Gender Flashcards
Refers to the degree to which an individual sees her, himself, themselves as feminine or masculine
gender identity
refers to male or female anatomy and physiology
sex
social attitudes and behaviors associated with the two sexes
gender role
individuals who have ambiguous genital anatomy
intersex
individuals who are uncomfortable with the gender that society has assigned them
transsexual & transgender
refers to challenging a gender mandate on purpose
gender bending
Every society, to some extent, differentiates humans according to gender
gender differentiation refers to cultural expectations about how men and women should behave
Men assumed to have instrumental characteristic traits that enable them to accomplish difficult tasks or goals
3 major culturally defined obligations:
- Group leadership
- Protecting group territory and weaker or dependent others
- Providing resources
Men are expected to distance themselves from anything considered feminine
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Men should be tough, confident, self-reliant
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Men should be financially successful and supporting his family
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Women are assumed to have expressive character traits that allow them to be concerned about others
- Pivotal Role: expected to provide emotional support
- Historically ideal woman: physically attractive, not too competitive, good listener, acceptable
- Expected: to be a good mother and put family’s needs before her own
a divided perception according to which a woman’s aware of and often troubled by two conflicting messages: first that caregiving is most important for her: and second, that caregiving is not as highly valued across society as it career success
Bifurcated consciousness
migration tends to change masculine and feminine roles among those from cultures, where family life involves female dependence on and acceptance of decision of male family heads
Immigration and Gender
- For women, there is a cross pressure between succeeding academically and moving towards the traditional expectation of assuming a wife-mother role
- Hispanic or Latino men are stereotyped as following the cultural ideal of extreme masculinity and male dominance (Machismo)
Hispanics and Gender
Increased independence among Asian women in the United States
Asian Americans and Gender
increase in female-headed families and the number of women tribal leaders has doubled over the last thirty years
Native American Indians and Gender
- African American women have paid higher employment ratios than their white counterparts
- Couples experience and prefer more role flexibility and power sharing than do whites
African Americans and Gender
This model sees human’s behavior as primarily associated with the unconscious need to pass on one’s genetic material to future generations
- Freedom from productive responsibility
- Genetic Heritage:
- Hormones (Estrogen, Oxytocin, Testosterone)
Biological Predisposition Model
- Foraging and Hunting - 60-80% of food was gathered, and males and females were able to hunt small game.
- Agricultural - this agriculture required greater physical strength, full-time labor, and working farther away from home, making conditions less compatible with pregnancy and nursing
Patriarchy: a form of social organization based on the supremacy of fathers and inheritance through the male line - Industrial - further separated work from home and family life, transferring work primarily done by women (clothing production) from home to factories
- Postindustrial - information-based and service work, not the manufacturing of things. More inclusive of women and minimizes gender differentiations
Society-Based Argument
- Every society has a gender structure (social roles influenced by cultural environment)
- Institutions in almost every society have been characterized by male dominance, males assuming authority over females
- 5 Social Structures/Institutions: Family, Religion, Government/Politics, Education, Economy
Gender Structures
Research shows where the husband is more religious than the wife, particularly in Islam and evangelical Protestantism, the more strictly gendered divisions of labor can lead to family tension and decreased marital satisfaction, particularly for the wife
Traditional family ideal
- Children develop self-concepts based on feedback from those around them
- Girls play in small groups, and emphasize turn-taking, cooperativeness, and skills
- Boys play in large groups, and emphasize fun and hierarchy
Interaction-Constructionist Perspective
- Children and adults learn aspects of gender roles from parents, teachers, friends, media, etc., and are rewarded when the behavior is perceived as sex-appropriate
- Talking about marriage, future careers, and admonitions about “sissies,” “tomboys,” “ladies,” or “dykes”
Social Learning Theory
- Children categorize themselves by age 3 and identify behaviors in their family and society that they see as appropriate for their gender
Self-Identification Theory
- Children develop a framework of knowledge about what girls and boys typically do, and then use this framework to organize how they interpret new information and think about gender
- Then tends to remember the gender-consistent information better than gender-inconsistent information
Gender Schema Theory
determined to dress and behave more like the “other” gender
Gender variance
The belief that women’s roles should be confined to the family and that women are not as qualified as men for leadership positions
Traditional sexism
Denies that gender discrimination persists and may include the idea that women are asking for too much, a situation that results in resistance to their demands
Contemporary Sexism
- The Women’s Movement: waves of feminism
- Men’s Movements:
- Pro-Feminists: support feminists in their opposition to patriarchy
- Anti-feminists: believe that the Women’s Movement caused the collapse of the natural order, one that guaranteed male dominance, and they work to reverse this trend
- Masculinists: tend not to focus on patriarchy as problematic, but work to develop a positive image of masculinity, one combining strength with tenderness
Gender Movements
