the results of falling short in gender roles for boys in peer groups vs. girls?
bullying and rebellion vs. eating disorders
proposed as an alternative to gay marriage; a form of legally recognized commitment that provides gay couples some of the benefits and protections of marriage; the term "marriage" has a religious meaning for many and many religions do not support gay marriage
civil unions
those who believe that notions of gender are socially determined, such that a dichotomous system is just one possibility among many i.e. more preferred method by mainstream sociologists, think there are more ways to classify individuals, believe meaning of masculinity and femininity differ drastically in different societies and historical periods, analyze micro-interactions on individual scales
constructionists
sociologists who study verbal and nonverbal language patterns
conversation analysts
What way do the two classes of gays feel? lived before gay liberation in 1960s and 1970s lived during or after it
discredited if orientation became public making orientation public was celebrating an essential aspect of the self that should not be denied
those who believe gender roles have a genetic or biological origin and therefore cannot be changed; see gender identity as an unambiguous, two-category system i.e. dispreferred perspective in sociology and is more in medicine, theology, biology
essentialists
position of the family member who provides emotional support and nurturing; helps to stabilize the personality of the instrumental partner against stresses of the world (women according to Talcott Parrsons) i.e. work is more often dismissed and less appreciated
expressive role
theme of movie: using 4 women to create an ideal image of one woman and cutting off parts of females, using 1 dimension of female body to sell
fragmentation
sex determines which roles men and women are best suited to; it is more appropriate for men to play instrumental roles and women to play expressive roles i.e. women are naturally more nurturing and make better nurses and teachers or young children; men are more logical and make better lawyers and programmers i.e. this believes that there are social roles better suited to one gender than the other and societies are more stable when certain tasks are done by the appropriate sex
functionalism
What are the two major macrosociological theories of gender inequality?
functionalism and conflict theory
What is this an example of? If sme-sex marriage were legalized in California, it would provide $63.8 million in state and local government revenue over three years
gay marriage as an economic issue
the physical, behavioral, and personality traits that a group considers normal for its male and female members; our notion about what is "masculine" or "feminine"; this is culturally transmitted or learned i.e. men are more aggressive and competitive and women are known for more emotional and nurturing
gender
Engel's view on gender roles from the conflict theory approach?
gender inequality from class inequality from private property; capitalists benefit from maintaining patriarchal families with women in private sphere and men in public workplace where women reproduce labor force; so if private property abolished, inequalities producing social classes would disappear, and there would no longer be powerful interests forcing women into domestic roles
the extent, much debated in recent years, to which inherent physical differences define the distinctions between the two sexes; broadly contested due to cross-dressers, transsexuals, and transgendered
human sexual dimorphism
the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of persons, by means of the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability.. for the purpose of exploitation
human trafficking
gender identity is so important to our social selves, according to these people, that we can barely interact with anyone without first determining that person's gender on a microsociological scale i.e. concept of gender is socially constructed, maintained, and reproduced in our everyday lives
interactionists
gender almost never shapes individual experience in isolation, but instead is linked to other social statuses in the effects it has on our lives i.e. mix of gender with class, race, ethnicity, etc. is visible in a study of the work of Asian immigrant women in nail salons where subservience is often seen as "natural" in Asian women and customers feel that they can make more demands
intersectionality
term to describe a person whose chromosomes or sex characteristics are neither exclusively male nor exclusively female (17/1,000); indeterminate male and female sex characteristics i.e. Normally family and doctors choose one and take the appropriate medical steps (female is normally the most viable option)
intersexed
If gay marriage is legally accepted, then gay families will get the same _____ _____ as heterosexual families.
legal standing
teach us how to behave, how to be accepted, what to value, what is normal; says that girls should be beautiful, caring, sensitive and reserved while boys should be assertive, strong, and analytic in TV; magazines focus on thin images to set the beauty standard; video games are more violent in men and multiplayer or focused on building relationships in girls
media
How do men and women differ in conversation?
men more likely to interrupt women and control the subject while women are more concerned with keeping a conversation going than controlling direction
an offshoot of male liberationism whose members believe that feminism promotes discrimination against men; believes there was a new sexism by privileging women or attempting to erase differences altogether; feels that feminism creates disadvantages for men
men's rights movement
cons of hooking up pros of hooking up
mixed signals about whether or not they are in a relationship, detracts from finding a potential significant other to marry in the case of women women felt allowed to be sexual without demanding time, energy, and emotional labor tat a relationship requires and found it to be an empowering experiment; system of socializing with opposite sex for the purpose of finding romantic partners
As Eisenstein points out, what would men have to lose if gender segregation disappears?
more unpaid work, pay to have homes kept up and children cared for, find jobs in a larger and more competitive market, lose power and prestige
What was the shocking news that came of the mancession c. 2009?
more women working than men
What is the Kinsey Scale of Sexuality?
most people are not entirely straight or entirely gay, but fall somewhere along the line on a continuum of possibilities; people are not exclusively heterosexual or homosexual, this continuum can change over a person's life
theme of movie: fragmentation leads to women being _____ and leads to ______ and _____
objectified, dehumanization, violence
factors as chromosomes, hormones, reproductive organs i.e. estrogen, testosterone, XX, XY, vagina, cervix, penis, testicles
primary sex characteristics
What happened in May 2008 with California Supreme Court?
