Transcript Document

Understanding
Human Differences
Multicultural Education for a Diverse America
3rd Edition
By
Kent L. Koppelman
Section 3
Chapter 9
Sexism: Where the
Personal Becomes Political
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Understanding Human Differences
3rd Edition - Koppelman
Chapter 9 - 0
© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc
Understanding Human Differences
3rd Edition - Koppelman
Chapter 9 - 1
© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc
Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008
Cultural Sexism
The promotion of beliefs
and practices in a
society that reinforces
RIGID GENDER ROLES
for men and women
Understanding Human Differences
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© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc
What GENDER BIASES
did women confront in
the earliest years of the
United States
• Married men were viewed as the
family provider, responsible for
finances
• Married women could not own
property or keep income they
earned
Understanding Human Differences
3rd Edition - Koppelman
Chapter 9 - 3
© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc
How and when did forms of
DISCRIMINATION change
Women activists
• lobbied for laws establishing the
right of women to own property and
control their earned income
• defied gender roles by advocating
publicly on political issues such as
• Conditions for working women
• Child labor
• Abolition of slavery
Understanding Human Differences
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© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc
What effect did the Civil War
have on women’s demands for
GENDER EQUITY
• Women were hired to work in
occupations previously denied to them
• Numbers of women in certain
occupations increased (e.g., teachers,
clerical jobs, social workers, nurses)
• Women were active in political causes
• More women enrolled in college despite
studies warning against it (e.g., health
problems, less likely to marry)
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© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc
What progress and what
resistance to women’s rights
had occurred by the 1920s
• Many women worked outside the home
including 10% of married women
• Half of all college students were women
• In 1920 women first voted for president
(while men voted for the first Miss
America)
• Women could not persuade Congress to
pass an Equal Rights Amendment
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3rd Edition - Koppelman
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© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc
How did women workers
perform during World War II
• Women constituted the
majority of the workforce
• Studies showed that women
were competent workers
• Many women lost their jobs
after the war
Understanding Human Differences
3rd Edition - Koppelman
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© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc
What role did the media
play in women being forced
out of their jobs
Polls and magazine
and newspaper
articles emphasized
the role of women as
wives and mothers
Understanding Human Differences
3rd Edition - Koppelman
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© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc
How did women respond to
the pressure to stay home
and not have a career
• More than 80% of
employed women
continued to work
• Increased numbers of
middle class women
enrolled in college
Understanding Human Differences
3rd Edition - Koppelman
Chapter 9 - 9
© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc
How does learning sexist
language influence
attitudes and behavior
• Studies show that exclusive
language (i.e. generic use of “man”)
influences people to think in terms
of men only
• Feminists have promoted
opportunities for women
- more girls today express interest
in nontraditional careers
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3rd Edition - Koppelman
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© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc
Individual Sexism
Prejudiced attitudes and
behavior demeaning to
women or to men based
on CULTURAL BELIEFS
about GENDER and
GENDER ROLES
Understanding Human Differences
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© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc
What does it mean to be a
“MALE CHAUVINIST” or a
“FEMINIST”
MALE CHAUVINIST – a man or
woman who believes that men ought
to be the leaders and decision
makers and women should be
subordinate to men
FEMINIST – a man or woman who
advocates for the personal, social,
and economic equality of women
and men
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© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc
What does it mean to be
ANDROGYNOUS
ANDROGYNY - the belief that men and
women share a variety of human traits
that should be encouraged in both
rather than fostering traits based on
gender
Androgynous people respond to
situations as needed (i.e., aggression
or nurturing behaviors as appropriate
to the situation)
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© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc
What kind of abuse do
women encounter in the
United States
• Over a million women are stalked each
year
• Over 200,000 women are sexually
assaulted
• 1 out of 3 women are victims of
physical or sexual abuse
• 65,000 women are raped each year
(one every 8 minutes)
Understanding Human Differences
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© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc
How has RAPE been
misunderstood in the
United States
MYTH: Rape occurs when an attractive
woman sexually arouses a man
REALITY: Rape is an act of violence
expressed sexually against any woman
MYTH: Rapes occurs in dark alleys or
public places when a woman is alone
REALITY: Most rapes occur in a place
where the woman feels safe (more than
60% of rapes occur in the victim’s home)
Understanding Human Differences
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© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc
MYTH: Rapes are committed by violent
strangers
REALITY: Almost 66% of rapes are
committed by someone the victim knows
MYTH: Women read romance novels with
rape scenes, suggesting that they
fantasize about and desire to be raped
