Social Problems: A Down-To-Earth Approach

, Tenth Edition by James M. Henslin

Chapter 9 Inequalities of Gender and Sexual Orientation

©2011 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved

The Problem in Sociological Perspective

•

Sex is the major sorting device in every society in the world.

•

Women as a minority group

Social Problems: A Down-To-Earth Approach

, Tenth Edition by James M. Henslin ©2011 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved

The Scope of the Problem

•

Is male dominance universal?

• Not all sociologist accept the conclusion that male dominance is universal • •

The Sexual Stratification of Work

 Most work is

sex-typed George Murdock

reviewed anthopologists’ research  Universally, men’s activities are always given greater prestige.

©2011 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved

Social Problems: A Down-To-Earth Approach

, Tenth Edition by James M. Henslin

Major Areas of Discrimination

• Political and legal • Education • Economic • Social

Social Problems: A Down-To-Earth Approach

, Tenth Edition by James M. Henslin ©2011 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved

Symbolic Interactionism

• Difference between

sex and gender

•

Socialization into gender roles

 Sex is a

master trait

•

Interpreting Classic Research

•

The Dominant Symbolic Interaction Position

Social Problems: A Down-To-Earth Approach

, Tenth Edition by James M. Henslin ©2011 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved

Functionalism

•

Two theories of male dominance Rewards for warriors

 Social  Biological •

Reproduction

 Throughout history, a woman has been encumbered physically —unable to participate fully in the labor market 

Division of Labor

 Ultimate result was a

patriarchal society

©2011 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved

Social Problems: A Down-To-Earth Approach

, Tenth Edition by James M. Henslin

Conflict Theory

1.

2.

3.

4.

Power yields privilege.

Privilege leads to feeling superior.

Use ideologies to justify position.

Use social institutions to maintain power.

Social Problems: A Down-To-Earth Approach

, Tenth Edition by James M. Henslin ©2011 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved

The Struggle for Equality

• 1800s, almost every woman was under the legal control of a man, either a father or a husband •

Women’s Early Movement



Suffragists

•

Glass Ceiling

Social Problems: A Down-To-Earth Approach

, Tenth Edition by James M. Henslin ©2011 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved

Research Findings

•

Are there natural differences between the sexes?

 Studies on Children  SAT:

Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT)

•  Aggression (

Machismo)

•

The study of Vietnam Veterans Reconciling the Findings

©2011 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved

Social Problems: A Down-To-Earth Approach

, Tenth Edition by James M. Henslin

Social Problems: A Down-To-Earth Approach

, Tenth Edition by James M. Henslin ©2011 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved

Everyday Life

• Masculinity and machismo represent strength while femininity is perceived as weakness.

• Derogatory feminine terms

Education

• Gender tracking • A Man’s World • Completing the Doctorate ©2011 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved

Social Problems: A Down-To-Earth Approach

, Tenth Edition by James M. Henslin

Social Problems: A Down-To-Earth Approach

, Tenth Edition by James M. Henslin ©2011 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved

The Mass Media

Children’s Books

• Help to shape gender roles • 1970’s Children Literature • Books today • Gender stereotype continues to linger in children’s books

Social Problems: A Down-To-Earth Approach

, Tenth Edition by James M. Henslin ©2011 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved

•

Television

 Children programs  Adult TV & movies •

Music

 Boys learn to dominate male –female relationships  Lyrics instruct girls to be sexy, passive, and dependent

Social Problems: A Down-To-Earth Approach

, Tenth Edition by James M. Henslin ©2011 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved

•

Advertising

 Television advertising continues to reinforce stereotypical gender roles.

 Use of the female body —especially exposed breasts —to sell products continues.

•

Mass media influences us

 Shapes society’s expectations  Parents changing how they socialize their children ©2011 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved

Social Problems: A Down-To-Earth Approach

, Tenth Edition by James M. Henslin

The World of Politics

•

The current situation

 Women underrepresented in political decision making •

Why don’t women dominate politics?

