Sex and Gender Exam #1
What is claim intersectionality?
Claim intersectionality •Only half as likely as to win cases compared to other plaintiffs •Lower chance of winning, regardless of demographic characteristics
How does the theory of intersectionality help us understand various types of gender strategies?
Gender strategy" refers to finding a way of doing gender that works for us as unique individuals who are shaped by other aspects of our identity .Gender, intersected with other social identities, influence our behaviors .Multiple social identities shape our (doing) gender strategies.
What is demographic intersectionality?
Findings:•Demographic intersectionality •Non-white plaintiffs less likely to win compared to white plaintiffs •White women > White men > Non-white men > Non-white women
What is gender bending?
Gender Bending (Lorber 1994) ○Refers to acting in a way that conforms to the opposite gender ○Crossing gender boundaries
What are the examples of doing gender out of habit, pleasure, or policing?
Habit How to sit in a toilet Pleasure Prom dresses Observation Eating with men or women Gender Policing Negative sanctions Hate-crime Self-policing
In her 2005 article, Karin Martin examined parenting advice books and websites to understand the legacy of feminists' revisioning of gender socialization. What did she find in terms of experts' advice on gender nonconforming children?
Their parenting methods are different from gender neutral or feminist strategies.1) Gender hedging: "walking the fine line" of the gender binary Boundary maintenance E.g., Pink socks are okay, but not pink skirts.2) Gender literacy: Talking back to the gender binary Finding support groups for parents Active dialog with children using vocabularies normalizing gender variance Working with teachers for gender inclusive training3) Playing Along: (or not): "Head games" with the gender binary Deciding when to play along or not ■These parents even embrace possibilities of transgender identities beyond homosexuality.
How did Asian Immigrant Women Advocates (AIWA) use intersectionality as a movement strategy for social change?
last slide
How does the Genderbread Person help us understand people's gender beyond gender binary?
lays it out visually- makes it more personal- shows what part of the body means what
What does the picture of Charlize Theron's child (shown in Dr. Moon's PPT slide) tell us about gender variant children
people have a problem w it
How does social class come into play when people with disability try to maintain their masculine identity?
u can figure this out
How do social consequences of aging differ by gender?
u know this
What are the reasons of some men wearing high-heels? Do they all have different reasons?
• Elite men in the 17th century wore high heels to distinguish themselves from ordinary people. • Gender is about distinction.• Distinction => power, superiority, privilege, hierarchy • Is gender the sole factor creating distinction? • Why is distinction problematic?
What is the relationship between sex and gender?
• Sex is not always equal to gender.• But, gender is closely linked to one's biological sex.• In most countries, people rarely argue about one's sex, but gender can differ across different societies and times.
What is West and Zimmerman's (1987) original definition of doing gender?
"Doing gender means creating differences between women and men, differences that are not natural, essential, or biological. "Gender is not something we are, but something we do. The 'doing gender' framework draws attention to the ways in which behaviors are enforced, constrained, and policed during social interaction. Symbolic interactionist perspective Criticisms of this theory?
What are the potential institutional consequences of Lucal NOT doing gender?
*** Find
What does Wade and Ferree's biocultural interaction model tell us about gendered behaviors?
***Find
According to Wade and Ferree, how is breaking gender rules possible?
**Find
What is Wade and Ferree's definition of doing gender? And, how is it different from West and Zimmerman's?
**Find
Why do Wade and Ferree argue that both naturalists and culturalists are wrong about the cause of behavioral differences between genders?
**Find
How did intersectionality operate in African American community in the case of Anita Hill and Clarence Thomas in 1991? And, why?
- black women are ignored basically - look this up
What does it mean that gender is about distinction?
- different for different groups
What are some examples of cross-cultural variation in gender rules?
- idea of femininity in japan
What are some examples of gender rules?
- physical touch between men - wearing pink - skirts - earrings
What are the five sexes according to Fausto-Sterling (1993)?
1) Male 2) Female 3) Herms: True Hermaphrodites 4) Merms: Male pseudo-hermaphrodites 5) Ferms: Female pseudo-hermaphrodites
How does Fausto-Sterling's article about the five sexes challenge a sex binary system?
1. The three sexes, herm, merm and ferm, deserve to be considered additional sexes each in its own right. In other words, male and female are not enough. 2. The assumptions behind the medical arrangement of intersexuals are problematic: assumptions that there should be only two sexes, that there is one true model of psychological health.
If I argue that a sex binary system has been gradually deconstructed in our society since the publication of Fausto-Sterling's article in 1993, what are the examples to support this statement?
4 percent? (4 out of 100 people are intersexual?) ■The term, hermaphrodites, is derogatory ■No discussion of psychological consequences of sex assignment surgery ■Insufficient information about different types of intersex people
How does Pyke and Johnson's (2003) article apply the theory of intersectionality in their research about Asian American women's gender strategy?
Assertive asian strategy characterized as extremely shy and submissive
What are the examples of arbitrary sex assignment by biology? Why is this problematic?
