Gender Identity Flashcards
What is sex ?
Biological and physical differences between males and females that are determined before birth e.g Chromosome, genitalia, hormones
What is gender
Socially constructed ideas of how different sexes should behave. Paired with females and males and masculine and femininity e.g men and women expected to wear different clothes
What is social constructionism ?
Behaviours are socially constructed by socialisation
An example of how gendered norms are relative and
therefore socially constructed ?
Margret mead study
Studies for traditional form of masculinity and femininity ?
- hegemonic masculinity
- normative (hegemonic) femininity
Who can up with hegemonic masculinity ?
Raewyn Connell
What is hegemonic masculinity
Form of masculine identity that exist across western societies of traditional version of men that has given men dominance and power in public and private sphere
Examples of hegemonic masculinity?
- alpha male
- men as breadwinners
- paid work central to their identity and role
- agression
- competition
How do all agents of socialisation promote hegemonic masculinity?
Promote this ideal hegemonic identity so makes it difficult to take on any alternative masculinity
So men are breadwinners , no expected to do housework or express emotions
What is normative/hegemonic femininity
Traditional gendered behaviour for a woman and women’s roles are defined and restricted by men’s interest and needs
Examples of normative hegemonic femininity ?
- female beauty
- sexiness
- nurturing
- emotional
- physically weak and poor at making decisions
Studies for creation and reinforcement of gender identities
- Ann Oakley
- peer groups, femininity and masculinity: Sue Lees
- media, masculinity and femininity: billington
- Mary Daly : beyond God the father
What does Ann Oakley say about creation and reinforcement of gender identities
- Manipulation : encouraging behaviour stereotypically acceptable for child norm and discouraging what is not the norm
- Canalisation : parents channelling child interest by toys
- Verbal appellation: nicknames or pet names to reinforce gender expectations
- Different activities: family members may encourage children to participate in activities to reinforce stereotypes
Peer Groups, femininity and masculinity: Sue Lees , what did she look at ?
Pressure put on teenage girls peers
Peer Groups, femininity and masculinity: Sue Lee , examples of pressure put on teen girls peers
- Double standards applied to girls and boys sexual behavior
- Word ‘slag’ to control girls behaviour but boys sexual behaviour not policied the same negative way
Peer Groups, femininity and masculinity: Sue Lees , sexual activities differs for boys and girls
Sexual activities raises the status of boys and boys but lowers the status of girls and women
Media, masculinity and femininity
Billington, what does billington say media does ?
- Media portrayed masculinity as dominant and femininity as surbordinate
- men portrayed FULL range of social control and women portrayed with narrow range of social control
Media, masculinity and femininity
Billington :for creation and reinforcement of gender identities , examples of how women are portrayed in the media in comparison to men
Women are rarely shown in high status occupational roles but overrepsented in domestic settings e.g busy housewife , mothers and women presented by men as sexual objects enjoyed by men e.g pornography
Mary Daly: Beyond God the Father - creation and reinforcement of gender identities : Mary Daly argues that all women are part of what ?
Planetary sexual caste system
Mary Daly: Beyond God the Father - creation and reinforcement of gender identities : what is a planetary sexual caste system ?
A state where the whole World is sexist and religion maintains this
Mary Daly: Beyond God the Father - creation and reinforcement of gender identities : Mary Daly argues that religion successfully controls women to accepting patriarchy in what ways ?
- Women inferior as Gods will
- God is Masculine
Mary Daly: Beyond God the Father - creation and reinforcement of gender identities , what is women’s inferiority as God’s will ?
Christianity has claimed the the inferiority of women is due to Gods will and is ordained by God
Mary Daly: Beyond God the Father - creation and reinforcement of gender identities : what is God is masculine ?
God is portrayed as a man and father so alienates women and places them in an inferior position to men
Studies for gender identities changing ?
- Sue Sharpe : just like a girl
- hypersexual femininity: Christine Griffin
- the media and femininity