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Gender Roles

Gender Roles. Anthropology 393 Cultural Construction of HIV/AIDS Josephine MacIntosh. Shifting Language. Previously known as sex roles Currently known as gender roles The term sex is properly used in a biological context The term gender is properly used in a cultural/social context.

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Gender Roles

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  1. Gender Roles Anthropology 393 Cultural Construction of HIV/AIDS Josephine MacIntosh

  2. Shifting Language • Previously known as sex roles • Currently known as gender roles • The term sex is properly used in a biological context • The term gender is properly used in a cultural/social context

  3. Sex • A social status usually based on genital appearance (what we can see) • Persons may be: • Female • Male • Intersexed or Hermaphodrite (having sex characteristics of both females and males) (Aaron H. Devor, 2000)

  4. Gender • A social status usually based on the convincing performance of femininity or masculinity (Aaron H. Devor, 2000) • Persons may be • Women or girls • Boys or men • Transgendered

  5. Gender Roles Are… • Culturally constructed • They affect how we: • Perceive and are perceived • Evaluate and are evaluated • Learned through interaction w/ group • Not inherited • They prescribe expected behaviours • They vary from group to group

  6. 3 New Guinea TribesMargaret Mead’s Classic Study (1935) • Arapesh • Both genders worked cooperatively, non-aggressive, responsive to others, sexual contact not a driving force (feminine?)

  7. 3 New Guinea TribesMargaret Mead’s Classic Study (1935) • Mundugumor (Men DOO guh mor) • Both genders ruthless, aggressive, positively-sexed (masculine?)

  8. 3 New Guinea TribesMargaret Mead’s Classic Study (1935) • Tchambuli • Females dominant • Males more dependent

  9. Mead’s Conclusions • Many, if not ALL, masculine and feminine traits are socially constructed • Gender roles are NOT biologically based • Additionally- male dominance in contemporary society reflects a prior need for physical strength to ensure survival • Current value structure continues to give men higher status tasks and assignments

  10. Gender Expectations • Things you like doing that are expected of your gender • Things you don't like doing that are expected of your gender • Things you like doing that are expected of the other gender • Things you like doing but can't because of your gender

  11. Sexual Stratification • Division of labour based on gender • Gender similar to racial or caste distinctions • Lower ranking gender or class kept from prestigious work • Jobs that women do are automatically ranked as less important

  12. Sexual Stratification • BUT… the sexual division of labour is an ancient primate trait • Does it serve us to try to change this?

  13. Sexual Stratification • What about the feminization of poverty? • Worldwide, women earn on average slightly more than 50% of what men earn • How might this affect HIV infections among women?

  14. Dimensions of Social Inequality • Social status depends on • Wealth (money, access to resources) • Power (agency, independence) • Prestige (social esteem) • Does everyone have the same choices and opportunities? • In a class system? • In a caste system?

  15. Gender Roles & Status • Males are afforded more choices and opportunities because masculinity is an achieved status • Prove you’re a man • Females have fewer choices and opportunities because femininity is an ascribed status • Act like a lady

  16. Gender Roles & HIV • Prevailing gender roles • Considered by many to be the most pervasive and universal problem associated with HIV prevention • One of the few ethnographic commonalities between women as a group • Globally, may present the largest obstacle to HIV prevention

  17. Women Are… • Generally of lower social status • Often economically dependent • Expected to be sexually passive • Often labelled negatively if they are too knowledgeable about sex • The prevailing attitude is that only sluts and whores use condoms

  18. Women Only Muslim Females

  19. Men Are… • Generally of higher social status • Even gay men • As a group, may have lower perceived status • As individuals, have same access as other men • Often socialized into ‘machismo’ roles • Superior knowledge of sexual matters • Authority over women • ‘Marianismo’ is the opposite extreme of female dependence, passivity and ignorance of sexual matters

  20. Men Only

  21. Men Only

  22. Social & Sexual Equity • Integral to HIV/AIDS prevention • It is important to change • Accepted patterns of male behaviour • Expected patterns of female behaviour • Then, women can be in a position to protect themselves from the very real threat of HIV infection -- which leads ultimately, to death

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