Ch 8: Gender

Question 1

sex

Answer 1

biological differences that distinguish male or female (reproductive system, height, muscle composition)

Question 2

sexuality

Answer 2

desire, sexual preference, sexual identity

Question 3

gender

Answer 3

social distinctions associated with being male or female
- socially formed traits of masculinity or femininity
- **not interchangeable with sex

Question 4

intersexed

Answer 4

having an abnormal chromosomal makeup and mixed or uncertain male/female sex characteristics
- 1 in 1000 babies

Question 5

gender roles

Answer 5

what society tells you is appropriate for your gender

Question 6

essentialists

Answer 6

focus on biological inevitabilities and sharp, opposing differences
- ex. men should be more aggressive, while women should be more nurturing

Question 7

social construction

Answer 7

biology determines our sex but society shapes the content and conduct of what it takes to be a man or woman
- through gender socialization
- begins at birth
- what it means to be m/w changes over cultures and time

Question 8

Talcott Parsons’ Sex Role Theory (Structural Functionalist)

Answer 8

• families organized along different functions
• men do instrumental tasks and make the money
• women do nurturing/home tasks
• together their function is to reproduce workers

Question 9

the woman question

Answer 9

what explains the nearly universal dominance of men over women?

Question 10

confict theory (woman question explanation)

Answer 10

sexual division of labor is a social vehicle devised by men to ensure their privilege and power over women
- women at home depend on men economically
- women at work hold lower pay and status occupations

Question 11

Black feminism

Answer 11

• highlights intersectionality
• no single category of men or women
• class, race, gender intersect in a way that causes some women to have more privilege than others (but still all subordinate to most men)
• matrix of domination (Black women face unique oppressions)

Question 12

“Doing Gender” (symbolic interactionism)

Answer 12

through appearance, mannerisms, language, and behaviors, we do our gender based on gender scripts
- we learn these roles through socialization and interaction

Question 13

postmodern theories

Answer 13

• why is woman a whole separate category from men?
• why differentiate unless we want to treat them differently?

Question 14

gender stratification

Answer 14

the unequal distribution of wealth, power, and privilege between men and women

Question 15

why is there a gender pay gap?

Answer 15

• women value flexibility and better schedules over promotions because of home responsibilities
• gender stereotypes (typically male traits vs female)
• discrimination at work
• segmented labor market

Question 16

glass ceiling

Answer 16

social barriers that prevent some women from rising to senior positions

Question 17

glass escalator

Answer 17

men are often promoted faster than women in female-dominated occupations