Socialization and the Social Construction of Gender​

Question 1

What are the three levels of Gender?

Answer 1

-Individual level of social learning
(Functionalism)​

-Interactional level of social relations
(Social Constructivism)​

-At the level of structural and institutional forces (Structuralism)

Question 2

Functionalism?

Answer 2

Individual level of social learning

Functionalism, in social sciences, theory based on the premise that all aspects of a society—institutions, roles, norms, etc. —serve a purpose and that all are indispensable for the long-term survival of the society.

For functionalists, society is a system of interdependent parts, family, economy, etc. that work together and keep things stable.

Question 3

Social Constructivism?

Answer 3

Interactional level of social relations

Social constructivism is a sociological theory of knowledge according to which human development is socially situated and knowledge is constructed through interaction with others.

(Opposite of Essentialism)

Like social constructionism, social constructivism states that people work together to construct artifacts. While social constructionism focuses on the artifacts that are created through the social interactions of a group, social constructivism focuses on an individual’s learning that takes place because of his or her interactions in a group.

Ex. A very simple example is an object like a cup. The object can be used for many things, but its shape does suggest some ‘knowledge’ about carrying liquids

Question 4

Structuralism

Answer 4

At the level of structural and institutional forces

Structuralism is a general theory of culture and methodology that implies that elements of human culture must be understood by way of their relationship to a broader system.

Question 5

Socialization?

Answer 5

Socialization is the process of internalizing the norms and ideologies of society.

Socialization, the process whereby an individual learns to adjust to a group (or society) and behave in a manner approved by the group (or society). ​

According to most social scientists, socialization essentially represents the whole process of learning throughout the life course and is a central influence on the behaviour, beliefs, and actions of adults as well as of children.​

Question 6

Social Construction of Gender?

Answer 6

The social construction of gender is a theory in feminism and sociology about the manifestation of cultural origins, mechanisms, and corollaries of gender perception and expression in the context of interpersonal and group social interaction.

Question 7

Androgyny?

Answer 7

Androgyny is the combination of masculine and feminine characteristics into an ambiguous form.

Androgyny may be expressed with regard to biological sex, gender identity, or gender expression.

When androgyny refers to mixed biological sex characteristics in humans, it often refers to intersex people.

Question 8

Androcentrism?

Answer 8

Androcentrism is the practice, conscious or otherwise, of placing a masculine point of view at the center of one’s world view, culture, and history, thereby culturally marginalizing femininity.

Women: deviant or “other”​

“he”​

“mankind”​

View of woman is not as good as view of men​

Question 9

Gender polarization?

Answer 9

Gender polarization is a concept which states that societies tend to define femininity and masculinity as polar opposite genders, such that male-acceptable behaviors and attitudes are not seen as appropriate for women, and vice versa.

Focuses on stereotypical behaviours, jobs, colours, clothes that women and men abide by.

Question 10

Essentialism?

Answer 10

A concept that certain phenomena e.g. race, gender, sexuality are NATURAL, inevitable, universal, and biologically determined.
(Opposite of Social Constructivism)

The problem is that one cannot categorize everyone is two boxes (intersex)​

It creates rigid stereotypes (i.e. women emotional and men rational)​

Question 11

Intersectionality?

Answer 11

Intersectionality is a perspective that explores the interactions of social. markers such as race, class, gender, age, and sexual orientation that shape an individual’s or group’s experience

Question 12

Achieved status?

Answer 12

Achieved status is a concept for a social position that a person can acquire on the basis of merit and is earned or chosen.

Question 13

Micro-inequity?

Answer 13

Micro-inequity is a theory regarding ways in which individuals are either singled out, overlooked, ignored, or otherwise discounted based on an unchangeable characteristic such as race or gender.

Question 14

Microaggression?

Answer 14

Microaggression is a term used for commonplace daily verbal, behavioral or environmental slights, whether intentional or unintentional, that communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative attitudes toward stigmatized or culturally marginalized groups.

Question 15

What are the 3 Gender Lenses?

Answer 15

• Androcentrism
• Gender polarization
• Essentialism

Question 16

Arguments from feminist movements

Answer 16

Gender differences are not biologically based. ​

That was the basic premise for the feminist movements.​

Right to vote, own property and get an education. It also challenges the ideas that women are inferior.

Question 17

Feminists’ reasons to fight

Answer 17

1970s: Feminists: sex roles are oppressive and unequal. How?​

​Girls are socialized to concentrate on marriage and motherhood by parents and schools​

Hard to do both: be a mother/wife and worker​

Question 18

How are black women’s stories different from white women’s realities?​

Answer 18

Who was the research concentrating on? What type of families, men and women?​
 -White middle-class pioneering for men’s professions​

​

But many Black women worked​

• Long-term labour​
• Challenged exclusivity of only home care-takers​
• Seen as non-normative​
• Emasculating men​
• Not teaching boys appropriate roles​

Question 19

How do social constructionists think gender is constructed?

Answer 19

Constructionists hold that gender differences are created socially and historically, rather than on account of an individual’s biology and psychology.​

Gender is situational and contextual​

Ways that you behave as a girl or guy depending on context, situation and people around you.​

How do you act with your friends/school/activity/parent?

Question 20

How does Agnes pass as a woman? (Garfinkel’s research)

Answer 20

Agnes Torres is a MTF (male to female) transgendered person. ​

She wants to be a woman all the time (vs. Drag Queen - performance)​

Agnes had to learn how to be feminine, which is learned and acquired but seems natural​

She “achieved status” of being a woman. “She made gender happen.”​

As RuPaul says, “You are born naked and the rest is drag.”​

Question 21

Devor and Garfinkel’s studies show:​

Answer 21

People on the margins of society had to create their own masculinity and femininity based on trivial behaviours​

Agnes was accountable to her audience. She had to perform well or else she would be found out. ​

Question 22

What does it mean to “do gender”?

Answer 22

“Doing Gender” is a term coined by West and Zimmerman ​

“Doing Gender” involves acting appropriately in specific contexts for specific audiences.​

It’s a performance – Judith Lorber​

Examples: Man changing the flat tire; woman pushing the stroller; men who drives the car… ​