WGS Midterm Study Guide (UNITS 1-3)!
Multiracial feminism
Many modern feminist approaches have been critiqued by the perspectives of women of color, who insist that theory be inclusive of all women's lives. ___ ___, or women of color feminism, asserts that gender is constructed by a range of interlocking inequalities that work simultaneously to shape women's experience. It brings together understandings drawn from the lived experiences of diverse women and influences all feminist writing today.
power, valued, privilege, discrimination
Many of the readings in this unit on *Privilege and Inequality* are essays that illustrate: 1) How __ in society works. 2) How differences are ranked or __ differently. 3) How __ and __ operate. Several may seem "dated" bc they were written during the critique of second-wave feminism in the 1980s, but they're used as examples of classic scholarship WGS. -- They make suggestions for change in both personal and social lives. -- They emphasize what it means to identify as a "woman" in a complex interaction of multiple identities.
Accusations of feminism
Many people, groups, and institutions have attempted to discredit feminism (and therefore WGS) in many ways. Feminism has been subject to the following accusations: *(1)* Feminists are angry, whiny women who have an axe to grind, have no sense of humor, and exaggerate discrimination against women. *(2)* Feminists hate men or want to be like men & selfishly want to create new systems of power over men. *(3)* All feminists are lesbians, women who choose romantic relationships with other women. *(4)* Feminists reject motherhood, consider children a burden, and reject all things feminine. *(5)* Feminism is a white, middle-class movement that draws energy away from attempts to correct social & economic problems & discourages coalition building. While several of these myths contain grains of truth, as a whole they can be easily shattered.
Third-wave Feminism
Many writers refer to a "third wave" of feminist activity influenced by postmodernism, queer theory, and multiracial feminism, which problematizes the universality & potential inclusivity of the term "woman" It has its origins in the 1990s and reflects the thinking, writing, and activism of those who came of age taking for granted the gains of second-wave feminism, as well as the resistance or backlash to it. Third-wave perspectives are shaped by the material conditions created by globalization & techno-culture and tend to focus on issues of sexuality and identity. Contemporary third-wave activity has been important in fueling feminist activism, especially through musical and art forms such as "zines" (conscious-raising magazines produced locally and often shared electronically) and through social networking & other virtual technologies.
First-wave Feminism
Mid-nineteenth century period of social activism that sought women's rights and suffrage (voting) activity, which sought to overturn legal obstacles to women's participation in society.
abolition movement
Most early women's rights activists (then it was referred to as "woman's" rights) in the United States had their first experience with social activism in the __ __, the struggle to free slaves. These activists included such figures as Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucretia Mott, Susan B. Anthony, Sojourner Truth, Sarah M. and Angelina Grimke, Henry Blackwell, Frederick Douglass, and Harriet tubman. Many abolitionists became aware of inequities elsewhere in society. Some realized that to improve women's status, a separate social movement was required. In this way, for many abolitionists, their experiences with abolition inspired their desire to improve the conditions of all women's lives.
"Two-thirds world"
Note how the terms "First World" and "Third World" imply a hierarchical ordering. The problematic nature of these terms is underscored by the phrase __-__ __ to emphasize that the global north has defined most of the world as coming in third.
Key questions
Note these __ __ in UNIT TWO: Recognizing and Talking About Privilege and Inequality! - What is structural inequality? - What does it mean to have privilege? - What forms of privilege or lack of privilege are experienced in personal or professional life according to gender, class position, racial ethnic/identity, ability, cis- or transgender, or reproductive status?
social media, technologies, freedom to objectify.
Of course, popular culture and __ __ play a big part the encouragement to confuse freedoms of expression with freedom in the sense of equality & social justice. We're encouraged to enjoy the freedoms that feminist has brought often w/out reference to the struggle or allegiance to maintaining these freedoms. Writers explain that cultural changes exacerbated by virtual __often encourage young women to participate in their own *objectification* (being made into objects for male pleasure). They emphasize that these young women (who may consider themselves feminists) confuse their __ _ __ themselves with authentic freedom.
mythical norm
Often we tend to think of women in comparison to a __ __ : a white, middle-class, cisgender, heterosexual, albed, thin, young adult, which is normalized or taken for granted such that we often forget that whites are racialized and men are gendered. -- Asking the question "Different from what?" reveals how differences gets constructed against what people think of as "normal." -- Normal tends to reflect identities of those in power. -- This is especially apparent in the issue of disability: it's impossible for some one to be "disabled" without reference to a constructed idea of "normal" -- Any notion of "normal" is an artifact or by-product produced by the discipline that measures it. -- Normality is created & has no physical reality apart form the practice that constructs the idea of normality in the first place.
postfeminism
One result of antifeminist backlash has been the coining of the term "____" by those who recognize feminism as an important perspective but believe its time has passed & it's now obsolete. "We're already liberated" is the stance. Like other broad generalizations, there's some small truth to this: Things have improved for some women in some areas. It's generally accurate to say that women's status in the U.S. in early decades of the 21st century has improved, we still have a long way to go to reach full equality. In terms of poverty, violence, pornography, & health (to name a few), things are worse for many women than they've ever been. There're still many areas where women's status may be enhanced, & for the majority of the world's women, life is very difficult indeed.
sex is gendered
Science is a human (and necessarily gendered) product. This is what is means to say that "sex," as in "male/female," has actually been gendered all along. A breakdown in taken-for-granted tight connections between natural biology & learned gender is interpreted as a medical emergency: -- When "intersex" (reproductive/sexual anatomies don't fit the typical binary definitions of male/female) babies are born, families & health professionals often make an immediate sex determination. -- Hormone therapy & surgeries may follow to make a child fit normative constructed binary categories, & gender is taught in accordance with this decision. In other words, physicians & others use gendered norms to construct the sexed bodies of ambiguously sexed infants; sex is not as easy as genetics & genitalia.
women in leadership
Similarly to the quest for greater inclusivity of women's issues demanded of colleges In the 1960's and 1970s, students and faculty asked to see more __ __ __ positions on college campuses. - Entire departments often consisted exlusively of men with perhaps a small minority of (usually white) women in junior or part-time positions.
political awareness, communication and networking
Some feminist peace and social justice movements have used the concept of the *"personal as political"* to make the case that diverse personal narratives shared within and across cultures encourage __ __ and have the potential to foster opportunities for __ _ __ in an increasingly globalized world. Indeed, transnational feminist groups have worked against militarism, global capitalism, and racism, and for issues identified by local women in specific countries worldwide.
Postmodern feminism
Some feminists have utilized a postmodern perspective that focuses on the relationship between knowledge and power. A postmodern approach: -- questions the assumption that reality has an inherent order that is discernible through scientific inquiry -- rejects binaries or dualistic thinking like male/female and heterosexual/homosexual -- attempts to destabilize such fixed identities This approach recognizes change in the organization of contemporary social life as a result of virtual technologies, increasing globalization, & capitalist development. It also pays attention to how language constructs reality. Postmodernism emphasizes that humans actively construct or shape their lives in the context of various social systems, and often in the face of serious constraints.
Inscribing Gender on the Body
Some of the main topics covered in Chapter 4 , "__ _ __ __ _" are: (1) Gender performance (2) The Social Construction of the Body (3) The "Beauty" Ideal and Objectification (4) Disciplinary Body Practices (5) Eating Disorders (6) Negotiating "Beauty" Ideals -- This has to do with some resisting the cultural norm and the overall point to make conscious & informed choices about our relationships to the "beauty" ideal and to respect, love, and take care of our bodies.
forces of imperialism, global north
Systems of inequality are shaped by broader forces of imperialism at home and abroad. Imperialism refers to the economic, political, and cultural domination over nations or communities. It takes many forms: -- Early subjugation -- Contemporary imperialism -- Cultural imperialism These __ _ __ provide the global context for our discussion of systems of inequality and privilege in the United States. It is also important to consider the privileges afforded citizens of the __ __ as a result of this global structuring: -- Availability of cheap goods produced elsewhere -- Ability to maintain "innocent" of the consequences of U.S. economic & military policies abroad
Various social movements, laws, attitudes
The (second-wave) U.S. women's movement emerged at a moment of widespread social turmoil as ___ __ __ questioned traditional social and sexual values, racism, poverty and other inequities, and U.S. militarism. These social movements, including the women's movement and the civil rights movement, struggled for the rights of people of color, women, the poor, gays and lesbians, the aged and the young, & the disabled. They fought to transform society through __ and policies as well as changes in __ and consciousness.
Internal (Settler) Colonialism
The (used to refer to the situation of indigenous peoples of North America) imposition of the dominant group's culture or language, denial of citizenship rights, relegation to subordinate labor markets, and entrance into a host country by force. We can recognize the history of U.S. racism in this brief discussion of __ __. Examples include: -- the importation of black slaves forced to leave their African homelands -- the removal from indigenous lands of native people who are forced into reservations -- the construction of "illegal" to describe immigrants and migrants who lost their land in Mexico through military conquest & yet are needed by the economic system to participate in menial & often dangerous work.
Roe v. Wade
The 1973 Supreme Court decision holding that a state ban on all abortions was unconstitutional. The decision forbade state control over abortions during the first trimester of pregnancy, permitted states to limit abortions to protect the mother's health in the second trimester, and permitted states to protect the fetus during the third trimester. As a Second Wave legal change, this case legalized abortion and provided reproductive services to women.
nontarget, mythical norm
The ability for __ groups to remain relatively invisible is a key to maintaining their dominance in society. The fact that being white can be claimed as the __ __ strips whiteness from the historical & political roots of its construction as a racial category. Many problematic constructions are created against the norm of whiteness & work to maintain the privileges of the mythical norm. For example, gender ranking within gender categories: -- Certain women (the poor and women of color) were historically regarded as carrying out appropriate womanhood when they fulfilled the domestic labor needs of strangers. -- Upper-class femininity meant that there were certain jobs these (primarily white) women couldn't perform. -- This demonstrates the interaction of gender with class and race systems of oppression and privilege.
specific color options
The association of color options with gender is a relatively recent phenomenon. Traditionally, pink had been associated w/ males as a diminutive of the reds favored in men's clothing. It wasn't until the 1940s that manufacturers dictated __ _ __ for boys & girls.
micro, macro
The distinction between the "___" (focusing on the level of individuals) and the "____" (focusing on the large-scale societal level) is important. EX: Your experience of reading this chapter as a class assignment centers on the individual micro level, but it's embedded in, & part of, a more macro, systematically organized set of practices associated with education as an institution. In other words, studying course readings is institutionalized into education (whether you actually study your readings or not).
women's studies, gender studies
The emergence of WGS within the last few decades represents not only the inclusion of intersectional analyses but the movement away from a stable and fixed idea of "woman," as in "__ __," toward a more inclusive focus on gender, as in __ __."
women of color
The exclusion of women in the higher education curriculum and in positions of power as college faculty and administrators was especially true for __ __ __, who experienced intersecting obstacles based on both race and gender.
universal sisterhood
The feminist movement for social justice takes different forms in societies around the world, & certainly feminism's multiple origins don't necessarily reside in the U.S. There is a problem of claiming a "__ __" that ignores differences between women and claims solidarity based on shared conditions, experiences, or concerns. Such claims often result in women in the global north or "First World" societies (those with political and economic privilege in the world order) making decisions for those in developing countries of the global South or "Third World" nations.
New courses, shifted the focus, women's studies programs and departments
The first strategy in making women subjects of study that resulted in changes in the production of knowledge in higher education was *rebalancing the curriculum*. - Women as subjects of study were integrated into existing curricula through the development of __ ___ about women. - __ __ __ on men and men's lives in the traditional academic curriculum and gave some attention to women's lives and concerns by developing, for example, courses such as "Women and Art" & "Women in U.S. History" alongside "regular" courses that sometimes claimed to be inclusive but focused on (usually white) men. - Not only did traditional academic departments (such as sociology or English) offer these separate courses on women, but the development of __ __ __ __ __ offered curricula on a variety of issues that focused specifically on (initially, mostly white) women's issues. This was the "add women and stir" approach.
political personhood, Anthony Amendment, 19th Amendment
The first-wave women's movement fought for __ __ --a struggle that continues today. The "__ __ ," a proposed women's suffrage amendment, was introduced into Congress in 1878; it took another 42 years for this proposal to be ratified as the __ __ in 1920, granting women the right to vote.
academic, advocacy, social change
The goal of WGS, however, is not only to provide an __ framework and broad-based community for inquiry about the impacts of gender practices on social, cultural, and political thought and behavior, but also to provide __ and work towards __ __.
freedom to purchase products, personal style
The idea that women have achieved equality is reinforced by the *capitalist society* in which we live. Surrounded by consumer products, we're encouraged to confuse liberation with the __ _ __ __ or to choose among a relatively narrow range of choices. Often __ __ is mistaken for personal freedom as the body becomes a focus for fashion, hair, piercing, exercise, tattoos, and so forth. We are often encouraged to confuse such freedoms of expression with freedom in the sense of equality & social justice.
protest, national media, "burning their bras"
The leaflet "No More Miss America" (1968) accompanied a __ against the 1968 Miss America beauty pageant. It was one of the first women's liberation protests covered widely by the __ __. The media produced the idea that women were "__ __ __" even though no bra-burnings took place there; the notion has survived many decades and still exists a fabricated, yet iconic, aspect of feminism.
superwoman
The modern image of the "ideal woman" has integrated characteristics of traditional masculinity w/ feminine qualities at the same time that it's retained much of the feminine social script. The contemporary woman is essentially to be able to do everything: a ___. On the one hand... -- Strong, assertive, active, and independent -- Out in public world rather than confined to the home. On the other... -- Still maintains domestic, nurturing, & caring dimension & her intuitive, emotional, and sensitive aspects. ^ These attributes are important in her success as a loving & capable partner to a man, as are her physical attributes concerning looks & body size.
transnational feminism
The movement for the social, political, and economic equality of women across national boundaries. It recognizes opportunities associated with the development of alliances and networks for the emancipation of marginalized peoples worldwide. It also educates about the problems of claiming a "universal sisterhood" that ignores women's differences. Transnational feminisms underscore the similarities women share across the world and seek strategies that take into account the interdependence of women globally. And, as communication technologies have advanced, the difficulties of organizing women in all parts of the world have decreased (despite issues of access for many people).
antifeminism
The organized backlash to feminism also involves the ways certain groups who believe they'd lose from a redistribution of power have worked to discredit & destroy the feminist movement & brand it in negative ways. This perspective is known as ____. Although such activity includes conservative groups and politicians, it also involves women who claim to be feminists yet are resistant to its core priciples. These women, whose careers in part have been feuled by the gains brought about by the feminist movement, include successful female academics as Christina Hoff Summers, Camille Paglia, Daphne Patai, Katie Poiphe, & Rene Denfield, & syndicated journalists like Mona Charen.
women's studies programs
The original manifestation of WGS was the emergence of __ __ __ and departments in response to: - the absence, misrepresentation, and trivialization of women in the higher education curriculum - the ways women were systematically excluded from many positions of power and authority as college faculty and administrations.
double bind
The polar opposites of the "prostitute" or the "mother" in femininity cause tension as women navigate the implications of these aspects in their everyday lives. -- A woman may discover that neither sexual activity nor sexual inactivity is quite right. -- If she's too sexually active, she will be censured for being too loose and criticized as a "prostitute" of sorts. -- She may similarly be censured for being prude/frigid. -- Notice there are many slang words for both kinds of women: those who have too much or too little sex. ^^ This is the *__ __*: you're screwed if you do and potentially screwed if you don't. These contradictions and mixed messages serve to keep women in line.
Discourse
The process of creating knowledge or a culturally constructed representation of reality. It involves language and other categories of meaning that work with social, material practices to produce "regimes of truth."
