Sex vs Gender Sociology of Gender Final Study Guide Sex Biological categorization based on internal external sex organs chromosomes or hormones Gender Social traits and behaviors that are expected to be on display depending on biological sex Gender Identity One s internal sense of being How individuals perceive themselves what they call themselves 3 Aspects of Gender Gender Expression The way individuals present themselves publically in gendered terms Usually expressed through masculine or feminine clothing voice language Gender Role The set of roles activities expectations behaviors assigned to females and males by society Interplanetary Theory of Gender Multiple Masculinities Multiple Femininities Gender Inequality Male Privilege Belief that men women are innately different Need to problematize the normal Scholars argue that there s actually much more diversity among men women than btw men women Gender influenced by factors such as Race class sexuality age etc Gender varies across cultures historical periods social contexts etc Masculinities can be adopted by females femininities can be enacted by males Gender is not only a classification but an expression of universal inequality between males and females Gender does not only entail difference but also power hierarchy and inequality domination Male Privilege Idea that men have unearned social economic and political advantages solely on the basis of their sex which are usually denied to women Biological Theoretical Perspective Argues that gender difference AND gender inequality are rooted in biology Evolutionary Theory Rape counterargument Perspective is based on three main areas of research Evolutionary Theory Brain development Sex Hormones All differences in humans derive from biological development as a result of evolutionary science The resulting differences are natural cause the varied social political arguments we see today Theory requires that all members in society desire to pass on their genes Humans have diff reproductive strategies to guarantee that genes are passed on Phenomenon that became a feasible strategy for achieving copulation Often motivated by rage violence rather than sex Rape victims are often outside reproductive age or hurt their rape victims Rape often occurs among same sex partners Biologists have attempted to find differences between male female brains to account for gender differences Comtemp brain research on gender generally focuses on Diff in the tissue that connects the hemisphere Ways in which males females use different parts of their brains for same functions Brain Research Diff btw right left hemisphere Sex Hormones Differing types levels of sex hormones arguably cause significant disparities btw men women Sex hormones attributed to characteristics such as aggression violence competiveness etc Theory is attractive for variety of reasons Biological explanations often appear to be based on true science objective scientific facts Biological Essentialism Biological arguments tells us what is is what should be Biological explanations reassure us that existing gendering inequalities are not our fault they cannot be changed Anthropological Criqites of Biological Perspective It ignores cultural variations in gender applies western notions of difference to other cultures Anthropologists claim there is no universal femininity or universal masculinity Universal Observations Goals Mead Theories of Gender Difference Functionalism Virtually all societies exhibit some degree of difference btw men women Virtually all societies exhibit some degree of gender inequality male domination 1 Understand universal link btw gender difference gender inequality 2 Investigate cultural variations in gender definitions roles characteristics rituals etc Studied variety of things from adolescence to gender development Mead observed enormous cultural variations in definitions of masculinity femininity Attempted to challenge claims of biological inevitability of gender defense Didn t explain gender difference Each element in society has a specific function in order to ensure stability survival At some point most societies develop a need for hunters gatherers Males Hunters Females Gatherers Gendered division of labor necessary for preservation of society Anthropologists argues that the gendered division of labor is culturally specific not biologically inevitable It s argues that cultural specific gender diff is functional for the society in which it exists Marxism Private Property Materialism Economy is most important force in society As societies adopt capitalism replace feudalism culture changes drastically Develop of capitalism causes the develp of private property which established clear lines of inheritance Which led to develop of nuclear family sexual control of women by men Warfare in Primitive Societies Gender difference domination tied to role of warfare in primitive societies Women excluded from warfare offered as reqrds for successful warriors Gender differentiation female subordination a result of men controlling resources need for social preservation Male domination is lower when men women work together there is less gendered division of labor Male domination is more pronounced when men control political ideological resources private property Male dominance increases under capitalism industrialization Harsh encir tend to increase male domination Cross Cultural Findings Gender Rituals Researchers have found that rituals often play an imp role in establishing reaffirming gender Rituals provide a place for citizens to discuss internalize meanings of gender Gendered rituals often occur at birth to present the child to society as a gendered subject or at puberty to serve as a right of passage into gendered adulthood Female Circumcision FGM involves surgically removing all or part of a female s external genitalia for non medical purposes Rituals to Establish Gender It discourages women s sexuality prevent sexual pleasure encourage purity modesty establish femininity differentiate btw genders The Sambia Believe that females are born with complete femininity while men must undergo gender rituals Pre adolescent boys must perform oral sex on older men to receive sem in order to develop masculine traits Gender differences are the result of diff experiences from infancy onward Gender develop heavily impacted by family treatment Biological sex propels specific experiences that determine gender identity Gender is an