Gender and sex PART IV (Undoing gender, Gender and the workplace & Gender and Sex)

Question 1

Why study gender?

Answer 1

-It is inevitably and unavoidably always with us.
-Because common sense is taken for granted through notions like …
–> Men and women are different.
–> Everybody knows what a “man” is and what “a woman is”.
–> Gender differences are natural.
… are too simple to be sociologically accurate or true.

Question 2

What is the strict casual flow of traditional sociological thinking?

Answer 2

Sex –> Gender –> Sexuality.

ex. Man –> Masculine –> heterosexual.

Question 3

How do Marxist’s view feminism?

Answer 3

• Class and gender are viewed through women role in domestic labour.
• Meg Luxtons four components of domestic labour:
  1. Reproduction of labour power
  2. Child bearing and rearing (Future labour)
  3. Housework
  4. Transformation of wages into goods and services (shopping, money management)

Question 4

What does Weber suggest social closure is?

Answer 4

• Exclusion and segregation as central to the reproduction of social inequality.
• Efforts made to cut. off entrance and opportunity to rewards of others.
• Women excluded and marginalized.

Question 5

What are the limitations of sex and gender?

Answer 5

• There is a lack of focus on how gender is reproduced through social interaction
• Gender is not simply an individual characteristic
• Inequalities among men
• Terms used need to be challenged (sex versus gender)

Question 6

How can we make the distinction between “sex” and “Gender” ?

Answer 6

Early feminists theorized a strong distinction between biological and social aspects interwoven in gender identity.
SEX - Biological criteria for classifying people as male or female.
GENDER - Social.

Question 7

How has the understanding of gender as social and sex as biological lost its appeal in the sociology discipline?

Answer 7

This understanding lost its appeal within the sociology discipline because,
1. Biological distinctions denoted by the term “sex” are not always clear cut.
2. Our bodies are experienced in social contexts.
3. The way we understand biology, the
“maleness: and “femaleness” are immensely affected by social presumptions.

Question 8

How is sex a social construct?

Answer 8

“Sex” is a word used to describe how many different things are somewhat correlated.

• Because we see all of those things more or less tend to go together, we group people into categories - male and female-then call that categorization sex.
• Sex is not any of the physical things in the body ((Chromosomes, hormones, gonads, hair, muscle mass), it is our name for the correlations among them.

Question 9

Why is the social construct important?

Answer 9

• Description of “sex” oversimplifies things.
• In 1900, we saw much talk about how intelligence was part of sex, men were regarded as “smarter than women”
• The biological correlations and differences we think of as part of sex change with time and social context.

Question 10

What are the three ways of thinking about gender?

Answer 10

1. Difference
2. Division
3. Doing

Question 11

How do we understand Gender as a difference?

Answer 11

Roles, Sex/Gender, Gendered knowledge (Ex. science)

Sex: Refers to correlation of biological differences such 
as chromosomes (XX or XY), genitalia or breast development.

Gender: Roles and appearances we act in our lives which mark us as feminine or masculine, girls or boys.

Through socialization, we learn socially acceptable gender role expectations: Certain behaviours are suitable for girls, boys, women, men as defined by society.

Question 12

What did Caster Semenya fights against flawed and hurtful rules?

Answer 12

To rest the speculation about eligibility to participate in female events. However she lost her appeal regarding testosterone levels as a trans woman….?

Question 13

What do we know about gender as difference?

Answer 13

Sex: biological differences between males and females.
-Genitalia
-Hormone levels
-Facial hair
-Average physical size
-Average physical strength
What if women/girls are not allowed to nurture their physical talents?
Problems with rigid sex differences:
1. Intersex individuals have physical characteristics considered “male” and “female”
2. Bodies influenced by social context.
3. Biological sex characteristic influenced by gender biases.

Question 14

Who developed the idea of doing gender?

Answer 14

West and Zimmerman

Question 15

What are the key points to consider in regards to gender and the workplace?

Answer 15

• Gender is a basic principle of social structure, and cultural interpretation.
• Gender is ubiquitous as an organizing principal (although it can vary in salience in different contexts)
• Gender inequalities created at multiple levels, and through multiple dynamics.
• Gender intersects with other inequalities - the way gender inequality is experienced and created is not universal.

Question 16

Do our understandings of gender of gender simply reflect biological differences between men and women?

Answer 16

categorization – increases mental distance across categories, decrease it within them.
“Large significant inequalities in advantages among human beings correspond mainly to categorical differences such as black/white, male/female, citizen/foreigner.. rathe than to individual differences in attributes, propensities, or performances.” PP 8 Tilly, Charles.

Question 17

What usually elaborates differences of men and women?

Answer 17

Social practices!

aka social constructs.

