"Family Now" Gender in Today's Society - Chapter 4

Turner's syndrome

This occurs when one of the two X sex chromosomes is completely or partially absent. Affecting only females, these babies are sometimes referred to as "XO" babies (meaning an X and a zero, or no other chromosome). As a result of this condition, the individual does not develop ovaries, rendering her sterile.

Sexist

Treating someone differently based on their sex.

Gender presentation

How an individual presents his or her gender identity through personality, habits and behaviors.

Androgen insensitivity syndrome (AIS)

A disorder characterized by an abnormality on the X sex chromosome, typically passed down from the mother; this results in prenatal development that differentiates as if no androgen at all was present.

Klinefelter's syndrome

A genetic disorder in which an extra X chromosome is present, resulting in an XXY chromosomal pattern. This disorder is considered to be one of the most common of all genetic abnormalities. While the internal reproductive organs and external genitalia develop normally, a male affected by Klinefelter's syndrome will have smaller than-normal testes and will not produce sperm.

Masculinity

A socially/culturally constructed set of beliefs values and opinions that shape manly character. It prescribes how men should act and feel.

Masculine gender role stress theory (MGRS)

According to MGRS there are stressors men experience that may be the result of the fear of not measuring up to societal expectations for masculinity.

Cool pose

Black masculinity which is a blending of cultural masculinities resulting in an exaggerated version of masculinity.

Gender

Gender can be thought of as the sum of our developmental and life-course experiences and encompasses characteristics such as gender role, gender identity, gender presentation, and gender stereotypes.

Gender stereotypes

Long held assumptions or labels about male and female capabilities and limitations.

Sexism

Prejudice or discrimination based on biological sex. A belief system that assumes a hierarchy of human worth based on the social construction of the differences between the sexes. An ideology of male supremacy.

Gender identity

Refers to our intuitive sense of our maleness or our femaleness, our internal feelings of what it is to be a man or a woman.

Glass ceiling

Refers to situations where the advancement of a qualified person within the hierarchy of an organization is stopped at a lower level due to some form of discrimination.

Machismo

Refers to the idea that men are superior to women and that men are socially and physically dominating.

Gender socialization

Refers to the specific messages and practices we receive from our culture concerning the nature of being a male or a female.

Sex

Sex refers to biological traits that distinguish males from females, such as the internal and external reproductive anatomy, chromosomes, hormones, and other physiological characteristics.

Gender inequality

Society's division of gender into either or-categories which may be hidden or obvious and which leads to discrimination in opportunities or advancement.

Androgens

Testes produce androgens (testosterone), the masculizing sex hormones.

XX Sex Chromosome

The XX sex chromosomes combination results in a female genetic blueprint for the developing embryo.

XY Sex Chromosome

The XY sex chromosome combination results in a male. The coupling of the XX or XY chromosomes determines a fetus' sex characteristics, both internally and externally.

Marianismo

The belief that women are semi-divine and are morally superior to and spiritually stronger than men.

Gender roles

The explicitly expressed and implicitly implied behaviors, feelings, attributes, and traits that society expects of the male or the female.

Confidence gap

The fact that women tend to have less confidence in their abilities than men.

Estrogen

The feminizing hormone.

Hegemonic masculinity

The ideal, dominant standard of masculinity in a particular culture.

Wage gap

The inequality in wages between men and women.

"Nature vs. Nurture"

The influences of biology vs. environmental influences.

Testosterone

The masculizing hormone produced by the testicles.

Gender Attribution

The process by which we encounter someone and reach an opinion of what his or her gender is.

Gender polarization, bipolar gender

The tendency to focus on the differences between men and women that led to the "opposite model" of gender.

Gender schemas

The way in which we internalize and incorporate specific gendered behaviors and expectations are called gender schemas.

Femininity

This refers to qualities, behaviors, and attitudes that are deemed by a particular culture to be ideally appropriate for girls and women.

Sex hormones

referring to estrogen and testosterone, these hormones influence the masculinizing or feminizing process in development.

Inter

sex/intersexual - This term refers to when a child's genitalia are ambiguous or indistinguishable.