Gender Stratification

1. Chapter 10 Gender Stratification

2. Gender The meaning that a culture attaches to being male or female Different societies define what is masculine or feminine in different ways arguing that these are cultural distinctions not biological ones. Sexism is often built into the operation of social institutions, with men being given more power in many of them This type of Patriarchy�rule by men�is found almost everywhere, it varies in degree from society to society. Matriarchy would be a female-led social institutions (many families are matriarchal in today�s America.

3. Gender Stratification--Workplace A majority of women are now in the paid workforce but 42% hold clerical or service jobs Women earn 78% as much as men in the U.S. This difference results from differences in jobs, family responsibilities, and discrimination

4. Gender Stratification---Family Life Most unpaid housework is performed by women, whether or not they hold jobs outside the home. Pregnancy and child-rearing may keep women out of the labor force at a time when their male poeers are making important career gains.

5. Gender Stratification--Education Women now earn 59% of all associate�s and bachelor�s degrees Women make up 47% of all new law students Women are making strong gains in professions traditionally dominated by men, including medicine and business.

6. Gender Stratification--Politics A century ago�almost no women held elected office in the U.S. In recent decades that number has increased dramatically Still, the majority of elected offices, especially at the national level, are held by men Women make up only about 15% of the U.S. military

7. Intersection Theory Investigates the intersection of race, class, gender, and how these factors combine to cause special disadvantages for some people Women of color encounter more problems than white women and many more than white men Because women have a distinct social identity and are disadvantaged, they are considered a minority. How many women consider themselves in this way?

8. Violence against Women Sexual Harrasment�mostly victimizes women because society encourages men to be assertive and to view women in sexual terms Pornography�portrays women as sexual objects. It is a moral issue, but because it dehumanizes women, it is also a power issue. Question�do Vogue, Cosmopolitan, and much of mainstream advertising do the same thing as porn? If not, what is the difference?

9. Functionalist Approach In pre-Industrial societies distinctive roles for males and females reflect biological differences between the sexes In Industrial and especially Post-Industrial societies gender inequality becomes dysfunctional and gradually decreases

10. Conflict Approach Gender inequality benefits men at the expense of women Capitalism exploits everyone by paying men a low wage and assigning women the task of maintaining the home�thus shrinking the working families overall economic power. Is this still true?

11. Who Here Is A Feminist?

12. Who here is a Feminist? What does feminism mean Only 20 % of American adults say they oppose feminism Most of that opposition is to radical and socialist feminism. Liberal feminism enjoys widespread support. So why are so few people, including women, reluctant to label themselves as feminists?

13. Feminism Feminism�Support of social equality for women and men, in opposition to patriarchy and sexism Seeks to eliminate violence against women 1. Liberal feminism�seeks equal opportunity for all people in the existing social structure 2. Radical Feminism---seeks to eliminate the concept of gender itself and create a gender-free society 3. Socialist Feminism---Gender inequality will end if capitalism is replaced with socialism