Gendered cultural imagery - Dad passing daughter off to husband at wedding.

Question 18

What is the “smurfette principle”?

Answer 18

The smurfette is labelled as just the girl(female) where the men have multiple ways of identifying not just by their gender ex”grumpy, sleepy, happy, funny etc”

Question 19

What are the key takeaways of gender and the workplace?

Answer 19

• Sex segregation
• Stalling of female labour force participation
• Gender disparity in educational attainment
• Underrepresentation in STEM sectors
• Persistent cultural stereotypes

Question 20

What is sex segregation? (In the labour market)

Answer 20

• Less change in occupation than in gender wage gap.
• More pronounced in occupation
• Has both vertical and horizontal elements

Question 21

What is labour market segregation? (Horizontal and Vertical)

Answer 21

Horizontal segregation: Women and men situated in different occupations (types or sections) clerical versus construction.
Vertical Segregation: Exists within occupational categories - elementary school/kindergarten teachers versus high school teachers.

Question 22

What are some examples of vertical and horizontal sex segregation?

Answer 22

1. Vertical - Male Primacy - Men as naturally dominant and more status worthy than women.
2. Horizontal - Gender essentialism - Men and women unchanging essences.
   Creates “Occupational ghettos”

Question 23

How do we create the erosion of vertical segregation?

Answer 23

-Liberal egalitarianism
-Gender equal laws
-Women more committed to labour force - more likely to invest in human capital.
(Women rights, gender equal laws)

Question 24

What are the questions we ask in regards to gender stereotypes?

Answer 24

Descriptive- What are you? (What a woman is)

Proscriptive - What should you be? (what should a woman be)

Question 25

On the workers side (supply side) persistence of horizontal sergegation could potentially be due to the choices women make such as?

Answer 25

Gender identities & gendered beliefs about competencies (stereotype threat). Internalizing these gender norms, self fulfilling prophecies.

Question 26

Vertical segregation occurs On the demand side (Factors that occur in the labour market itself) because of?

Answer 26

• Biased employment perceptions
• Institutionalized barriers within organizations (Job descriptions and hiring criteria) -Joan Acker .. structural features are neutralized.
• Coworker resistance, status competition and social closure. (PPL don’t want to work with women in say construction for example).

Question 27

Guppy and Luongo look at gender equality in Canada through what key dimensions?

Answer 27

• Labour force participation
• Education attainment
• Political empowerment
• Domestic labour

Question 28

what are trends shown in the graph on labour force participation?

Answer 28

Dramatic increase in labour force participation for women.

Question 29

Why is there rising female labour force participation?

Answer 29

• Rising educational attainment
• Feminism - helped reduce cultural and policy barriers, promote legal equality.
• Service sector growth (Gender sectors catering to women)
• Declining fertility (less women having kids, less need for attending to a child)
• Rising divorce rates (Women need to make their one wage)
• Declining male wages for low income earners (So women are forced to enter toe market)
• Rising female wages (Lure women into the market)

Question 30

What year did women soar ahead in their undergraduate and first professional jobs?

Answer 30

1960 –> 2010

Question 31

What is a key reducer to the wage gap in Canada?

Answer 31

womens educational attainments. (mechanism)

Question 32

What are the patterns if selected fields of study for women form 1911–> 2005?

Answer 32

Nursing is persistent from 1911 with a slow decline from 1966 to 2005.
Medicine - shows an increase for women
Engineering - stall in participation for engineering
Education - Lots of variance

Question 33

What does STEM stand for?

Answer 33

Science and technology, Engineering, Math and computer science.

Question 34

In 2011 women ages 25-34 showed an increase in which STEM career?

Answer 34

Science and technology

Question 35

What predicts the gender ratio of pHd’s awarded?

Answer 35

The content of scientific research

Question 36

Which type of content of scientific research leads to more women obtaining PhD’s in life science?

Answer 36

Sex as a social construct

Question 37

Which type of content of scientific research leads to LESS women obtaining PhD’s?

Answer 37

Sex as biological

Question 38

Is there evidence in women attaining a masters degree in biology?

Answer 38

Yes from 2005-2009

Question 39

In STEM jobs what is the wage gap between men and women?

Answer 39

14% wage gap. Men earn $36.34 women earn $31.11

Question 40

In non-STEM jobs what is the wage gap between men and women?

Answer 40

21% Men earn $24.47 and women earn $19.26

Question 41

Has there been any progress on closing the gender wage gap?

Answer 41

Little to no progress in closing the gender wage gap in 3 decades

Question 42

Why might women remain underrepresented in STEM disciplines?

Answer 42

Vertical Segregation

Question 43

What were the takeaways regarding women and the workplace?

