Gender and Families

Gender and Families Family Sociology FCST 342

Gender & Families Individuals and families are influenced by larger social forces that we may not always notice In the next few classes we will focus on three critical dimensions of families Gender Race/ethnicity Sexual orientation

Gender & Families The distinction between male and female, masculine and feminine is basic to the study of families All societies exhibit a sharp distinction between what women and men do in families All cultures divide family labor like housework and child care based on gender

Gender Theory • Gender theory argues that differences between men and women are socially constructed. • That means we LEARN how to act like boys or girls, we are not necessarily born liking pink vs. blue • Gender theory emphasizes the role of society or culture, rather than biology. • In other words being feminine or masculine is learned and created through our social interactions

Sex & Gender Sociologists distinguish between sex and gender Sex: refers to the biological attributes that distinguish females from males such as: chromosomes, hormones, and “anatomical apparatus” Gender: refers tothe cultural and social meanings, experiences, and characteristics that are defined as appropriate for females and males i.e. boys can’t wear skirts, boys should not cry, girls are good at cooking, or women don’t play basketball as well as men

Gender Theory • Because gender is a SOCIAL construction it is fluid or always changing Then….

Gender Theory • Because gender is a SOCIAL construction it is fluid or always changing Now…

Sex & Gender • Sex is a biological creation • Gender is a social creation • Sociologists argue that gender is “socially constructed” or created • In other words men and women learnmany masculine and feminine behaviors though socialization

Social Construction of Gender • Why do sociologists argue that gender is socially constructed? 1) Expectations of each gender vary from society to another Example: In Pakistan it is common for male friends to hold hands but this is not common among American men. 2) Gender behaviors vary within one culture at different points in time Example: Men’s fashions in 17th century America were much more “feminine” compared to men’s fashions today.

Social Construction of Gender • Why do sociologists argue that gender is socially constructed? • 3) The meanings of masculinity and femininity change over the course of a person’s life. Example: The meaning of femininity changes as women age – compare pre-pubescent girls to women who are of childbearing age or who are postmenopausal • 4) Meaning of gender varies among different groups within a particular culture at a given point in time. Example: Gender behaviors may be structured by class, race, ethnicity, age, region of the country etc.

Sociological Perspectives on Gender • How are gender roles acquired & how is gender constructed? • Gender role approach focuses on the how parents, and other social institutions transmit gendered expectations about appropriate behavior through socialization • Socializationis the process by which individuals acquire society’s norms and values • Socialization is a life long process

Sociological Perspectives on Gender • West and Zimmerman ‘Doing Gender’ • Argue that we need to be continually “resocialized” into gender roles or reminded how to act like a man or act like a woman • Gender is produced through interaction • For example: in families – doing housework is “doing gender” • Men and women reinforce gender roles by doing gender appropriate household work EVERY DAY!

Sociological Perspectives on Gender • West and Zimmerman ‘Doing Gender’ • They argue that gender is a “routine accomplishment” embedded in every day interaction • In other words, we are continually acting out being a man or being a woman in social situations • Gender emerges from an interaction or a social situation

Sociological Perspectives on Gender • West and Zimmerman ‘Doing Gender’ • Can you think of an example when you were doing gender: • I was doing gender when:

Doing Gender in Families http://www.citynews.ca/news/news_21434.aspx

Doing Gender?

Paid Work, Gender & Families • After rising for several decades, the labor force participation rate for women has shown little growth in recent years • The participation rate for adult men has drifted down over time. • Mothers with older children have highest labor force participation rate • WHY? • Children are expensive!!

The latest figures on unemployment 2008 • According to the most recent figures: the unemployment rate: for men: 27% up from 20% in 1970 for women 40.5% decreased from 57% in 1970 Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Employment and earnings online January Retreived from http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/cats/labor_force_employment_earnings/labor_force_status.html, September 24, 2010

Male dominance in governmenthas declined only recently • Before 1992, there had never been more than 2 women among our 100 U.S. senators. • As of 2007, • 16 women in the Senate • (out of 100) • 71 women in House of Representatives • (out of 435) • http://womenincongress.house.gov/profiles/index.html • The former Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, was the only woman to hold that job (now replaced by a man) • Only 16 percent of the U.S. Congress are women Source: History News Networkhttp://hnn.us/roundup/entries/33847.html

Male dominance in governmenthas declined only recently • A recent set of polls conducted BEFORE the last presidential election found: • 67 - 71 percent believe the U.S. is ready to elect a woman president • Over 74 percent believe the U.S, is ready to elect an African/American/black candidate • Source: http://www.pollingreport.com/politics.htm://www.cawp.rutgers.edu/Facts/Elections/pres08_polls/Gallup_6in10.pdf

Sociological Perspectives on Gender • Another prominent ways that patriarchy or male dominance is reinforced is through linguistic sexism. • Examples: • Men are referred to as Mr. • This title reveals nothing about a man’s relationship to a women • Women are referred to as Miss and Mrs. (and Ms.) which define women in terms of their relationship with a man • Women still continue to be subsumed under their husbands names for example, Mrs. John Smith

Sociological Perspectives on Gender • Taking your husbands name …. • Some argue – it is just easier if couple and children have the same name – • Others argue - isn’t changing your name on all legal documents confusing and time consuming? • And why is it almost always women who change their names to their husbands’ name? • This is a holdover from older patriarchal customs

Summary • Summary • Acting in gender appropriate ways reinforces gender differences • Sociologists argue that gender is socially constructed through economic and social constraints on women’s behavior and their ability to achieve equality with men

Summary • Summary • Gender is continuously constructed through everyday interaction – “doing gender” • Men’s power is embedded in the social structure • Gender and families are intertwined • Families are a social institution in which gender is socially constructed

Gender and Families