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Gender & Sexism. Sex vs. Gender Social Construction of Gender Gender Socialization Sexism Masculinity. Sex vs. Gender. Sex – the biological identity of a person as either female or male Gender – the socially learned behaviors and expectations associated with the two sexes Dichotomy
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Gender & Sexism Sex vs. Gender Social Construction of Gender Gender Socialization Sexism Masculinity
Sex vs. Gender • Sex – the biological identity of a person as either female or male • Gender – the socially learned behaviors and expectations associated with the two sexes • Dichotomy • Relationship to sex
Social Construction of Gender • Gender is learned • Historical and cultural differences
Gender Socialization • How do we learn gender? • Agents of socialization • Choices and negotiation • Bem Sex Role Inventory • Reactions
Sexism • Examples
Sexism • Examples in Language (Richardson) • Women do not have an existence independent from men • Different personality attributes and career opportunities are perpetuated • Females are defined as immature, incompetent and incapable
Sexism • Examples in Language • Women are defined in terms of their sexual availability to men (men: sexual prowess over women) • Women are defined in terms of their relationships to men • Words that describe women become sexualized or devalued
Masculinity • Defining Masculinity • Variations by race and class
Masculinity • Theories on Gender • Sex-roles Approach • Historically our behavior was dictated by biology • Over time this sex-based division of labor became institutionalized
Masculinity • Theories on Gender • Gender as an Institution (Lorber) • Differential treatment between wo/men is political (though often justified through biology) • Process of creating distinguishable social statuses • Rank these statuses unequally = stratification • Build social structures based on these unequal statuses • e.g., organizations are gendered
Masculinity • Organizations are gendered (Acker) • Gender divisions are constructed • Symbols and images are constructed • Interactions between individuals construct gendering • Individuals pose as gendered members of organizations • Gender is part of creation and conceptualization of social structures
Masculinity • Theories on gender • Doing Gender (West & Zimmerman) • Interactional/accomplishment • Doing dominance vs. deference (Schacht) • Accountability • Doing difference (Fenstermaker & West) • Doing heterosexuality