Chapter 7: Sex and Gender Flashcards
Sex
The biological and anatomical differences between females and males.
Gender
The culturally and socially constructed differences between females and males.
Sex vs Gender
Sex determines gender but gender does not determine sex.
Gender Role
The role or behaviour considered to be appropriate to a particular gender defined by cultural norms.
Gender Identity
A person’s sense of their gender, even if it contradicts their sex from birth.
The social Significance of Gender:
Gender is very important in everyday life: education, occupation, media, etc..
Sexism
The belief that one sex is innately superior to the other.
The subordination of one sex usually female, based on the assumed superiority of the other sex.
-Negative behaviors
-Prejudice and stereotypes
Patriarchy
A hierarchical system of social organization in which cultural, political, and economic structures are controlled by men.
Matriarchy
A form of social organization in which females dominate males.
Hunting and Gathering
Little social stratification during this period.
Horticulture and Pastoral
Horticulture: People were able to grow their own food.
Pastoral: The domestication of large animals to provide food.
Agrarian Societies
Gender inequality and male dominance became institutionalized.
Men are involved in food production and women are caregivers and child bearers.
Industrial Societies
Inequality became worse during industrial societies.
Effect: the economic and political subordination of women.
Postindustrial Societies
Technology supports a service and info based economy. Inequality became lessened.
Effects on the family during Postindustrial Societies:
-Two earners in the family is norm.
-Higher strain on women to work, care for children, partner, and aging parents.
-Single parent families lead to poverty and stress.
Gender-Segregated Work
The concentration of women and men in different occupations, jobs and place of work.
Labour Market Segregation
Division of jobs into categories with distinct working conditions resulting in women having separate and unequal jobs.
Effects of Gender Division
Gender segregation exists in most countries.
Occupational gender segregation is part of the overall stratification system in Canada.
Effects: women and men are excluded from certain occupations.
Gender Wage Gap
The disparity (difference) between women’s and men’s earnings.
Pay Equity
Reflects the belief that wages ought to reflect the worth of a job, not the sex or race of the worker.
Employment Equity
A strategy to eliminate the effects of discrimination and to fully open of the competition for job opportunities.
Functionalist Perspective on Gender Stratification
The division of family roles will ensure that important societal tasks will be fulfilled and the provision for family members.
Problem is it does not address the problem of pay inequity between men and women.
Conflict Perspectives on Gender Stratification
Men still hold the major sources of power.
Feminist Perspectives on Gender Stratification
Goal: to equally value the paid work of men and women as well as their unpaid, family work.
