sociology Chapter 9 Vocabulary
Gender expression
an individual's behavioral manifestations of gender
Sex
an individual's membership in one of two categories—male or female—based on biological factors
Gender identity
an individual's self-definition or sense of gender
Pro-feminist men's movement
an offshoot of male liberationism whose members support feminism and believe that sexism harms both men and women
Microaggression
everyday uses of ordinary language that may send denigrating messages to members of certain social groups
Homophobia
fear of or discrimination toward gay, lesbian, and bisexual people
Transphobia
fear of or discrimination toward transgender or other gender-nonconforming people
Same-sex marriage
federally recognized marriage between members of the same sex; made legal in the United States in 2015
Intersex
term used to describe a person whose chromosomes or sex characteristics are neither exclusively male nor exclusively female
Sexism
the belief that one sex, usually male, is superior to the other
Sexuality
the character or quality of being sexual
First wave
the earliest period of feminist activism, from the mid-nineteenth century until American women won the right to vote in 1920
Feminization of poverty
the 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
Sexual orientation or identity
the inclination to feel sexual desire toward people of a particular gender or toward both genders
Gender
the physical, behavioral, and personality traits that a group considers normal for its male and female members
Expressive role
the position of the family member who provides emotional support and nurturing
Instrumental role
the position of the family member who provides material support; often an authority figure
Social learning
the process of learning behaviors and meanings through social interaction
Second shift
the unpaid housework and child care often expected of women after they complete their day's paid labor
Essentialists
those who believe gender roles have a genetic or biological origin and therefore cannot be changed
Coming out
to openly declare one's true identity to those who might not be aware of it; short for "coming out of the closet," a phrase used to describe how gays and lesbians have felt compelled to keep their sexual orientation secret
Men's rights movement
: an offshoot of male liberationism whose members believe that feminism promotes discrimination against men
Constructionists
: those who believe that notions of gender are socially determined, such that a dichotomous system is just one possibility among many
Men's liberationism
a movement that originated in the 1970s to discuss the challenges of masculinity
Binary
a system of classification with only two distinct and opposite categories
Feminism
belief in the social, political, and economic equality of the sexes; also the social movements organized around that belief
Cisgenderism
belief in the superiority of cisgender persons and identities
Heterosexism
belief in the superiority of heterosexuality and heterosexuals
LGBTQ
lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (sometimes "A" is added to include "allies")
Patriarchy
literally meaning "rule of the father"; a male-dominated society
Bisexuality
sexual attraction toward members of both genders
Homosexuality
sexual attraction toward members of one's own gender
Heterosexuality
sexual attraction toward members of the other gender
Queer theory
social theory about gender and sexual identity; emphasizes the importance of difference and rejects ideas of innate identities or restrictive categories
Cisgender
term used when gender identity and/or expression aligns with the sex assigned at birth
Gender nonconforming
term used when gender identity and/or expression differs from societal expectations about gender roles
Transgender
term used when gender identity and/or expression is different from the sex assigned at birth
Heteronormativity
the belief that heterosexuality is and should be the norm
Asexuality
the lack of sexual attraction of any kind; no interest in or desire for sex
Gender role socialization
the lifelong process of learning to be masculine or feminine, primarily through agents of socialization
Third wave
the most recent period of feminist activism, focusing on issues of diversity, globalization, and the variety of identities women can possess
Suffrage movement
the movement organized around gaining voting rights for women
Second wave
the period of feminist activism during the 1960s and 1970s, often associated with the issues of women's equal access to employment and education
