PDF 1- Sex,Gender and Sexuality Flashcards
refers to the biological and physiological
referenced categories (e.g male, female,
intersex)
Sex
refers to the social, cultural and
psychological qualities thatr are projected
upon human bodies (e.g masculinity,
femininity)
Gender
Sees gender inequality as
an orderly mechanism for
dividing labor and
allocating rewards
* Expressive task
* Instrumental tasks
Functionalism
Sees gender inequality as
a form of social
stratification in which
men dominate women
* Subordination
* False consciousness
Conflict Theory
Sees gender inequality as
transmitted from
generation to generation
through gender role
socialization
* Gender stereotypes
* Self-definitions
Symbolic Interaction
developed the idea of the nuclear family
Talcott Parsons
are constructed as better suited for an instrumental
role (providing material support, earning money, being an
authority figure)
Men
are constructed as better suited for an expressive
role (providing emotional support, nurturing, aesthetic)
Women
believe that historically,
men have had access to most society’s
resources and privilege
Conflict theorists
highlight the
processes by which gender is socially
constructed, maintained and reproduced
in everyday life
Symbolic Interactionists
They demonstrate this using the concept of:
sex role socialization
Three Theoretical
Perspectives on Gender Inequality:
- Functionalism
- Conflict Theory
- Symbolic Interaction
Why do we study gender?
- To develop an understanding of how gendered identities
structure our interactions with our communities, our
society and each other. - To understand how gender shapes how we view others
(and ourselves) - To develop an understanding of how gendered structures
form the basis of power and resource allocation for people
differently (and often unequally) - To understand how these structures create gender roles,
rules and expectations- or normative constructions