REALITY: No research suggest that it is
common for women (or men) to fantasize
about being brutalized, degraded, and
raped
Understanding Human Differences
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© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc
Why do women choose NOT
to report a rape or
attempted rape
THREATS - Rapists threaten to harm the
victim if she reports the rape
REACTIONS - Victims worry that family
and friends may not be sympathetic
DISBELIEF - Victims fear that a judge or
jury may not believe her story
PUBLICITY - Victims worry about losing
their privacy by making a public
accusation of rape
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© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc
Institutional Sexism
Refers to established
LAWS, CUSTOMS, and
PRACTICES in a society
allowing SYSTEMATIC
DISCRIMINATION against
people or groups based
on GENDER
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© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc
What arguments justify
men earning more than
women in the workforce
“The wage gap between men and women is
a historic problem and we are making
progress on solving it”
PROBLEM: The wage gap has decreased
because male salaries have not increased
“As young women enter the workforce the
gap in entry-level salaries is decreasing”
PROBLEM: The gap increases because
women don’t get the same opportunities
as men (e.g., the “glass ceiling”)
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© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc
“As more women go to college the wage
gap will decrease”
PROBLEM: Women with a Bachelor’s
degree on average only earn about
$35,000 compared to men with a high
school diploma earning $36,000
“Women choose careers that pay low
salaries compared to careers men
choose”
PROBLEM: Studies comparing salaries of
men and women in the same profession
reveal that men are paid more
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© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc
What are economic
consequences of institutional
sexism for women
Projected Loss of Earnings
Over a 40-Year Career
Women Compared to Men According to Education:
Women with a
High School Diploma =
$450,000 loss
Women with a Bachelor’s
Degree =
$900,000 loss
Women with a
Professional Degree =
$2,000,000 loss
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© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc
Other Economic Consequences
• Women are the majority of parttime workers (denied benefits)
• Following a divorce, women are
usually given the children but men
rarely pay the full amount of child
support
• Women over 65 are twice as likely
to be as poor as men
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© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc
How is SEXUAL HARASSMENT
a significant problem for
women in the workforce
• Sexual harassment creates a
hostile work environment for
women
• From 1988 to 1998 sexual
harassment claims increased from
approximately 8,500 to 17,000
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What are the most common
behaviors that are regarded
as SEXUAL HARASSMENT
• Persistent requests for a date
despite continuing rejection
• Sexually suggestive remarks
(including “jokes”)
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© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc
What are the workplace
guidelines for SEXUAL
HARASSMENT in the
United States
If the harassment is NOT SEVERE:
• Victims must confront the harasser and give an
opportunity to change behavior
• If the harassment continues (the “reasonable
person” standard), the victim can file a sexual
harassment complaint
If the harassment is SEVERE:
(e.g., demanding sex for a promotion)
• Victim can immediately file a sexual
harassment claim
Understanding Human Differences
3rd Edition - Koppelman
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© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc
Why do American employers
follow sexual harassment
GUIDELINES
• American employers are legally
responsible for what happens at the
worksite (enforcing sexual harassment
policies protects them from lawsuits)
• Permitting sexual harassment has
negative consequences for workers:
- increased absenteeism
- lower morale and productivity
- higher turnover (significant costs)
Understanding Human Differences
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© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc
How much of a problem is sexual
harassment in SCHOOLS
One study reports that sexual
harassment at school was
reported by:
81% of girls
76% of boys
Sexual harassment was described
as a frequent occurrence by:
30% of girls
18% of boys
79% of those sexually harassing
students were their peers
Understanding Human Differences
3rd Edition - Koppelman
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© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc
What are some other gender
issues in SCHOOLS
Gender inequity in schools is a bigger
problem for girls because:
- Boys get more attention and receive
more praise
- Boys are more likely to be challenged
academically
- Boys achieve higher scores on
standardized tests
Understanding Human Differences
3rd Edition - Koppelman
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© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc
Are there gender equity
issues for boys
BOYS:
• receive 70% of all D and F grades
• Two thirds of students diagnosed
with a learning disability
• 90% of all discipline problems
• 80% of all dropouts
Understanding Human Differences
3rd Edition - Koppelman
Chapter 9 - 29
© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc
Has GENDER EQUITY
in SCHOOLS improved
TODAY Women are:
• 55% of all college students (66% graduate)
• 50% of all students enrolled in law schools
and medical schools
• More than 50% of students in math,
business, and biology/life sciences
Understanding Human Differences
3rd Edition - Koppelman
Chapter 9 - 30
© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc
GENDER EQUITY
NOT about winners and losers in a
competition, but the assurance that
ALL boys and girls have an
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY TO ACHIEVE
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3rd Edition - Koppelman
Chapter 9 - 31
© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc