The Social Construction of Difference-Race, Class, Gender, and sexuality

Gender

refers to the particular set of socially constructed meanings that are associated with each biological sex(The presence of either a vagina and clitoris or penis and scrotum.)

Classism (Class Privilege)

refers to the system of advantages that continues to ensure that wealth, power, opportunity, and privilege go hand in hand.

Double Bind

situations in which options are reduced to a very few and all them expose one to penalty, censure or deprivation

Temporary inequality

lesser party is socially defined as unequal-Paramount goal of the relationship is to end the relationship-the period of disparity temporary. Examples-children/parents, teacher/students-superior party has more of some ability which he/she is supposed to bestow to the lesser party.

Discrimination

limiting opportunities of people based on race, sex, or national origin

Heterosexism

the assumption that the world is and must be heterosexual at the same time, rationalizing the existing distribution of power and privilege that flows from this assumption

Sterotype

a widely held but fixed oversimplified image of a particular type of person or thing

Hegemony

dominance by one social group over others.

Individual discrimination

"Micro Level behavior "refers to discrimination between two individuals-basic interactions that can occur between two people.

Hegemonic Model/Norm

white, male, European, heterosexual upper class, rich)-Model for normal human relationships

Organizational discrimination

"macro level" smaller scale group based ramifications -Refers to Organizations/systems; religious , the media, work, educational, the banking , the criminal justice , engaging in discriminatory or biased behavior and actions. organizational discrimination refers to only one organization involved

Deliberate Discrimination

(ID)--"Micro Level behavior "actions by consciously prejudiced individuals that are intentional, based on categories of people on the grounds of race, age, or sex

Unintentional Discrimination

(ID)--"Micro Level behavior "actions by unconscious prejudiced individuals that are intentional, based on categories of people on the grounds of race, age, or sex

Unintentional Discrimination

(ID)Individualized discriminatory conduct-Micro Level behavior "actions taken by persons who may not believe themselves prejudiced but whose decisions continue to be guided by ingrained discriminatory customs

"Last Hired, First Hired"

(OD) Sonority within organizations operates to disadvantage minorities and woman.

"Color-blind" and "Gender-Neutral"

(OD)Organizational Practices/actions that favor white males-Adverse effects on minorities and woman-actions Protects the Status Quo arising from the racism and sexism of the past

"Old boy" Network-

(OD)network in business and education built on years of friendship and social contact among white males, or the exchanges of information and corporate strategies by business acquaintances in racially or sexually exclusive country clubs, locker rooms paid by the employer.

Self-perpetuating cycle-self-reinforcing cycles

(SD)(The power to continue indefinitely)-passing disadvantaged incurred by one generation in one area to future generations in many related areas.

Process of Discrimination-as a Self-Perpetuating cycle

(SD)Interlocking process involving the attitudes and actions of individuals and the organizations and social structures that guide individual behavior-bestows privileges, favors and advantages on white males and imposes disadvantage and penalties on minorities an woman.

Discriminatory process

(SD)Not Static, one-time phenomenon. Self-perpetuating cycle/Self-sustaining discriminatory process that occurs within the fields of employment, education, housing and government but between these structural areas (The power to continue indefinitely)

Dominant groups

(white, male, European, heterosexual upper class, rich)-Model for normal human relationships-A dominate group has the greatest influence in determine a culture's overall outlook-it's philosophy, morality, social theory, and science.

Allies

An ally is a member of a dominant group in our society who works to dismantle any form of oppression from which she or he receives the benefit. Allied behavior means taking personal responsibility for the changes we know are needed in our society, and so often ignore or leave to others to deal with

The construction of difference

Difference as deviance or deficiency that underlies the systems of oppression that determine how, power, privilege, wealth and opportunity are distributed

Systems of oppression function

Function in Society to rationalize the hierarchy they create-operation invisible Effectively make the current distribution of privilege and power appears natural.Systems of oppression operate in relation to each other, forming an interlocking system of advantages and disadvantages that rationalize and preserves the prevailing distribution of power and privilege in society.

Subordinate groups

Group experiences permanent inequality and is marginalized because they are not considered part of the hegemonic ideal-Have to concentrate on basic survival-direct; honest reaction to destructive treatment is avoided, resorting to disguised and indirect ways of acting and reacting.

Permanent inequality

In these relationships, some people or groups of people are defined as unequal by means of ascription: birth defines you-your status within society ascribed at birth and criteria included race, class, nationality, religion. No notion that superior are present to help inferiors within a relationship of permanent inequality, to impart them advantages and desirable characteristics. No assumption that the goal of the unequal relationship is to end the inequality-governing tendencies are in force.