Answer 43

1. Guppy and Luongo show a slowing in female labour force participation and a sag in pay equity.
2. Deep cultural beliefs exist about the value of women’s work.
3. The stalling of gender equity reflect strong cultural stereotypes.

Question 44

What are the factors explaining the persistent gender gap?

Answer 44

• Educational and occupational choices
• Vertical segregation – male primacy
• Gender stereotypes
• Women’s greater domestic responsibilities

Question 45

What three concepts did we discuss in relation to discrimination of women in the workplace?

Answer 45

a) Motherhood penalty
b) Cultural schemas of work devotion
c) Glass escalator effect

Question 46

What is the motherhood penalty?

Answer 46

The study conducted by Correll et al., identified a discrimination toward mothers in job applications vs. non mothers in job applications.

• Cultural understanding of the motherhood role exist in tension with the cultural understandings of the “ideal worker” role.
• Women applicants with children are regarded as less competent and less committed to work.
• Cultural beliefs about gender restrict the occupational aspirations of men and women.

Question 47

What are executive careers defined by and how do these schemas contribute to the discrimination of women?

Answer 47

“Schema of work devotion” and “family Devotion schema” (Blair-Loy)
-Women who spend too much time caring for their children violate the schema of work devotion; while those who spend too much time on work and neglect caring for their children violate the family devotion schema.

Question 48

What is the glass escalator effect? (Vertical desegregation for men)

Answer 48

• Men benefit from working in female-dominated fields, while women face greater burdens when they work in male dominated fields.
• For men in non-traditional occupations, their gender is seen as a positive difference.
• Negative stereotypes about men conducting womens work can actually be beneficial.

Question 49

What is the quote by Christine et al. ?

Answer 49

“Instead of being a source of discrimination, these prejudice can add to the “glass escalator effect” by pressuring men to move out of the most female-identified areas, and up to those regarded more legitimate and prestigious for men”

Question 50

What is meant by “doing masculinity”?

Answer 50

• R.W. CONNELL SAYS:
• There are prevailing forms of masculinity in each society.
• Some men are better positioned than others to practice the dominant form of masculinity in that society.
• This most powerful masculinity is described as hegemonic masculinity.

Question 51

What is hegemonic masculinity?

Answer 51

“The form of masculinity dominant in a given place at a given time… it represents the most legitimate or ideal form of masculinity”.

• Masculinities exist as men occupy different social locations, (ethnic groups, sexualities)
• Masculinities are not fixed!
• Vary according to race, class. but also institutionally (school, sports, military).

Question 52

What is an example of marketing masculinity?

Answer 52

Monster energy drink looks and names example, Khaos, Assault, M-80. aggressive names.

Question 53

What is emphasized femininity?

Answer 53

• Culturally perceived ideals of female behaviour and traits which compliment male authority and power.
• Women contribute to their own marginalization by embracing men’s version of the ideal women.
• Preserves hegemonic masculinity through conformity with gender structures.
• Sanctions for those who do not adhere to these ideals.

Question 54

What are the takeaways regarding sexuality?

Answer 54

1. Sexuality, like sex and gender, must be seen as something that is produced socially, in complex ways and in struggles between those who have power to define and regulate, and those who resist.
2. The concept of gender remains complex and contested.
3. “Troubling the system” gives voice to those who have been marginalized.

Question 55

What are the common ways of viewing sexuality across different societies and beliefs?

Answer 55

Religion: Virtue/sin 
Biology: Natural/unnatural
Medicine: Healthy/Sick
Law: Legal/Illegal
Sociology: Sexuality is socially constructed

Question 56

Do the ways sexuality is defined reflect power in society? provide an example.

Answer 56

YES. Heterosexuality, leading to heterosexism. PRIVLIDGED.

Lesser: Homosexuality & Bisexuality, Hyper-sexuality, masturbation all seen as deviant, unnatural or sinful.

Question 57

When John Kellogg created Kelloggs cornflakes what was he trying to suppress?

Answer 57

Sex drive! which was called “self-love”

Question 58

Why was the graham cracker created?

Answer 58

To stop masturbation…?

Question 59

Catherine Connell: doing undoing and redoing gender discovered this info by learning from the workplace experiences of transpeople…

Answer 59

• Experiences of transpeople questions west and Zimmermans distinction between sex, sex category and gender.
• Some held onto the gendered characteristics that did not match their gender presentations and this can be said to undo or redo gender.
• Employers assumptions about their abilities changed.
• Transgender social positions lead to the development of a feminist consciousness.
• Connell describes the notion of “doing transgender” as a way to illustrate how transgender people make sense of their discordance between their sex and their sex category.
• “Outness” here is a strategy of political visibility.