gender and identity

Question 1

sex

Answer 1

refers to the biological differences between men and women

Question 2

gender

Answer 2

refers to the culturally created differences between men and women which are learnt through socialisation

Question 3

gender role

Answer 3

the pattern of behaviour which is expected from individuals of either sex

Question 4

gender identity

Answer 4

how people see themselves and how others see them in terms of their gender roles and biological sex

Question 5

male and female babies have the same biological differences across the world, but what affects their behaviour differences?

Answer 5

socialisation means there are wide variations in the ways boys and girls behave in different societies

Question 6

what is another word for stereotypes?

Answer 6

hegemonics

Question 7

how are gender differences constructed and what do they influence people to do?

Answer 7

socially constructed by the agencies of socialisation which steer people towards gender stereotypes and encourage them to identify with these stereotypes

Question 8

what phrases did Connell create in terms of masculinity and femininity?

Answer 8

hegemonic masculinity- to describe the dominant male stereotypes
hegemonic femininity- to describe the dominant female stereotypes

Question 9

how are hegemonic gender identities formed?

Answer 9

social construction through the process of socialisation, primary and secondary are involved in the establishment of gender roles

Question 10

the role of the family in influencing gender identities and roles

Answer 10

parents and relatives tend to hold stereotypical views of typical characteristics for both genders and tend to bring their child upon what they see as normal masculine/feminine behaviour.

Question 11

Oakleys 4 processes during primary socialisation in the family that influence gender identities

Answer 11

1) manipulation: boys and girls are handled differently (e.g. girls are more likely to be cuddled instead of bounced)
2) canalisation
3) verbal appellations: boys and girls are exposed to different language and praised and told off for different behaviours which fit their gender (e.g. good girl vs brave boy)
4) differential activity exposure: boys and girls are exposed and encouraged to different activities (e.g. girls help with domestic work and boys help with washing the car), and different rules are given to each

Question 12

the role of school in influencing gender identities and roles- what curriculum

Answer 12

gender socialisation in school mainly occurs through the hidden curriculum.
examples of this includes:

Question 13

what are some examples of the way in which the hidden curriculum influences gender identities and roles?

Answer 13

examples of this includes:
-teachers attitudes and subject choice: encouraging different subjects for different genders and the way in which they deal with each genders disruptive behaviour
-verbal appellations: gender specific language in teacher labelling (e.g. strong boy)
-role models: patriarchy reinforcement in the hierarchy of positions in schools so males think they can get superior roles to women who lack a role model of someone nearer to the top of the hierarchy (males have higher positions like headteacher)
-uniform standards: females have more uniform rules than males (e.g. correct length skirt) to teach them to care about their appearance and not look too sexual

Question 14

how do peers influence gender

Answer 14

people try to gain acceptance from their peers by conforming to the norms of the peer group which often involves stereotypical masculine and feminine identities. If they don’t fit their gender identity they may face judgement amongst their peers.

Question 15

double standards

Answer 15

treating the same action different based on a characteristic of the social factor.

Question 16

what do the double standards from peers encourage with gender identities and what is an example?

Answer 16

double standards surrounding sexual aspects of masculine and feminine identities which encourage conformity to separate gender identities in men and women.
Example: men who try do well in school and don’t try cause disruption will face judgement from peers but girls will face praise from their peers if they did.

Question 17

what did Baudrillard say about media and gender?

Answer 17

We live in a media saturated society, meaning wherever we look we see some form of media. This influences and affects peoples perceptions and causes gender boundaries and different standards to be reinforced to both genders.

Question 18

what is the beauty myth presented in the media ?

Answer 18

the ideas that females judged primarily upon their physical appearance

Question 19

what are the 4 stereotypical roles women traditionally have been presented in the media?

Answer 19

-as a sex object: young sexually seductive images are used to sell products. This imagery encourages women to view happiness by how much they appeal to men sexually.
-in their relationships with men
-as emotional and unpredictable
-in the housewife/mother role

Question 20

how are men presented in the media ?

Answer 20

in a wider variety of roles compared to women.
Men’s magazines reflect interests that are seen as part of hegemonic masculine identity such as cars, stereos, computers, etc.
More tv advert voiceovers have male voices which suggests authority of the male gender so the patriarchy is reinforced to viewers.

Question 21

why have female identities changed

Answer 21

females are now doing better than males in education, and more positive role models are replacing traditional stereotypes in daily life and in the media.

Also with the globalisation of the economy there’s been a decline in traditional male industries and growth in service sector jobs which has created more opportunities for women employment (they can move away from traditional gender identities of wives and mothers)

Question 22

what did Wilkinson say has caused female identities to change

Answer 22

A genderquake has occurred. This means that there’s been a shift in society with drastic changes to norms and values of women (their ambitions have moved away from family commitments and towards careers and economic independence)

Question 23

why is it said that male and female identities are becoming more similar and converging?

Answer 23

one way is through the emergence of laddettes (females taking on aspects of lads’ masculinity)

-examples of this include: going to the pub for a beer not wine (beer is a male drink), swearing and burping in public (making less of effort with being lady like), watching sports (e.g. football not netball), fighting people (not just how ‘a girl would fight’)

Question 24

why have male identities changed?

Answer 24

The traditional power of men in the family and the labour market, and just generally in society, is being challenged by women’s growing success and equality.

examples include: technologies taking out traditional male manual jobs, men lack purpose of a breadwinner due to the changing roles of women.

Question 25

what did Mac and Ghaill say is happening to male identities?

Answer 25

hegemonic masculinity may be experiencing a crisis of masculinity, because of the decline in traditional male industries and this is resulting in higher levels of male unemployment.

Therefore males are feeling lost and are searching for a gender identity to fit into the modern world.

Question 26

new man

Answer 26

more caring, gentle emotional man who is happy to do a fair share of the housework and childcare

Question 27

new lad

Answer 27

associated with the yob culture of aggressive and promiscuous sex

Question 28

new bloke

Answer 28

a new lad who has become a dad, still hangs around the pub but also does things like change nappies

Question 29

emo boy

Answer 29

someone who reads books and appreciates art, watches his diet, isn’t afraid to express his emotions, dresses with more style than most guys (usually tight sweaters and jeans)

Question 30

new dad

Answer 30

a new man who discovers the joys of fatherhood

Question 31

meterosexual

Answer 31

heterosexual males who embrace their feminine side and in touch with their feelings. They care about skincare products and also some with makeup, and they have a refined taste in clothes.

Question 32

postmodernist view of female and male identities changing

Answer 32

They would argue that gender identities may be changing and becoming more fluid, with both men and women having more choice in the gender identities available to them. Postmodernists suggest that people are more free to choose any identity they like, without the constraints of gender identities.

However, they think that it’s easy to exaggerate the changes. Children often still grow up holding stereotypical ideas surrounding gender. Women still earn less than men and are more likely to do most of the house and emotional work along with childcare in the family. Many men and women also still try to conform to their hegemonic gender identities, such as striving for physical perfection in a woman’s appearance.

Question 33

who was Naomi Wolf and what was her beauty myth theory ?

Answer 33

She was a feminist author who focused on the representation of women in the media.
She theorised contemporary society as putting too much pressure on women to conform to unrealistic beauty standards (the beauty myth).

She believed that women are now more liberated but still have unequal perceptions of appearance in women, and males are less suppresed and pressured to meet the beauty standards.

Question 34

patriarchy

Answer 34

a male dominant society, where men are in charge of important institutions

Question 35

what are liberal feminists and who is an example of one

Answer 35

They are concerned with campaigning against sex discrimination and for equal right and opportunities for all women. They argue that female oppression is being gradually overcome through changing attitudes and legalisation (e.g. sex discrimination act 1975). They don’t believe that full gender equality has yet been achieved, however there is hope with children being socialised into more equal gender roles than in the past.

Oakley is an example of a liberal feminist

Question 36

why do some feminists criticise liberal feminists?

Answer 36

Some feminists think their liberal view is ineffective at creating inequality as they fail to challenge causes of the patriarchy. Having changes in laws aren’t enough but changes in social structure in necessary.

Question 37

what are marxist feminists ?

Answer 37

They argues the main cause of female oppression in the family is not men, but capitalism. Females are oppressed in 3 major ways: unpaid domestic labour, suffer the burden of male frustration (due to male exploitation and alienation whilst at work), being considered a ‘reserve’ army in times of economic uncertainty.

Question 38

what are radical feminists?

Answer 38

They argue that all societies have been founded on patriarchy. They think that men are the enemy as they exploit and oppress women. They recognise that females are achieving more in education, but they still maintain that the system is patriarchal and conveys the message that it’s still a man’s world.

For radical feminists the patriarchal system needs to be overturned. Women must organise themselves to live independently of men.
Many of them advocate the idea of ‘political lesbianism’ in order to avoid sleeping with enemy.

Question 39

why do liberal feminists criticise radical feminists view?

Answer 39

Sommerville says that radical feminists has failed to recognise the changing position and progress of females with better access to divorces, jobs and fertility.

Question 40

why do liberal feminists criticise marxist feminist views?

Answer 40

They think that Marxist feminists fail to recognise the changing position of women and greater equality due to laws such as the sex discrimination act in 1975, which supports women being less oppressed in the workplace and by capitalism.