Lecture 5

Question 1

What is gender?

Answer 1

Socially and culturally produced ideas about differences associated with being male or female. Biological differences exist, but what culture makes of these differences is infinitely variable

Question 2

What is the difference between gender polarization and gender egalitarian?

Answer 2

Makes a big deal about difference versus doesn’t make a big deal-gender is something we build, rather than built in. There is no right way to be masculine or feminine.

Question 3

What is a good example of how masculinity and femininity are culturally prescribed?

Answer 3

In Canada, the dominant stereotype of masculinity includes the prescription to play hockey. This would be a ridiculous judge of masculinity in Africa.

Question 4

What are prescriptions?

Answer 4

Widely held beliefs about what men and women should do

Question 5

What are proscriptions?

Answer 5

Widely shared beliefs about what men and women shouldn’t do.

Question 6

What is characteristic of masculinities/Femininities?

Answer 6

Refers to meanings and expressions given to being a man in society, includes behavioural prescriptions and proscriptions. Multiple masculinities exist in a society, but usually there is only one dominant form, which is what men are judged by on how well they conform or not (Hegemonic Masculinity, Emphasized Femininity). Your definition of masculinity may be different from societies dominant idea of masculinity. Difference between gender stereotypes and identity

Question 7

What happens when people violate gender norms?

Answer 7

They are often sanctioned by society, or feel lots of shame

Question 8

What is Hegemonic Masculinity (concept by R.W. Connell?)

Answer 8

Predominant, or authoritative form of masculinity (even though multiple forms exist). Culturally idealized. Dominant form becomes ideal image of male against which all men are judged. Dominant masculinity is superior to 1) Marginalized masculinities 2) Femininities

Question 9

What is the type of Hegemonic masculinity explored in North America?

Answer 9

Agentic masculinity-acting independently

Question 10

What is the emphasized femininity in North America?

Answer 10

Communal.

Question 11

What are some of the prescriptions of being Agentic?

Answer 11

Leadership, workplace achievement, competitiveness, power-seeking, assertiveness (nothing innate or universal about these traits. This is how you are “supposed” to behave)

Question 12

What is the idea of active construction?

Answer 12

Men will put more or less energy into trying to live up to the hegemonic expectations. Masculinites are actively produced in society (not programed or fixed in structure)

Question 13

Is hegemonic masculinity achievable?

Answer 13

No. Not realistic, due to the fact that it’s constructed. This is compensated for by identifying men who are real or fictional as symbolic examples of hegemonic masculinity.

Question 14

What are the main prescriptions of hegemonic masculinity?

Answer 14

1) Tough guy masculinity-projection of physical toughness and emotional stoicism (proscription: repudiation of the feminine) 2) Breadwinner.

Question 15

What is emotional stoicism?

Answer 15

Keeping your emotions in tat, Independence, no vulnerability, no weakness, no showings of feelings. Men are meant to be unaffected by emotions

Question 16

What is physical toughness?

Answer 16

Important to the presentation/performance of hegemonic masculinity. Constantly validated by proving itself as dominant and in control

Question 17

What is embodied masculinity?

Answer 17

Trend towards male bodies that demonstrate physical toughness or strength in media. Everything is progressively getting more muscular

Question 18

What is the Adonis Complex?

Answer 18

Belief that ordinary men must look like sculpted Greek statues.

Question 19

What did Pope et al discover about action figures?

Answer 19

Chest and bicep circumference is getting a lot larger, demonstrating an unachievable standard (without drugs), which may give rise to body dissatisfaction.

Question 20

Who has the largest biceps?

Answer 20

Greg Valentino. Steroids helped him grow them to 28 inches.

Question 21

What is the new male ideal?

Answer 21

May be moving towards the strong, skinny type. New regimes, movement, diets. This is also hard to achieve.

Question 22

What is the body as self paradigm?

Answer 22

Promotes the idea of the body “as the vehicle through which individuals display the self” Also linked to the idea that if you look good, you feel good. One’s self-worth is tied to appearance.

Question 23

What are some consequences of the body as self paradigm?

Answer 23

1) Body is on display like never before

2) We are encouraged to transform our bodies like never before. Appearance fueled consumer markets.

Question 24

What is the repudiation of the feminine?

Answer 24

No sissy stuff. One must never do anything that even remotely suggests femininity. A key dimension of masculinity in North America, however repudiation of the masculine is not a key dimension of femininity.

Question 25

What study confirms the repudiation of the feminine?

Answer 25

Men are found to be less likely to recycle due to a fear of seeming feminine. Both men and women view green consumers as feminine.

Question 26

What are some communal prescriptions?

Answer 26

Associated with nurturing, helping behaviour, warmth, empathy, selflessness.

Question 27

Why is emphasized femininity the dominant one?

Answer 27

Because it fits in best with Hegemonic masculinity.

Question 28

What is embodied femininity?

Answer 28

Thinness. Female models are getting thinner and thinner in the past 20 years

Question 29

What is some evidence that models have been getting thinner?

Answer 29

The average Canadian woman weights 148 poundsand is 5 foot four. Average model weights 23% less. In the past, average model weighed 8% less (20 years ago)

Question 30

What is curvaceously thin?

Answer 30

Unhealthy thin and bony frame combined with a huge bust. Constructed and hard to achieve!

Question 31

What percentage of girls are unhappy with how they look in Canada?

Answer 31

90% (due to bombardment of impossible standards)

Question 32

At what age are Canadian girls dieting??

Answer 32

Younger and younger each year. Some start at 5-6 years!

Question 33

What percentage of Canadian women develop disordered eating behaviours?

Answer 33

1/10

Question 34

How could social media be creating an issue?

Answer 34

Fuels the focus on appearance (body as self), combined with the age of social media.

Question 35

What is snapchat dysmorphia?

Answer 35

Describes whats happening to people who feel they cant live up to their modified social media photos and seek plastic surgery to match their own faces to photos.

Question 36

What percentage of Americans suffer from Body dysmorphic disorder?

Answer 36

1/50