U.S. Society

Less-egalitarian-places a priority on sex, race, and class.

Structural discrimination

Macro level discrimination-enacted throughout various organizations and institutions in society refers to an entire society or social system which devalues, and treats one group as less than, inferior, and deviant or subordinate-this group experiences permanent inequality and is marginalized because they are not considered part of the hegemonic ideal.

Frye's-Metaphor of a birdcage

Metaphor of a birdcage to illustrate how a system of oppression-imprisons its victims through a set of interlocking impediments to motion-Taken alone none of the barrier seem powerful or threating- but taken together, they are unbreakable s a cage that appears light and airy, masking the fact that its occupants are trapped as completely as if they were in a vault.

Oppression

Mold Immobilize and Reduce Something pressed/oppressed is something caught between or among forces and barriers which are so related to each other that jointly restrain, restrict or prevent the thing's motion or mobility

systems of advantage

Racism, Sexism, Heterosexism, and class privilege (classism) provide those with the right race, sex, sexual orientation and class with opportunism and rewards that are unavailable to other individuals and groups in society Operate in combination to create a system of advantage and disadvantage that enhances the life chances of some while limiting the life chances of other

Oppression-

Social Phenomenon that happens between different groups in a society-system of inequality through which on group is positioned to dominate and benefit from the exploitation and subordination of another. Oppression is a relation that exits between groups not between groups and society as a whole

Sexism

System of Advantage based on Sex-refers to the oppression of women by men in a society that is largely patriarchal. Birdcage macroscopic phenomenon- a network of forces and barriers which are systematically related and which conspire to the immobilization, reduction and molding or woman and the lives they live

Racism

System of Advantage based on race-comprehensive system of advantages that work to the benefit of white people. a network of forces and barriers which are systematically related and which conspire to the immobilization, reduction and molding of minorities and the lives they live.

Stratification

The Division of society into a hierarchy-which results in social placement beyond ones control. 1. Categorize- groups are labeled 2. Rank-Superior/Inferior 3. Evaluate-Group status becomes ingrained in our beliefs, attributes and values. 4. Treatment

Gender identity

Whether an individual personally sees themselves as male, female, or something in between.

Birdcage macroscopic phenomenon-

a network of forces and barriers which are systematically related and which conspire to the immobilization, reduction and molding of groups and the lives they live.

Cluster of Characteristics(Subordinates)

are described in terms of, encouraged to develop, personal psychological characteristics that are pleasing to the Dominant group Cluster of Characteristics-Submissiveness, passivity, docility, dependency, lack of initiative, inability to act, and to decide, and the like. Cluster includes qualities characteristic of children immaturity weakness and helplessness If subordinates adopt these characteristics they are considered well adjusted.

The Social construction of race, class, gender and sexuality

as difference-(deviant from the Hegemonic model/ norm of being white, male, European and heterosexual and everyone else is considered less able and less worthy) lies at the heart of Racism, Sexism, Heterosexism and classism.

Gender role behavior

behaviors associated with a specific sex.

Systems of oppression operation in society

in relation to each other, forming an interlocking system of advantages and disadvantages that rationalize and preserves the prevailing distribution of power and privilege in society

The experience of oppressed

living one's is confined and shaped by barriers, structures or forces which are not accidental or occasional and hence avoidable, systematically related .Systematically related to each other in such a way as to catch one between and among them and restrict or penalize motion in any direction. Experience of being caged in: all avenues, in every direction blocked

Patriarchy

male dominated, male identified, and male centered. Every institution and aspect of culture contrives to rationalize and perpetuate the dominance of men and the subordination of woman.

Male-opening door ritual"

paradigm or model (Frye) analyzing the implications of the social practice. Its meaning and implications go beyond the conscious intentions of the man who opens the door. The point is that sexism and racism can be perpetuated by people who were just trying to be nice-message of false helpfulness of male gallantry is female dependence, the invisibility or insignificance of woman, and contempt for woman.

Sex-role Stereotypes

the identification of certain jobs or activities as appropriate for woman and others for men, and claim that these divisions reflect natural differences in ability and or interest.

Systems of oppression function in contemporary society

to rationalize the hierarchy they create-operation invisible Effectively make the current distribution of privilege and power appears natural

The "other"-

understood to be less deserving, less intelligent, and less human-People who are not considered part of the majority and have not been granted civil rights and granted the same opportunities by the united states government.This occurs because by valuing characteristics and lifestyles of certain individuals(Hegemonic Ideal/Model) or groups white, male, European, heterosexual upper class, rich and devaluing others( minorities and woman), society constructs some of its members as others.