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