Sports, retail/stores
There are many U.S. institutions that *support gendered practice*. -- __ : Men aren't necessarily better athletes than women. Rather, sports as an institution has developed to reflect the particular athletic competencies of men, even though upper-body strength is only one aspect of athleticism (EX: if long distance swimming or balance beam, activities where women generally outperform men, were popular national sports, then we might think differently abt the athletic capabilities of women & men). -- __/__: There are very different girls' and boys' aisles; what does it mean to get a child-size ironing board instead of a toy gun, and what kinds of behaviors & future roles do these toys help create & justify? Increasingly (and at earlier ages) children are also occupied w/ video, cell phone games, & computerized activities that also teach lessons about gender.
regimes of truth
These tell us what is "appropriate" in any given context. This involves the taken-for-granted rules about what people can say, who it is possible to be, and what it is possible to do (or not say or not do). Accepted standards of truth about what it is permissible to say and possible to believe and do. Each community or society has its "___ ___ ___" connected to power that inform what counts as knowledge. Language is a key means by which these are constructed.
interconnected, support, maintain
Third, major institutions in society are __ and work to __ and __ one another. Often means that personnel are shared among major institutions. More likely, it means that these institutions mutually support one another in terms of the ways they fulfill (or deny) the needs of people in society. Close ties to economic institutions include: -- the military (through the military-industrial complex) -- the government (corporate leaders often have official positions in government & rely on legislative loopholes & taxation systems to maintain corp. profits). -- health and medicine (which have important ties to pharmaceutical companies). -- media (content is controlled partly by advertising) -- sports (through corporate sponsorship).
"Where Are the Mothers?"
This 2017 essay by Katherine Goldstein, she uses her experience in her own industry (journalism/newsrooms) to look at larger issues affecting working mothers (& parents in general) & to look at some ways we might address some of the structural inequalities making it harder for parents & particularly mothers of young children to maintain a healthy work balance &/or employment in a chosen industry.
"What Determines How Americans Perceive Their Social Class?"
This 2017 essay by Robert Bird & Frank Newport analyzes how social classes is defined both subjectively & objectively in society. Some main points are: -- Details objective social class (direct determination) & subjective social class (individual categorization by self) -- Latest Gallup poll shows that 3% of Americans identify themselves as upper-class, 15% as upper-middle, 43% as middle, 30% as working, & 8% as lower. -- Controlling for other variables, income is a powerful determinant in class self-identification & education (to a lesser degree) makes a difference, as well. Age, region, employment (whether one's working), and urban, suburban, or rural residence makes a difference. -- American's political party identification, ideology, marital status, & gender seem to make no difference. -- Income: Under $40,000 people are likely to say they're working class; above this, people are likely to identify as middle-class. The 3rd of Americans making above $250,000 a yr are likely to identify as upper class. -- Education: At the college level, working-class identification drops significantly. -- Age: Those 65 & older are more likely to identify w/ a higher social class compared with younger people. -- Race: Everything else equal, white's are more likely than non-whites to identify w/ a higher social class. -- Region: Those living in rural areas are less likely to identify in a higher social class compared w/ those living in urban & suburban areas.
subjective social class
This deals with how people put themselves in to categories of social class. It's an approach that has its difficulties but helps explain class from the perspective of the people. This is important since the way people define a situation has a real consequence on outcome. Robert Bird & Frank Newport detail this approach in "What Determines How Americans View Their Social Class" (2017).
regimes of truth
This discussion clarifies the social norms or shared values associated with the two kinds of human beings our society has created. __ _ __ (accepted standards about what it is permissible to say and possible to believe and do) about gender & other identities provide the standards or parameters through which thoughts & behaviors are molded.
objective social class
This is a direct determination of a person's social class based on socioeconomic variables (income, wealth, education & occupation). Robert Bird & Frank Newport detail this approach in "What Determines How Americans View Their Social Class" (2017).
Gender assignment
This is usually given to us at birth and determined by our physical body type to be male or female. This, decided by doctors and parents, is the first classification an individual receives. Corresponding gender performances (behavior, dress, activities that one may participate in, etc.) are usually enforced based on the individuals designation into a category at birth.
Discourse community
This may be broadly defined as a group that has shared goals and relatedly shared communication strategies or norms. It can be as loosely organized seemingly frivolous as a fan culture, or as formally demarcated as a professional group. Expectations for communication are shaped by the varied discourse communities we move between. Communities that undertake scientific research are governed, formally and informally, by standards of evidence and set modes for communicating findings.
The Bootstrap Myth
This myth says that people, if properly motivated and willing to work hard, can pull themselves up by their bootstraps. This & other dominant economic ideologies are propagated by economic systems that paint economic success as a result of hard work & ambition. Given this set of ideas, those individuals who aren't able to provide for their families must have deficiencies: unmotivated, didn't work hard enough,weren't smart enough, etc. Such ideas encourage blaming the poor for their poverty rather than understanding the wider societal forces that shape people's existence & maintain classism. Notwithstanding the fact that, of course, hard work and ambition may facilitate some measures of success in the short-term, they don't guarantee such success, nor do they tend to transform the bigger picture of structural inequalities.
reflects, maintains patterns, consequences
This new perspective brought about by the integration of women as subjects of study questioned: - How such knowledge ___ women's lives and concerns - How it __ __ of male privilege and power. - How the consequences of such knowledge affect women and other marginalized people. This approach fostered heightened consciousness and advocacy about gendered violence and was also central in the development of other academic fields such as gay and lesbian gender studies.
Queer theory
This theory is influenced by postmodernism. It makes the case that gender and sexuality are socially produced and used as instruments of power. "Queer," once a derogatory term, is claimed back and celebrated in this approach that emphasizes fluid notions of power and identity and seeks to dismantle the binaries of gender and sexuality.
Radical Feminism
This type of feminism (also known sometimes as radical cultural feminism or difference feminism) wants a whole new pie. They recognize the oppression of women as a fundamental political oppression wherein women are categorized as inferior based on their gender. It is not enough to remove barriers to equality; rather, deeper, more transformational changes need to be made in societal institutions (like the government or media) as well as in people's heads.
Liberal Feminism
This type of feminism believes in the viability of the present system (meaning the system is okay) and work within this context for change in such public areas as education and employment. They attempt to remove obstacles to women's full participation in public life using strategies such as education, federal and state policies, and legal statutes. These feminists simply want a piece of the pie, and have been critiqued as conservative reformists on account of this perspective.
transgender
Those who change or cross the gender binaries of society. The prefix "trans" is generally understood to mean *"change, crossing, or beyond."* These are people who live, change, cross, or live beyond gender. They do not enjoy the privileges that cisgender individuals do. A person who's able to live in a life and/or body is easily recognized as being either man/male or woman/female generally needs to spend less energy to be understood by others; the energy one need not expend to explain their gender identity and/or expression to others is *gendered privilege*.
Cisgender
Those whose gender identity or expression matches their assigned gender by societal standards. "cis," loosely translated, means "on this side;" these are people who gender identity, role, or expression match their assigned gender by societal standards. These are people who are recognized as fitting into the gender binary of "female" and "male," and they receive collective advantages over gender nonconforming or transgender persons in society. Evin Taylor's short piece titled "Cisgender Privilege," an essay originally published in the anthology Gender Outlaws by Kate Bornstein & S. Bear Bergman, involves Peggy McIntosh's invisible knapsack to explore the question of cisgender privilege; the author encourages readers to adapt the questionnaire to suit their own positioning & to come up w/ questions to be added.
any sexual identity
Transgender does NOT imply any specific form of sexual identity. Transgender people may identify as: -- heterosexual -- gay -- lesbian -- bisexual -- queer -- asexual and so on.. It's important not to confuse gender & sexuality here. Transgender identities are about gender performance and might involve ___ __ __. Though, it can be confusing bc on many campuses are LGBTQ+ alliances or centers where trans students are incorporated into a coalition about sexual rights.
umbrella term
Transgender is an __ __ that encompasses gender identities that don't fit within the binary categories of male & female assigned at birth. While many transgender people take hormones & have surgeries to align their bodies w/ their gender identities (some transition fully from the gender assigned at birth; MtF or transwoman, FtM or transman), many do not. Others identify as genderqueer, gender nonbinary, gender noncomforming, gender fluid, or any of another number of gender identity descriptors. Not all gender nonconforming people identify as trans & not all trans people identify as gen. nonconforming.
small steps, boldly moved
Unlike contemporary masculinity, which is exibiting very __ __ into the realms of the feminine, femininity has __ __ into areas that were traditionally off-limits. Today's "ideal woman" (perhaps from a woman's p.o.v.) is definitely more androgynous than the ideal woman of the past. The contemporary ideal might be someone who is: -- Smart, competent, independent. -- Beautiful, thin, athletic, and sexy. -- Yet also loving, sensitive, domestically competent, and emotionally healthy.
established, interdisciplinary
WGS has steadily become institutionalized, or __ as a regular custom, on many college campuses. - Different names for the course reflect different perspectives concerning knowledge about and for women ("feminist studies," "gender studies," etc.) It is __ ; that is, it combines knowledge and methodologies from across many academic disciplines. - Professors might teach only in WGS or might do most of their work in another department. - The field is multidisciplinary in nature: it can be taught from the point of view of many different disciplines.
women, gender, and feminism; gender, human existence.
WGS is an interdisciplinary academic field devoted to topics concerning __, __, and __. It focuses on gender arrangements (the ways society creates, patterns, and rewards our understandings of femininity and masculinity) and examines the multiple ways these arrangements affect everyday life. Simply put, WGS involves the study of __ as a central aspect of __ __.
women, marginalized, others
WGS seeks understanding of issues and realities with the goal of social justice: It puts __ & other __ people at the center of inquiry as subjects of study, informing knowledge through these lenses. This inclusion implies that traditional notions regarding men as "humans" and women as "___" must be challenged & transcended (challenge *androcentrism*).
hate crimes
We've emphasized that systems of inequality & privilege are maintained through insituttionalized power & various regimes of truth. It's also important to recognize the ways __ __ (also known as bias-motivated crimes) are central to these power relations. These crimes reflect the ways power produces regimes of truth, difference,& normalcy regulating people's lives. -- As already explained, we are expected to police ourselves & indulge in self-surveillance, often to keep narrow boxes of "appropriate" behavior. -- In addition, disciplinary acts to regulate others who are perceived as not conforming result in hate crimes. -- For some, the very act of living & being in a certain body is enough to cause anger & resentment; this kind of foundational bigotry is often at heart of hate crimes.
avoid overgeneralizing
What are considered feminist issues in the U.S. are not necessarily the most important concerns of women in other parts of the world. It's important to understand this in order to __ __ about feminism's usefulness globally, even though the notion of global feminism or transnational feminism is real and useful for political alliances across national borders.
objective, subjective; self-identification; income, education, age, race, region, employment, residence; political party identification, ideology, marital status, gender
What are some main points in the essay "What Determines How Americans Perceive Their Social Class?" (2017) by Robert Bird & Frank Newport? -- Details __ social class (direct determination) & __ social class (individual categorization by self) -- Controlling for other variables, some show significance in one's __ of social class. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. -- Some variables show no significance in one's self-identification of social class. 1. 2. 3. 4. It's important to examine the way people define a situation (here, in defining one's social class) because this has real consequences on the situations outcome.
paid maternity leave, paid family leave, flex, work-life balance
What are some of the key points Katherine Goldstein makes in her 2017 essay, "Where are the Mothers?" -- Uses her experience in her own industry (journalism/newsrooms) to look at larger issues affecting working mothers (& parents in general). -- Looks at some ways we might address some of the structural inequalities making it harder for parents & particularly mothers of young children to maintain a healthy work balance &/or employment in an industry. -- Gives 4 main changes all companies should consider. (1) Give __ __ ___. (2) Give fathers & non-birth partners __ __ ___. (3) Create official work-from-home and __ policies. (4) Prioritize __-__ ___ for everyone.
white privilege, awareness, McIntosh, middle-class, intersectionality, areas of privilege
What are some of the key points outlined in Gina Crosley-Cocoran's "Explaining White Privilege to a Broke White Person" (2014)? -- impossible to deny that being born w/ __ skin in America affords people certain unearned life __. -- Says it's not a white person's fault that one was born with white skin & experiences these privileges but is one's fault if an ___ of this fact isn't maintained. -- Criticizes __'s essay for focusing more on __-__ identity than on white identity generally. -- Examines that __ recognizes people can be privileged in some ways & definitely not in others. -- Exemplifies __ _ __. Some areas & examples of privileged identities in parentheses include citizenship (born in American), class (financially stable), sexual orientation (straight), sex (male), ability (able-bodied), and gender identity (cisgender).
Marxist, feminist, labor, productivity, self-sufficiency, interdependency, Global South
What are some of the main points Teodor Mladenov makes in his essay "Disability and Social Justice" (2016)? -- This essay engages in __ critique. -- This essay considers how attitudes toward disability intersect with __ values/critques. --"Capitalism generates maldistribution through commodification of __. -- Pressure to work under capitalism implicitly measures human worth by workplace __. -- Culturally, capitalism generates misrecognition by promoting __ rather than interdependence. -- Valorizing __ as a cultural norm shifts the understanding of disability as a form of defect. -- He notes the lasting effects of colonialism, which create unequal opportunities for global participation even among democracies & notes that statistical majority of disabled people live in __ __.
dimorphic ideal, gender assignment, genital surgery, treatment protocol, genitals, coexist, variation
What are some of the main points in Anne Fausto-Sterling's "The Five Sexes, Revisisted" (2000)? - Problems with the "__ __" of human sex as a species. - Problems with __ __ and __ __ of babies with ambiguous sex characteristics & the wider implications of this. - The need for more accepting and ethical __ __ in which parents are informed, no unnecessary surgeries are given, and gender assignment is recognized as not the be-all to end-all in one's self identification of gender. - The need to move away from the focus on __ and accept that there's much variation in sexual identities & characteristics that mere genitals can't distinguish. - "Strong colors may __ with pastels" as androgyny exists, but there will still be highly masculine people out there; they just may be women, and the highly feminine people out there may be men. - At the dawn of the 21st century, when the __ of gender seems so visible, the ideal that human beings are an wholly dimporphic species is hard to maintain.
intersection, asylum seekers, avoid institutions, antitransgender stigma, unhealthy
What are some of the main points in Don Operio and Tooru Nemoto's "On Being Transnational and Transgender" (2017)? -- ___ of national identity and transgender identity. -- Many transgender women immigrants and __ __ bring a history of violence and trauma with them as they resettle in the United States. -- Consequently, they may __ __ that require disclosure of their gender history, such as health care and legal support agencies, to protect themselves against the __ __ well documented in the United States. -- __ trajectories may continue in the United States for transgender immigrants because of the intersection of antitransgender bias, and racism and because of health systems that traditionally have a myopic view on individual-level determinants of health.
recognize privilege, knapsack, oppressor, normative, redesign social systems, questions
What are some of the main points in Peggy McIntosh's , "White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack (1988)? -- Hierarchies in our society are interlocking; there's a phenomenon of white privilege similar to that of male privilege that is denied and protected. -- White persons are taught not to __ __. -- White privilege is like "an invisible, weightless __ of special provisions, maps, passports, codebooks, visas, clothes, tools, & blank checks." -- Not trained to see herself as an __ but as an individual whose moral state depended on individual moral will. -- Whites are taught to think of their lives as morally neutral, __, & average (and also ideal) so that when working to benefit others, this is seen as work which will allow "them" to be more like "us." -- It's not enough to disapprove of these systems; we need to __ __ ___ & use arbitrarily awarded power to try to reconstruct power systems on a broader base. -- Lists out ___ (or examples showing) her earned privileges as a white (middle-class) woman in society.
gender identity disorder, reproductive control, childbirth model,
What are some of the main points of Jamie Lindemann Nelson's "Understanding Transgender and Medically Assisted Gender Transition" (2016)? -- The early model of transgender whereby trans persons were diagnosed w/ ""__ __ __" & said to have mental illness; this facilitated trans medical procedures, but it framed gender as a strict binary and presented trans identity as a problem to be solved by surgery. -- Proposes new model: __ __ and __ __ as a better model than cosmetic surgery or mental illness. This is because there are multiple ways of becoming a mother (C-section, IVF or not, vaginal delivery, etc.) All are accepted as valid routes to parenthood, and most require some degree of medical intervention.
