Untitled Document

Sex versus Gender

Sex is typically used to refer to a person's biological maleness or femaleness. Gender designates psychological, social, and cultural aspects of maleness and femaleness (Kessler&McKenna, 1978).

Gender is completely socialized. From infancy we are taught the rules, roles, and relationships of the world we inherit. What we learn is appro-priate for each gender is known as our gender role.

Many people believe that the battle against sexual inequality began in the 1960's, and the so called sexual revolution of the 1970's. However, about 155 years ago a women's rights convention in Seneca Falls, New York created a Declaration of Independence for women. It clearly states that men have historically compelled women to obey their laws, monopolize all profitable occupations and destroy the self confidence of women. This was the first women's rights convention ever held in 1848.

Androgyny

One of the changes of gender roles is the concept of androgyny. It is not certain whether androgenous behavior has increased in recent years or that researchers have just now become more aware of it recently. Androgyny results when one has both masculine and feminine traits.

Sandra Bern believes that androgynous persons may be better adjusted socially than strongly sex-typed individuals because they are not constrained to gender roles. Androgynous teens appear to enjoy higher self-estemm and are percieved more likeable in school.

Androgynous people engage in various behaviors and seem to be free from the restrictions of gender.

Sexism refers to a system of beliefs that assert the inferiority of one sex and that justify sexual inequality. Sexism can be expressed overtly and subtly, through physical domination, condescending comments, sabotage, and exploitation. Historically, there have been many atrocities brought on women, such as footbinding and suttee.

Todays concerns seem to be more in line with social interaction, especially sexual harassment, rape, and spousal abuse.

The Second Shift

Women who work face a kind of gender inequality known as the second shift. After a long day of work, a woman also has to take on the daily household duties, such as cooking, cleaning, and caring for the children. Many men do help, however it is very rare that they do as much or more than the woman.

For you that like statistics, Cowen found that women spend 50 hours a week caring for children and the home, while men spend 10 hours a week. Another study showed the breakdown as women working 33 hours and men 18 hours on household chores and child care activities. Remember, we are talking about couples who both have full time jobs.

George Murdock

Globally, societies consistently define only a few activities as specifically feminine or masculine.

masculine: hunting and warfare feminine: cooking and child care

In all societies males are in charge of metal working and women are in charge of carrying water.

The Glass Ceiling

That invisible barrier that prevents women from gaining upper level positions in buisness. It is a curious question as to why this is. In class we will discuss this topic and bring up studies that show women earning better grades, better internships and still making less money.

The glass escalator on the other

hand is where men in a women's dominated profession are often quickly rising to the high level positions and top salaries. These professions include nursing, education, social work and library administration.