Identity-Gender

Question 1

Name examples of cultural characteristics that are associated with male and female

Answer 1

•Male: strong, unemotional, aggressive, ‘breadwinner’, dominant
•Female: submissive, emotional, gentle, family>career, care about looks, ‘housewife’

Question 2

What is the difference between sex and gender?

Answer 2

•sex=biological traits that society associates w/ being male of female: chromosomes, genitalia or physical ascriptions
•gender=cultural meanings attached to being masculine of feminine, which influence personal identities: social norms, attitudes and activities that society deems more appropriate for one sex over another

Question 3

What is Wilson’s biological view of gender?

Answer 3

The need to reproduce requires men to be promiscuous but women need to nurture one child and stay faithful to the father of their child to ensure his help in it’s upbringing

Question 4

What is Parson’s functionalist view of gender?

Answer 4

Females have an ‘expressive role’- childbearing and nurturing quality based on maternal instinct- and males have ‘instrumental role’-breadwinner and protector based on natural strength. Both of these roles are reinforced by socialisation.

Question 5

Why do feminists say gender is a social construct?

Answer 5

Gender is socially constructed by patriarchal society- reinforces stereotypes of how males and females should be via the socialisation process

Question 6

How does the family shape gender identity according to Oakley?

Answer 6

•manipulation=encouraging behaviour that is seen as stereotypically acceptable for the gender and discouraging that which is not seen as the norm
•canalisation=channeling child’s interest in games and activities that are considered the norm
•verbal appellations= nicknames
•different activities= around the home and extra-curricular

Question 7

How does Jackson suggest femininity is changing?

Answer 7

‘Ladette’ culture stems from traditional masculine ‘lad’ behaviour, w/ increasing number of young girls smoking, swearing and disrupting lessons for fear of seeming uncool

Question 8

How does Denscombe suggest femininity is changing?

Answer 8

Increase in female risk taking behaviour, particularly smoking as part of ‘ladette’ culture where young women want to be seen as anything but the stereotype of women

Question 9

What is ‘hyper-masculinity’ and the ‘crisis of masculinity’ according to Mac an Ghail?

Answer 9

•Hyper- masculinity=most exaggerated form of masculine behaviour, valuing the 3Fs: fighting, football and f***ing, which is the main source of identity for ‘macho lads’
•crisis of masculinity= insecurity felt by working class men today via loss of breadwinner identity w/ decline of traditional male industries( e.g mining, ship-building etc) leading to social problems( e.g suicide and attempts to redefine masculinity: paying attention to looks and fashion)

Question 10

What role do agencies of secondary socialisation play in the gender socialisation process?

Answer 10

Reinforce stereotypical expectations of gender roles via informal and formal sanctions to ensure compliance e.g gossip, applause or exclusion from school, pay rise

Question 11

According to Connell, what new masculinities are appearing but which type remains dominant?

Answer 11

Hegemonic masculinity( macho-dominant, aggressive, breadwinner) is the most common and one that is reinforced most strongly; other masculinities: subordinate( homosexual males) and marginalised( unemployed men) types of masculinity is increasing

Question 12

What does Canaan’s study tell us about masculinity?

Answer 12

Researched working class men in Wolverhampton, asking ‘what is the most important thing about being a man?’ and found men who had jobs said its about fighting, drinking and sexual conquests but unemployed men said its having a job as they felt emasculated due to to not working

Question 13

What does McDowall’s study tell us about masculinity?

Answer 13

White working class masculinity: spending quality family time but reserving a Friday night to go out w/ mates to drink, watch football and often share misogynistic views about women

Question 14

In what ways has the patriarchy reacted to the rise of feminism according to Faludi?

Answer 14

‘The male backlash’= reaction of patriarchal society, particularly led by media campaigns, which aim to undermine the successes of feminism as successful women were judged and men find motive to reassert masculinity e.g sexual violence

Question 15

How does Seidler and Connell say hegemonic femininity is still present?

Answer 15

•Seidler= Muslim girls still subject to hegemonic ideas rooted in culture and religion
•Connell=having children impact women more than men in regards to their career and economic position

Question 16

How does Mulvey, Orbach and Collier suggest that hegemonic ideas of femininity are still present?

Answer 16

•Mulvey=‘male gaze’: camera eyeing up female characters in films for male pleasure to assess and view their bodies making them feel it is their most important asset
•Orbach= slimness=happiness: conformity to body ideals encouraged in the media e.g size zero models
•Collier= objectification of women in men’s magazines w/ whole media industry devoted to encouraging girls to perfect their figure for men’s appreciation and not their own self-confidence

Question 17

How does Wilkinson, Sharpe and Kehily suggest that femininity is changing?

Answer 17

•Wilkinson= ‘genderquake’: fundamental shift in values and attitudes among women and feminisation of the workplace as career is prioritised over family commitments, fuelling economic independence; positive role models are made as mom/ auntie can encourage girls to pursue any career they like
•Sharpe= young girls more assertive about rights and more likely to rank education+career above marriage
•Kehily= girls have better qualifications and more choices in consumption now; more assertive in the night time economy e.g drinking, clubbing etc