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3/26/2013 8:55 PM WHAT IS GENDER? WHAT IS GENDER? – LECTURE OUTLINE The biology of sex Cultural approach Social learning approach Social position approach Symbolic interactionist approach WHAT IS GENDER? – LECTURE OUTLINE The biology of sex Cultural approach Social learning approach Social position approach Symbolic interactionist approach THE BIOLOGY OF SEX -- OUTLINE What is the conceptual difference between sex and gender? How many sexes are there? What we may think of as a biological difference may actually be a cultural difference. WHAT IS THE CONCEPTUAL DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SEX AND GENDER? Sex Sex refers to biological differences between men and women. Gender Gender refers to the psychological, social, and cultural differences between women and men. HOW MANY SEXES ARE THERE? There are many dimensions along which we can measure biological sex Hormones Chromosomes Genitalia and other sex-related organs Body shape Brain structure Sexual orientation Sexual identity Rather than thinking about sex as a dichotomous variable, it is useful to think of it as a continuous variable. In some societies, there are more than two genders. The berdache is a term that refers a third gender, not male or female. WHAT WE MAY THINK OF AS A BIOLOGICAL DIFFERENCE MAY ACTUALLY BE A CULTURAL DIFFERENCE Sociologists using the theory of the social construction of gender would argue that gender and sex are not biologically but socially constructed. Discussion Mothering Many men make great mothers, many women are not so good mothers Strength differences (better protectors) The strength difference between genders is at least in part explained by culture. THE BIOLOGY OF SEX -- OUTLINE What is the conceptual difference between sex and gender? How many sexes are there? What we may think of as a biological difference may actually be a cultural difference. WHAT IS GENDER? – LECTURE OUTLINE The biology of sex Cultural approach Social learning approach Social position approach Symbolic interactionist approach CULTURAL APPROACH -- OUTLINE The socially constructed nature of gender roles American gender roles Gender roles vary across cultures Sex and temperament in Three Primitive Societies. Margaret Mead (1935) The power of gender roles THE SOCIALLY CONSTRUCTED NATURE OF GENDER ROLES From the cultural approach, gender is socially constructed. Traditional notions of gender identity value masculine over feminine traits. Recall our discussion on culture, where culture is shaped by ideology. AMERICAN GENDER ROLES GENDER ROLES VARY ACROSS CULTURES There is significant variation across cultures with respect to gender roles. Variations in gender roles across cultures demonstrate that gender roles are culturally determined. Margaret Mead Mead was the first social scientist to reinforce the idea that gender and sex are two different concepts and should be analyzed as such. In her classic study of gender roles in three New Guinea tribes, Margaret Mead found that gender roles varied significantly from one tribe to the other. SEX AND TEMPERAMENT IN THREE PRIMITIVE SOCIETIES. MARGARET MEAD (1935) Arapesh both sexes were feminine cooperative passive gentle unaggressive emotionally sensitive SEX AND TEMPERAMENT IN THREE PRIMITIVE SOCIETIES. MARGARET MEAD (1935) Mundugumor both sexes were masculine aggressive ruthless unresponsive to the needs of others, excessively cruel toward children SEX AND TEMPERAMENT IN THREE PRIMITIVE SOCIETIES. MARGARET MEAD (1935) Tchambuli -- gender role reversal Women dominating impersonal aggressively organizing actively sexed willing to initiate sex relations men dependent submissive prissy coquettish THE POWER OF GENDER ROLES Gender roles shape just about every aspect of our lives. even the way we sit CULTURAL APPROACH -- OUTLINE The socially constructed nature of gender roles American gender roles Gender roles vary across cultures Sex and temperament in Three Primitive Societies. Margaret Mead (1935) The power of gender roles WHAT IS GENDER? – LECTURE OUTLINE The biology of sex Cultural approach Social learning approach Social position approach Symbolic interactionist approach SOCIAL LEARNING APPROACH The social learning approach argues that we are socialized into our gender. Socializing Family Teachers Friends Media agents SOCIAL LEARNING APPROACH People begin to treat children in specific ways because of their gender from the moment they are born. Social learning begins by marking gender. We are constantly marking our gender. SOCIALIZING AGENTS -- PARENTS Parents treat sons and daughters differently. SOCIALIZING AGENTS -- SCHOOLS Differential treatment by teachers Male students interacted more with their teachers than female students did. Boys receive more teacher attention and instructional time. Teachers are more likely to solicit information from boys than girls. Teachers posed more academic challenges to boys. Teachers provide girls with the correct answers, whereas they help boys solve the problems. SOCIALIZING AGENTS -- SCHOOLS Boys were more likely to call out answers in class than girls. Boys are eight times more likely to call out answers When girls tried to bring attention to themselves by calling out in class without raising their hands, they were reprimanded. Boys girls. were more often scolded and punished than SOCIALIZING AGENTS -- SCHOOLS As a result of differential treatment in schools Girls are socialized to be quiet passive Boys are socialized to be inquisitive active problem solvers assertive group leaders SOCIALIZING AGENTS -- PEERS Peers act as the gender role police. Orenstein recounts a story about a kid, Jeremy, who wore his favorite barrettes to school and was taunted by another kid who said, “You’re a girl!” Jeremy denied it, arguing that he had a penis and testicles. The classmate replied, “Everyone has a penis, only girls wear barrettes.” Do your friends police what you wear? SOCIALIZING AGENTS -- MEDIA The media provides gender ideals. SOCIAL LEARNING APPROACH Socializing Family Teachers Friends Media agents WHAT IS GENDER? – LECTURE OUTLINE The biology of sex Cultural approach Social learning approach Social position approach Symbolic interactionist approach THE SOCIAL POSITION APPROACH The social position approach argues that gender is a characteristic of the social position, not the individual. THE SOCIAL POSITION APPROACH Kanter found that those in upper-level management positions, male or female, act in ways some consider masculine—competitive (oriented toward rivalry) and ambitious—while those in secretarial positions, male or female, act in ways some consider feminine—passive and unambitious. THE SOCIAL POSITION APPROACH The single fathers created tight relationships with their children that more resembled the kind women have with their kids than the kind married fathers have with theirs. WHAT IS GENDER? – LECTURE OUTLINE The biology of sex Cultural approach Social learning approach Social position approach Symbolic interactionist approach SYMBOLIC INTERACTIONIST APPROACH The symbolic interactionist approach argues that gender is created in the interaction. We “do gender” in the interaction Examples growing of “doing gender”: a beard choosing to wear a dress keeping your hair long deepening your voice SYMBOLIC INTERACTIONIST APPROACH The symbolic interactionist approach argues that gender is created in the interaction. SYMBOLIC INTERACTIONIST APPROACH WHAT IS GENDER? – LECTURE OUTLINE The biology of sex Cultural approach Social learning approach Social position approach Symbolic interactionist approach