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Chapter 4: Gender In Today’s Society

Chapter 4: Gender In Today’s Society. The Biological Foundation of Gender. Sex – refers to biological traits that distinguish males and females Internal and external reproductive anatomy Chromosomes Hormones Gender – refers to the social traits that distinguish males and females.

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Chapter 4: Gender In Today’s Society

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  1. Chapter 4:Gender In Today’s Society

  2. The Biological Foundation of Gender • Sex – refers to biological traits that distinguish males and females • Internal and external reproductive anatomy • Chromosomes • Hormones • Gender – refers to the social traits that distinguish males and females

  3. Aspects of Gender • Gender role – behaviors, attitudes, beliefs and values appropriate for males and females • Gender Identity – how an individual adapts to expected gender roles • Gender presentation – how an individual presents his or her gender identity • Gender stereotypes – cultural beliefs about gender roles and how they should be enacted

  4. Primary Sex Characteristics • An individual’s sex is determined when the sperm and egg unite • XX sex chromosome – female • XY sex chromosome – male • Cell duplication and cell division – occur within a few hours of the formation of the zygote

  5. Primary Sex Characteristics • Cell differentiation • Zygote is divided into 8 cells • genetically determined traits and forms begin to develop

  6. Figure 4.1: Sex Differentiation of Males and Females

  7. The Reproductive System • Male • when a Y chromosome is present, gonadal tissue begins to form the testes • Testes begin to produce androgens, the masculinizing sex hormones • Reproductive organs begin to develop • Seminal vesicles, vas deferens, testes • Penis and scrotum

  8. The Reproductive System • Female • Y chromosome is not present, no testosterone is produced • Absence of testosterone produces a female • Female genitalia begin to appear by third month of pregnancy

  9. When Nature Goes Amiss • Inter-sexed person • Someone who is somewhere between male and female • Basis for this is always genetic • May have both male and female genitalia • Genitalia is ambiguous

  10. When Nature Goes Amiss • True Hermaphrodite • Extremely rare occurrence • May be born with both ovarian and testicular tissue or a combination • Female pseudo-hermaphrodite • XX chromosomal structure • Female internal reproductive organs • External genitalia is masculinized

  11. When Nature Goes Amiss • Male pseudo-hermaphrodites • XY chromosomal structure • Have testes but they are not descended • Has the appearance of being female • Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome • Abnormal X chromosome • No androgens present • Sexual anatomy is female • When person reaches puberty, does not menstruate

  12. When Nature Goes Amiss • Turner’s Syndrome • One X chromosome is absent • Affects female only • Short in stature • Estrogen replacement helps promote development of secondary sex characteristics

  13. When Nature Goes Amiss • Klinefelter’s Syndrome • XXY chromosomal arrangement • Reproductive organs and genitalia develop normally • Testes do not produce sperm • Round body type, taller than relatives, little or no facial hair

  14. Gender Socialization • Gender • the social differences between males and females • Culturally determined • Informs us of appropriate and inappropriate behavior for males and females

  15. Figure 4.2: Yin-Yang of relationships

  16. Gender Socialization • Gender roles • Behaviors, feelings, attributes and traits that society expects of males and females • Gender stereotypes • Societal assumptions about male and female roles, capabilities and limitations

  17. Gender schemas • Schema • A mental representation or set of symbols we hold about something • Bem Sex-Role Inventory (BMSI) • Personal Attributes Questionnaire (PAQ) • measure instrumental and expressive schemas • useful in examining the differences in behaviors of men and women

  18. Instrumental Schema • Traits associated with masculinity • Acting as a leader • Aggression • Ambition • Assertiveness • Competitiveness • Dominance • Possesses leadership abilities • Independence • Self-reliance • Willingness to take risks

  19. Expressive Schema • Tasks associated with femininity • Affection • Compassion • Gentle • Loyal • Understanding • Sensitive • Sympathetic

  20. Table 4.2: Instrumental and expressive Schemas

  21. Androgyny • Something that has neither gender value • A person that possesses traits, behaviors, or characteristics that are associated with the opposite gender

  22. Types of Androgyny • Physiological Androgyny • Deals with physical or biological traits • Behavioral Androgyny • Involves the blending of masculine and feminine traits at the same time • Psychological Androgyny • Involves the individual’s gender identity

  23. Gender Identity • Our intuitive sense of our maleness or femaleness • Does not refer to sexual orientation • Focus of a person’s erotic desires or fantasies

  24. Sexual Preference • Heterosexual • Erotic and amorous desires for members of the opposite gender • Homosexual • Erotic and amorous desire for members of the same gender • Bisexual • Attraction to both or either genders • Asexual • No sexual attraction to either gender

  25. Characteristics of Gender Identity • Membership knowledge • Understanding that their gender belongs to one group or another • Gender typicality • Degree to which people feel their gender experiences are typical • Gender contentedness • Degree of contentedness with biological gender assignment • Gender conformity • Pressure people feel from their environment to conform • Intergroup Bias • The degree to which people believe their sex is superior to another sex

  26. Transgender • Refers to those who feel that their assigned biological identity is false or incomplete • FTM – female to male – born female but see themselves as partly to fully masculine • MTF – male to female – born male but see themselves as partly to fully female • Intersexuals – may accept as natural their mixed gender

  27. Transgender and Transsexual • Transgenderist – a person who lives as a gender opposite to their biological sex • Transsexual – a person whose sexual identity is opposite their assignment at birth • Gender reassignment – involves psychological counseling, hormonal supplements and sex reassignment surgery

  28. The Paradigms of Socialization • Learning Theory – traits and behaviors are learned • Social Learning Theory – adds the role of observation to the learning process • Cognitive Development Theory – gender identity, gender stability, and gender constancy

  29. Figure 4.4: Social Cognitive Filter

  30. Equality Under The Law • Sexual harassment is prohibited by the Civil Rights Acts of 1964 • Violence against Women and Men • Domestic violence affects both men and women • Women are 5 times more likely to experience violence than men

  31. Gender and The Media • Children’s concepts of gender are based on what they see and hear • Media watch – works to change the portrayal of women and treatment of women in primetime television • Gender in Advertising – messages are clearly that women are weak and men are strong

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