Families, Marriage, Kinship, Sexuality, Gender

Question 1

Paris is Burning

Answer 1

Shows anthrpological notions of kinship. A house as a family. Stronger than blood bonds. understanding and accepting someone [difficult for straight family members to understand the struggles of the homosexual experience. Using the language of family [mothers, brothers, sisters] all contribute to the Houses of New York being family units.

Question 2

Define kinship and family

Answer 2

blood [biologically constituted], marriage, mediated and defined by culture (family as a social construct)

Question 3

Function of the balls and their commentary on race, class and gender?

Answer 3

• escaping into a world of accepting and understanding
  
  • reality and fantasy in clothing and costume
  • putting what they want for themselves on display “business execturives”
  • willign to go after work even if they’re tired
  • resistance to society

Question 4

What kind of purpose does the balls serve in peoples lives?

Answer 4

• teach members to be proud of themselves (pride, notoriety, fame)
  
  • acceptance (you are someone)

Question 5

Weston, “Straight to Gay?”`

Answer 5

Does family have universal meaning? What is the difference between kinship and family and how does it affect gays, lesbians or people who aren’t fertile? Why is sex the defining factor for families? Kinship - family ties. Rejection of the terminology of fictive kinship to describe relations that are not biological..

Question 6

Define kinship

Answer 6

a general term used to describe how people organize themselves in relation to one another and includes families, descent groups, lineages etc

Question 7

Lorber “Night to His Day”

Answer 7

Social construction of gender. A fourth gender in some other cultures. How does gender play a role in our society. Addresses the stratification of how men and women are ranked amongst each other.