...What is gender? There really is no concise or definitive definition for it, since it will differ from person to person depending on who you ask. The dictionary and medical definition states it as being male or female. The sociology textbook definition refers to it as the physical, behavioral, and personality traits that a group considers to be normal, natural, right and good for its male and female members. Regardless of what view you take gender as, it ultimately leads to relations in the male and female category. One major subject of gender is gender roles, which basically means how males and females should speak, think, dress and act within the context of society and can be linked to gender stereotyping (also a topic of discussion). It is apparent in most if not all cultures, but the “role” itself varies from one culture to another. A major gateway for this is through the media. In the United States, children’s cartoons are a prime example. Of the plethora of cartoons available for discussion, four highly popular ones, current and old, will take priority: Dora the Explorer, Spongebob Squarepants, Rugrats, and the Scooby Doo series. First to be discussed is the extremely popular, Dora the Explorer. The show can be considered a global phenomenon being dubbed in over twenty different languages, so it has a large fan base amongst the varying cultures around the world. Now, on to the topic of gender in regards to the show, the show itself is not necessarily targeted solely towards...
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...Sociology of Gender Gender is defined as the social distinctions between masculinity and femininity. People often use the terms gender and sex interchangeably. The former is defined above, whereas the latter is defined as a determination of male or female on the basis of a set of socially agreed-upon biological criteria. Music Videos such as Stupid Girls and If I Were A Boy by singers Pink and Beyonce respectively demonstrate clearly the assumptions or categorizations we evoke simply by using the terms girl or boy. Although the topic of gender in sociology is vast, this paper focuses on how gender is reproduced and how the gendered body is displayed in society. There are three ways in which gender is reproduced in society. It is reproduced through the family, education and the media. From birth begins gendered expectations. According to the social norm, the color pink is mainly associated as a feminine color and the color blue masculine. Family and friends who go to see the birth of a baby girl fill the hospital room with pink balloons, teddy bears with pink ribbons and if a boy was born the room would be filled with presents which are blue in color. Growing up, girls receive presents such dollhouses and kitchen sets which reinforce their femininity. Parents raise their boys and girls differently. Even though research shows that boys at an early age (around 2 years) are just as interested in playing with the same toys girls play...
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...Gender roles is defined as “…attitudes and activities that a society links to each sex” (Macionis 2017, p. 277). An example of this concept would be that women are supposed to be seen as nice and polite while in men you can expect them to be strong and aggressive. As I observed my family, I saw few examples of gender roles being played out between them. For one, my dad shows how men are independent. He is the one in charge of the house. He takes care of paying the bills. Which makes my mom. Sister and I dependent on him. Obliviously, we can do those things he does but that is just how it is in my household. The socialization of gender roles starts off during infancy, birth parents begin to socialize their children as boys or girls. My mom...
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...How Gender Inequality Is Explained Sociology How has gender inequality been explained? (Answer with reference to a range of theories and approaches) Critically assess the attempt of one of the feminist group to overcome gender inequality. Social stratification “A system by which a society ranks categories of people in a hierarchy’ (Macionis and Plummer: 2005: 190). Social stratification is common in different aspects throughout society and throughout history some of the most substantial categories affected are class, race, disabilities, sexuality and globally. However this essay shall be investigating the stratification by gender, referred to as gender inequality. There are many reasons for the disparity of gender “...circumscribed by its underlying social, legal, political, economic, and cultural characteristics” (Rives and Yousefi 1997:1). Gender stratification categories people in regard to their ‘sex’, this can be defined as anatomical differences and physiological differences between male and female for example the difference in chromosomes, sex organs and hormones. The word ‘gender’ has been socially constructed through the means of a stereotype and ideology of the social role, identity, position and behaviour of male and feminine through different institutions and aspects like the media, religion, culturally and historically. Up until the era of Suffragettes in the late 19th Century women were always deemed lower than men and inequality was highly significant...
