Chapter 2: Gender Chapter 2: Gender IdentityIdentity

Please Note:Please Note:

Please turn off cell phones, Please turn off cell phones, MP3 players and other MP3 players and other technology of which I’m technology of which I’m unaware.unaware.

These slides are meant These slides are meant to help students think to help students think about the material. They about the material. They are not meant to replace are not meant to replace reading the material or reading the material or taking notes. Using taking notes. Using these slides as your only these slides as your only means of garnering means of garnering information could harm information could harm your ability to your ability to understand the content understand the content of this class.of this class.

Sex/Gender SystemSex/Gender System

Organizing society in a way such that Organizing society in a way such that men and women are pressured to men and women are pressured to perceive themselves and act “opposites” perceive themselves and act “opposites” and in which men as a group have more and in which men as a group have more power than women as a group as a power than women as a group as a result.result.

Sex/Gender SystemSex/Gender System

1) If female/male were purely biological there 1) If female/male were purely biological there wouldn’t need such elaborate rituals and wouldn’t need such elaborate rituals and control mechanisms to ensure people stay control mechanisms to ensure people stay “appropriate.”“appropriate.”

2) Sex/Gender system is an organizing system 2) Sex/Gender system is an organizing system that is created through a complex interaction that is created through a complex interaction between biology and ritual, rules, expectations between biology and ritual, rules, expectations and action.and action.

Theories of Gender Theories of Gender IdentityIdentity

1) What do we mean by the term 1) What do we mean by the term identity?identity?

2) Most theories are simplistic. They 2) Most theories are simplistic. They focus on:focus on:

One cause.One cause. Are static over timeAre static over time Don’t allow for variation across cultures.Don’t allow for variation across cultures.

Biological Theory of Biological Theory of Gender IdentityGender Identity

1) Biological differences exist; as do 1) Biological differences exist; as do similarities. We tend to focus on the similarities. We tend to focus on the differences.differences. A) Hormonal differences and gender identityA) Hormonal differences and gender identity B) Brain lateralization theory and gender B) Brain lateralization theory and gender

identity theoryidentity theory

Biological Theory ContBiological Theory Cont

2) Problems -- 2) Problems --

It’s hard to show cause/effect (non-It’s hard to show cause/effect (non-spuriousness and temporal order). spuriousness and temporal order).

Often theories are reductionist and Often theories are reductionist and deterministic.deterministic.

Selective Perception affects what we observe.Selective Perception affects what we observe. Third Genders exist.Third Genders exist.

Gender and Social Gender and Social Institution and Gender Institution and Gender IdentityIdentity

1) Sex/Gender system, Sexuality, Race/Ethnicity are organizing 1) Sex/Gender system, Sexuality, Race/Ethnicity are organizing principles which dictate rules and expectations and teaches principles which dictate rules and expectations and teaches people what is appropriate.people what is appropriate.

Roles – prescribed expectations, duties and rights.Roles – prescribed expectations, duties and rights.

Gender is built into the rules of society. For examples, Monopoly. Gender is built into the rules of society. For examples, Monopoly. You have to have a winner/losers. With Gender, you can only You have to have a winner/losers. With Gender, you can only have two genders in our society. When there are more, we make have two genders in our society. When there are more, we make those “others” deviants” or “cheaters.”those “others” deviants” or “cheaters.”

Socialization Theory and Socialization Theory and Gender IdentityGender Identity

1) Peers, Parents, Teachers, Religious leaders teach 1) Peers, Parents, Teachers, Religious leaders teach us through sanctions and expectations what it means us through sanctions and expectations what it means to be male/female of various races/ethnicities, ages, to be male/female of various races/ethnicities, ages, classes.classes.

2) Tools of Socialization2) Tools of Socialization 1) Regulating Transgressions (punishments)1) Regulating Transgressions (punishments) 2) Hegemony – Cultural tools which convince people that there 2) Hegemony – Cultural tools which convince people that there

is not other way or organizing except the present way. Thus, is not other way or organizing except the present way. Thus, oppression is inevitable. oppression is inevitable.

Books, Movies, T.V shows. Parents “protect” their children.Books, Movies, T.V shows. Parents “protect” their children.

Socialization TheorySocialization Theory

3) Problems3) Problems

Theory sees people as passive.Theory sees people as passive.

Symbolic Interactionism Symbolic Interactionism and Gender Identityand Gender Identity

1) What we become emerges through our 1) What we become emerges through our relationship with others and interpreting the relationship with others and interpreting the symbols of society which help us interpret and symbols of society which help us interpret and act upon reality.act upon reality.

2) Tools of SI2) Tools of SIA) Taking the role of the other – Mead – A) Taking the role of the other – Mead –

seeing yourself through othersseeing yourself through othersB) Doing GenderB) Doing Gender

SI SI

1) Problems1) Problems

While sees people as active, does not take While sees people as active, does not take into account institutions and their affect on into account institutions and their affect on gender identity.gender identity.

Identification Theory and Identification Theory and Gender IdentityGender Identity

1) Chodorow– Psychoanalyst1) Chodorow– Psychoanalyst Mothering leads to attachment in girls and Mothering leads to attachment in girls and

individuation in boys. Unconscious individuation in boys. Unconscious process in which boys learn to devalue process in which boys learn to devalue connections and girls put premium on connections and girls put premium on them.them.

Tools: MotheringTools: Mothering

Identification TheoryIdentification Theory

Problems:Problems: Too much focus on familyToo much focus on family

Assumes family form is static and constantAssumes family form is static and constant

Cognitive Developmental Cognitive Developmental Theory and Gender IdentityTheory and Gender Identity

1) Stage theory that argues children interpret 1) Stage theory that argues children interpret information about gender as it relates to their information about gender as it relates to their cognitive stage.cognitive stage.

Tools: Schemas – cognitive stage affects Tools: Schemas – cognitive stage affects information and how it is interpretedinformation and how it is interpreted They learn gender is dichotomous and they must fit They learn gender is dichotomous and they must fit

in one category. Over time, they learn gender is in one category. Over time, they learn gender is NOT fluid.NOT fluid.

Cognitive Developmental Cognitive Developmental TheoryTheory

ProblemsProblems

They claim gender is fixed at a young They claim gender is fixed at a young age.age.

Ignore Institutions.Ignore Institutions.