disbelieved, sedatives, scientific neglect, gender biases
What are some of the main points of Kate Horowitz's "Performance of a Lifetime On Invisible Illness, Gender, and Disbelief" (2017)? -- Women's symptoms are more likely to be downplayed, ___ , or dismissed. -- Men in pain are generally given painkillers, woman __. -- Women are more likely to be diagnosed with "conversion disorder," a condition called for nearly 2,000 years hysteria. -- There's a __ __: POTS, hEDS, and MCAS aren't taught in medical school, and there's been little research into their causes or treatments; it's probably not a coincidence that all disproportionately affect women. These serve to further illuminate the *__ __ in medicine*: -- Testable differences in the investigation of & treatment of male/female patients. -- Gender biases occur in medical education, as well. -- Women either presumed to be the same as men or assumed to be different when differences are not there.
gender performance, social institution, interacts, process, stratification, structure
What are some of the main points revealed in Judith Lorber's "The Social Construction of Gender" (1994)? - __ __: Gender, like culture, is a human production that depends on everyone constantly "doing gender." - Gender is a __ __, and one of the major ways human beings organize their lives, labor, and groups. - Gender ___ with other social institutions such as religion, law, science, & a society's entire set of values. - __: Gender is a process of creating distinguishable social statuses for assignment of rights & responsibilities - ___: Gender ranks men above women of the same rank & class and "stratifies" them into unequal categories. - ___: Gender is a major building block in the social structures built on unequal male/female statuses.
legal rights, fighting, rainbow families, social acceptance
What are some of the main topics/points covered in Shakhawat Hossain Rajeeb's "LGBTIQ+ Rights in the World: A Condensed Update on Current Situation" (2020)? (1) *__ __ of LGBTQ+* (2) *__ discrimination, hate crimes, & violence* (3) *Forming __ __* (4) *Attaining __ __*
reconceptualize, transcend barriers; additive analyses, dichotomous, rank, institutional, symbolic, individual; connection, privilege, coalition, accountability
What are the main points in Patricia Hill Collins' "Toward a New Vision: Race, Class, and Gender as Categories of Analysis and Connection" (1993)? *--* Focuses on two key questions: (1) "How can we __ race, class, & gender as categories of analysis?" (2)"How can we __ __ created in different experiences w/ race, class, & gender oppression in order to build the types of coalitions essential for social change?" Reconceptualizing: *--* Shift our discourse away from __ __ of oppression. *--* Such approaches are typically based on two key premises: they depend on either/or ( __ ) thinking, and they __ dichotomous differences. *--* Sandra Harding's contention that gender oppression is structured along three main dimensions--the ___, the ___, and the ___--offers a useful model for a more comprehensive analysis encompassing race, class, & gender oppression. Transcending Barriers: *--* We must transcend the barriers created by race, class & gender by moving toward race, class, & gender as categories of __ , by building relationships & coalitions that will bring about social change. *--* Some issues involved in doing this are: (1) Differences in power and __ (2) Knowing the real reasons for __ (3) Building empathy & individual __
claim, erased, acounted, responsibility, contract, shared commitment
What are the main points of Adrienne Rich's "Claiming An Education (1979)? *--* __, don't "receive" an education. *--* Women's experiences have been __ in the knowledge taught; you hear what men, above all white men, in male subjectivity, have decided is important. *--* Black & other minority peoples have for some time recognized their racial and ethnic experience wasn't __ for in the studies broadly labeled human. *--* Take __ towards yourselves; responsibility to yourself means refusing to let others do your thinking, talking, and naming for you. *--* The contract is a pledge of mutual seriousness about women, language, ideas, methods, & values *--* It's our __ __ toward a world in which the inborn potentialities of so many women's minds will no longer be wasted, raveled-away, paralyzed, or denied.
third-wave, gains, 1970, changed, lot to do
What are the main points of Jennifer Baumgardner and Amy Richards, "A Day Without Feminism" (2000)? -- __ __ account actively claiming feminism as relevant to their lives. --underscores the gains of second-wave feminist activism. -- Imagine for a day that it's still ___, and women have only the rights they had then, for example: -- Standardized tests & scholarships favor males highly. -- Girls who have sex ruin reputation or chances at love. -- NY is the only state that offers legal abortions. -- Women vow to love, honor, and obey husbands. -- Women may vote, but they vote along w husbands. -- Women are encouraged to remain in abusive marriages rather than get a divorce and be a disgrace. Has feminism ___ our lives? Was it necessary? After 30 yrs of feminism, the world we inhabit barely looks like the one we were born; there's still a __ _ _.
DIY, make sense, patterns, challenging the universal, reduced, past, not on your own
What are the main points of Sara Ahmed's "Living a Feminist Life" (2017)? *--* "Feminism is a ___: a form of self-assembly." *--* In time, w/ work, things begin to __ __. *--* We begin to identify __ and regularities; it's not an easy or straightforward process because we have to stay with the wrongs & focus on this feeling. *--* Feminism is a way of __ _ __; it teaches that the universal needs to be exploded. *--* We learn how we recognize sexism or racism here may be a way of not recognizing it there; it's a process of recognizing that what you're up against can't be located or __ to an object or thing. *--* Feminism, in giving you somewhere to go, allows you to revisit where you have been; finding feminism can be empowering as it's a way of rehabiting the __. *--* Feminism shows you others out there like you, you're not on your own, you were __ _ __ __; your own difficult history is written out in words that are sent out.
women of color, obstacles, resistance
When socioeconomically privileged white women started to access higher education in the late nineteenth century, most __ __ __ still faced __ that continued through the twentieth century and into the present. Despite this, African American women like Ida B. Wells, Mary Church Terrell, and Anna Julia Cooper offered strategies of __that provided an explicit analysis of patriarchy to address racial domination.
Explaining White Privilege to a Broke White Person (Crosley-Cocoran), racist hetero-patriarchy, technologize sexism
Which essays (or ideas) could be used to exemplify *objectification*? 1. This essay examines privilege based on sex (along with other privileges) and says that if one's born male, you "can assume that you can walk through a parking garage without worrying that you'll be raped and then have to deal with a defense attorney blaming it on what you were wearing." 2. Andrea Smith's idea of a "__ __-__" contextualizes the objectification of women in which there is broad institutional support for the objectification of multifaced femininities in our culture. 3. Erica Gloria Ryan concludes that selfies __ __ by extending & making more efficient well-established ideologies & practices of objectifying women in society.
A Vindication of the Rights of woman, A Declaration of Sentiments, Anthony's indictment speech
Which essays could be used to exemplify *First-wave Feminism*? 1. Written by Mary Wollstonecraft in 1790. 2. Written (mainly) by Elizabeth Cady Stanton in 1848. 3. Written by Susan B. Anthony after her indictment.
Cisgender Privilege (Evin Taylor), The Social Construction of Gender (Judith Lorber), Performance of a Lifetime (Kate Horowitz), Disabilitiy and Social Justice (Teodor Mladenov)
Which essays could be used to exemplify *Normality/Normalizing*? 1. This essay goes in to the rewards cisgender persons receive for conforming to gender norms. 2. Goes into societal privileges involved with fitting in the "normal" of being a male, white, or heterosexual. 3. Examines the oppressive tactics against women in health practices, education, and diagnoses. 4. Analyses norm of ableism & its consequences in the capitalist society that is America (disabled oppression).
A Day Without Feminism (Baumgardner & Richards), No More Miss America (NY Radical Women)
Which essays could be used to exemplify *Second-wave Feminism*? 1. Underscores gains of 2nd wave feminism (greater inclusion, careers, etc.) 2. Decries the systematic sexism involved in the Miss America Pageant and says that pageant Contestants epitomize roles women are forced to play (1968). -- Some historians credit the protest that was allied with this essay/pamphlet the beginning of the 2nd wave feminist movement in America.
Toward a New Vision (Hill Collins), The Five Sexes, Revisited (Fausto-Sterling), The Social Construction of Gender (Judith Lorber)
Which essays could be used to exemplify *Third-wave Feminism*? 1. Analyzes intersectionality and the intersections between race class,& gender, a new 3rd-wave concept. 2. Analyzes transexuality & the need to revamp the sex & gender system in America (get rid of "dimorphic" ideal). 3. Everyone "does gender" without thinking about it; gender stratification as a modern institution works to construct women as a subordinate group to men.
Claiming an Education (Rich) , A Day Without Feminism (Baumgardner & Richards), The Social Construction of Gender (Judith Lorber)
Which essays could be used to exemplify *androcentrism*? 1. Describes male-centered curriculum (history, English, science) and history that excludes non-whites & women. 2. Presents male standardized tests, and says that the father's name is always given to the baby. 3. In gender stratification, males are dominant & others are described as those which lacks valuable qualities the dominants exhibit.
Cisgender Privilege (Evin Taylor), LGBTQI+ Rights in the World (Rajeeb), Understanding Transgender and Medically Assisted Gender Transition (Nelson), On Being Transgender and Transnational (Operio & Nemoto)
Which essays could be used to exemplify *cisgender and transgender*? 1. Examines how we reward & privilege those who stick to the gender binary in society. 2. Exemplifies the current oppression transgender (and other identifying as LGBTIQ+) stil experience globally and presents current efforts to change this. 3. Analyzes the early model of transgender as a mental illness and how the current model of transgender transitions should follow the model of pregnancy choice in women rather (The Reproductive Model). 4. Reveals & analyzes the intersection of immigration policies and the struggles immigrants and those with transnational citizenship face as transgender persons.
The Five Sexes, Revisited (Fausto-Sterling), Cisgender Privilege (Evin Taylor)
Which essays could be used to exemplify *gender identity*? 1. This essay examines gender identity as related to gender assignment at birth and how genitalia are no longer a solid basis for gender. Further, it describes different identities: "Transsexuals are people who have an emotional gender at odds with their physical sex..." 2. This essay analyzes cisgender identities & the privileges cisgender persons have over those with transgender identities.
The Social Construction of Gender (Judith Lorber), Becoming a Gendered Body (Karin A. Martin), Gender Trouble (Judith Butler).
Which essays could be used to exemplify *gender performance*? 1. This essay analyzes construction of gender and how it's a "human production that depends on everyone constantly 'doing gender,' and everyone constantly 'does gender' without thinking about it." 2. This study examined how preschool girls were gendered in being taught to speak quietly, make themselves small and take up less space, and be less aggressive. 3. In this iconic book, the theory of gender "performativity" was created; performance of gender itself creates gender according to this third-wave feminist idea.
LGBTIQ+ Rights in the World: A Condensed Update on the Current Situation (Rajeeb), Explaining White Privilege to a Broke White Person (Crosley-Cocoran)
Which essays could be used to exemplify *heterosexism*? 1. Offers an update on current oppressions LGBTIQ+ individuals face globally simply because they identify this way and don't stick to the heterosexual norm. 2. Says that "If you were born straight, every state [in America] affords you privileges that non-straight folks have to fight the Supreme Court for."
Toward A New Vision (Hill Collins)
Which essays could be used to exemplify *horizontal hostility*? 1. This essay analyzes the necessary actions for coalition building across differences & says that "the oppressor is planted deep within each of us."
Disability and Social Justice (Teodor Mladenov)
Which essays could be used to exemplify *imperialism*? 1. This essay analyzes that disability in the Global South "is firmly linked to Northern imperialism, centuries of globalization and imperialism."
Toward a New Vision (Hill Collins), Explaining White Privilege to a Broke White Person (Crosley-Cocoran), On Being Transnational and Transgender (Operio & Nemoto).
Which essays could be used to exemplify *intersectionality*? 1. This essay reconceptualizes categories of analysis & advocates for transcending barriers created by experiences with different forms of oppression. 2. Says "the concept of intersectionality recognizes that people can be privileged in some ways and definitely not in others" and that there are "many different types of privilege: class, gender, sex, sexual orientation, ability, citizenship, and race," to name a few. 3. Examines how one's immigration status & ethnicity harbor transgender people from receiving forms of aid and vice versa (they're scared to face transphobia).
Claiming an Education (Rich), A Day Without Feminism (Baumgardner & Richards), The Social Construction of Gender (Judith Lorber), Becoming a Gendered Body (Karin Martin)
Which essays could be used to exemplify *patriarchy*? 1. Decries that there are very few women in authority positions in higher education (especially in 1979). 2. Women (especially before second-wave feminism) were in highly subordinate positions and their husbands held power over them, like when voting for example. 3. Says that "the continuing purpose of gender as a social institution is to construct women to be the subordinates of men as a group" and that "gender is a major part of social inequality." 4. This study observes that girls in preschool are taught "feminine" play, formal behavior, and to speak quietly.
Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack (McIntosh), Explaining White Privilege to a Broke White Person (Crosley-Cocoran)
Which essays could be used to exemplify *white privilege*? 1. Analyzes white privilege from a white, female, and middle-class view and presents it as an "invisible package of unearned assets" afforded to white people. 2. Analyzes white privilege from a lower-class white female perspective and goes into other privileges afforded to those with dominant identities in society.
daily smoking, breast augmentation, reality television
Which studies could be used to exemplify *disciplinary body practices*? 1. A recent study from the National Institutes of Health reported that weight concerns and a "drive for thinness" among both black & white girls at ages 11-12 years were the most important factors leading to subsequent __ __. 2. Women are more likely to get facelifts, eye tucks, rhinoplasties (nose reshaping), collagen injections, botox injections, liposuction, tummy tucks, stomach bands and stapling, &, of course, __ __ (implants) & breast reductions, alongside cosmetics & body sculpting. -- The American Society of Plastic Surgeons reports 2x as many women electing to have breast augmentation than a decade ago even when U.S. FDA banned the widespread use of silicone-gel-filled implants yrs ago. 3. The enromous popularity of "__" __ shows like Fit to Fat and I Used to Be Fat, plus the increased # of websites encouraging young girls to change how they look has fueled cosmetic surgeries & disciplinary body practices.
consequences, woman, experiences
While gender studies emphasize the ways social practices produce bodies that perform gender, it is important to note that gender performances are privileged and constrained by institutional structures that affect people who actually define as "real" women and men. This means that even though gender studies may provide a more inclusive approach, there are social and political __ of identifying as a __, or living with a feminized body, that result in certain __ and outcomes. Ex: Women (or those with feminized bodies) are more likely to live in poverty or experience violence and sexual assault.
white privilege knapsack
White privilege is like an invisible weightless knapsack of special provisions, maps, passports, codebooks, visas, clothes, tools, and blank checks. Some of McIntosh's examples of her own observed privilege (as a white, middle-class woman): -- I can arrange to protect my children most of the time from people who may not like them -- I can swear, dress in second hand clothes, not answer letters, w/out having people attribute these choices to the bad morals, the poverty, or the illiteracy of my race. -- I can if I wish arrange to be in the company of people of my race most of the time. -- I can turn on the television/open to the front page of the paper & see people of my race widely represented. -- When I am told about our national heritage or about "civilization," I am shown that ppl of my color made it. -- Can be sure that my children will be given curricular materials testifying existence of their race.
Adrienne Rich (1979)
Who wrote "Claiming an Education?" When?
Gina Crosley-Cocoran (2014)
Who wrote "Explaining White Privilege to a Broke White Person?" When?
Shakhawat Hossain Rajeeb (2020)
Who wrote "LGBTIQ+ Rights in the World: A Condensed Update on Current Situation?" When?
Sara Ahmed (2017)
Who wrote "Living a Feminist Life?" When?
Don Operio,Tooru Nemoto
Who wrote "On Being Transnational and Transgender" (2017)?
Kate Horowitz
Who wrote "Performance of a Lifetime: On Invisible Illness, Gender, and Disbeleif" (2017)?
Anne Fausto-Sterling
Who wrote "The Five Sexes, Revisited" (2000)?
Judith Lorber
Who wrote "The Social Construction of Gender" (1994)?
Patricia Hill Collins (1993)
Who wrote "Toward a New Vision: Race, Class, and Gender as Categories of Analysis and Connection?" When?
Jamie Lindemann Nelson
Who wrote "Understanding Transgender and Medically Assisted Gender Transition" (2016)?
Teodor Mladenov (2016)
Who wrote the essay "Disability and Social Justice?" When?
Evin Taylor (2010)
Who wrote the essay, "Cisgender Privilege?" When?
Robert Bird and Frank Newport (2017)
Who wrote the essay, "What Determines How Americans Perceive Their Social Class?" When?
