Chapter 12: Gender, Sex, and Sexuality
11. What Western country is thought to be the most liberal in its attitudes toward sex? a. The United States b. Sweden c. Mexico d. Ireland
B
9. Only women are affected by gender stratification. a. True b. False
B
6. Which of the following is the best example of a gender stereotype? a. Women are typically shorter than men. b. Men do not live as long as women. c. Women tend to be overly emotional, while men tend to be level headed. d. Men hold more high-earning, leadership jobs than women.
C
12.1 Sex and Gender
The terms "sex" and "gender" refer to two different identifiers. Sex denotes biological characteristics differentiating males and females, while gender denotes social and cultural characteristics of masculine and feminine behavior. Sex and gender are not always synchronous. Individuals who strongly identify with the opposing gender are considered transgender.
12.3 Sex and Sexuality
When studying sex and sexuality, sociologists focus their attention on sexual attitudes and practices, not on physiology or anatomy. Norms regarding gender and sexuality vary across cultures. In general, the United States tends to be fairly conservative in its sexual attitudes. As a result, homosexuals continue to face opposition and discrimination in most major social institutions.
gender dysphoria
a condition listed in the DSM-5 in which people whose gender at birth is contrary to the one they identify with. This condition replaces "gender identity disorder"
sexuality
a person's capacity for sexual feelings
gender identity
a person's deeply held internal perception of his or her gender
sexual orientation
a person's physical, mental, emotional, and sexual attraction to a particular sex (male or female)
sex
a term that denotes the presence of physical or physiological differences between males and females
gender
a term that refers to social or cultural distinctions of behaviors that are considered male or female
transgender
an adjective that describes individuals who identify with the behaviors and characteristics that are other than their biological sex
homophobia
an extreme or irrational aversion to homosexuals
heterosexism
an ideology and a set of institutional practices that privilege heterosexuals and heterosexuality over other sexual orientations
social construction of sexuality
socially created definitions about the cultural appropriateness of sex-linked behavior which shapes how people see and experience sexuality
gender role
society's concept of how men and women should behave
biological determinism
the belief that men and women behave differently due to inherent sex differences related to their biology
double standard
the concept that prohibits premarital sexual intercourse for women but allows it for men
transsexuals
transgender individuals who attempt to alter their bodies through medical interventions such as surgery and hormonal therapy
12. Compared to most Western societies, U.S. sexual attitudes are considered _______. a. conservative b. liberal c. permissive d. free
A
15. Which theoretical perspective stresses the importance of regulating sexual behavior to ensure marital cohesion and family stability? a. Functionalism b. Conflict theory c. Symbolic interactionalism d. Queer theory
A
2. The term _______ refers to society's concept of how men and women are expected to act and how they should behave. a. gender role b. gender bias c. sexual orientation d. sexual attitudes
A
1. The terms "masculine" and "feminine" refer to a person's _________. a. sex b. gender c. both sex and gender d. none of the above
B
14. According to national surveys, most U.S. parents support which type of sex education program in school? a. Abstinence only b. Abstinence-plus sexual safety c. Sexual safety without promoting abstinence d. No sex education
B
3. Research indicates that individuals are aware of their sexual orientation _______. a. at infancy b. in early adolescence c. in early adulthood d. in late adulthood
B
4. A person who is biologically female but identifies with the male gender and has undergone surgery to alter her body is considered _______. a. transgender b. transsexual c. a cross-dresser d. homosexual
B
8. To which theoretical perspective does the following statement most likely apply: Women continue to assume the responsibility in the household along with a paid occupation because it keeps the household running smoothly, i.e., at a state of balance? a. Conflict theory b. Functionalism c. Feminist theory d. Symbolic interactionism
B
7. Which of the following is the best example of the role peers play as an agent of socialization for school-aged children? a. Children can act however they wish around their peers because children are unaware of gender roles. b. Peers serve as a support system for children who wish to act outside of their assigned gender roles. c. Peers tend to reinforce gender roles by criticizing and marginalizing those who behave outside of their assigned roles. d. None of the above
C
12.2 Gender
Children become aware of gender roles in their earliest years, and they come to understand and perform these roles through socialization, which occurs through four major agents: family, education, peer groups, and mass media. Socialization into narrowly prescribed gender roles results in the stratification of males and females. Each sociological perspective offers a valuable view for understanding how and why gender inequality occurs in our society.
10. According to the symbolic interactionist perspective, we "do gender": a. during half of our activities b. only when they apply to our biological sex c. only if we are actively following gender roles d. all of the time, in everything we do
D
13. Sociologists associate sexuality with _______. a. heterosexuality b. homosexuality c. biological factors d. a person's capacity for sexual feelings
D
5. Which of the following is correct regarding the explanation for transgenderism? a. It is strictly biological and associated with chemical imbalances in the brain. b. It is a behavior that is learned through socializing with other transgender individuals. c. It is genetic and usually skips one generation. d. Currently, there is no definitive explanation for transgenderism.
D
DOMA
Defense of Marriage Act, a 1996 U.S. law explicitly limiting the definition of "marriage" to a union between one man and one woman and allowing each individual state to recognize or deny same-sex marriages performed in other states
queer theory
an interdisciplinary approach to sexuality studies that identifies Western society's rigid splitting of gender into male and female roles and questions its appropriateness
doing gender
the performance of tasks based upon the gender assigned to us by society and, in turn, ourselves
sexism
the prejudiced belief that one sex should be valued over another
