GENDER AND SEXUALITY

Question 1

what is sex / sex assigned at birth

Answer 1

the biological differences between people we call males and females (assigned at birth)

Question 2

what is gender

Answer 2

A socially constructed concept that we learn through socialization within a specific culture
- often defined as a social construct of norms, behaviors and roles that varies between societies and over time

Question 3

what is transgender

Answer 3

anyone whose sex assigned at birth and gender identity do not correspond in the expected way (e.g., someone who was assigned male at birth, but does not identify as a man)

Question 4

what is cisgender

Answer 4

someone’s sex assigned at birth and gender identity correspond in the expected way (e.g., someone who was assigned male at birth, and identifies as a man)

Question 5

what is intersex

Answer 5

combination of chromosomes, gonads, hormones, internal sex organs, and genitals that differ from the expected patterns of male or female

Question 6

what is gender binary

Answer 6

the idea that there are only two genders and that every person is one of those two

Question 7

what is gender identity

Answer 7

the internal perception of one’s gender, and how they label themselves - based on how much they align or do not align with what they understand their options for gender to be

Question 8

what is sexuality

Answer 8

A broad range of behaviors, feelings, and identities, all of which have a gendered dimension

Question 9

what is sexual orientation

Answer 9

the type of sexual, romantic, emotional/spiritual attraction one has the capacity to feel for some others - generally labeled based on the gender relationship between the person and the people they are attracted to

Question 10

how is using theory to understand gender useful

Answer 10

• Helps define ourselves as individuals; shapes expectations and social institutions
• Helps understand gender changes as society changes

Question 11

3 theories used to understand gender

Answer 11

Structural functionalist
Conflict perspectives
Symbolic interactionism

Question 12

explain the Structural functionalist perspective of understanding gender

Answer 12

• Equate sex with gender → men and women essentially different and complementary
• MEN = Instrumental roles e.g. provider
• WOMEN = Expressive roles e.g. nurturing, care taking
• Complementary roles contribute to order and stability in society
• Ignore inherent inequalities of this perspective

Question 13

explain the Conflict perspective of understanding gender

Answer 13

• how INSTITUTIONS shape our perspective of gender e.g. government roles mainly men
• Feminist theorists examine SEVEN INSTITUTIONS: Family, religion, economy, education, government, health care, and media
• expectations for how men and women behave as family members
• FOCUS: Male dominance affects unequal allocation of resources to women and men

Question 14

explain the Symbolic interactionism of understanding gender

Answer 14

• Focus on GENDER SOCIALIZATION: How we define and present ourselves e.g. clothes, hairstyles
• SOCIAL CONSTRUCTIONIST: Emphasize ways we actively create our genders - based on what we think is appropriate for our “chosen” gender
• Penalties for violation of gender rules
• UNDOING GENDER: Create social structures and practice interactional pattern to emphasize humanity rather than gender itself

Question 15

whats the individual level of gender as a social structure

Answer 15

The development of your own gendered identity (seeing yourself as man/woman/masculine/feminine); socialization

Question 16

what is the interactional level of gender as a social structure

Answer 16

During interactions even when men/women fill identical positions (i.e., women taking on the more nurturing role in the workplace); cultural expectations structure these interactions

Question 17

what is the institutional level of gender as a social structure

Answer 17

Distribution of advantage based on gender—the lack of of family friendly policies, limited opportunities for women managers

Question 18

how do social structures work to constrain and enable our behaviour

Answer 18

• We conform our behavior to dominant expectations
• We also actively make choices that do not conform to dominant expectations

Question 19

what are the 3 different level of gender as a social structure

Answer 19

individual
interactional
institutional

Question 20

what is gender socialization

Answer 20

The process through which individuals learn the
gender norms of their society and come to
develop an internal gender identity
- Socialization is centered on the impact of culture + learning on individuals and how these processes shape individuals and groups

Question 21

what are gender norms

Answer 21

what is appropriate masculine and feminine behavior in a particular culture

Question 22

what is hegemonic masculinity

Answer 22

How the dominant idea about what it means to be a
man influences the behaviors of actual men in any given society