Katherine Goldstein
Who wrote the essay, "Where Are the Mothers?" When?
Judith Butler
Who's philosophy is gender performance or "performativity" derived from?
"the personal is political"
Women began to make connections between their personal lives and greater societal circumstances. They coined the phrase "__ __ __ __" to explain how things taken as personal or idiosyncratic ( ) have broader social , political, and economic causes and consequences. In other words, situations that we are encouraged to view as personal are actually a part of broader cultural patterns and arrangements. The idea that the personal is political encouraged people to live their politics--or understandings of the word and how it's organized--in their every day lives (to practice what they preach, in other words).
"Third World"
Women in developing countries of the global south or __ __ nations are those considered to be less politically and economically privileged.
"First World"
Women in the global north or __ __ societies are those with political and economic privilege in the world order.
fight in combat, "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"
Women's right to __ __ __positions and the overturning of the antigay military policy "__" in 2012 reflect the activism of the women's and other civil rights movements, especially LGBTQ activism.
systems of inequality work together
__ _ __ interconnect & __ __ to enforce inequality & privilege, each mostly supporting the other: -- *Racism & Classism:* 2017 U.S. Census data says almost 20% of Latinx, 23% of African Americans, & 25% of Native Americans (compared to 9% of white Americans) are living in poverty. Wealthy people are also disproportionately white. -- *Ageism, Sexism, and Looksism:* Women learn to "age pass;" that is, we don't want to be mistaken for older when younger. This is part of the pursuit of youth & beauty encouraging women to participate as agents of ageism as we fulfill expectations of gender too -- In *"Don't Laugh, It's Serious, She Says,"* Ellie Mamber refers to the "double standard of aging" whereby society interpret's women's aging differently than men's (remembering implied intersections too) & observes the cultural acceptance of men being able to romantically pursue much younger women but refuses to let this affect her sense of self.
Gender studies
__ __ encourages the study of gender as socially constructed, historically and culturally variable, and subject to change through social and political action. Recognizing that "woman" and "man" are changeable and contested categories is central to the study of the ways gendered personhood is mapped onto physical bodies. In particular, these studies provide knowledge and advocacy for understanding the ways bodies and gender expressions (such as feminine/masculine) do not necessarily adhere to the female/male binary (implied in what is known as "trans," gender fluid, or gender nonbinary).
transgender theory
__ __ has been heavily influenced by *queer theory* & its insistence on fluid identities. Both trans & queer theory emphasize that: -- "Woman" and "man" are changeable, evolving, & contested categories that must not be fixed, static, normalized, & taken for granted. -- Both are interested in the ways diverse notions of personhood are mapped onto the physical body.
Marge Piercy, My Heroines
__ __ pleas to recognize the "heroines" who continuously strive every day in their families and communities to improve women's everyday lives. Her poem/reading "__ __" emphasizes that it is these people who write our future.
Intersectionality
__ involves the ways all people's experiences of gender are created by the intersection, or coming together, of multiple identities like race, ethnicity, social class, and so forth.
Language
__ is a key means by which regimes of truth are constructed. It can shape the way people think, what they are able to imagine as possible for themselves and their communities, & how they construe material reality. This is the symbolic means by which we communicate; it's an incredibly sophisticated process of symbols that we learn at an early age & mostly take for granted unless we're confronted w/ trying to communicate in a language not our own. It creates & shapes our reality. EX: English tends to assign an agent to an action regardless of the agent's intent, but in Japanese and Spanish, intent matters and requires different verb forms EX: Women grow up hearing 20 different words synonymous with "slut" and fewer more positive words to define men with multiple sexual partners. Language maintains sexism & racism by shaping our understandings and limiting options for self-definition. It's important to consider how it shapes our reality and helps structure the everyday realities of our lives.
Drag
__ performances that involve makeup & clothing worn on special occasions for theatrical or comedic purposes aren't necessarily transgender behavior, although within the genre of drag there are performers who also identify as transgender. In most (although no all) cases, drag queens are men doing female impersonation, and drag kings are women doing male impersonation.
femininity interacts
__ varies across cultures & __ with other identities (such as race, class, and sexual orientation). -- African American women may not identify with some aspects more readily associated with white femininity such as passivity. -- Asian American women often have to deal with societal stereotypes that construct femininity very much in terms of passivity and dependence: the "exotic gardenia" or "oriental chick" described by Nellie Wong.
Kia M. Q. Hall
___ __ __ __ addresses intersections in the reading " A Transnational Black Feminist Framework," using the Black Lives Matter movement as an example of intersectionality and solidarity in activism. Other readings also illustrate that intersectional analyses have show how systems of power maintain patterns of privilege and discrimination.
Sexism
___ based upon gender discriminates and privileges on the basis of gender, resulting in gender stratification. -- Sexism is understood & lived as discrimination against women. -- It's also important to understand that gender conformity itself entails privilege. -- People who are recognized as fitting into the gender binary of "female" & "male" receive collective advantage
Racism
___ based upon racial/ethnic group membership discriminates & privileges on the basis of racial & ethnic differences. Many groups are oppressed in this way: -- African American -- Asian American -- Latinx -- Native American -- Anti-Semitism (discrimination against Jews) -- Muslims and Arab Americans
androgyny
___ can be defined as a lack of gender differentiation or a balanced mixture of recognizable feminine & masculine traits. As a concept, transgender is different from androgyny, although in practice, one performance of a transgender identity might be androgyny. The androgynous behavior is an example of transgender behavior because it attempts to break down the binary categories of femininity/masculinity.
Intersectionality
___ involves all the ways all people's experiences of gender are created by the intersection, or coming together, of multiple identities like race, ethnicity, social class, and so forth. The need to provide more inclusive curricula involves the necessity of incorporating knowledge by and about people of color and those who do not identify with the binaries of gender or sexuality or who represent marginalized communities like immigrants, migrants, or people with disabilities. Although most easily understood as multi-faced identities, it also necessarily includes the organization of power in society & can be used as a tool of social justice.
Institutionalized
___ means officially placing into a structured system or set of practices; to make something part of a structured and well-established system. EX: There may be feelings & attitudes that women don't belong in certain disciplines/positions in higher education, but these beliefs & practices that disparage women become institutionalized when standardized tests (SAT's, GRE's, IQ) contain language & gendered content that's less accessible for girls & more familiar to boys, thus facilitating lower scores for girls/women that provide the "evidence" or justification for these beliefs. Society recognizes differences & assigns group membership accordingly; also, society ranks differences & institutionalizes them into the fabric of society. The concept of institutionalization in this context also implies that meanings associated w/ difference exist beyond the intentions of individual people.
Prejudice
___ means, literally, to prejudge and involves making premature judgments without adequate information or with inaccurate information. Often, it's adopted when there's no other basis for understanding. AS a result, there is a lack of accurate information to destabilize oppressive regimes of truth, and stereotypes or images from movies or other media are used instead. Prejudices are *internalized* (assimilated, integrated, or incorporated into our thoughts or behavior) by all of us, and they play a part in maintaining systems of inequality and privilege. However, because humans have active agency and will, prejudices can be resisted.
Rankings, hierarchy, more valued
___ of groups and their members create a __ in which some ways of being are __ __ than others. Even though differences associated w/ various identities intersect, they are ranked: -- Masculine is placed above feminine -- Thin is above fat -- Cisgender is above transgender -- Economically privileged above poor Some ways of being, like able-bodied or heterosexual are valued more than others, like having a disability or being gay or lesbian. Some have advantages in accessing resources, whereas others are disadvantaged by unequal access to economic opportunities; some are unable to exercise the rights of citizenship, and others have clearer access to rights to life & happiness. The hierarchical ranking of difference is constructed through social processes so that patterns of difference become systems of privilege & inequality. Inequality for some & privilege for others is the consequence.
Homophobia, transphobia
___, the fear and dislike of those who do not identity as heterosexual or "straight," functions to support heterosexism as well as sexism. The sexism mentioned occurs, for example, through misogny directed at gay men and as a threat to encourage women to give up the love of other women to gain male approval. It's important to understand that homophobia is an example of prejudice, and, although it plays a part in the maintenance of heterosexism, it's not equivalent to it as a structured system of power. A similarly functioning concept is ___, the fear and dislike of transgender individuals.
individual, global communities, different cultures, recognize difference
"Women" are as different as we/they are alike. -- Although sharing some conditions (childcare responsibility & being victims of male violence), __ lives are always marked by difference. -- Differences are the result of the various conditions & material practices of women's existence in __ __ & the societies in which these communities are embedded. -- We inhabit __ __ whose norms/cultural expectations prescribe different ways to act as women & men & impose varied sanctions if norms are broken. -- It is important to __ __ and avoid using "woman" as a universal or homogeneous term.
Cultural imperialism
- The universalization of a dominant group's experience and culture - it's establishment as the norm. - These norms render the experiences and cultures of subordinate groups invisible and create stereotypes about these groups, marking them as Others. More formal types of imperialism can intersect with, or lead to this type of imperialism.
Androcentrism
A confusion of maleness with humanity, putting men at the center and relegating women to outsiders in society; traditional notions regarding men as "humans" and women and other marginalized people as "others."
Socialist feminism
A feminist perspective of "late modernity" (the latter part of the twentieth century). A perspective that integrates both Marxist and radical feminism. These feminists use the insights of class analysis alongside radical feminist explanations of gender oppression. Contemporary members seek to understand the workings of capitalist patriarchal institutions and often incorporate an environmental analysis that sees capitalism's push for private profits as the major cause of environmental degradation.
Marxist feminism
A feminist perspective of "late modernity" (the latter part of the twentieth century). A perspective that uses economic explanations form traditional Marxist theory to understand women's oppression. For these feminists, the socioeconomic inequities of the class system are major issues.
Womanism
A feminist perspective, the name of which was coined by Alice Walker, that seeks to distinguish this approach from that of white feminism. It is a social change perspective rooted in the lives of black women and other women of color that emphasizes that social change begins with self-change, and critiques the location of feminism in the ivory towers of academia.
Power
A focus on difference, hierarchy, and systems of inequality and privilege implies the study of ___. -- We've presented power as something individuals or groups have or do not have. -- It's important to recognize that power doesn't necessarily operate in a binary or top-down fashion. -- Rather, power can be dispersed & multidimensional and can function in all aspects of our everyday lives. -- Postmodern scholar Riki Wilchins calls this "small power exercised in hundreds of everyday transactions."
pervasive theme
A focus on gender assignment, identity, & expression involves 3 ways to understand forces shaping gender & how we experience/express gender as individuals. Gender is a __ __ in our world, shaping social life and informing attitudes, behavior, & an individuals's sense of self. Basically, it's one of the foundational ways that societies are organized.
heterosexism
A hierarchical system of ideology that stigmatizes and denigrates non-heterosexual people (LGBTQ+) and behaviors. Colloquially, it is often used interchangeably with homophobia, which is a term for irrational fear of homosexuality coined by a clinical psychologist.
goals/objectives of WGS
A list of the __ might look like this: - To understand the social construction of gender: the ways gendered personhood is mapped onto physical bodies. - To examine the intersection of gender w/ other systems of inequality, including the effects of imperialism and globalization. - To learn abt the status of women & other marginalized peoples in society & ways to improve that status through individual & collective action for social change. - To experience how institutions in society affect individual lives & to be able to think critically abt roles of patterns of privilege & discrimination in our own lives. - To develop critical thinking skills, improve writing and speaking skills, and empower self and others.
poll on feminism
A nationwide __ _ __ was published by the *Washington Post-Kaiser Family Foundation* in *2016.* -- 60% of women & 33% of men said they considered themselves to be feminists or "strong feminists" -- 63% women aged 18-34 said feminism's empowering -- 45% posted views abt women's rights on social media -- Only 16% of women younger than 35 viewed feminism as "outdated" -- 58% reported thinking that feminism is focused on the changes they want to see
Postmodernism
A perspective utilized by some feminists that focuses on the relationship between knowledge and power. This approach questions the assumption that reality has an inherent order that is discernible through scientific inquiry, rejects binaries or dualistic thinking like male/female and heterosexual/homosexual, and attempts to destabilize such fixed identities. It also recognizes changes in the organization of contemporary social life resulting from virtual technologies/increasing globalization/capitalist development, highlights the importance of language in disruption hegemonic assumptions (Christine Garcia), emphasizes that humans actively construct/shape their lives in the context of various social systems and in the face of serious constrains, and influences queer theory's case that gender and sexuality are socially produced and used as instruments of power.
Affirmative action
A policy designed to redress past discrimination against women and minority groups through measures to improve their economic and educational opportunities. __ __ as a legal action to combat discrimination was first utilized in 1961 and was extended to women in 1967 (although, it's increasingly under attack).
ecofeminism
A radical feminist offshoot. A perspective that focuses on the association of women with nature and the environment and the simultaneous relationships among patriarchy, global economic expansion, and environmental degradation. Radical feminism tends to have a relatively fixed or biologically based idea of who's a "woman" & is often guilty of essentiallism in treating all women as having common attributes & minimizing differences among them.
lesbian feminism
A radical feminist offshoot. Focuses on how *compulsory heterosexuality* (the cultural norm that assumes & requires heterosexuality) and *heterosexual privilege* (the rights & privileges of heterosexuality, such as legal marriage and being intimate in public) function to maintain power in society.
Gender performance
A series of repetitive actions, usually performed unthinkingly, that establish & naturalize gender identity (masculinity or femininity). Although it involves some individual agency, it is constrained by social norms. Femininities & masculinities are performed by bodies in a series of repetitive acts that we usually take for granted & tend to see as "natural." As we "do" gender, these practices (such as walking, speaking, or sitting in a certain way) are always shaped by discourses or regimes of truth that gives these actions meaning. It's not merely a theatrical performance. Performativity is constrained by social norms; this means that gender is not only what we "do," it's a process by which we "are" or "become." This concept is derived substantially from the philosophy of Judith Butler.
"Claiming an Education" (1979)
Adrienne Rich gave this convocation in 1979, and it is directed towards female students and faculty members in higher education (specifically Douglass College): *--* Think of being here to "claim"--to take as the rightful owner; to assert in the face of possible contradiction--your education rather than "receive" it; the difference is that between acting and being acted upon,& for women it can literally mean the difference between life & death. *--* Of the knowledge and opinion that's been handed down through academic training, has been its almost total erasure of women's experience & thought from the curriculum; you hear what mean, above all white men, in their male subjectivity, have decided is important. *--* Black & other minority peoples have for some time recognized their racial and ethnic experience wasn't accounted for in the studies broadly labeled human. *--* There's an essential experience, moreso than WGS, that you owe yourself: taking responsibility towards yourselves; responsibility to yourself means refusing to let others do your thinking, talking, and naming for you. *--* The contract is a pledge of mutual seriousness about women, language, ideas, methods, & values; It's our shared commitment toward a world in which the inborn potentialities of so many women's minds will no longer be wasted, raveled-away, paralyzed, or denied.
national organizations
After Seneca Falls, other women's rights conventions were held across the country and __ __ were formed to promote women's rights generally and suffrage in particular. These included the National Woman Suffrage Association (NWSA) in 1869 & the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA) in 1890. NAWSA was formed from the merging of NWSA and the American Woman Suffrage Association and continues today as the League of Women voters.
privileged & disadvantaged identities intersect
All __ and __ __ one may have __ and shape one another within systems of power to create a unique social position & experiences for our hypothetical person. This is the intersection, or confluence, the flowing together of various identities within binary & hierarchical structures of power. EX: A person may not have access to race & gender privilege bc she is African American & a woman, but she's straight so she'll have cisgender privilege bc her identity matches her gender assignment & class privilege bc she lives in a family that's financially secure. It's not as useful to think of these various identities as being stacked or arranged in a cumulative manner; various identities concerning these systems of equality & privilege are usually thoroughly blended and potentially shifting depending on subjective orientation and cultural context. It's useful to incorporate an intersecting matrix that allows an understanding of simultaneous privilege and oppression.
distinct
Although *genderqueer* focuses on the integration of gender & sexual identities & is so a useful concept in terms of individual empowerment, social commentary, & political change, it's important to understand that these identities (gender & sexuality) are __ from each other even though they're lived simultaneously. Gender performances are associated w/ meanings about femininity & masculinity, whereas sexuality concerns sexual desire, feelings, and practices. A person could potentially combine any combination of gendered performances with sexual identities.
public sphere, private sphere
Although the focus of liberal feminism is on the __ __, the focus of this radical approach is the __ __ of everyday individual consciousness and change.
late eighteenth and nineteenth century
Although the original women's studies programs emerged out of the Second Wave of mid-to-late twentieth-century social activism, that activism itself was a part of an ongoing commitment to women's liberation that had its roots in __ __ and __ struggles for gender equity.
women continue to face
Although the women's movement has had a profound impact on the lives of women in the U.S. and great strides have been made towards equality, real problems still remain, __ __ __ __: -- workplace discrimination and harassment -- domestic violence -- rape and abuse -- education inequities -- poverty, racism, and homophobia WGS provides a forum for naming the problems women face, analyzing the root causes of these problems, envisioning a just and equitable world, and developing strategies for change.
feminism
Although there are many definitions of __ and some disagreement concerning a specific definition, there is a agreement on two core principles underlying any concept of feminism. 1. Feminism concerns equality and justice. -- Because feminism is a politics of equality & a social movement for social justice, it anticipates a future that guarantees human dignity and equality for all 2. Feminism is inclusive and affirming of women across their differences. -- It celebrates women's achievements and struggles, and it works to provide a positive and affirming stance toward women and expressions of h=the feminine.
