1 / 9

Chapter Four

Chapter Four. Gender, Sexuality and Identity. Objectives. To discuss some of the ways in which gender and sexuality are socially constructed. To outline the connections between gender, sexuality and power; particularly in relation to sexual harassment and rape.

haruki
Download Presentation

Chapter Four

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Chapter Four Gender, Sexuality and Identity

  2. Objectives • To discuss some of the ways in which gender and sexuality are socially constructed. • To outline the connections between gender, sexuality and power; particularly in relation to sexual harassment and rape. • To demonstrate the connection between globalisation and the notion of ‘the body beautiful’.

  3. Sex and gender • Sociologists make a distinction between sex and gender: • Sex refers to the physical characteristics of male and female • Biologically based • Gender refers to the social attributes of men as masculine and women as feminine • Culturally based

  4. Gender socialisation • A process whereby individuals learn the appropriate behaviours associated with their gender • Through this socialisation we develop: • Gender roles • Women are responsible for housework, men go out to work • Gender identity • The way that men and women feel about themselves

  5. Construction of sexuality • ‘Sexuality’ refers to sexual practices, identities and desires • Is an outcome of culture rather than nature • Heterosexuality is the social institution through which most people develop a sexual identity • Individuals are usually socialised to accept the idea of heterosexuality as the norm • Homosexuality is often viewed as ‘unnatural’ and ‘abnormal’

  6. Gender inequalities • Feminists use ‘patriarchy’ as an explanation for the inequalities between men and women • Patriarchy refers to the systematic domination of men over women • Involves a power relationship between men and women in society whereby men come to hold more power than women • Men are able to use this power to maintain a privileged position in society

  7. Explaining male violence • Socio-biological explanations: • Male biology (particularly testosterone) predisposes men to violence • Criticised for not considering cultural explanations - for example, men in some societies are not violent • Cultural explanations: • Considers the way that men are socialised to be ‘masculine’ • In Western society, men are socialised to be tough, dominant and in-control

  8. Gender identity and the body • Ideals of female beauty change over time • Ideal body shape is dependant on cultural context • Women (and to some extent men) are expected to be thin • This has lead to an increase in anorexia and bulimia • Linked to globalisation of food production which means that we have access to more food, and a more varied diet

  9. Summary • The development of gender and sexual identities are social processes • Are the result of a process of socialisation • Feminists argue that this socialisation reinforces male power (patriarchy) • This allows men to be overtly violent towards women - rape, sexual harassment • Ideas about beauty and the body are also socially constructed

More Related