HOW PERCEPTIONS OF BEAUTY AND OTHER ELEMENTS OF SOCIAL LIFE CAN COMBINE TO FORM AN ASCRIBED STATUS...

HOW PERCEPTIONS OF BEAUTY AND OTHER

ELEMENTS OF SOCIAL LIFE CAN COMBINE TO FORM AN ASCRIBED STATUS WHICH

LIMITS MOBILITY

• MATRIARCHY– SOCIAL DOMINANCE BY WOMEN

• SEXISM– BELIEF THAT ONE SEX OR THE OTHER IS INNATELY

INFERIOR OR SUPERIOR

– UNTOLD LOSSES WHEN CONSIDERING HOW MUCH TALENT HAS BEEN LOCKED OUT

• INEVITABILITY OF PATRIARCHY– IS BIOLOGY DESTINY? SHOULD WOMEN RULE?

– MARGARET MEAD’S RESEARCH

“THE RULE OF FATHERS”A FORM OF SOCIAL ORGANIZATION IN

WHICH MALES DOMINATE FEMALES

THE SOCIALIZATION PROCESS AND GENDER

WHAT IS FEMININE AND MASCULINE?HOW DO WE ACQUIRE SUCH DISTINCTIONS?

SOCIALIZATION AND GENDER

The Israeli Kibbutz

A small community where all work is theoretically shared equally

Margaret Mead

Gender conceptions vary in New Guinea; Arapesh, Mundugumor

and the Tchambuli.

George Murdock

General role assignment when studying 200 pre-industrial

societies, but much variety beyond this.

THE SOCIALIZATION PROCESS AND GENDER

WHAT IS FEMININE AND MASCULINE?Talcott Parsons page 347

Complemetary set of roles:

Men are socialized for the labor force, to be rational, self-assured, and competitive. Instrumental qualities

Women are socialized for child rearing and raising the family, stressing emotional responsiveness and sensitivity to others. Expressive qualities

IT STARTS IN THE FAMILY

• SELECTIVE ABORTION– SOCIAL VALUE AND DEATH

• IS IT A BOY OR GIRL?– COLOR-CODING GENDER

• HANDLING OF CHILDREN– BE A GOOD “LITTLE MAN”

• IT’S OK TO BE A TOM-BOY– WHY WOULDN’T A GIRL

WANT TO BE A BOY?

– BUT, WHAT IF A BOY ACTS TOO MUCH LIKE A GIRL?

• PEER GROUPS USE NORMATIVE CONCEPTIONS OF GENDER– PRESSURES TO TAKE PART IN BEHAVIORS THAT

ARE NORMATIVE TO AGE AND GENDER

• PLAYING GAMES– BOYS AND “VICTORY” TEAM SPORTS

• TEACHES COMPETITION, RULES, WINNING

– GIRLS AND “COOPERATIVE” GAMING• GAMES TEACH INTERPERSONAL SKILLS AND THE VALUE

OF SHARING AND COOPERATION

THE MEDIATHE MEDIATHE MEDIATHE MEDIA• WHITE MALES HAVE

CENTER STAGE• MINORITIES OF ALL

KINDS MINIMIZED Still?

• WOMEN RECEIVE ROLES BASED ON SEX APPEAL

• THE “BEAUTY MYTH”– EATING DISORDERS

– EMOTIONAL STRESS

– IDEAL IMAGING

• ALMOST 60% OF ALL WOMEN WORK OUTSIDE OF THE HOME

• ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT AND SERVICE SECTOR JOBS MAKE UP THE TYPE OF WORK DONE BY ONE-HALF OF ALL WORKING WOMEN

• MANY WOMEN RETURN HOME FROM WORK TO BEGIN THEIR “SECOND SHIFT”

• ON AVERAGE, WOMEN EARN 71 CENTS FOR EVERY DOLLAR EARNED BY MEN (1992)– LARGELY DUE TO TYPE OF WORK DONE

• CORPORATE WOMEN AND THE GLASS CEILING

• RECENTLY, 20% OF RICHEST AMERICANS IDENTIFIED BY FORBES WERE WOMEN

Gender and Violence

• Forcible rape - each year, 2-3 of every 1000 females over age 12 are raped in the U.S.

• Violence in the Home- women are the typical victims of family violence.

• Women in the Criminal Justice System - women are much less likely to kill, but when they do, judges are much more likely to give lenient sentences.

• GIVEN THE ECONOMIC REALITIES, WOMEN CERTAINLY CAN QUALIFY

• AT ALL LEVELS IN THE CLASS SYSTEM, WOMEN HAVE:– LESS INCOME– LESS WEALTH– LESS EDUCATION, AND – LESS POWER THAN MEN

• PATRIARCHY PROVIDES WOMEN WITH A DIMINISHED SOCIAL STANDING

• Intersection theory- page 342

IN WHAT WAYSMIGHT AMERICAN TRADITIONS

CLOAK WOMEN IN A SHROUD OF LIMITATIONS?

FEMINISM IN AMERICAITS MOST BASIC PRINCIPLES

• IMPORTANCE OF CHANGE– IT IS CRITICAL

• EXPANSION OF HUMAN CHOICE– NO RESTRICTIONS ON POTENTIAL

• NO GENDER STRATIFICATION– EQUALITY UNDER THE LAW

• ENDING SEXUAL VIOLENCE– DISTORTS RELATIONSHIPS

• SEXUAL AUTONOMY– CONTROL OVER REPRODUCTION

• LIBERAL FEMINISM– HUMANITARIAN-LIKE THINKING

• SOCIALIST FEMINISM– BELIEF IN SOCIALIST REVOLUTION

• RADICAL FEMINISM– ELIMINATE IDEA OF GENDER

– EGALITARIAN, GENDER-FREE REVOLUTION

• OPPOSITION TO FEMINISM– MOST IS DIRECTED TOWARD SOCIALIST

AND RADICAL FEMINIST GROUPS

– GENERALLY, MEN DO NOT WANT TO GIVE UP THEIR STATUS. WHO REALLY WOULD?

Figure 13.1 Men’s and Women’s Athletic Performance

Applying Theory Gender