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
An addition to the Civil Rights Act of 1964, this title forbids discrimination on the basis of sex, race, color, religion, or national origin in all areas of the employment relationship. As a Second Wave legal change, this title forbade workplace discrimination.
athletics and sports
An example of inequitable distribution of resources to different groups is __ _ __. -- Athletics has traditionally been male dominated. -- Men's sports are more highly valued that women's sports & are a major focus of sports entertainment. -- Compared to men's professional sports, women's are grossly underrepresented. -- Despite IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972 (which barred discrimination in education), many colleges are still not in compliance & spend considerably more on men's sports than on women's. -- Female athletes on some campuses complain that men receive better practice times in shared facilities & more up-to-date equipment than women athletes do. -- Within women's sports, some are more "white" than others (gymnastics, equestrian, tennis, ice skating, etc.) -- Most women's sports (outside of basketball & track) are dominated by white women. In this way, these are examples of an institution where resources are inequitably distributed.
radical
An important distinction among U.S. feminisms is that between liberal and radical feminisms. *___ feminists* (aka difference feminists or radical cultural feminists) recognize the oppression of women as a fundamental political oppression wherein women are categorized as inferior based on their gender. -- It is not enough to remove barriers to equality; rather, deeper, more transformational changes need to be made in societal institutions (like the gov. or media) as well as in people's heads. -- Patriarchy, they believe, shapes how women & men think about the world, their place in it, and their relationships with one another.. -- They assert that reformist solutions like those that other would inact are problematic bc they work to maintain rather than to undermine the system. -- The "No More Miss America" manifesto by the feminist social organization New York Radical Women illustrates these points. These feminists want a whole new pie.
liberal
An important distinction among U.S. feminisms is that between liberal and radical feminisms. ___ feminists believe in the viability of the present system (meaning the system is okay) and work within this context for change in such public areas as education and employment. They attempt to remove obstacles to women's full participation in public life using strategies such as education, federal and state policies, and legal statutes. These feminists want a piece of the pie, and have been critiqued as conservative reformists on account of this.
economic system
Another blatant example of inequitable distribution of resources by an institution concerns the __ __. -- Other than inherited wealth, the major way our economic system distributes resources is in remuneration for the work that we do. -- Women tend to work in jobs that're heavily occupied by women (clerical work, service & retail sales, and professional occupations such as teaching & nursing). -- Female jobs are undervalued in our society, contributing to the fact that a woman's average salary for all occupations tends to be less than a man's salary. -- Some women work under deplorable conditions at minimum wage levels (some work with hazardous chemicals or have to breathe second hand smoke daily) -- Older women & women of color own a tiny percentage of the wealth in this society--another example of the inequitable distribution of resources by an intersection/confluence of multiple identities.
religion
Another example of gendered messages comes from the institution of ___. This institution is especially powerful bc it implies the notion of divine sanction. Traditional religious texts tell stories (of, for instance, Eve's behavior that led to the banishment from the Garden of Eden or the chaste role of the Virgin Mary) that convey important messages about moral thought and behavior as well as women's place in society. These messages tend to be strongly gendered & often support different behaviors for women & men. A central code of some religious teaching is that women should be subordinate to men in their spiritual & everyday lives.
cross-dressing
As a category, transgender also overlaps with cross-dressing, the practice of wearing the clothes of a sex different from that to which a person was assigned in childhood. __ __ is a form of gender expression that's mostly done by heterosexual men & is NOT done for entertainment.
Gloria Steinem
As longtime feminist advocate and Ms. Magazine cofounder __ __ explains in an interview with Rachel Graham Cody, feminism is about social, economic, and political equality. Steinem makes the case that reproductive freedom is the key to women's equality, emphasizing its role in explaining poverty, educational attainments, and health outcomes.
Platform for Action
At the *United Nations (UN) Fourth World Conference on Women* held in Beijing, China, in 1995 and the post-Beijing gatherings of the last decades, more than 30,000 women attended, and 189 governments signed the "__ __ ___." This platform was a call for concrete action to include the human rights of women and girls as part of universal human rights, thus eradicating poverty of women, removing the obstacles to women's full participation in public life and decision making, eliminating all forms of violence against women, ensuring owner's access to educational and health services, and promoting actions for women's economic autonomy.
Intersectionality inspirations
Awareness of intersecting inequalities & advocacy for social justice was inspired by: -- Civil Rights, feminist, and other social movements of the late twentieth century -- In particular, intersectionality theory was shaped by theoretical writings of women of color who decried the lack of inclusivity/racism of white women's movement. -- Intersectionality was applied to disability studies as a result of the work of the disability rights movement that worked to ensure the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990. -- Like other intersectionality theorists, disability scholars like Rosemarie Garland-Thompson emphasize that integrating understandings of ableism is not an additive endeavor but a "conceptual shift that strengthens our understanding of how these multiple oppressions intertwine, redefine, & mutually constitute each other."
Anna Julia Cooper (1858-1964)
Born in NC in 1858 to an enslaved woman and her white slave owner, this woman would become a profound voice for the rights and dignity of black women by the latter part of the nineteenth century. - Refused to take less rigorous course for women when attending Oberlin College and took the men's course - Earned Masters degree in math by 1887 - Began work at the all-black high school in Washington, D.C. in 1887 and became the school's principal in 1902. - Saw education as the path to uplift and empower black women; insisted on preparing students for college rather than for the trades. - Founded the Colored Women's League of Washington & helped found the first black women's YMCA chapter. - Her book "A Voice from the South" offered an early analysis of the intersection of gender and race. - In 1924, became 4th black woman in U.S. to earn PhD. - Became president of Frelinghuysen University in 1930, a DC institution founded to provide access to education for local residents. She died in 1964 at the age of 105.
monolithic, lack of inclusivity, black women's studies
By the 1970s questions were being raised about this generic notion of "woman" and the __ (undifferentiated) way "women's experiences" were being interpreted. In particular, critiques of the women's movement and women's studies centered on their __ __ __around issues of race, class, sexual identity and orientation, and other differences. These critiques fostered, among other developments, a field of __ __ __ that encouraged a focus on intersectionality that continues to transform the discipline.
Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993
Created in 1993, this act requires employers to provide up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave for family and medical emergencies with a guarantee that employees' jobs will not be taken away in the interim. As one of the Second Wave legal changes, this act provided 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave for workers to care for children or ill relatives. Although, it is required only for businesses with more than 50 employees and for workers with at least a year's tenure in their job.
anything goes, self, distorts
Critiques of contemporary feminism: -- Although contemporary feminism is accessible for many young women in the U.S. and is energizing its focus on media, popular culture, sexuality, etc., it is critiqued as an "__ __" movement. -- Some question is transfromation of __ rather than society, in part because of its potential ineffectiveness for collective action & structural change. -- Suggest it __ the history of the second-wave & fabricates a victim and/or anti-sex feminism that actually never existed.
CEDAW (Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women)
Currently, much transnational feminist emphasis is on the passage of _____, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1979 and already ratified by 186 countries (over 90% of UN countries). It prohibits all forms of discrimination against women by legally binding the countries that ratify it to incorporate equality of men and women into their legal systems. Measures include abolishing discriminatory laws and adopting new ones, establishing tribunals to ensure the protection of women, and eliminating acts of discrimination against women by persons, organizations, or enterprises. As of this writing, the U.S. is the ONLY industrialized society that has still not yet ratified the convention because of fear among some that it would give the UN power over U.S. legal statutes and institutions.
Dictates of Masculinity
Deborah David & Robert Brannon characterized 4 __ __ __ that encompass key dimensions of modern masculinity: (1) "no sissy stuff," the rejection of femininity. (2) the "big wheel," ambition and the pursuit of success, fame, and wealth. (3) the "sturdy oak," confidence, competence, stoicism, and toughness. (4) "five 'em hell," the machismo element. Although these scripts dictate masculinity in a broad sense, there are societal demands that construct masculinity differently for different kinds of men. Of course, masculinity is also experienced through intersections with other identities: -- Middle-class emphasis on "big-wheel" dimension -- White dictates often involve the "sturdy oak" -- Men of color often become associated with the "machismo element" (with the exception of Asian American men, who are sometimes feminized when they're not being portrayed as karate warriors).
continuity, inter-generational divisiveness
Despite the advantages of using a "wave" metaphor to characterize the developments in feminism, the metaphor distracts attention from the ___ of feminist activity and runs the risk of setting up distinctions and potential __ __ between a more stodgy ( ) second-wave generation, devoid of sexuality and unwilling to share power, and a younger, self-absorbed generation obsessed with popular culture and uncritically sexualized.
Normality/normalizing
Difference gets constructed against what people think of as "normal." ___ tends to reflect the identities of those in power. EX: As many disability scholars emphasize, any notion of "normal" is an artifact or by-product of the discipline which measures it. This normality is created and has no physical reality apart from the practice that constructs the idea of normality in the first place.
Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions (1848)
Drafted at the Seneca Falls Convention and taken from The History of Woman Suffrage, Vol. 1 by E.C. Stanton, S.B. Anthony, and M.J. Gage, the document outlines the case for the right to vote for women, as well as other rights denied to women at the time. Authored primarily by Elizabeth Cady Stanton, the document used the language of the U.S. Declaration of Independence and included a variety of demands to improve women's status in the family and in society. Women's suffrage, the right to vote, was included.
regimes of truth are shaped
Each community or society has its "regimes of truth" connected to power that inform what counts as knowledge. __ _ __ _ __ by general truths/discourses such as science or religion; other levels of discourse, such as patriotism, are framed by these broader, general discourses. EX: The different knowledge accepted among people in a family, different groups of friends, academic classes, or particular churches, mosques, or synagogues. There are also discursive fields (e.g. law) that provide meaning & organize social institutions & processes. Scholars of discourse ask various questions: -- Why have some systems (e.g. science) gained the status of "truth" when others are marginalized? -- Why are "voices" heard when others are silenced, and who benefits and how?
personal, political, social movement
Feminism is a __ perspective as well as a __ theory and __ __ that has worked as a central force in advocating women's rights and making room for other liberatory policies. It is important to not that feminism has worked alongside other social movements such as immigrant and migrant rights and indigenous peoples' movements that may or may not identify as feminist. While feminism is usually at the center of WGS and has embodied the discipline with advocacy for social justice and cultural plurality, the concept itself and the often accompanying "baggage" of its ideological location in the global north, can exclude those who do not identify as feminist from movements for the improvement of women's lives.
angry, humor, exaggerate discrimination
Feminists are accused of being __, whiny women who have an axe to grind, have no sense of __, and who __ __ against women. This myth may be shattered: -- Some feminists respond to societal injustices with anger, but most work patiently little resentment. -- Men as a social group demonstrate much more anger -- Male rage comes out in numerous acts of violence, wars, school shootings, etc. , men's anger is seen as a human response to circumstance. (*Androcentrism* ! ). -- A better question might be why women are not more angry, given the levels of injustice against women both in the United States and worldwide. -- Feminists do NOT exaggerate this injustice; injustice is a central organizing principle of contemporary society. -- We should ask why women's anger provokes such a negative response; the relatively intense reaction to women's anger is grounded in a societal mandate against female anger that works to keep women from resisting their subordination--it keeps them passive. -- Anger is seen as destructive & inappropriate, going against what we imagine to be feminine; so, organized expressions of anger are interpreted as hostile.
lesbian baiting
Feminists are accused of being lesbians in an effort to discredit feminism and prevent women both from joining the movement and from taking WGS classes. The term for this is "__ __." -- Feminism affirms women's choices to be & love whomever they choose. -- Although some lesbians are feminists, many lesbians aren't, and many feminists have other sexual identities. -- Feminists don't interpret an association w/ lesbianism as an insult. *Homophobia*--the societal fear or hatered of LGBQ people--functions to maintain this as an insult. -- There's considerable fear associated with being called a lesbian, & this declaration that all feminists are lesbians serves to keep women in line, apart from one another, and suspicious of WGS. -- This myth is related to the one about feminists hating women because it's assumed that lesbians hate men too. Although lesbians love women, this doesn't necessitate a dislike of men.
gendered
First, institutions assign various roles to women and men & are also places of employment where people perform __ work. Example: K-12 institutions. -- Gendered: Assign various roles to women & men & are also places of employment where people perform gendered work; a considerable # of women are employed, but as the prestige of teaching increases, the # of white males in positions increase, & salaries go up. -- Sexuality: It's very difficult for openly lesbian teachers to find employment in some schools & some states have attempted to pass laws preventing lesbians & gay men from teaching in state-funded establishments.
across, within
Gender encompasses not only the socially constructed, intersecting differences prescribed fro different kinds of humans but also values associated w/ these differences. The effects of gender & understandings of both femininity & masculinity are mediated by other systems of power. Forms of gender-based oppression & exploitation often enforce other types of inequalities. In this way, *ranking occurs both __ gender categories (masculinity is valued over femininity) and __ gender categories*, for example: - economically privileged women over poor women - abled women live different lives than disabled women - African American women may be characterized as promiscuous or matriarchal & African American men may be described as hyperathletic & sexually potent - Jewish women are painted as materialistic & overbearing; Jewish men are shown as ambitious/thrifty - Latinx & Chicanx are oversexed & seen as passionate - Native American women are portrayed as silent & overworked; men are stereotyped as "aloof mystics," close to nature or else as "savages" and drunks. - Asian Americans are portrayed as smart & good at math, with Asian American women said to be delicate.
individuals negotiate ideologies
Generally we can say __ __ __, accepting/modifying them. If we are members of the *target group*, the group against whom the prejudice is aimed, we can succumb to low self-esteem, self-loathing, & shame.Sadly, this can mean individuals are encouraged to believe they're not worthy of social justice & are less likely to seek equality. Although members of target groups may accept oppressive regimes of truth, members of *nontarget groups*, groups (often part of the mythical norm) against who the prejudice is not aimed, also internalize these messages as well as messages about their own privilege. This can encourage or justify hostility.
substantial increase in hate crimes
Hate crimes often include the threat of coercion and violence as well as the actual practice of them, and their motives are hate and bigotry. Evidence shows that perpetrators of hate crimes are most likely to be heterosexual white males. For example, there has been a __ __ _ __ __ in the past few yrs. -- Especially against people of color & lesbian, gay, queer, and trans people. -- Hate groups include the KKK, racist skinheads, the Christian Identity movement, neo-Confederates, neo-Nazis (including Aryan Nations) -- Since the election of Donald Trump as president, white nationalist groups have felt empowered to engage in much more public displays of hate ("Unite the Right" rally in VA 2017 led to death of counter-protester) It's important to emphasize that gender as a category is omitted from most hate-crime statues despite the fact that women, transgender, and queer/gay men suffer from crimes of misogyny (people are often hurt/killed).
