The Social Construction of Gendered Bodies

10/06/08

OUTLINE
Define sex and gender Are sex and gender inseparable? Are sex and gender socially-created? Social constructionism and symbolic interactionism Fieldwork assignment

SEX
categorization of people into male and female groups based on biological characteristics

SEX
categorization of people into male and female groups based on biological characteristics

GENDER
cultural or social interpretation of sex behavioral expectations associated with being a socially appropriate man or woman

SEX
XX (female) or XY (male) chromosomes eggs or sperm facial hair breasts penis vulva female, male

GENDER
masculine feminine man woman

 In our culture, gender is based on an assumption of sex

Recall our thought exercise

What was one way that you thought your life or your body would be different if you had been born another sex and grew to be another gender?

Why were you different?

new chromosomes, hormones, and genitals? something else?

Sociobiology
all gender is because of sex

Sociobiology
There is no denying the importance of culture, but culture is a superstructure that builds on a biological substratum. Culture grows out of biological evolution; it does not wipe the biological slate clean and start from scratch. (van den Berghe 1987:6)

Sociobiology
animals interact in order to survive and reproduce social behavior is selected for if it contributes to the inclusive fitness (reproductive success) of the animals that are interacting

Sociobiology: biology is destiny

Why do gender differences and inequalities exist?

Why gender differences exist

Females have only a few eggs Males have a lot of sperm

Sociobiology: gender differences

ultimate goal: maximize reproductive fitness females: maximum of 26 offspring males: hundreds of offspring

Leads to different reproductive strategies

Different reproductive strategies

Different reproductive strategies

women big biological investment in each offspring few offspring take care of their children attract and keep the best mate act passively men lower biological investment many offspring mate with as many females as possible act aggressively or sneakily

Resulting natural behaviors

marriage segregation of wives from other men adultery rape abuse of step-children occupational segregation

Critique
If gendered traits were dictated by sex, we wouldn't need to learn them

Critique
If gendered traits were dictated by sex, we wouldn't need to learn them we wouldnt need to punish people for deviating from them

Critique
If gendered traits were dictated by sex, we wouldn't need to learn them we wouldnt need to punish people for deviating from them gender wouldnt vary across cultures or historically

Sociological Perspective
social forces are key

Sociological perspective
social forces influence and constrain the lives, bodies, and behaviors of individuals were often unaware of these forces

Natural differences in bodies?

Are mens bodies naturally bigger and stronger? Are womens bodies naturally more flexible and graceful?

How could difference be created through social interactions?

this notion that male bodies are naturally physically superior to female bodies, coupled with the required performances of masculinity and femininity, combine to achieve a social differentiation between women and men that actually builds dichotomous bodies. Crawley et al. 2008:57

Reality may be different than you think

Social Construction
Sex and gender are created through social interaction

Social construction of sex

We ignore evidence that there are more than 2 sexes
(Fausto-Sterling 2000)

Social construction of sex

We ignore evidence that there are more than 2 sexes (Fausto-Sterling 2000) We use surgery to fix anyone born with ambiguous genitals

Social construction of sex

We ignore evidence that there are more than 2 sexes (Fausto-Sterling 2000) We use surgery to fix anyone born with ambiguous genitals We focus on differences between females and males rather the greater similarities among people

Social construction of gender

We choose not to see genders other than man and woman

Social construction of gender

We choose not to see genders other than man and woman Other cultures recognize more diversity

Social construction of gender

We choose not to see genders other than man and woman Other cultures recognize more diversity
Bugis in Sulawesi (Indonesia): 3 sexes and 5 genders
(Graham 2001)

Social construction of gender

We punish people who dont conform to conventional masculinity and femininity

Social construction of gender

Gender socialization erases the similarities and amplifies the differences

Social construction of gender

gender socialization erases the similarities and amplifies the differences gender socialization the process by which we learn what attitudes, behaviors, and appearances are appropriate for a person of our gender

Social construction of gender

Agents of socialization?

Martin Becoming a Gendered Body: Practices of Preschools

girls learn to pay attention to their bodies and appearance boys learn to be aggressive

Social construction of gender

Differences seem natural
Learning is subtle Learn at young age Because theyre young, we assume their behavior is natural.

Socialization and Social Controls

Why do we follow the rules?
External social controls Internal social controls

Socialization and Social Controls

Why do we follow the rules? External social controls rewards and punishments we receive from other people, institutions, and organizations to act, look, or think in a certain way

Socialization and Social Controls

Why do we follow the rules? Internal social controls Internalization: we learn the cultural expectations so well that we believe them and hold ourselves accountable to them

Symbolic Interactionism
Holding each other accountable

Symbolic interactionism
Gender is socially constructed through interactions
(West & Fenstermaker)

Bridal showers

Symbolic interactionism
Goffman (impression management): Everyday life is a series of social interactions in which people "sell" particular images to others.

Symbolic interactionism
All gender is drag All gender is an imitation of some vision of what a man or woman is supposed to be like

(Judith Butler )

Symbolic interactionism
All gender is drag

There is nothing more natural or unconstructed about a female dressing up like a woman that there is about a male dressing up like a woman.
(Judith Butler )

Symbolic Interactionism
Gender is something we do, not something we have (Crawley et al. 2008:32).

gender is a social performance of the body (Crawley et al. 2008:44).

The Gender Feedback Loop

How the social construction process works

Gender Feedback Loop

(Crawley et al. 2008: 51)

We receive messages about how were supposed to look, act, and feel

Gender Feedback Loop

(Crawley et al. 2008: 51)

We receive messages about how were supposed to look, act, and feel We decide what to keep and discard (identity in the context of social pressures to conform)

Gender Feedback Loop

(Crawley et al. 2008: 51)

We receive messages about how were supposed to look, act, and feel We decide what to keep and discard (identity in the context of social pressures to conform) We decide how to act (and look)

Gender Feedback Loop

(Crawley et al. 2008: 51)

We receive messages about how were supposed to look, act, and feel We decide what to keep and discard (identity in the context of social pressures to conform) We decide how to act (and look) Our behaviors become part of others cultural messages and social pressures

Summary

summary
Our bodies are gendered and socially constructed:

summary
Our bodies are gendered and socially constructed: in each interaction, we are evaluated based on how well we conform to gender norms

summary
Our bodies are gendered and socially constructed: in each interaction, we are evaluated based on how well we conform to gender norms rewards and punishments help us conform to norms

Next steps
What are the implications for power and gender inequality?

Next steps
What are the implications for power and gender inequality? bodies are often a source of power for men . . . womens bodies are often sources of anxiety and tentativeness womens lack of confidence and agency are embodied and stem from an inability to move confidently in space, to take up space, to use ones body to its fullest extent (Martin 2003: 220)

Fieldwork assignment
Gendered bodies

Gendered displays of bodies

Fieldwork assignment
gender differences in minute bodily behaviors like gesture, stance, posture, step, and throwing are significant to our understanding of gendered selves and gender inequality (Martin 2003: 220). Are there differences between the genders in their minute bodily behaviors?

Fieldwork assignment
Observe gender displays
Posture, touching, smiling, eye contact, gaze control, movement, and sporting behaviors

Letter of introduction

Ethics and researcher responsibility

Other business
Peer learning groups Seminar assignment Ornamentation survey