Ch 7 - Sex and Gender

Question 1

What are the socialogical perspectives?

Answer 1

Functionalism, feminist perspectives, conflict, symbolic interactionism

Question 2

Functionalist perspective

Answer 2

Looks are rules and functions of each “player in the game” (doctors write prescriptions, nurses are first point of contact, patient is ailing and needs care). Interdependence of each individual.

Question 3

Feminist perspective

Answer 3

Extension of conflict perspective. (Healthcare: Woman more likely to be nurse, janitor more likely to be minority. Nurses always fighting for higher pay, women tend to get paid less in general.)

Question 4

Conflict perspective

Answer 4

Dysfunction within systems: inequality, power dynamics, social classes, scarcity of resources. (Healthcare: Doctors of the most power, janitors are considered lowly, even though they do the dirty work, nurses are low on the rungs, even though they are worked very hard)

Question 5

Symbolic interactionism perspective

Answer 5

Meaning, symbols, attire, sounds, interpretation, understanding. (Healthcare: White coat - cleanliness, authority, power. Sirens - emergency, priority. H = sign for way to hospital.

Question 6

Who are the players in the health care system?

Answer 6

Doctors, nurses, janitors, patients, ambulance attendees, etc..

Question 7

Difference between sex and gender?

Answer 7

Sex is biological, gender is socially constructed.

Question 8

Sex

Answer 8

Biological and anatomical. identified by genitalia, secondary identification physical traits like breasts, hips, size, muscularity.

Question 9

Gender

Answer 9

Culturally and socially constructed differences between males and females. Meanings, beliefs and practices associated with femininity and masculinity. (clothes, roles, emotions, etc.)

Question 10

Social significance of gender

Answer 10

Social stratification: education, occupation. Women pressured to look a certain way.

Question 11

Sexism

Answer 11

Descrimination based on not fulfilling expectations of gender roles. Typically subordination of one sex, usually women.

Question 12

Examples of sexism

Answer 12

undervalued women’s wages, “glass ceiling” restricting women from progressing through power ladder. Objectification.

Question 13

Gender stratification beginnings

Answer 13

Hunter gatherer societies where men hunted and women gathered berries, cooked. Both participated, more equal.

Question 14

Gender stratification evolution

Answer 14

Supply and demand for labour. Stress on production levels causing women to be stuck at home with children because they could not keep up with the hard labour. Then, bringing women into the workforce, needing to bring women in when men were away at war, etc..

Question 15

When did gender stratification/inequality begin?

Answer 15

Agrarian societies, when women were left behind because they could not keep up with the men for hard labour with high demand for productivity.

Question 16

When did gender gap begin to close?

Answer 16

Post industrial - women started getting education, working outside the home. Still have issues. Women still have to take care of children, so more single moms, more poverty and stress.

Question 17

Gender-segregated work

Answer 17

concentration of women and men in different occupations, specific roles (trades mostly men, nurses mostly women)

Question 18

Labour market segregation

Answer 18

Concentration of women and men in different labour groups (health, professional positions)

Question 19

Gender wage gap

Answer 19

disparity between women’s and men’s earnings, even within the same job.

Question 20

Pay equity

Answer 20

reflects the belief that wages ought to reflect the worth of the job, not the sex or race of the person doing said job.

Question 21

Employment equity

Answer 21

strategy to eliminate the effects of discrimination and to fully open the competition for job opportunities to those who have been excluded historically.

Question 22

Gender and functionalism

Answer 22

importance of traditional gender roles (women best to take care of home and children, while men do the labourious work, make the money)

Question 23

According to functionalists, why is there chaos in feminism?

Answer 23

Because if women stuck to their roles and men stuck with theirs, there would be more order.

Question 24

Human Capital Model

Answer 24

acquired by education and job training and can be measured in terms of the return on the investment. This is why when women have less opportunity for education, they have lower value of human capital. Because they take time off to have kids, etc..

Question 25

What is the problem with the human capital model?

Answer 25

Even when a woman has the same education, qualification, and experience, they are still often paid less than men for the same job.

Question 26

Gender and Conflict

Answer 26

Men and women can never be equal because men have more time for education, more physical strength. Women’s strengths of bearing children, compassion and companionship, nurturing nature and emotional support are difficult to quantify and therefore are paid less.

Question 27

Gender and feminism

Answer 27

belief that men and women are equal and should be both valued equally and equal rights. To equally value the paid work of men and women, as well as their unpaid family work.

Question 28

Liberal Feminism

Answer 28

Gender equality is linked to equality of opportunity. To change laws, customs of inequality.

Question 29

Radical Feminism

Answer 29

Male domination causes all kinds of domination. Sexual roles. Patriarchy and biology. Should be no difference between men and women period. Men should be equally responsible for childbearing. How? Maybe artificial insemination or something.

Question 30

Socialist Feminism

Answer 30

Men and women are exploited in capitalism. Socialism would create more equality in sex.

Question 31

Antiracism Feminism (or rainbow feminism)

Answer 31

Focusses on women in minority who face dual inequality.

Question 32

Postmodernist feminism

Answer 32

No such thing as a “woman”. Sex and gender are both social constructs.

Question 33

Gender issues successes

Answer 33

Equality laws passed. Sexual harassment is criminal. Women can feel safer in the workplace.

Question 34

Gender issues future

Answer 34

Pay gap should continue to decline. More men to do family work like raising children.