ambiguous zone, every possible, language
In "The Five Sexes Revisited" (2000) , Anne Fausto-Sterling also describes the idea of sex & gender in multidimensional space and the lack of diversity in scientific study and thought regarding diverse sexes. - Transsexuals, people who have an emotional gender at odds with their physical sex, sometimes describe themselves in terms of dimorphic absolutes, but still others are content to inhabit a more __ __. - Gender identity presumably emerges from sex at the genetic & cellular level, at the hormonal level, and at the anatomical level via some poorly understood interaction between environment & experience; What's become increasingly clear is that levels of masculinity & femininity may be found in __ __ permutation. - The medical & scientific communities have yet to adopt a __ capable of describing such diversity.
treatment protocol, ethical framework
In "The Five Sexes Revisited" (2000) , Anne Fausto-Sterling also goes into changes in __ __ that should take place regarding transexual/intersex individuals. The first few points she presents come from Laurence B. McCullough's __ __ for intersex treatment. - The various forms of intersexuality should be normal. - Intersexual conditions are not themselves diseases. - Physicians should minimize irreversible assignments (surgical removal/modification of sex genitalia). - Should perform throrough medical workup, disclose everything to parents, including the uncertainties about the final outcome; treatment = therapy, not surgery. - Sterling says reatment should combine some basic med-ical & ethical priciples w/ a practical but less drastic approach to the birth of a mixed-sex child: (1) Surgery on infants should be only to save the child's life or substantially improve child's physical well-being. (2) Physicians may assign a sex but this isn't irreversible. (3) Parents should have full access to information. Sex assignments made shortly after birth are only the beginning of a long journey, says Anne Fausto-Sterling.
variability, away from genitals, coexist
In "The Five Sexes Revisited" (2000) , Anne Fausto-Sterling describes some 21st century efforts to notice the variability of gender & throw out old systems. - At the dawn of the 21st century, when the __ of gender seems so visible, the ideal that human beings are an wholly dimporphic species is hard to maintain. - Since 1993, modern society has moved beyond 5 sexes (like in Sterling's original "The Five Sexes essay) to a recognition that gender variation is normal and, for some, an arena for playful exploration. - We need to turn focus __ _ __ & acknowledge that people come in an even wider assortment of sexual identities & characteristics than genitals can distinguish. - Sometimes ppl suggest that Sterling is arguing for a "pastel world" in which androgyny reigns & men/women are boringly the same; instead, she suggests that "strong colors __ with pastels" and there will continue to be highly masculine people out there, they just might be women, and vice versa for feminine men.
dimporphic species, basic biology varies, 1.7%, genital surgery
In "The Five Sexes, Revisited" (2000), Anne Fausto-Sterling, she analyzes the clear & significant issues associated w/ the "dimorphic ideal" of male/female sex in our society and the hasty & hurtful genital surgeries & assignments of intersexual individuals shortly after birth. - The concept of intersexuality is rooted in the very ideas of male/female; in the idealized, platonic, humans are divided into 2 kinds: a perfectly __ __: (1) Males have XY chromosomes, a penis, and certain secondary sex characteristics (muscular build,facial hair) (2) Females have XX chromosomes, ovaries, a system to support fetal development/pregnancy, and certain secondary sexual characteristics (breasts, large hips). - This idealized story papers over many obvious caveats (women have facial hair, some men have none, etc.) - The ideal of absolute dimorphism actually denigrates even at the level of __ __(chromosomes, hormones, internal sex structures, gonads, & external sex characteristics all __ more than ppl realize). - For every 1,000 children born, 17 are intersexual in some form; __ is a ballpark estimate but still important - Physicians could surgically assign gender (based on what makes the most surgical sense) and encourage parents to raise the child according to this gender. - Many intersex individuals have come forward and said that they've rejected their gender assignments at birth. - Even the aftermath of __ __ can be problematic & leave scars reducing sexual sensitivity.
four recommendations
In "Where Are The Mothers?," Katherine Goldstein gives __ __all companies should consider to create, specifically news organizations, that support the growing millennial workforce & diversity in family responsibilities: (1) *Give paid maternity leave* (12 weeks,gender neutral) (2) *Give fathers & non-birth partners paid family leave* -- greater access to gender-neutral or paternity leave policies help increase gender equity @ home & in the workplace by lessening promotion/hiring biases against women; these also benefit the parties receiving leave. (3) *Create official work-from-home and flex policies* -- while there's no one-size-fits-all solution, offering & allowing a range of company-sanctioned options & flexibility to adjust once the realities of motherhood set in, can have a major long-term impact on job satisfaction & retention rates in companies. (4) *Prioritize work-life balance for everyone.* -- Encourage transparency & don't expect one to hide parts of themselves (like being a working parent). -- Discourage "covering"--employees feel the need to downplay personal differences from their coworkers. -- Encourage use of paid-vacation time & balance. -- Flexibility & understanding should be applied to all employees equally (not just parents).
"Toward a New Vision: Race, Class, and Gender as Categories of Analysis and Connection."
In 1993, Patricia Hill Collins wrote this piece. It focuses on two key questions: (1) "How can we reconceptualize race, class, & gender as categories of analysis?" (2)"How can we transcend barriers created by our experiences w/ race, class, & gender oppression in order to build the types of coalitions essential for social change?" Reconceptualizing: *--* We must shift our discourse away from additive analyses of oppression. *--* Such approaches are typically based on two key premises: they depend on/either (dichotomous) thinking, and they rank dichotomous differences. *--* Sandra Harding's contention that gender oppression is structured along three main dimensions--the institutional, the symbolic, and the individual--offers a useful model for a more comprehensive analysis encompassing race, class, & gender oppression. Transcending Barriers: *--* We must transcend the barriers created by race, class & gender by moving toward race, class, & gender as categories of connection, by building relationships & coalitions that will bring about social change. *--* Some issues involved in doing this are: (1) Differences in power and privilege (2) Knowing the real reasons for coalition (3) Building empathy & individual accountability
"A Day Without Feminism"
In 2000, Jennifer Baumgarder and Amy Richards, self-proclaimed third-wavers published this essay in which they actively claim feminism as relevant to their lives & underscore the gains of second-wave feminist activism. Imagine for a day that it's still 1970, and women have only the rights they had then: -- Babies are automatically given their father's name; if no father is listed "illegitimate" will be on the certificate. -- No child care centers; all pre-school children are in the hands of their mothers or paid caretakers/school. -- Almost all elementary school teachers are female, and girls can't play in Little League; in a few states, it may be illegal for a male to teach grades lower than 6th -- In junior high, girls take home ec; boys take shop. -- Seventeen magazine doesn't run feminist-influenced columns; instead, it encourages girls to not have sex. -- No one reads about masturbation as a natural activity -- Girls read about Nancy Drew, for whom their is no sex, only having "luncheon;" boys read abt Hardy Boys. -- In high school, girls have PE but there are no established women's sports teams (soccer, track, etc.). -- Standardized tests & scholarships favor males highly. -- Girls who have sex ruin reputation or chances at love. -- NY is the only state that offers legal abortions. -- Women vow to love, honor, and obey husbands. -- Women may vote, but they vote along w husbands. -- Women are encouraged to remain in abusive marriages rather than get a divorce and be a disgrace. Has feminism changed our lives? Was it necessary? After 30 yrs of feminism, the world we inhabit barely looks like the one we were born; there's still a lot to do.
"Living a Feminist Life"
In 2017, Sarah Ahmed wrote this essay that details generation of feminism as it arises in one's heart/mind & the experiences &practicality that go into living a life full feminist life. "Feminism is a DIY: a form of self-assembly." *--* Sometimes we're too fragile to do feminist work; we can't risk being shattered because we're not ready to put ourselves back together again. In time, w/ work, things begin to make sense. *--* When did you put the pieces together? *--* We begin to identify patterns and regularities; it's not an easy or straightforward process because we have to stay with the wrongs & focus on this feeling. *--* It seems what you tried so hard not to notice is all you can hear. It begins at the back of your mind. *--* Feminism is a way of challenging the universal; it teaches that the universal needs to be exploded. *--* Feminism teaches that reality is usually just someone else's tired explanation of the world and life. *--* We learn how we recognize sexism or racism here may be a way of not recognizing it there; it's a process of recognizing that what you're up against can't be located or reduced to an object or thing. *--* Feminism, in giving you somewhere to go, allows you to revisit where you have been; finding feminism can be empowering as it's a way of rehabiting the past. *--* There's a sense that there are others like you out there, that you're not on your own, that you were not on your own; your own difficult history is written out in words that are sent out.
human production, doing gender, assignment, gender status, treat gender differently
In Judith Lorber's "The Social Construction of Gender" (1994), she analyzes the performance of gender. - Gender is so much the routine of everyday activities that questioning its taken-for-granted assumptions & presuppositions is like thinking abt if the sun will rise. - Gender's so pervasive that we assume it's in our genes. - Gender is actually constantly created & re-created out of human interaction & social life (and is the texture of that social life); Yet, gender is a __ __. - Gender depends on constantly "__ __," and everyone "does gender" without thinking about it. --- - For the individual, gender construction starts with __ to a sex category on the basis of what genitalia look like at birth (then dressing them that way). - A sex category becomes a __ __ through naming, dress, and the use of other gender markers. - Once a gender is evident, others __ those in one __ __ from those in the other gender, and kids respond to this treatment by feeling & behaving differently. - As soon as they can talk, they start to refer to themselves as members of their certain gender. - Sex doesn't come into play again until puberty, but by that time, sexual feelings, desires, & practices have been shaped by gender norms and expectations. This process constitutes social construction of gender.
basis of gender
In Judith Lorber's "The Social Construction of Gender" (1994), she presents *gender as an institution* and says that "as a social institution, gender is one of the major ways that human beings organize their lives." - Society depends on a predictable division of labor, a designated allocation of scarce goods, assigned responsibility for children & others who cannot care for themselves, common values & their systematic transmission to new members, legitimate Leadership, & music, art, stories, games, & other symbolic productions. - One way of choosing ppl for the different tasks of society is on the basis of their talent, motivations, and competence--their demonstrated achievements. - The other way is on the __ _ __, race, ethnicity--ascribed membership in a category of ppl. ---- - Although societies vary in extent to which they use either of these ways of allocating people to work & to other responsibilities, every society uses gender. - Every society classifies people as "girl and boy children," constructs similarities & differences between them, and assigns them to different roles. - Personality characteristics, feelings, motivations, & ambitions flow from different life experiences so that the members of diffferent groups become different. - The process of gendering & its outcome are legitimated by religion, law, science, & the society's entire set of values.
social differences, gender order, norms are enforced.
In Judith Lorber's "The Social Construction of Gender" (1994), she presents gender as a social institution. As a social institution, *gender is a process* of creating distinguishable social statuses for the assignment of rights and responsibilities: - Gender creates the __ __ that define "woman" & "man". - Individuals learn what's expected , see what's expected, act and react in expected ways, and thus simultaneously construct and maintain the __ __. - Gendered patterns of interaction acquire additional layers of gendered sexuality, parenting, & work behaviors in childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. - __ _ __ through informal sanctions of gender-inappropriate behavior by peers & by formal punishment (or threat of it) by those in authority should behavior deviate too far form socially imposed standards for women & men.
differential evaluation, dominant, Other, valued more highly
In Judith Lorber's "The Social Construction of Gender" (1994), she presents gender as a social institution. As part of a *stratification system*, gender ranks men above women of the same race and class: -- The process of creating difference depends to a great extend on __ __. -- The dominant categories are the __ ideals, taken for granted as the way things should be; white is ordinarily though of as race, middle-class as class, men as gender. -- Characteristics of these categories define __ as that which lacks valuable qualities the dominants exhibit. -- In a gender-stratified society, what men do is usually __ _ __ than what women do because men do it, even when their activities are the same/similar. EX: A gathering & hunting society's survival usually depends on the nuts, grubs, & small animals brought in by the women's foraging trips, but a successful men's hunt is the occasion for a celebration. EX: Because they're the superior, group, white men don't have to do the "dirty" work such as housework; the most inferior group does, usually poor women of color.
less power, prestige, economic rewards
In Judith Lorber's "The Social Construction of Gender" (1994), she presents gender as a social institution. Gender is a major building block in the *social structures* built on unequal gender-stratified statuses. When gender is a major component of structured inequality, the devalued genders have __ __, __, and __ __ than the valued genders. In countries that discourage gender discrimination, many major roles are still gendered: -- Women still do most of the domestic labor & child rearing, even while doing full-time paid work. -- Women & men are still segregated on the job & each does work considered "appropriate." -- Women's work is usually paid less than men's work. -- Men dominate the positions of authority and leadership in government, the military, and the law. - Productions, religions, & sports reflect male interests. -- Men & women spend much of their time w/ people of their own gender because of the way work/family are organized; the spacial separation of women & men reinforces gendered differences, identity, & thinking. In societies that create the greatest gender difference, such as Saudi Arabia: -- Women are kept out of sight behind walls or veils. -- Have no civil rights & often create a cultural & emotional world of their own.
Adrienne Rich, "Claiming an Education"
In __ __'s classic essay form the last 1970s, "__ __ __" articulates the demand for women as subjects of study. By making those who identify as women and other marginalized people the subjects of study, we assume that our opinions and thoughts about our own experiences are central in understanding human society generally. It also encourages you as a student to recognize your right to be taken seriously & invites you to understand the relationship between your personal biography and the wider forces in society that affect your life.
"LGBTIQ+ Rights in the World: A Condensed Update on Current Situation"
In a newly published article, Shakhawat Hossain Rajeeb states that it's an ambitious attempt to present a summary of the current state of LGBTIQ+ rights in the world. It covers topics such as: (1) *Legal Status of LGBTQ+* -- 123 countries where same-sex sexual acts are illegal -- LGBTIQ+ people are being killed in 12 countries which penalize consensual same-sex acts w/ death penalty. (2) *Fighting discrimination, hate crimes, & violence* -- UN members states ratified Universal Declaration of Human Rights prohibiting discrimination on grounds of race, color, sex, language, religion, political/opinion, national/social origin, property, birth/other status. -- On employment, 77 countries have legislation to fight discrimination based on sexual orientation. (3) *Forming rainbow families* -- Increasing # of U.S. states have extended definition of marriage to include same-sex couples over the years. -- There are 28 countries & 1 territory (Taiwan) that have equal marriage laws & 15 countries where same-sex relationships are recognized in some forms (civil union). (4) *Attaining social acceptance* -- Despite the advances in the legal frameworks, LGBTIQ+ rights in EU & across globe are in a recession.
