Ch 4. Gender Inequality

Question 1

Sex

Answer 1

biological, physiological, hormonal and chromosomal differences of males, females, and intersexed people.

Question 2

Androcentricity

Answer 2

the practice of putting males at the centre

Question 3

Gender

Answer 3

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.

Question 4

Gender ideology

Answer 4

ideas of masculinity and femininity that are held to be valid in a particular society and time. (reflected in the gendered division of labour)

Question 5

Gendered division of labour

Answer 5

the process whereby productive tasks are separated on the basis of gender

Question 6

The Gender Lens (4)

Answer 6

1. Assumptions of two binary genders
2. Underlying assumptions of gendered behaviour
3. Expected characteristics of individuals from both genders
4. Expected roles held by individuals of both genders

Question 7

What is the result of the gender lens? (2)

Answer 7

Androcentricity and Gender Polarization

Question 8

Gender polarization

Answer 8

situating men and women as inherently opposite

Question 9

Agents of Socialization

Answer 9

parents, peers, schools, and media

Question 10

Peer - Agents of Socialization

Answer 10

Children are more widely accepted by their peer group when they conform to the group’s notion of gender-appropriate behaviour.

Question 11

Media (TV, Internet, magazines, billboards) - Agents of Socialization

Answer 11

Under- representing women, and over-represent males

Reinforce stereotypical ideas:

1. Women and physical attractiveness and passivity
2. Men and competence and independence, except in domestic labor where they are portrayed as incompetent

Question 12

Rape culture

Answer 12

Portrayal of male-female relationships along traditional lines that could normalize violence against women

Question 13

Gendered Division of Labour

Answer 13

• The Wage Gap: women earn $0.89 for every $1 a man earns
• Segregated work and occupations

Question 14

The Glass Ceiling

Answer 14

the invisible institutional barrier constructed by male management that prevents women from reaching top positions in major corporations and other large-scale organizations.

Question 15

The Glass Escalator

Answer 15

When men enter into female-dominated occupations they ride a “glass escalator” and rise into places of leadership much faster.

Question 16

Sexual Harassment

Answer 16

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.

Question 17

Symbolic Interactionalist Perspective

Answer 17

• 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

Question 18

Structural Functionalist Perspective

Answer 18

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)

Question 19

Social Conflict Perspective

Answer 19

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?

Question 20

Feminist Perspective (4)

Answer 20

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

Question 21

Gender-Based Violence

Answer 21

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.)

Question 22

Gender Violence Sexual Offenses (3)

Answer 22

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.

Question 23

Data on Police Reported Sexual Assault

Answer 23

only 6% of sexual assault incidents experienced by Canadians aged15and older in the previous12months were reported to the police.

Question 24

intimate partner violence (UN definition)

Answer 24

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

Question 25

Types of intimate partner violence (6)

Answer 25

Physical abuse
Sexual abuse
Emotional or verbal abuse
Financial abuse
Spiritual abuse
Criminal harassment/stalking