Biology has been used arbitrarily in assigning one's sex.-For example: 1) Intersex: size of penis, presence of ovaries 2) Intersex athletes: testosterone level
Provide examples of gender strategies of people who possess multiple, intersectional identities (e.g., African American men)
Black Men Stereotype: Hypermasculine, Super aggressive Gender expectation Gender strategy: Gentle black man strategy
How is Lorber's (1994) social construction of gender theory different from that of West & Zimmerman (1987)?
Both Lorber (1994) and West & Zimmerman (1987) agree that gender is a socially constructed product. However, they provide different explanations about how gender is socially constructed. ●Lorber views gender as a product of a long-term process of social construction, which is hard to dismantle. ●West and Zimmerman consider gender as something that is continually reconstructed through our interactions, which can be changed if we change our performances.
In her article, Deutsch (2007) talks about both contributions and criticisms of the doing gender theory? What are they?
Contributions: ●Unlike psychologically oriented socialization theories (e.g., the injection model), this theory assumes that people respond to changing gender norms. ●Unlike a structural approach of gender (e.g., Lorber's theory), this theory explains how structural conditions are mediated through social interactions to create gender inequality. ●This theory implies that if gender is constructed, then it can be deconstructed as well. Criticisms ●This theory is a theory of gender conformity. ●With this theory, it is difficult to explain why some people resist to obey gender rules. ●The word "doing" evokes the notion of creating difference rather than erasing.
Explain problems associated with different definitions of "real" differences between genders
Definition 1: Differences are real if we can measure them. Definition 2:Real if they are observed in all or most contemporary and historical cultures. Definition 3: Real if the differences are biological. Definition 4: Real if the differences are biological and immutable.
What is intersectionality? And, how does this concept help us understand women of color's experience? Explain this, drawing on any research work discussed or read in our class. (e.g., Crenshaw's 1991 article or Wingfield's 2017 piece)
Definition: The interconnected nature of social categorizations such as race, class, and gender, regarded as creating overlapping and interdependent systems of discrimination or disadvantage Intersectionality is not just about identities, it is also about power relations, social justice and inequalities.
What are the problems associated with wearing gender binary glasses?
Distort our vision Daily impact on our lives: examples?Often lead to inequality and discrimination
How does Lucal's gendered experience challenge Lorber's argument that gender bending preserves gender boundaries?
Doing gender perspective (West and Zimmerman 1987): ○Gender is a product of interaction. ○Gender is produced in a particular context. ○Therefore, it can be changed if we change our performances in our interaction in particular contexts. ○Lucal argues that she is showing an alternative way of doing gender or doing gender differently from conventional ways. ■She says, "My presence can provoke a category crisis because it challenges the gender binary system."
Both the learning model of socialization and the injection model of socialization tell us about how we learn gender rules in society. How do they differ?
Injection model of socialization •Gender is something we are given through socialization in early childhood and hardly changes afterwards. •Sex role socialization theory ----- Learning model of socialization •Gender is a routine and recurring accomplishment. •Doing gender theory
ince Fausto-Sterling's article was published in 1993, how much more have we learned about intersex people? Explain this drawing on Kelly's (2007) article.
Intersexuality refers to a variety of conditions in which individuals are born with ambiguous external genitalia and/or a combination of chromosomes, gonads, external genitalia, and hormones that do not align as typical male or typical female. (Kelly 2007) -1 or 2 per 1000 births are intersexual. (Not 4%) ■Note: More recent study shows 1 per 1500 or 2000 births-A commonly used term is either "intersex" or "disorders of sex development (DSD)" ■Note: DSD also refers to "differences in sex development"-Intersexuality should be considered in the context of the lived experience of intersex people and their struggles with the medical establishment.
According to Zell et al., for which traits are men and women rather different than similar?
Large differences: 2% Very large differences: 1% Men and women are rather different than similar for :Throwing and attitudes about casual sex (large difference) Sexual identity and sexual object choice (very large difference)
How can undoing gender at the institutional level bring about a change at the interactional level? Provide examples.
Mandatory paternity leave
What does some research (mentioned in Dr. Moon's lecture PPT slides) tell us about gender nonconforming children?
Many books embrace the idea that gender is socially constructed rather than biologically determined, and promote gender neutral parenting. -However, when it comes to gender nonconforming children, advice tends to draw on heteronormative and/or homophobic bodies of literature.
In Betsy Lucal's article, what are the examples of interactional consequences of NOT doing gender?
Negative consequences: ○Credit card use○ Women-only spaces ○Expected to be strong and aggressive ●Positive consequences: ○Walking at night ○Being treated more respectfully in auto parts stores
What did Zell and his colleagues find in their research on gender differences?
Negligible to no differences: 39% Small differences: 46% Medium differences: 12% (e.g., physical aggression) Men and women are rather similar than different for:Reading comprehension, talkativeness, assertiveness of speech, flexibility, vertical jumping ability, attitudes about cheating, disapproval of extramarital sex, etc.
Drawing on Kelly's (2007) article about intersex, explain the four characteristics that we use to determine the types of intersex conditions.
Reproductive organs, secondary sexual characteristics, chromosomes, hormones
In Best et al.'s (2011) article, what was their research question and what did they find? And, what do their findings tell us about the reality of intersectionality tested in the courts?