"Cisgender Privilege"
In an essay he wrote in 2010, Evin Taylor analyzes the gendered privilege associated with identifying as cisgener and the apparent oppression that's associated with identifying as transgender, and he gives many examples (in McIntosh form) that question cisgender privilege in comparison to transgender oppression. -- "trans" = change, crossing, or beyond. -- "cis" = on this side -- Privilege is the "cultural currency" afforded to a person or group recognized as possessing a desired political/social characteristic; it's the stability society affords us when we don't rock the boat. -- Gendered privilege = collective advantages that are accepted by those who aren't positioned in opposition to dominant ideology of the gender binary. -- A questionnaire given is intended to inspire some insight into the privileges of those who are, for the most part, considered to be performing normative gender. QUESTION EXAMPLES: -- Can you expect to find a doctor willing to provide you with urgent medical care? -- Are incidental parts of your identity defined as a mental illness? -- Can you expect to be reasonably eligible to adopt? -- Can you wear a socially acceptable bathing suit? -- Do teachings about your national/cultural history acknowledge existence of ppl of your gender identity?
gendered brain chemsitry
In her book The Delusions of Gender, Cordelia Fine addresses the "naturalizing" of gender, which focuses on research in __ __ __. -- Disputes the belief that gendered traits are "hardwired" into the brain. -- Critiques the "biology is destiny" argument that claims innate psychological differences between the minds of women & men.
contemporary masculinity
In mainstream contemporary U.S. society, the "regimes of truth" associated w/ masculinity are constructed from the classical traits of intelligence, courage, honestly, potent sexuality, along with the the machismo element (an affinity for violence, breaking rules, sexual potency contextualized in the blending of sex & violence, and contempt for women & femininity, misogyny) and the provider role (ambition, confidence, competence, and strength). To be a man is to NOT be a woman. Weakness, softness, & vulnerability are avoided at all costs. Boys are often socialized into __ __ through shaming practices that ridicule expressions of femininity. Michael Kimmel's 2013 Huffpost "Let's Talk" explains that boys are relentlessly policing each other & "pressuring one another to conform to a narrow definition of masculinity by the constant spectre of being called a fag or gay." He proposes that we need "to empower boys" in the face of this gender policing; there are more differences between boys than between girls and boys, emphasizing that stereotypes flatten differences.
few rights, law, lost property rights, barred higher education
In nineteenth-century U.S. society, women: - Had __ legal, social, & economic __. - Had no direct relationship to the __ outside of their relationships as daughters and wives. - Married women __ __ __ upon marriage. - Were mostly __ from __ __.
oppression and discrimination
In particular, WGS is concerned with gender as it __ with multiple categories such as race, ethnicity, social class, age, ability, religion, and sexuality. Exploring how we perform gender and how this interacts with other aspects of our identities, WGS focuses on the ways women and other feminized bodies experience __ and __.
sameness, differences valued equally
In response to the assertion that feminists want to be men, it's true to say that feminists might like to share some of the power granted to men in society. However, feminism is not about encouraging women to be like men; it's about valuing women for being women and respecting expressions of femininity no matter what body these expressions are mapped on. People opposed to feminism often confuse ___ with equality and say that women will never be equal to men because they are different (less physically strong, more emotional, etc.) or they say that equality is dangerous because women will start being like men. Feminism, of course, affirms & works to maintain difference; it merely asks that these __ be __ __.
gendered, distribute resources differentially, interconnected
In terms of patterning of resources and practices, institutions function to support systems of inequality and privilege in three main ways: 1. Institutions assign various roles to women & men & are also places of employment where people perform __ work. 2. To return to a more resource-based notion of power where power is imagined as something people acquire, own, or share, institutions __ __ & extend privileges __ to different groups. 3. Major institutions in society are __ and work to support and maintain one another.
everyday experiences, weren't alone, personal is political
In terms of the *PERSONAL*, the U.S. women's movement involved women asking questions about the cultural meanings of being a woman. - Intellectual perspectives that became central to women's studies as as discipline were created from the __ __ of people both inside and outside the movement. - Through conscious-raising groups and other situations, participants realized that they __ __ in their experiences. - Problems women thought to be personal (like working outside the home all day & then coming home to work another full day's worth of domestic tasks) were actually part of a much bigger picture of masculine privilege and female subordination. - The " __ __ __" ; situations we are encouraged to view as personal are actually a part of broader cultural patterns and arrangements.
material conditions, region, identities, global context
In the U.S., our differences are illustrated by: -- __ __ of our lives: the values, cultures, behavioral practices, and legal structures of the communities in which we live. -- Even the geographic __ of the country we inhabit -- In particular, we inhabit different ___ in terms of race and ethnicity, religion, age, looks, sexual identity, socioeconomic status, and ability. -- In the U.S., these identities are situated within a __ __ that positions the U.S. within the world order; this means understanding colonialism/imperialism. Just as it is important to question the homogenizing notions of sameness in terms of the category "woman" across societies, it is also important to understand that these universalizing tendencies work against our understanding of women in the U.S. as well.
more inclusive of women's issues
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, students and faculty began demanding that the knowledge learned and shared in colleges around the country be __ __ __ __ __. - Wasn't unusual for courses in English or American literature to not include a single novel written by a woman (much less a woman of color). - Literature was full of men's ideas about women--ideas that often continued to stereotype them and justify their subordination. - History courses often taught only about men in wars & as war leaders & sociology courses addressed women primarily in the context of marriage & the family.
"The Social Construction of Gender"
In this 19 article, Judith Lorber explains gender as a process that involves multiple patterns of interaction created & recreated constantly in human interaction. -- Because gender is so central in shaping our lives, much of what is gendered we don't even recognize; it's made normal & ordinary & occurs subconsciously. -- The differences between "femininity" (passive, intuitive, and emotional) and "masculinity" (strong, independent, in control, out of touch emotionally) are made to seem natural & inevitable despite the fact that gender is a *social script* that individuals learn.
"Understanding Transgender and Medically Assisted Gender Transition"
In this 2016 essay, Jamie Lindemann Nelson presents: An Early model of Transgender: -- "Gender identity disorder": diagnosis introduced in 1979 regulated access to endocrinal & surgical options for ppl whose gender identity didn't match assigned. -- This model - identifying "gender identity disorder" and facilitating related medical procedures - enabled some trans people to seek gender affirming treatments. -- Though, it's problematic because it frames gender as a strict binary and presents trans identity as a problem to be solved through surgical intervention. Reproductive Control and Childbirth as Medical Model: -- As alternative medical analogy for transgender, Nelson proposes pregnancy, childbirth, & parenting as a better analogy than mental illness or cosmetic surgery. - Has advantage of depathologizing the identity & recognizing it as a weighty aspect of human experience. - Multiple ways of becoming a mother (C-section, IVF or not, vaginal delivery, etc.) All are accepted as valid routes to parenthood, and most require some degree of medical intervention.
"Disability and Social Justice"
In this 2016 essay, Teodor Mladenov: -- This essay engages in Marxist critique - it is focused upon economic structures and how they shape human experience. It views industrial capitalism as a system which distorts full human development. -- This essay considers how attitudes toward disability intersect with feminist values/critques. --"Capitalism generates maldistribution through commodification of labor. Not only way in which capitalism impairs distributive justice, but is a key one" (85). Pressure to work under capitalism implicitly measures human worth by workplace productivity. --"On the level of culture, capitalism generates misrecognition by promoting self-sufficiency" (87). -- Mladenov identifies an over-valuation of self-sufficiency (as opposed to interdependence) as characteristic of capitalism (87). -- Mladenov aligns the necessary reliance of disabled people of systems of support/assistance with feminist valorization of interdependence (88). -- Valorizing interdependency as a cultural norm shifts the understanding of disability as a form of defect (89). -- Mladenov is critical of framing democractic participation through the unequal structure of the capitalist nation-state (89). -- He notes the lasting effects of colonialism, which create unequal opportunities for global participation even among democracies & notes that statistical majority of disabled people live in Global South (90).
"On Being Transnational and Transgender" (2017)
In this 2017 essay, Don Operio and Tooru Nemoto examines the intersection of nationality with transgender identity. They further discuss the stigmas transgender immigrants face in the United States or when trying to seek asylum in the U.S. -- Many transgender women immigrants and asylum seekers bring a history of violence and trauma with them as they resettle in the United States. -- Consequently, they may avoid institutions that require disclosure of their gender history, such as health care and legal support agencies, to protect themselves against the antitransgender stigma that has been well documented in the United States. -- Unhealthy trajectories may continue in the United States for transgender immigrants because of the intersection of antitransgender bias, and racism and because of health systems that traditionally have a myopic view on individual-level determinants of health.
"Performance of a Lifetime..."
In this 2017 essay, Kate Horowitz narrates her experience of seeking medical care for years and having physical symptoms either discounted or ascribed to psychological problems. -- A man in pain waits an average of 49 minutes for treatment in the ER compared to the average woman's wait time of 65 minutes. -- Women's symptoms are more likely to be downplayed, disbelieved, or dismissed. -- Men in pain are generally given painkillers, woman sedatives. -- Women are more likely to be diagnosed with "conversion disorder," a condition called for nearly 2,000 years hysteria. -- "My doctors made it clear that there were 2 kinds of illness: those they could identify, and those that didn't exist. My symptoms were simply shadow puppets cast by a mind that couldn't control itself. I was confused. They were certain. They were wrong." The essay ends with Horowitz describing a dream in which she auditions for a play about invisible illness; the director says "We appreciated your approach, but you just weren't that convincing."
"Explaining White Privilege to a Broke White Person"
In this essay written by Gina Crosley-Cocoran in 2014, she outlines the inability of many poor white persons to accept that they have racial privilege because they're white. She further illuminates many different types of privilege, not just skin-color privilege, that impact the way people can move through the world or are discriminated against; these are all things that you're born into, not earned, that afford you opportunities that others may not have. This essay formed in reaction to Peggy McIntosh's "White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack" written in 1988. -- States that after reading McIntosh's essay, it's impossible to deny that being born with white skin in America affords people certain unearned life privileges. -- Assures that "it's not your fault that you were born with white skin & experience these privileges; But, whether you realize it or not, you do benefit from it, & it's your fault if you don't maintain awareness of this fact. -- Points out that there are several points in McIntosh's essay that spoke more to the author's position as a middle-class person than to her status as a white person -- Examines that intersctionality recognizes people can be privileged in some ways & definitely not in others. -- Exemplifies areas of privilege (being things you're born into, not earned, that afford you opportunities others may not have). Some areas & examples of privileged identities in parentheses include citizenship (born in American), class (financially stable), sexual orientation (straight), sex (male), ability (able-bodied), and gender identity (cisgender).
"White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack"
In this highly influential essay written by Peggy McIntosh in 1988, the meaning of white (specifically white, middle-class, female) privilege is explored. -- Hierarchies in our society are interlocking; there's a phenomenon of white privilege similar to that of male privilege that is denied and protected. -- As a white, person, one is taught to see "racism" as something that puts others at a disadvantage but one's taught not to recognize white privilege, which puts white people at an advantage. -- White privilege is like "an invisible, weightless knapsack of special provisions, maps, passports, codebooks, visas, clothes, tools, & blank checks." -- Hadn't been trained to see herself as an oppressor but as an individual whose moral state depended on her individual moral will. -- Whites are taught to think of their lives as morally neutral, normative, & average (and also ideal) so that when working to benefit others, this is seen as work which will allow "them" to be more like "us." -- It's not enough to disapprove of these systems; we need to redesign social systems & use arbitrarily awarded power to try to reconstruct power systems on a broader base.
discourse, regimes of truth
Instead of imagining *power* as something individuals acquire, share, or demand, we can imagine a concept of power diffused & embedded in "___"-- the process of creating knowledge/ culturally constructed rep. of reality; it involves language & other categories of meaning that work w/ social, material practices. These categories and practices produce "__ _ __"--involves the taken-for-granted rules about what people can say, who it's possible to be, and what it's possible to do (or not say or not do). In this way, discourse provides a range of being ("subjectivity") that we recognize as identity; this is what's meant by identities being produced through discourse. Power produces discourses of difference, normality, & truth that shape bodies & identities. Moving beyond the notion of hierarchies, postmodern theorists focus on the diffuse and micro-level powers that produce multiple "truths" about gender, desire, and bodies.
Horizontal hostility
Internalizing oppression means that we self-police as a result of discourses that "discipline" bodies & encourage self-surveillance. In addition, we also police one another, encouraging compliance with institutions that may oppress. When individuals direct the resentment and anger they have about their situation toward those who are of equal or lesser status, this process is called __ __. As a strategy, it is similar to the military tactic of "divide and conquer" in which groups are encouraged to fight with one another in order to avoid alliances that might collaboratively overpower an enemy. EX: Women may do this when they compete with one another over appearance or put other women down with verbal and/or nonverbal behavior.
hate, like, over
It is often said that feminists __ men or want to be __ men & selfishly want to create new systems of power __ men. This myth may be analyzed and shattered: -- Feminists simply ask men to understand how gender privilege works in their lives (many men are willing bc the same social constructions of masculinity also limit them in their expression). -- A more interesting question is why men are not accused more of hating women given the *misogyny*--the hatred of, or contempt for, women--present and the high levels of violence perpetuated against women. -- Most feminists are in relationships of some kind w/ men (family, work, friends) but the man-hating myth works to prevent many women who want to be in relationships with men from claiming feminism. -- Only in a patriarchal society would inclusion of women be interpreted as threatening men's power. -- Only in an androcentric society where men & their reality is center stage would it be assumed that an inclusion of one group must mean excluding another. -- Male domination encourages the idea that affirming women must mean hating men & interpret's women's request for power sharing as a form of taking over. The projection of patriarchal mentality equates someone's gain with another's loss.
capitalist system, individual men.
It's important to ask *who's benefiting from the new social script* defining the modern woman as a woman who is able to do everything (a superwoman). Women: -- Work in the public world (often in jobs that pay less, thus helping employers & the economic system). -- Still are expected to do the domestic & emotional work of home & family as well as stay fit and "beautiful." In many ways, contemporary femininity tends to serve both the __ economic __ & __ __ better than the traditional, dependent, domestic model.
subordinated, racist forces
It's important to note that throughout all this history regarding the First Wave feminist movement, the rights of women of color were often __ and "women's rights" came to mean the liberation of white women. In some cases movement leaders conspired with __ __ to keep women of color subordinated, arguing, for example, for literacy requirements for voters that enhanced the status of economically privileged women and undermined the poor, ex-slaves, and many immigrants and migrants.
socially constructed, compulsory heterosexuality, binaries
It's important to recognize that the meanings associated with differences are __ __. These constructions wouldn't be problematic were they not created against the notion of the mythical norm. Being a lesbian or identifying as "queer" wouldn't be a "difference" that invoked cultural resistance if it were not for __ __, the notion that everyone should be heterosexual & have relationships with the opposite sex. Implicit here, of course, is also the idea that sexuality must be categorized into the __ of heterosexuality & homosexuality in the first place.
men are supporters
It's important to remember that many __ __ __ of women's rights and that many of the goals of the women's movement benefit men as well. Although, being a supporter of women's rights does not necessarily translate into men understanding how everyday privileges associated with masculinity maintain entitlements in a patriarchal society. It is one thing to feel indignant about inequality or compassion for marginalized people, and another to recognize that one's privilege is connected to the oppression of others.
motherhood, burden, feminine
It's said that feminists reject __, consider children a __ , & reject all things __. This is a myth, & it may be shattered: -- Feminism doesn't reject motherhood but attempts to improve conditions under which women mother. -- Contemporary legislation to improve working mothers' lives & provide safe & affordable health care, child care, and education for children (to name a few) has come about because of the work of feminists. -- In terms of rejecting femininity, feminists have rejected some of the constraints associated with femininity such as corsets & hazardous beauty products & practices, but mostly they strive to reclaim femininity as a valuable construct that should be respected.
thrived on differences
Just as feminism encompasses diversity, so feminists do not all agree on what equality looks like or how to get there. As a social movement, feminism has always __ __ ___ of ideology and practice. In "A Day Without Feminism," self-proclaimed third-wavers Jennifer Baumgarder and Amy Richards actively claim feminism as relevant to their lives and underscore the gains of second-wave feminist activism.
women, people of color
Legal changes in the U.S. have been accompanied by relatively significant increases in the numbers of __ and __ _ __: - Running for political office - Taking positions of authority in government, business, education, science, and the arts - Becoming more visible and active in societal institutions These societal changes have strengthened the demand for alternative education models: Not only is it the right thing to include women in college life, but it is illegal to prevent their participation.
globalization
Life in the 21st century involves global systems of production, consumption, and communication. This means that patterns of gender in the U.S. are exported worldwide & are increasingly linked to patterns of global economic restructuring. This encourages to consider the ways the social & economic dynamics of ___ *(including economic & political expansion, militarism & colonial conquest & settlement, disruption/appropriation or indigenous peoples and resources, and the exportation of ideas through media and world markets, etc.)* have shaped global *gender arrangements* and transformed gender relations. Whatever our global location, it's important to consider the ways we interact w/ globalized cultures & the ways in which products of world media feature in our lives & shape ideas about femininity & masculinity, particularly.
Genderqueer
A person who is gender nonconformist in challenging accepted constructions and identities. This term is generally used for/by people who are thoughtfully aware of how their gender performance does not fit dominant definitions of masculinity and femininity (not simply people who are perceived as not totally conforming to mainstream masculinity or femininity). You may also see this phrase used to describe a social movement resisting the traditional categories of gender.
