Identity: Gender

Question 1

Parsons (1955)

Answer 1

Females have an “expressive” role in the family. This is based on their childbearing role, but it is reinforced by socialisation.
Males have an ‘instrumental role’ in the family, of breadwinner and protector. This is also natural, based on their physical strength, but also reinforced through socialisation.
These roles are functional for the family and society.

Question 2

Mac an Ghaill (1994)

Answer 2

Boys learn to be men in their peer groups at school, found they valued the ‘3Fs‘: ‘fighting, football and f***ing’

Question 3

Hey (1997)

Answer 3

Friendship groups of girls norms and values are heavily male dominated.

Question 4

Jackson (2006)

Answer 4

‘Ladettes’, also spent time drinking, smoking, swearing and disrupting lessons, for fear of being unpopular or uncool.

Question 5

Denscombe (2001)

Answer 5

Increase in female risk-taking behaviour, particularly smoking, as being related to a ‘ladette’ culture, where young women want to be seen as anything but the stereotype of a woman.

Question 6

Connell (1995)

Answer 6

Hegemonic masculinity is the most common (macho, dominant, aggressive, breadwinner).
Subordinate masculinity- links to homosexual males and marginalised masculinity- links to unemployed men, are present but not fully accepted as ‘real’ masculinity.

Question 7

Mac an Ghail (1994)

Answer 7

Crisis of masculinity - used this term to refer to the insecurity felt by working-class men today. There has been a loss of the “breadwinner’ identity with the decline of traditional male industries (mining, steel shipbuilding, manufacturing).