Research question: •Can people win their court cases based on their demographic intersectionality or claim intersectionality?•Concepts: •Demographic intersectionality and Claim intersectionality •Data: •Federal employment discrimination litigation cases between 1965 and 1999
What are the categories of sex and gender?
Sex Categories: Male v. Female (or Intersex) Male Bodied vs. Female-Bodied Gender Categories: Masculine vs. Feminine (or Androgynous)
How are sex roles different from gender roles?
Sex role: childbearing Gender role: childrearing
What are the examples of future research that Deutsch (2007) suggests to overcome the limits of the previous studies drawing on the doing gender theory?
Show how reducing gender differences influences our perception about gender. ○Study about men who earn lower income than their wives ○Study about women entering traditionally male-dominant fields Find examples where gender difference does not lead to gender inequality. ○Study about equally shared parenting ●Gender can be irrelevant in some conditions. ○Multiple possibilities for categorizations
How does Lucal's gendered experience support Lorber's argument that gender bending preserves gender boundaries?
Social construction of gender perspective (Lorber 1994):○Gender is a socially constructed product, like a overarching structure that governs us. ○Thus, it is not easy to break it down. ○The solution is to create alternative categories, other than gender, to differentiate people's behaviors (i.e., degendering). ○Lucal agrees that her gender bending contributes to keeping the gender boundary intact: ■She says, "It is safer to be read as a man than some sort of deviant woman or lesbian." ■She also insists that she is a member of one of the two genders.
What does Caster Semenya's recent story tell us about arbitrary sex assignment?
Stories of Dutee Chandi and Caster Semenya ■Testosterone and sport-Policy on the regulation of testosterone level for intersex athletes ■Assumption: -Because of physiological differences, women are not capable to compete with men. ■Fairness and ethics -Is the policy fair? Why or why not?■Recent development of Semenya's story
How does sex role socialization theory explain about behavioral differences between genders? And, what was the major criticism of this theory?
Women and men learn the social expectations and attitudes associated with one's sex. ●How? Children are rewarded for displaying the gender-appropriate behaviors that they are encouraged to perform. ●Functionalist perspective ●Criticisms of this theory?
According to Chun et al.'s (2013) article, before joining Asian Immigrant Women Advocates (AIWA), what kind of social conditions were many Asian American working women in California situated in terms of their employment, family, and language ability?
•Asian American working women in California •Their employment, family, and English literacy •Before and after joining Asian Immigrant Women Advocates (AIWA)•AIWA's use of intersectionality as movement strategy •Recognition of layers of discriminations •Opportunities for language literacy and life outside family •Sharing their own knowledge and becoming grassroots leaders
What are the reasons for gender distinction?
•Power, hierarchy, privilege • In-group connection, sense of belonging, we-ness
How are sex and gender different?
•Sex refers to the physical or biological differences in primary and secondary sexual characteristics. •Gender refers to the social and cultural patterns attached to women and men or individual's gender identity of being feminine or masculine.
How did interview participants in Pyke and Johnson's article perceive Asian femininity versus White femininity?
■Asian femininity vs. White femininity ■Finding about Asian-American women's gender strategy -Asian-American women's gender strategy constantly moves "between sites that are guided by ethnic immigrant cultural norms and those of the Euro-centric mainstream." ■Take-home point: -Our gender strategy is shaped not only by multiple social identities, but also by local, social, and cultural settings.
How does the associative memory theory help us understand the persistence of gender binary glasses?
■Brain encoding: ■Due to associative memory, which is the ability to make connections between concepts and ideas, sometimes we are quick to remember stereotypical occurrences and forget or even change memories that deviate from stereotypes ■Stereotypes
What are gender binary glasses and why do we wear them?
■Culture has taught us to see objects, actions, symbols, etc., through gender binary glasses: a pair of lenses that separate everything we see into masculine and feminine categories-Examples?■Gender binary glasses give us a sense of cultural competence -an understanding of how members of a society typically think and behave.
Why is gender binary an ideology? Provide the definition of gender binary and offer counterexamples of gender binary, drawing on other countries' examples.
■Gender binary refers to the idea that there are only two types of gender that are very opposite and contrasting-For example, male-bodied people who are masculine and female-bodied people who are feminine ■In other words, we tend to dichotomize people into two different gender categories that are mutually exclusive and in opposition to each other .■Gender binary often creates an "us" vs. "them" mentality.
What does it mean that gender is fluid?
■Gender is a fluid concept because gender is socially constructed.-Meanings attached to gender is socially shared. -Meanings of gender can change over time. -Depending on the needs of individuals, communities, and societies, female-bodied people can play the roles associated with men, and vice versa.
How does subdividing the binary protect the binary system?
■Genderqueer ■Gender fluid ■Nonbinary ■Transgender (vs. Transsexual) ■Cisgender
How are transsexual and transgender conceptually different?
■Transsexuals are people who physically or medically transition from one sex to another. ■Transgender is an umbrella term that describes people with identities that cross over, move between, or otherwise challenge the socially constructed gender binary system. While transgender can include physical and social transition, it may not.
