Ch 4. Gender Inequality Flashcards
Sex
biological, physiological, hormonal and chromosomal differences of males, females, and intersexed people.
Androcentricity
the practice of putting males at the centre
Gender
refers to the socially constructed sets of attitudes that dictate what behaviours, thoughts, and emotions are appropriate for each sex.
They may be culturally specific, change over time, and are associated with notions of femininity and masculinity.
Gender ideology
ideas of masculinity and femininity that are held to be valid in a particular society and time. (reflected in the gendered division of labour)
Gendered division of labour
the process whereby productive tasks are separated on the basis of gender
The Gender Lens (4)
- Assumptions of two binary genders
- Underlying assumptions of gendered behaviour
- Expected characteristics of individuals from both genders
- Expected roles held by individuals of both genders
What is the result of the gender lens? (2)
Androcentricity and Gender Polarization
Gender polarization
situating men and women as inherently opposite
Agents of Socialization
parents, peers, schools, and media
Peer - Agents of Socialization
Children are more widely accepted by their peer group when they conform to the group’s notion of gender-appropriate behaviour.
Media (TV, Internet, magazines, billboards) - Agents of Socialization
Under- representing women, and over-represent males
Reinforce stereotypical ideas:
- Women and physical attractiveness and passivity
- Men and competence and independence, except in domestic labor where they are portrayed as incompetent
Rape culture
Portrayal of male-female relationships along traditional lines that could normalize violence against women
Gendered Division of Labour
- The Wage Gap: women earn $0.89 for every $1 a man earns
- Segregated work and occupations
The Glass Ceiling
the invisible institutional barrier constructed by male management that prevents women from reaching top positions in major corporations and other large-scale organizations.
The Glass Escalator
When men enter into female-dominated occupations they ride a “glass escalator” and rise into places of leadership much faster.
Sexual Harassment
is a form of intentional institutionalized gender discrimination that includes all unwelcome sexual attention affecting an employee’s job conditions or creating a hostile work environment.
Symbolic Interactionalist Perspective
- interactionists focus on the differential socialization processes that create masculinity and femininity in people.
- Language is extremely important in defining social realities. Linguistic sexism: communication that ignores, devalues, or makes sex objects of women.
- Non-verbal communication: men control more space, than women, including sexual harassment
Structural Functionalist Perspective
Early thinking:
Men are more suited to instrumental (goal-oriented) tasks and women perform expressive (emotionally oriented) tasks
More recently:
Inequality is due to differences in the human capital of men and women (capital diminishes with time off for child-bearing and childcare)
Social Conflict Perspective
Social life is a continuous struggle in which the powerful seek to control resources
Gender inequality results from capitalism and private ownership of the means of production (by men)
would inequality end with the liberation of the working class?
Feminist Perspective (4)
Socialist: men gain control over property and women
Radical: men’s oppression of women is deliberately supported by media and religion
Liberal: inequality is rooted in gender-role socialization
Intersectionist: Black, Indigenous, and other women of colour face inequalities compounded by racialization, class, gender, and sexual orientation
Gender-Based Violence
violence that is committed against someone based on their gender identity, gender expression or perceived gender—encompasses a range of behaviour
(unwanted sexual behaviour while in public, unwanted sexual behaviour online, unwanted sexual behaviour in the workplace, sexual assault, and physical assault.)
Gender Violence Sexual Offenses (3)
Level 1: An assault committed in circumstances of a sexual nature such that the sexual integrity of the victim is violated. Level 1 involves minor physical injuries or no injuries to the victim.
Level 2: Sexual assault with a weapon, threats, or causing bodily harm
Level 3: Sexual assault that results in wounding, maiming, disfiguring, or endangering the life of the victim.
Data on Police Reported Sexual Assault
only 6% of sexual assault incidents experienced by Canadians aged15and older in the previous12months were reported to the police.
intimate partner violence (UN definition)
Any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion, or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life
Types of intimate partner violence (6)
Physical abuse
Sexual abuse
Emotional or verbal abuse
Financial abuse
Spiritual abuse
Criminal harassment/stalking