overturned state's previous ban because limiting marriage to heterosexuality allegedly violated the the state constitution; opponents passed Proposition 8, which made two classes: those who no longer had the right to marry, and those who had been married between May and November ULTIMATELY, Supreme Court had no right to appeal the decision to overturn Proposition 8 and same-sex marriage became legal again
sex segregation here seems to be the cause of gendered behavior; criticize non-normative behavior and make homophobic epithets at one another in the case of boys in order to solidify gender roles; the need to feel popular is enhanced by athletic ability and taking risks for boys and for social position and physical attractiveness for girls i.e. these are prominent in Western civilizations. Teens are rewarded by them when they conform to gender norms and stigmatized when they do not.
peers
How are positions of power and authority emphasized in the male gender through names, thus implying one gender is more suitable for the job? Likewise, how are words used without female markers? How are some words used so that they must be attached to a marker in order to be identified as a woman?
policeman, fireman, chairman nurse, flight attendant astronaut (woman astronaut), doctor (woman doctor)
Because civil unions are not recognized by all states, they offer no ______, which can be detrimental in terms of social security, veteran's or disability benefits because they cannot inherit those benefits upon partner's passing i.e. IRS and Social Security Administration base eligibility on state of residence.
portability
offshoot of male liberationism whose members support feminism and believe that sexism harms both men and women; suggests men will be happier if society becomes less sexist i.e. argued that men need to share more responsibilities of child care, contest economic disparities and violence against women, and respect women
pro-feminist men's movement
What is a phrase used to imply that gay marriage would destroy the institution of marriage?
protecting marriage (protecting family)
social theory about gender identity and sexuality that emphasizes the importance of difference and rejects as restrictive the idea of innate sexual identity i.e. rejects gay, lesbian, bisexual, etc. as an identity and emphasizes that being queer is about "possibilities, gaps, overlaps, dissonances, and resonances" i.e. goes against biological basis for homosexuality, sometimes called the "third sex"
queer theory
Why is it difficult to sort out effects of gender on categories like marriage, education, and work?
race and class are also factors
What was Betty Friedan's book The Feminine Mystique about?
realizing women were unhappy with traditional roles they had been assigned and mystique of feminine fulfillment was changing to outside of traditional roles and women who tried to break these molds were "unfeminine" and trying to take a role from a more deserving man
gender norms are established here around 5th grade when categorized into gender-specific groups or tasks; teacher interaction differs (favor boys but also get angry with boys more; girls tend to earn higher grades but often discounted; when doing well-- girls get hard work but boys are just smart); men occupy upper management and women are just teachers and aides
school
the unpaid housework (cooking, cleaning, laundry, etc.) and child care often expected of women after they complete their day's paid labor; coined by Arlie Hochschild
second shift
the period of feminist activity during the 1960s and 1970s that often is associated with the issues of women's equal access to employment and education i.e. publication of Feminine Mystique in 1963, establishment of National Organization for Women in 1966, emergence of women's consciousness-raising groups; believed women's movement had lost its momentum after suffrage had been obtained; pushed against sexual harassment and marital rape, and general increase in public awareness about gender discrimination
second wave
This allows us to see the cultural and environmental influences on what may be considered biologically based identities, and lets us identify and critique the stratification system that has resulted from these infleunces; allows us to see how destructive sexism is for both men and women and how crippling homophobia can be for the straight majority as well as the gay minority
sociological perspective
the movement organized around gaining voting rights for women
suffrage movement
gender is learned through the process of socialization; gender inequalities are reproduced through interactions with family, peers, schools, and the media i.e. girls and boys are socialized differently and may be encouraged to seek out gender-appropriate training, college majors, and career goals, leading them to enter male- and female- dominated occupations
symbolic interactionism
the most recent period of feminist activity, focusing on issues of diversity and the variety of identities women can possess; began in 1980s and 1990s; criticize first two waves for concentrating on "women" as one category of white and middle class and marginalizing the concerns of women of all colors, lesbians, working-class, etc. i.e. also concerned with women in all countries and with environmental and animal rights
third wave
What are rates of gay discrimination equal to currently?
those discriminated against for race and gender
term describing an individual whose sense of gender identity transgresses expected gender categories; sense of self may differ from physical sex i.e. includes cross-dressers, bi-gendered, ungendered, intersexed
transgendered
individuals who identify with the other sex and have surgery to alter their own sex so it fits their self-image i.e. Garfunkel did an experiment to see how much it was based on interaction and found that the way Agnes (boy who felt like a woman and was undergoing gender-reassignment) was believed to be a girl by conforming to the social constructs set up for femininity
transsexuals
When are straight Americans normally more accepting of homosexuality?
when it's a biological factor and not a "choice"
What is one of the most difficult periods for dealing with sexuality and gender identities in a homophobic cultures? i.e. 4x more likely to attempt suicide, 8.4x more likely to be rejected by families, 85% verbally harassed, 40.1% physically harassed
youth