Western
Any claims for "___" feminisms are necessarily interpreted internationally in the context of: -- U.S. militarism, a history of colonialism -- International "development" -- The power of U.S.-based corporations -- Consumerism and popular culture. Certain issues, like the ability of women to maintain subsistence agriculture & feed their families--matters of personal survival--take priority over the various claims to autonomy that characterize women's issues in global north or what is often termed "westernized" societies.
personal as political
Connecting with the __ _ __ encourages men to potentially function as allies on a deeper, more authentic level. The concept of the personal as political has relevance for those with masculine privilege as understandings are made about the connections between social institutions that reward men and personal experiences of gendered entitlement.
embedded in culture
Gender is __ _ __ and various forms of knowledge are associated with any given community. What it might mean to be "feminine" or "masculine" may differ from culture to culture. This implies that people growing up in different societies in different parts of the world ( at different historical moments) perform different gender expressions. Gender performances vary around the world.
culturally, historically
Gender is __ and __ *changeable.* There is nothing essential, intrinsic, or static about femininity or masculinity. Rather they're social categories that might mean different things in different societies and in different historical periods.
sexual terrorism
Hate crimes against women bc they're women and against (for example) lesbians or women of color, often involve *__ __*, the threat of rape & sexual assault that control's a women's life whether or not she's actually physically or sexually violated.
key questions
Note these __ __ in UNIT ONE: Perspective and Practices! - What are the perspectives & practices of WGS? - Why should we "claim" an education as women rather than "receive" it? - How is feminism a DIY? - How do identities intersect and how are race, class, and gender categories of analysis & connection? - What would life be like without first and second wave feminism?
Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1988
Passed in 1988, this act reversed a Supreme Court decision gutting Title IX.
Colonialism
The building or maintenance of colonies in one region by people from another region.
gender pronouns
The most important thing is to acknowledge that each of us has the right to name our gender identity & be recognized as that identity. The best way to do this is to simply ask people how they'd like to be referenced. __ __ are a significant way to support gender identity. Always use people's chosen names & pronouns. Using the pronoun "they" as singular has become an increasingly popular way to recognize the variety of people's gender identities.
Gender nonconformity
having a gender expression that does not fit the masculine/feminine binary in some way.
Gender identity
how one feels internally about one's gender, which may or may not match the biological sex assigned at birth based on physical body type
distribute resources differentially
Second, to return to a more resource-based notion of power where power is imagined as something people acquire, own, or share, institutions __ __ & extend privileges __ to different groups.
broad societal movements
The demand to include women and other marginalized people as subjects of study in higher education was facilitated by __ __ ___ in which organizations and individuals focused on such issues as: - Work and employment - Family and parenting - Sexuality - Reproductive rights - Violence The objective was to improve women's status in society and therefore the conditions of women's lives.
Imperialism
The practices that subordinate one society to another and exercise power through military domination, economic policies, and/or the imposition of certain forms of knowledge; economic, political, or cultural domination over nations or communities
Systems of oppression
These are systems that discriminate & privilege based on perceived or real differences among people. Systems that facilitate privilege & inequality, subordination and domination, include: -- Sexism based upon gender -- Racism based upon racial/ethnic group membership -- Classism associated with economic status -- Ageism relating to age -- Looksism and sizeism, concerning looks & body size -- Ableism, about physical and mental ability -- Heterosexism, concerning sexual identity/orientation
Fitzgerald v. Barnstable School Committee (2009)
This Supreme Court ruling established parents' right to sue for sex discrimination in schools under both Title IX and the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution.
Internalizing oppression
We self police ourselves as a result of discourses that "discipline" bodies and encourage self-surveillance.
Peggy McIntosh (1988)
Who wrote ""White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack?" When?
Jennifer Baumgardner and Amy Richards (2000)
Who wrote "A Day without Feminism?" When?
Objectification
seeing the body as an object separate from its context (a consciousness embedded in and informed by social networks). Objectification can include the way one views others and the way one views one's own body. The individual being objectified is denied full agency and subjectivity.
social movement
A sustained, collective campaign that arises as people with shared interests come together in support of a common goal.
Patriarchy
A system where men and masculine bodies dominate because power and authority are in the hands of adult men.
patriarchy
A system where men and masculine bodies dominate because power and authority are in the hands of adult men.
contemporary femininity
Adjectives associated with traditional notions of __ in __ mainstream North American society include soft, passive, domestic, nurturing, emotional, dependent, sensitive, delicate, intuitive, fastidious, needy, fearful. These are the qualities that have kept women in positions of subordination & encouraged them to do the domestic and emotional work of society. A key aspect of femininity is its channeling into two opposite aspects: (1) the chaste, domestic, caring mother or madonna (2) the sexy, seductive, fun-loving playmate This is sometimes known in popular mythology as the woman you marry & the woman with whom you have sex. These polar opposites cause tension as women navigate the implications of these aspects of femininity.
support systems of inequality and privilege
Although *institutions* are intended to meet the needs of society generally, or people in particular, they meet some people's needs better than others. These social organizations are central in creating systems of inequality & privilege bc they pattern & structure differences in relatively organized ways; patterning resources & practices, institutions function to _____.
androcentrism
Contemporary ideas abt androgyny tend to privilege the "andro" (masculine) more than the "gyny" (feminine), with the presentation of androgyny looking a more like masculinity than femininity. The trappings of femininity seem to be the first things that are shed when a body is constructed as androgynous. This is related to ___ and the ways masculinity more closely approximates our understanding of (nongendered) "human."
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)
Created in 1965, this commission is an agency of the Department of Justice charged with enforcing Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and other anti-discrimination laws. As a Second Wave legal change, this commission was created to enforce antidiscrimination (although this enforcement didn't occur until 1972).
intersectional
Discussions of patriarchy must recognize the ___ nature of this concept whereby someone may be simultaneously privileged by gender but face limitations based on other identities. Men of color, for example, may benefit from patriarchy, but their expressions of masculine privilege are shaped by the politics of racism.
white, middle-class perspective
Feminism has been critiqued as a __, __ __ that has no relevance to the lives of women of color. The corollary of this is that WGS is about only the lives of white, bourgeouis women. This critique is not unfounded, but feminists are taking action against it. -- This critique is important because the history of the women's movment provides examples of both blandant & subtle racism, & white women have been the ones to hold most positions of power & authority in movements. -- Working class women have been underrepresented. -- WGS faculty & students have been disproportionately white & economically privileged. Much work has been done to transform the women's movement into an inclusive social movement that has relevance for all people's lives. It is absolutely crucial that the study of women & other marginalized peoples as subjects both recognizes and celebrates diversity & works to transform all systems of societal oppression.
similarities and differences
Feminism recognizes both the __ and __ in women's status worldwide. This status in developing and nonindustrialized countries is often very low, especially in societies where strict religious doctrines govern gendered behaviors. Although women in various countries around the world often tend to be in subordinate positions, the form this subordination takes varies.
prison
Gloria Steinem once said, gender is a __ for both women and men. The difference, she explained, is that for men it's a prison with wall-to-wall carpeting and someone to bring you coffee. Understanding the limitations associated w/ masculine social scripts has encouraged some men to transform these scripts into more productive ways of living. Many pro-feminist men & men's organizations have been at the forefront of this work.
Rebalanced the curriculum, transformation of traditional knowledge
It is important to note in terms of the history of WGS that making women subjects of study involved TWO STRATEGIES that together resulted in changes in the production of knowledge in higher education: 1. __ 2. __
Two-Thirds World
Note how the terms "First World" and "Third World" imply a hierarchical ordering. The problematic nature of these terms is underscored by the phrase "__ __ __" to emphasize that the global north has defined most of the world as coming in third.
Key questions
Note these Unit 3: Gender and the body __ __: -- How is embodied sex understood through science and through culture? -- How is gender shaped or experienced through physical activity? -- How do gender identity and sexual orientation shape access to healthcare?
Gender expression
Our __ __ is how we perform and express gender to those around us; the ways we present ourselves to the world are our expression of gender.
Equal Pay Act of 1963
Passed in 1963, (as an amendment to the Fair Labor Standards Act) this act requires equal pay for men and women doing equal work. As a Second Wave legal change, this act sought equal pay for equal work.
Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act (1994)
Passed in 1994, this act protected reproductive health care workers and patients accessing these services. Such gains are under attack, as well.
Gender fluidity in the modern day
People who do not conform to the expected gender binary of society may express themselves as a combination of traditional masculine & feminine characteristics, or they may move along a continuum, some days expressing themselves as more masculine, some days as more feminine. These expressions blur gender binary lines & disrupt hegemonic fem/masc. -- 1/2 of millennials believe gender is a spectrum. -- 12% of mills. identify as transgender/nonconforming In practice, this has meant: -- more babies are being given non-gendered names -- Parents dressing babies in both pink and blue -- People are taking on once-gendered roles in ways that have nothing to do with gender. -- Fashion industry is starting to create ungendered clothes and so are the cosmetic & fragrance industries. Even as some acceptance increases & corporations work to profit from gender nonconformity, the realities of gender discrimination & marginalization still remain.
A Vindication for the Rights of Women
Published in 1792 by Mary Wollstonecraft, this piece is seen as the first important expression of the demand for women's equality.
Second-wave Feminism
Refers to the twentieth-century period of social activism that addressed formal and informal inequalities associated, for example, with the workplace, family, sexuality, and reproductive freedom. Women's studies has its origins in the women's movement of the 1960's and 1970's, known as the "second-wave" women's movement.
Institutions
Social organizations that involve established patterns of behavior organized around particular purposes. They function through social norms (cultural expectations) which are institutionalized and patterned into organizations & sometimes established as rules or laws. Major institutions in our society: -- Family, marriage -- The economy -- Government & criminal justice systems -- Religion -- Education -- Science, health, and medicine -- Mass media -- The Military -- Sports Usually patterns of rules and practices implicit in major societal institutions have a historical component & reflect political, military, legal & socioeconomic decisions made over decades and centuries.
personal change, societal transformation
TWO aspects of the (second-wave) women's movement helped established women's studies: 1. Commitment to __ __. 2. Commitment to __ __.
LEGAL
The ___ changes of the Second Wave include: - Passage of Equal Pay Act of 1963 - Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 - Creation of EEOC in 1965 - Rulings in 1978 & 1991 - Family Medical Leave Act of 1993 - Affirmative action as a legal mechanism - Roe v. Wade - FACE Act of 1994 - Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 - Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1988 - Fitzgerald v. Barnstable School Committee, 2009 - Women's right to fight in combative military positions - Overturning of "Don't Ask Don't tell" policy in 2012 These examples of civil rights legislation, often taken for granted today, are the result of organized resistance and a concerted effort to democratize the legal structure of U.S. society.
Seneca Falls Convention (1848)
The beginning of the women's movment in the United States is usually date to the __ __ ___ of 1848. This convention was conceived as a response to the experience of Lucretia Mott & Elizabeth Cady Stanton, who, as delegates to the World Anti-Slavery Convention in London in 1840, were refused seating, made to sit behind a curtain, and not allowed to voice their opinions because they were women. Their experience fueled the need for an independent women's movement in the United States and facilitated the convention at Seneca Falls , NY, in July 1848.
symbolic dimension
The categories of meaning of "regimes of truth" discussed involve ideas & values (such as stereotypes & jokes) or sets of beliefs (sometimes called ideologies) that provide rationales for injustice. Hill Collins calls this the "__ __" of systems of domination and subordination. EX: Media often reinforce neegative sterotypes about women such as dumb blondes, passive Asian Americans, or pushy African Americans.
Gendered privilege
The collective advantages that are accepted, often unknowingly, by those who aren't positioned in opposition to dominant ideology of the gender binary. Simply put: A person who is able to live in life and/or body that is easily recognized as being either man/male or woman/female generally needs to spend less energy to be understood by others. The energy one need not expend to explain their gender identity and/or expression to others is gendered privilege.
No More Miss America, New York Radical Women
The concept of "the personal is political" is illustrated in the essay (originally presented as a leaflet) "__ __ __ __," written in 1968 by members of an organization called the __ __ __ __. The 10 points in the leaflet present a feminist critique of the objectification of female "beauty" and its connection to sexism, racism, and consumerism.
globalization, geopolitical boundaries, technologies, consumerism
The endeavor to study WGS is framed by understandings of the social, economic, and political changes of the past half century that include: - Rapid increase in __ and its impacts locally - The __ of the global north - Blurring and dispersal of __ __ and national identities. - The growth of new ___ that have not only transformed political and economic institutions, but supported mass __. Such changes shape contemporary imperialism (economic, military, political, and/or cultural domination over nations or geopolitical formations) with implications for people in both local & global communities.
Women's and Gender Studies
The importance of understanding the experience of living as women in society, alongside the recognition of inclusivity and intersectionality, means that "women's studies" tends not to have been changed to "gender studies" but to "__ __ __ __." This move recognizes the historical development and contemporary reality of the field of women's studies as a site for social justice for those who live and identify as women in the world.
battered word syndrome
The misleading and negative connotations with the words "feminism" and "women's movement" play a central role in backlash, or organized resistance, to them and encompass what some people call the "__ _ __." A 2003 poll found that when respondents were asked their opinion of the "movement to strengthen women's rights," not the "women's rights movement," people's support was much higher.
recognize, understand, celebrate
The need for societal change & transformation is needed to improve the conditions of women's lives. All authors hope for alliances across differences. The message in all of these articles is: -- the need to __ differences -- to ___ how the meanings associated with intersecting differences & the material conditions of everyday lives get translated into privilege & inequality -- to __ difference through coalitions for social justice & other expressions of personal/social concern.
nature of knowledge; marginalized; perspective
The second strategy in making women subjects of study that resulted in changes in the production of knowledge in higher education was the *transformation of traditional knowledge*. - People began questioning the __ __ __, how knowledge is produced, and the applications and consequences of knowledge in wider society. - Claims to "truth" and objective "facts" were challenged by new knowledge integrating the perspectives of __ people. (EX: A history of the American West written by migrating whites is incomplete & differs from the perspective of indigenous people who had their land taken from them). This second strategy involved a serious challenge to traditional knowledge and its claims to truth. Women's studies aimed not only to create program of study where students might focus on *women's issues and concerns*, but also to integrate a ___ that would challenge previously unquestioned knowledge.
Sexism
The system that discriminates and privileges on the basis of gender and that results in gender stratification. Given the ranking of gender in our society, sexism works to privilege men (specifically white heterosexual, cisgender) and limit women. In other words, men receive entitlements and privilege in a society that ranks masculinity over femininity even while they may be limited by virtue of other intersecting identities such as race or social class.
Title IX of Education Act of 1972
This 1972 Act forbids gender discrimination in federally subsidized education programs, including athletics. As a Second Wave legal change, this act supports equal education and forbids gender discrimination, including in sports, in schools.
pregnant, damages
Two of the Second Wave legal changes: - Ruling in 1978 that prohibited discrimination against __ women. - Ruling in 1991 that provided women workers the right to __ for sex discrimination.
trans, cis, privilege, gendered privilege, questionairre
What are some of the main points in Evin Taylor's essay titled "Cisgender Privilege?" -- Meaning of "__" & "__" -- __ is the "cultural currency" afforded to a person or group recognized as possessing a desired political/social characteristic; it's the stability society affords us when we don't rock the boat. -- __ = collective advantages that are accepted by those who aren't positioned in opposition to dominant ideology of the gender binary. -- A __ given is intended to inspire some insight into the privileges of those who are, for the most part, considered to be performing normative gender.
Privilege
____ can be defined as advantages people have by virtue of their status or position in society. It is the "cultural currency" afforded to a person or group who's recognized as possessing desired social characteristic. -- It's easier to grant that others are disadvantaged that to admit being privileged (McIntosh). -- Men might support women's rights but balk at the suggestion that their personal behavior is in need of modification. Being supportive of women's rights doesn't necessarily translate into an understanding of how the entitlements of masculine privilege work. -- Whites might be horrified by stories of racial injustice but still not realize that taken-for-granted white privilege is part of the problem This can be distinguished from earned privilege that results, for example, from earning a degree or fulfilling responsibilities.
LGBTQ
lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer; individuals whose sexual orientation is lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgendered, or who are currently questioning their sexual orientation
Intersex
people born with reproductive or sexual anatomies that do not fit typical binary definitions of "male" and "female."
self-objectification
the tendency to see oneself primarily as an object in the eyes of others
Gender Arrangements
the ways society creates, patterns, and rewards our understandings of femininity and masculinity