 About 7 to 8 million more women than men are of voting age ©2011 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved

Social Problems: A Down-To-Earth Approach

, Tenth Edition by James M. Henslin

Social Problems: A Down-To-Earth Approach

, Tenth Edition by James M. Henslin ©2011 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved

Social Problems: A Down-To-Earth Approach

, Tenth Edition by James M. Henslin ©2011 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved

• Dominance is masculine; politics is a form of dominance; therefore, politics is masculine.

 Perception imposes severe restraints on women’s recruitment, participation, and performance in politics.

• •

The power of sex roles

Restrictive patterns changing

Social Problems: A Down-To-Earth Approach

, Tenth Edition by James M. Henslin ©2011 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved

The World of Work

•

The historical pattern



Labor force participation rate

•

The gender pay gap

 The women average only 72% of what the men make •

Reasons for the Gender Gap

Social Problems: A Down-To-Earth Approach

, Tenth Edition by James M. Henslin ©2011 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved

Social Problems: A Down-To-Earth Approach

, Tenth Edition by James M. Henslin ©2011 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved

Social Problems: A Down-To-Earth Approach

, Tenth Edition by James M. Henslin ©2011 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved

• • •

Sexual Harassment

• A Personal Problem: Just Individuals • A Social Problem: Feminists and Relative Power Sexual Harassment as an Evolving Term Difficult Choices Not Just a Woman’s Problem ©2011 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved

Social Problems: A Down-To-Earth Approach

, Tenth Edition by James M. Henslin

http://wps.pearsoncustom.com/pls_0558940196_macionis_socialprob_ 4/168/43136/11042987.cw/content/

Social Problems: A Down-To-Earth Approach

, Tenth Edition by James M. Henslin ©2011 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved

Homosexuality

•

Homosexual behavior

 Sexual relations between people of the same sex •

Homosexuality

 Sexual orientation involving an attraction or preference for people of one’s own sex • Attitudes in the United States • Legal Changes ©2011 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved

Social Problems: A Down-To-Earth Approach

, Tenth Edition by James M. Henslin

Social Problems: A Down-To-Earth Approach

, Tenth Edition by James M. Henslin ©2011 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved

Homosexuality and Conflict Theory

•

Overt discrimination

 Differential treatment that is open and observable •

Same-sex marriage (SSM)

 Legally sanctioned marriage of two same-sex people •

Domestic partnership or civil union

 Not a legal marriage •

Defense of Marriage Act

©2011 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved

Social Problems: A Down-To-Earth Approach

, Tenth Edition by James M. Henslin

Research On Homosexuality

•

The Kinsey Research

 Sample was biased and findings no longer trusted •

The Laumann Research

 2.2% of women and 4.1% of men in the United States had had sex with a same-sex partner 

Narrative data

 Unstructured data that tells a story ©2011 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved

Social Problems: A Down-To-Earth Approach

, Tenth Edition by James M. Henslin

Social Problems: A Down-To-Earth Approach

, Tenth Edition by James M. Henslin ©2011 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved

•

The Humphreys Research

 Devised ingenious but, widely criticized research method  “Tea-rooms” •

Situational homosexual behavior: the prison

 Refers to homosexual acts committed by people who, if members of the opposite sex were available, would choose to be involved in heterosexual relations • Homosexuality is a social problem because of subjective concerns.

©2011 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved

Social Problems: A Down-To-Earth Approach

, Tenth Edition by James M. Henslin

Violence Against Women

•

Rape and murder

•

Gendered violence

 In U.S., women are disproportionately victims of spousal abuse and rape •

Honor Killings

•

Applying the conflict and feminist perspective

 Understand violence against women if viewed as an expression of power ©2011 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved

Social Problems: A Down-To-Earth Approach

, Tenth Edition by James M. Henslin

Symbolic Interactionism and Violence Against Women

• Sociologists also use symbolic interactionism to understand gendered violence • In American culture, men learn machismo • Males are surrounded with models of violence

Social Problems: A Down-To-Earth Approach

, Tenth Edition by James M. Henslin ©2011 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved