Sex, Gender And Stratification

Question 0

Gender

Answer 0

Social, cultural and psychological traits linked to makes and females
Social script
Society manufactures gender

Question 1

Sex

Answer 1

Biological traits of men and women

- chromosomal, gonadal, hormonal, sex organs

Question 2

Sexual orientation

Answer 2

Hererosexual
Homosexual
Bisexual
Compulsory - demand and expect a person is heterosexual

Question 3

The sexual continuum

Answer 3

Kinsey
7 point scale
Exclusively heterosexual
–> Exclusively Homosexual

Question 4

Sexual Continuum ii

Answer 4

Makes do not represent two discrete populations heterosexual and homosexual

Question 5

David Reimer

Answer 5

Sexual reassignment
Not accepted into society
Committed suicide
This 1 case does not prove that sex is biologically bases

Question 6

Essentialism

Answer 6

Belief, assumption males or females have something special about them

Question 7

Critique of essentialism

Answer 7

Essentialists ignore the historical and cultural variability of gender and sexuality

• there are variations in gender across cultures
• Margaret mead and the Arapesh
• Rape rates vary widely across cultures
• societies change without any corresponding genetic change

Question 8

critique of essentialism ii

Answer 8

Essentialists ignore the fact that gender differences are declining rapidly and in some cases have already disappeared
Math & females

Question 9

Critique of Essentialism iii

Answer 9

The research evidence employed by essentialist is often deeply flawed
Essentialist tend to generalize from the average, ignoring variations within gender groups

Question 10

Brain studies

Answer 10

Left hemisphere associated with language, the right associated with visual and spatial skills

Question 11

Sociobiology

Answer 11

Those who resolve problems pass on their genes resulting in gender differences

Question 12

Freud in essentialism

Answer 12

Oredipus and Electra complexes

Question 13

Critique of Essentialism Iv

Answer 13

Essentialist exaggerate the degree to which gender differences are unchangeable
- more egalitarian societies reduce the age gap in female-male relationships
Essentialists offer explanations for gender differences that ignore the role of power

Question 14

Economic Inequality 
Double work day
Sex segregation
Sex typing 
Glass ceiling 
Non standard work

Answer 14

• Work in public & private
• Work jobs —less pay
• Assumption women are better at some some jobs — form of stereotyping
• Women can’t reach the top only ‘see’
• Temp, few benefits, contract, > 40hrs

Question 15

Social Inequality
Gender stratification 
Power
Prestige
Wealth

Answer 15

• Is a system in which men, in general, hold greater power, prestige and wealth than women
• The ability to impose ones will on others
• Social ranking and respect
• Economic resources to pay for the necessities in life

Question 16

Why social inequality ?

Answer 16

Marriage & childbirth
Men should have more involvement on raising a child
Social interpretation of biological differences
Traditionally

Question 17

Women in the Labour Force

Why have women become so involved in the labour force especially since 1961

Answer 17

1 An increase in the demand for service sector workers
2 A decrease in the number of children born
3 Family finances

Question 18

Income

Four reasons that explain why women earn less than men

Answer 18

1- Gender differences in the characteristics that influence pay rates ( education, experience, seniority )
2- Women are involved in sex - segregated, non - standard work
3- Simple discrimination - even in the same jobs women are often paid less than men
4- A general devaluation of the kind of work performed by women

Question 19

Political Power

Answer 19

Political Power
Kim Campbell one prime minister ‘inherited’
2/4 premiers elected other were inherited

Question 20

Socialist Feminism

Karl Marx

Answer 20

Two sources of women oppression
1- Capitalism - creates unfair division
2- Patriarchy - system where males rule & generally favours men

Question 21

Socialist Feminism ii

Answer 21

Socialist feminists believe that the laws of the state can be changed for positive social change in society
Both capitalism and patriarchy must be substantially altered or eliminated to free women
Capitalist benefit greatly from women’s work, including raising of children, but do not pay for all of this work
State intervened with social programs ( raising the federal debt)

Question 22

Radical Feminism

Answer 22

Capitalism has little to do with female oppression
Women are oppressed because they are women
The state is the male state
Men, by nature are aggressive and need to dominate women
The state is the enemy not an ally

Question 23

Social images

Answer 23

The mass media determines the content of Beauty norms for women

Question 24

Findlay 1996

Answer 24

Findlay argues that ones weight supposedly reveals aspects of their character and, as such, their abilities for social rewards

Question 25

Findlay ii

Answer 25

Overweight women are 20% less likely to marry and 10% more likely to live in poverty

Question 26

Mathews 2000

Answer 26

Girls are not passive victims of beauty images
Looking better means access to social groups and power
Other GIRLS not boys were the most important audience and their harshest critics

Question 27

Mathews ii
The elite 
Wannabes
Life in the middle 
The fringe

Answer 27

She identified four groups

• people on top
• insecure, change few things
• where it’s at happiest. Hobbies
• not going to try

Question 28

Conclusion

Sex and gender

Answer 28

Many sociologist are uncomfortable with essentialist arguments about the nature of sex and gender

Much work has suggested that the division of labour in society is socially constructed

Many sociologists suggest that we turn our attention to the ways in which power is welded in society to naturalize inequity