Gender Stratification
Sociology, 12th Edition by John Macionis
Gender and Inequality
GenderPersonal traits and social
positions that members of a society
attach to being female and male
Gender stratificationUnequal
distribution of wealth, power, and
privilege between men and women
Male-female biological differences
Sociology, 12th Edition by John Macionis
Gender in a Global
Perspective
Israeli kibbutzim
Gender equality is a stated goal.
Margaret Meads research
Culture is key to gender differences.
George Murdocks research
Some global agreement about feminine and
masculine tasks.
Gender and culture
What it means to be male or female is mostly
a creation of society.
Sociology, 12th Edition by John Macionis
Figure 13.1
Mens and Womens Athletic Performance
Sociology, 12th Edition by John Macionis
Patriarchy and Sexism
A form of social organization in which males dominate
females
MatriarchyA form of social organization in
which females dominate males
SexismBelief that one sex or the other is
innately inferior or superior
Institutional sexism
Found throughout the economy
The costs of sexism
Sexism limits half of the human population.
Inevitability of patriarchy
Most sociologists believe gender is socially
constructed and can be changed.
Sociology, 12th Edition by John Macionis
Global Map 13.1
Womens Power in Global Perspective
Sociology, 12th Edition by John Macionis
Gender and Socialization
Gender roles (sex roles)Attitudes and
activities that a society links to each sex
Gender affects how we think of
ourselves and teaches us how to
behave.
Research suggests that most young
people develop personalities that are a
mix of feminine and masculine traits.
Sociology, 12th Edition by John Macionis
Gender and the Family
Is it a boy or girl?
Color-coding gender
Traditional notions of gender identity
Handling of children
Female: passivity and emotion
Male: independence and action
Sociology, 12th Edition by John Macionis
Gender and Peer Groups
Janet Lever (1978)
Boys favor team sports with complex rules and
clear objectives.
Girls sports teach interpersonal skills and the
value of sharing and cooperation.
Gilligan (1982)
Boys reason according to abstract principles.
Girls consider morality a matter of responsibility
to others.
Schooling
Gender shapes interests and beliefs, guides areas
of study, and career choices.
Sociology, 12th Edition by John Macionis
Gender and the Mass
Media
White males have center stage.
Minorities locked out until the early
1970s.
Women receive roles based on sex
appeal.
The beauty myth
Sociology, 12th Edition by John Macionis
Social Stratification
59% of all women work.
Women hold primary responsibility for
household duties.
Our culture gives more responsibility for
parenting to women.
On average, women earn 77 cents for every
dollar earned by men.
Some work defined as mens work
Sociology, 12th Edition by John Macionis
Table 13.1
Jobs with the Highest Concentrations of Women, 2006
Sociology, 12th Edition by John Macionis
Figure 13.2
Housework: Who Does How Much?
Sociology, 12th Edition by John Macionis
Table 13.2a
Significant Firsts for Women in US Politics (continued on next two slides)
Sociology, 12th Edition by John Macionis
Table 13.2b (cont.)
Sociology, 12th Edition by John Macionis
Table 13.2c (cont.)
Sociology, 12th Edition by John Macionis
Education, Politics,
and Military
Gender and education
60% of all associate and bachelor degrees are
earned by women. Since 1992, women earned
most postgraduate degrees.
Politics
Nineteenth Amendment (1920)
Women active in local, state politics
Military
15% of US military personnel are women and 15%
of all deployed forces.
Culture influences our views of women in the
military.
Sociology, 12th Edition by John Macionis
National Map 13.1
Women in State Government across the United States
Sociology, 12th Edition by John Macionis
Are Women a Minority?
At every class level, women have less
income, wealth, education, and power
than men.
Intersection theoryThe interplay of
race, class, and gender, often resulting
in multiple dimensions of disadvantage.
Disadvantages linked to gender and race
often combine to produce especially low
social standing.
Multilayered system of disadvantage for
some and privilege for others
Sociology, 12th Edition by John Macionis
Violence Against Women
In the 19th century, men claimed the right
to physically discipline their wives.
Sexual assaults, rapes, attempted rapes,
and physical assaults
Campus and university gender violence
Much gender-linked violence occurs in the
home.
Female genital mutilation
Sociology, 12th Edition by John Macionis
Global Map 13.2
Female Genital Mutilation in Global Perspective
Sociology, 12th Edition by John Macionis
Violence Against Men
Our society might encourage more
violence against men than women.
Our culture tends to define
masculinity in terms of aggression and
violence.
Mens lives involve more stress and
isolation than womens lives.
Sociology, 12th Edition by John Macionis
Sexual Harassment
Comments, gestures, or physical contact of a sexual
nature that are deliberate, repeated, and
unwelcome.
Rules for workplace interaction
Causes of sexual harassment
Culture encourages men to be sexually
assertive and perceive women in sexual terms.
Men occupy most positions of power.
By the effect standard, a hostile environment
involves different perceptions of the same
behavior.
Sociology, 12th Edition by John Macionis
Pornography
People take different views of what is and
isnt pornographic.
Concerns about pornography as a moral
issue
The gender-stratification point of view
considers pornography a power issue.
Concern that pornography promotes
violence against women by portraying
them as weak and undeserving of respect
Sociology, 12th Edition by John Macionis
Applying Theory
Gender
Sociology, 12th Edition by John Macionis
Theoretical Analysis of Gender
Structural-functional analysis
Parsons: Gender forms a complementary set of
roles that links men and women into family
units and gives each sex responsibility for
important tasks.
Modern societies relax traditional gender roles
as they become more meritocratic because
rigid roles waste human talent.
Social-conflict analysis
Gender involves differences in behavior and
power.
Engels: Capitalism strengthens male
domination.
Sociology, 12th Edition by John Macionis
Figure 13.3
Use of Contraception by Married
Women of Childbearing Age
Sociology, 12th Edition by John Macionis
Feminism
The advocacy of social equality for women and
men, in opposition to patriarchy and sexism
Working to increase
equality
Expansion of human choice
Eliminate gender
stratification
Ending sexual violence
Promotes sexual freedom
Sociology, 12th Edition by John Macionis
Types of Feminism
Liberal feminism
Free to develop own talents and interests
Socialist feminism
Pursues collective personal liberation
Radical feminism
Eliminate idea of gender
Egalitarian, gender-free revolution
Opposition to feminism
Threat to male status and self-respect
Growing evidence that men and women think
and act in different ways
Sociology, 12th Edition by John Macionis
Applying Theory
Feminism
Sociology, 12th Edition by John Macionis
Figure 13.4
Opposition to Feminism among First-Year College Students, 1970-2005
The share of college students expressing antifeminist views declined after 1970. Men are still more likely than women to hold such attitudes.
Source: Astin et al. (2002) and Pryor et al. (2005)
Sociology, 12th Edition by John Macionis