Gender identities Flashcards
What is ‘gender’?
Describes the ways in which men and women are expected to behave in society, and is often socially constructed, through the socialisation process
What is ‘sex’?
Classifies people as being male or female, based on their biological or physical characteristics
What are some traditional masculine characteristics?
- Strong
- Brave
- Assertive
- Independent
- Rational
- Non-emotional
What are some traditional feminine characteristics?
- Caring
- Nurturing
- Submissive
- Unconfident
- Irrational
- Emotional
What do functionalists think about the construction of gender?
Gender is biologically determined
What does Wilson say about the construction of gender?
Still significant, not changing
- The need to reproduce requires men to be more promiscuous- ‘spreading the seed’
- Women need to nurture children and stay faithful to the father of their child
What does Parsons say about the construction of gender?
Still significant, not changing
- ‘Sex role differentiation theory’
- Men are best suited to an ‘instumental role’
- Women are best suited to an ‘expressive role’
What does Mead say about the construction of gender?
No longer significant, changing
- Gender roles are socially constructed
- They are learnt through the socialisation process
- E.g: Tchambuli tribe
What does Hakim say about gender identities?
No longer significant, changing
- Postfeminism theory
- Women can choose between being: home-centered, adpative or work-centered in terms of their work or lifestyles
What does Seidler say about gender identities?
No longer significant, changing
- Asian girls adopt different types of femininity within their home and outside of the home, as they do not want to go against ‘izzat’
What do feminists think about the construction of gender?
- Patriarchy socially constructs gender identity
- Male dominated society creates and reinforces stereotypes of how men and women should be
What did Mac an Ghaill say about gender, as a result of socialisation?
Still significant, not changing
- Boys learn to be men, in their peer groups
- Hyper masculinity was the main source of identity for the ‘macho lads’
- Taught the 3 F’s (football, fighting, f*ing)
What do postmodernists think about the construction of gender?
No longer significant, changing
- Stanley and Wise- argue gender identity is socially constructed, through the socialisation process, and as a result of the decisions and choices we make ourselves (the way in which we exercise agency)
What are the 5 types of masculinity?
- Hegemonic
- Marginalised
- Complicit
- Subordinate
- Metrosexual
What are the 2 types of femininity?
- Passive
- Assertive
What did Faludi say about gender identity?
Still significant (changing/not changing)
- There is a decline in male jobs and breadwinner roles
- ‘Male backlash’, due to threatened patriarchy and male dominance
What type of femininity supports the view that ‘feminities are changing’?
- Assertive femininity
What type of femininity supports the view that ‘feminities are not changing’?
- Passive femininity
What type of masculinity supports the view that ‘masculinities are changing’?
- Complicit masculinity
- Subordinate masculinity
- Metrosexual male
- Marginalised masculinity
What type of masculinity supports the view that ‘masculinities are not changing’?
- Hegemonic masculinity
What does Sharpe say to support the view that ‘femininities are changing’?
No longer significant, changing
- Young females are becoming more assertive over their rights
- ‘Just like a girl’- study compares young girls in 1970s to 1990s and found changing priorities and blurring of the ‘traditional’ female
What does Denscombe say to support the view that ‘femininities are changing’?
No longer significant, changing
- There is an increase in female risk taking
- More drinking, drugs, smoking, etc
- These girls are ‘anything but the sterotype’
What does Blackman say to support the view that ‘femininities are changing’?
No longer significant, changing
- ‘New wave girls group’ (subculture) enable girls to gain confidence and strength to use their sexuality to challenge school’s male culture, and male peer’s sexualisation
What does Jackson say to support the view that ‘femininities are changing’?
No longer significant, changing
- Growth of the ‘ladettes’
- Girls now spend time drinking, smoking, etc