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...Gender Identity Paper Brandie Thurman PSY/340 May 25, 2013 Dr. Stephanie Sencil-White There are many biological, psychological, and sociological factors involved in the formation of gender identity. Gender identity is not completely understood as it is much more complex than the joining of a sperm and an egg. For many people, the terms “gender” and “sex” are interchangeable. Biological sex and gender are different; gender is not inherently connected to one’s physical anatomy as biological sex is. When one thinks’ of the term “gender”, we are referring to the role and personalities one assumes within society, for example in American culture females tend to be perceived as more nurturing and males are aggressive and dominant. Hormones and behavior affect gender identity in significant ways each with a distinct purpose. To understand the difference of biological sex and gender, nature versus nurture, and how the environment has an effect this paper will review and explain the interactions between hormones and behaviors and how those interactions affect the determination of gender identity. Gender development starts at the point one is conceived. Gender identity is defined as an individual’s self conception of being either male or female, as distinguished from actual biological sex (Britannica, 2013). Gender differences exist in nearly every social phenomena and for most persons, gender identity and biological characteristics are the same however there are some circumstances...
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...Gender Inequality in Workplace In Partial Fulfillment of the Subject Gender and Development The Philippine Women’s University Submitted by: GINEZ, ZEL A. Table of Contents Title Page 1.1 Table of Contents 1.2 Introduction 1.3 Research Questions 1.4 Related Literature and Studies 1.5 Conclusion 1.6 Recommendation 1.7 References 1.8 Introduction The researcher thought about something on how to have a new knowledge about on what’s happening in a work place if it has a gender inequality. Then the researcher conducted a research and found a lot of unfair treatment happens when a workplace has a gender inequality. This is to determine the significance of having a gender inequality in the work place. It can be also a way to open the minds of the others about having a gender inequality in the work place. Some of the other people really don’t have any idea about gender inequality towards the work place. Sometimes the other people just have a knowledge only when they see or hear it on the news. This research might help the other students or individuals to be more knowledgeable about this topic. It might help the other people who is facing the same problem on their workplaces. Though you’re just a student maybe someday it can make a very big difference towards it. Questions 1. Does the other student know about gender inequality towards in a work place? 2. Does the other people really...
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...learn about anything and everything. I think this sociology class is one of the most important classes I’ve taken so far. Yes, science, math, history and everything is really important but I believe sociology is thus far the most important and practical class I’ve taken. I won’t be using calculus or need to know which bone articulates with what bone unless I’m working in one of those fields. But with sociology, I learn more about the human race, and how it functions and the differences between things such as race and ethnicity and gender and sex. Differences that I never even knew existed. For all I knew, race and ethnicity were the same exact things, but different terminology. The first day I walked into sociology, I went in not knowing what sociology even meant. But now that the semester is over I feel like I’ve learned so much in this class with information that actually matters. Sociology is defined as the scientific study of society and human behavior. The sociological perspective states that people’s social experiences underlie their behavior. Social experiences include the cultural or religious group they belong to and how their experiences within these groups. That is what sociology is; it can vary person to person. One of the chapters that greatly awakened me would be the chapter for sex and gender and the movie we watched for it called Middle Sex. Sex refers to biological distinctions between males and females. Gender, in contrast, is what a society considers proper...
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...Social Issues-Part 1 Elizabeth Putman Professor Beshah, PH D Sociology 101 January 24, 2012 How society defines sexuality. People commonly think of sex as sexual activities. Sexuality means much more this. Human sexuality comprises a broad range of behaviors and processes, including those of the physiological, psychological, social, cultural, political, philosophical, ethical, moral, theological, legal and spiritual or religious aspects. Sexuality includes: * Values regarding relationships, dating, marriage, sexual ethnics, sexual culture. * Psychology in relation to gender, sexual role * Physical factors such as sexual characteristics, sexual drive, sexual intercourse, sexual activities. * Sexual orientation, that is heterosexual, homosexual, or bisexual. Describe the social category (ies) that may be affected by the social issue. A child’s sex is determined at the time of conception. Unfortunately, at the time of birth your gender will guide your life. From ancient Roman days, women have been known as the weaker and more inferior sex. If you were born a woman, you were a creature of inequality. Women have suffered through history fighting for their rights. In 1848, Elizabeth Cady Stanton drafted the first women’s rights movement, “The Declaration of Sentiments.” In this document she demanded equality with men before the law, in education and employment. Here, too, was the first pronouncement demanding that women be given the right to...
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...Media Role Research Paper October 13, 2014 Rosamar Mallari Professor: Deanna Shelby SOC 101: Introduction to Sociology Moraine Valley Community College – Blue Island Learning Center Media Role Research Paper The inequality between men and women is not limited to past civilizations or to certain cultures; however, is constantly present in modern society. Moreover, the biological components with which individuals are born will not only work as their master status within society, but it will also dictated the socially acceptable behavior for the individuals within that civilization (Helsin, 2009, p. 294). Additionally, in modern society the media can also reinforce the gender stratification barrier or break it. Therefore, to have a better understanding of the media effect in gender stratification an episode of the television sitcom “Last Man Standing” will be analyze in the following paragraphs. Episode Background “Last Man Standing” is a comedy show in which the father of three girls offers his perspective regarding day-to-day situations that families are dealing with, in today’s society. In the episode “Here’s the Kicker” the family has to deal with the decision of the youngest female member of joining the men varsity football team (Shipley & Pasquin, 2014). Gender Stratification in Today’s Media According to Helsin (2009), “It is not the work that provides prestige, but the sex with which the work is associated” (p. 303); therefore, as Linton and Rosaldo noted...
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...Exploration of a Journal Article in Sociology Sociology 100 July 15, 2012 The following article written by Darren Dixon; “I can’t put a smiley face on”: Working-Class Masculinity, Emotional Labour and Service Work in the “New Economy” explore how low-skilled men are declining to work in the service sector when evidently it is a field that it is experience a substantial growth. This situation has little to no existent research at the time the author conducted the research, the author himself mentioned that “yet little research has explored exactly what it is about service work that is leading such men to drop out the labour market during periods of sustained service sector employment growth.” (Dixon. D. (2009) I can’t put a smiley face on: Working-Class Masculinity, Emotional Labour and Service Work in the “New Economy” Gender, Work and Organization. Vol. 16 No. 3). The research was based on interviews with 35 unemployed low skilled me. Based on the research we can learn that low skilled males in Britain have a tendency to not succeed within a field that primarily dominated by females mainly because it interferes with what it is consider being a socially accepted behavior for a male. The author refer to a table based on data obtain from OECD between 1984 and 1998. Society has an idea of what could be a job acceptable for either a woman or a man. Although nowadays females has been able to overcome some obstacles when it comes it to their capabilities to perform a job...
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...identify by gender lies a whole world of complications. Transgender people get harassed and bullied everyday because they use the "wrong" bathroom but which bathroom is exactly the "right" one? In a recent poll, 59 percent of Americans believe that transgender individuals should use the bathroom that corresponds with the gender they were assigned at birth, while 26 percent are comfortable with self-determination when it comes to choosing which bathroom to use. Some people believe that if you are born a girl but identity as a man, you should still use the room based on your genitalia. Others believe if you identify as a man, you should use the men's room. Either way, someone in either bathroom is upset. Stereotypes from the past as well as what genitals people are born with are major contributors to the labeling of bathrooms. This presents a problem in today’s society where gender and sex is no longer the same thing. This is where the controversy lies. Until not too long ago, the racial separation of bathrooms was an important civil rights issue in the United States. Since there were unlikely to be four separate bathrooms, only white women and men could depend on having someplace to pee when traveling (Cooper and Ruth, 1999, Pages 12-13). People of other races had no where to use a restroom and were seen as wrong if they were to ever use a whites only bathroom. Twenty years ago, the gendering of bathrooms became a contentious feminist issue. It was part of the fight for gender equality...
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...and are more resistant to many diseases” ("Women's History in America", 1995). In 1969, women made up only about one-third of the workforce. Like it should have always been, now more and more women have taken on new responsibilities outside of home by joining the paid workforce and they make up almost half of all workers in the United States ("The State of Women In America", 2014). However, although women have made big advances in every field, they still endure discrimination. If both male and female work full time jobs, census reports show that to this day women still make 77¢ to a male’s dollar. With the obvious inequality of income between males and females, women are dominating poverty with 16.3% compared to the male’s 13.6% ("Economic Gender Discrimination Alive and Well In 2013", 2008-2014). When companies need to lay employees off, the ladies are the first to go. Clearly there...
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...James M. Callow Exploration of a Journal Article in Sociology November 10/2013 Professor Lloyd SOC100 The following article written by Darren Dixon; “I can’t put a smiley face on”: Working-Class Masculinity, Emotional Labor and Service Work in the “New Economy” explore how low-skilled men are declining to work in the service sector when evidently it is a field that it is experience a substantial growth. This situation has little to no existent research at the time the author conducted the research, the author himself mentioned that “yet little research has explored exactly what it is about service work that is leading such men to drop out the labor market during periods of sustained service sector employment growth.” (Dixon. D. (2009) I can’t put a smiley face on: Working-Class Masculinity, Emotional Labour and Service Work in the “New Economy” Gender, Work and Organization. Vol. 16 No. 3). The research was based on interviews with 35 unemployed low skilled men. Based on the research we can learn that low skilled males in Britain have a tendency to not succeed within a field that primarily dominated by females mainly because it interferes with what it is consider being a socially accepted behavior for a male. The author refer to a table based on data obtain from OECD between 1984 and 1998. Society has an idea of what could be a job acceptable for either a woman or a man. Although nowadays females has been able to overcome some obstacles when it comes it...
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...According to World Bank, 60% (2014) of the high school teachers are females (Data.worldbank.org, 2016). Teaching is considered as a profession for females especially for kindergarten and high school teachers (almost 3/4 teachers are females) (Rich, 2014). On an average, Jobs controlled by women pay less compared to those with more men. Philip N. Cohen, a sociologist at the University of Maryland said that “We’re not past having a cultural devaluation of women’s work, So that if a job is done primarily by women, people tend to believe it has less value” (Rich, 2014). Professor of sociology, named Richard M. Ingersoll at the University of Pennsylvania examined data on education department on the demographics of teaching and he said “It will be less and less in their (males) head that this (teaching) is an occupation for males” (Rich, 2014). Christine L. Williams, a professor of sociology at the University of Texas, who studied the glass escalator, said that women are not very keen on having males entering teaching profession as they get promoted more rapidly into senior administrative positions than females (Rich, 2014). Teachers working in public schools in U.A.E., have two categories, Emiratis and expatriates. There is a surplus in Emirati women teachers in government schools. But there are restrictions by the government which forbids women to teach boys from 10th grade and which is why more Emirati male teachers are demanded but there are very few who are willing to do the...
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...our society. Explaining many different theories as too why our sociological mindset seems to be primitive when trying to justify the ideology that sexuality needs to be oppressed for females, when in contrast it is glorified for males. Theories also suggest that our brains are psychologically “wired” for male dominance, such as when observing our closes lineage on the dendrogram, chimpanzees and exploring their interactions based on gender and sexuality. While other theories suggest that it’s possible females physiologically aren’t made for as much sex as men are and that stimulates are needed to bring things to equilibrium, such as new clinical trial pills that will be the Viagra synonymous for women. Each perspective is thoroughly covered in this paper as all sides of the spectrum are hit to understand why such cultural stigma has been placed upon female sexuality, leading to the ultimate question; Will our primitive mindsets continue to be the oppressing weights females bare in society? Keywords: Sexuality, psychological, physiological, sociology Since the beginning of time woman have been viewed as the keepers of monogamy, vested with the responsibility of limited sexual desires and actions. Female sexuality had not even been referenced in the medical field as apart of the female psyche. In fact, in the Victorian Era there was the belief that hysteria would cause “wondering wombs” and in order to keep healthy females needed to be massaged until reaching “hysterical paroxysm”...
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