Chapter 12

transsexuals

Transgender individuals who attempt to alter their bodies through medical interventions such as surgery and hormonal therapy so that their physical being is better aligned with gender identity

A person's sex, as determined by his or her biology, does not always correspond with his or her gender

Therefore, the terms sex and gender are not interchangeable

Gender stereotyping

involves overgeneralizing about the attitudes, traits, or behavior patterns of women or men

Gender Dysphoria

is a condition of people whose gender at birth is contrary to the one they identify with.

Gender identity

is a person's deeply held internal perception of his or her gender.

sexual orientation

is his or her physical, mental, emotional, and sexual attraction to a particular sex (male or female)

The United States is a heteronormative society

meaning it assumes heterosexual orientation is biologically determined and unambiguous

Gender

refers to behaviors, personal traits, and social positions that society attributes to being female or male

Sex

refers to physical or physiological differences between males and females, including both primary sex characteristics (the reproductive system) and secondary characteristics such as height and muscularity

Sexism

refers to prejudiced beliefs that value one sex over another While it is illegal in the United States when practiced as discrimination, unequal treatment of women continues to pervade social life. Many sociologists focus on discrimination that is built into the social structure; this type of discrimination is known as *institutional discrimination*

gender role

refers to society's concept of how men and women are expected to look and how they should behave These roles are based on norms, or standards, created by society

characteristics of sex will not vary significantly between different human societies

the term sex refers to biological or physical distinctions Generally, persons of the female sex, regardless of culture, will eventually menstruate and develop breasts that can lactate

Individuals who identify with a role that is the different from their biological sex are called

transgender

The Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA)

was passed, explicitly limiting the definition of "marriage" to a union between one man and one woman It also allowed individual states to choose whether or not they recognized same-sex marriages performed in other states

Gender & Socialization

Children learn at a young age that there are distinct expectations for boys and girls Children acquire these roles through *socialization:* a process in which people learn to behave in a particular way as dictated by societal values, beliefs, and attitudes.

Characteristics of gender, on the other hand, may vary greatly between different societies

For example, in U.S. culture, it is considered feminine (or a trait of the female gender) to wear a dress or skirt. However, in many Middle Eastern, Asian, and African cultures, dresses or skirts (often referred to as sarongs, robes, or gowns) are considered masculine. The kilt worn by a Scottish male does not make him appear feminine in his culture.

heterosexism

Herek (1990) suggests is both an ideology and a set of institutional practices that privilege heterosexuals and heterosexuality over other sexual orientations

The drive to adhere to masculine and feminine gender roles continues later in life

Men tend to outnumber women in professions such as law enforcement, the military, and politics. Women tend to outnumber men in care-related occupations such as childcare, healthcare (even though the term "doctor" still conjures the image of a man), and social work.

One way children learn gender roles is through play.

Parents typically supply boys with trucks, toy guns, and superhero paraphernalia, which are active toys that promote motor skills, aggression, and solitary play. Daughters are often given dolls and dress-up apparel that foster nurturing, social proximity, and role play

Gender socialization occurs through four major agents of socialization

family, education, peer groups, and mass media

Sexual orientation is typically divided into four categories

heterosexuality, the attraction to individuals of the other sex; homosexuality, the attraction to individuals of the same sex; bisexuality, the attraction to individuals of either sex; asexuality, no attraction to either sex