CCR199H1 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Reference Group, Machismo, Sexual Orientation
● Otherness is constructed when traits are attributed to differences
● Historical example of people who were different from another group and really treated as
others:
○ Jews in Germany
● Reference groups create norms
○ Norms are customs
○ Ex: polygamy is considered odd here but in other cultures it is considered normal
● Otherness identity
○ Unless you have the notion of identity, you cannot have the notion of difference
and otherness
○ Ways to change the relations
■ Assimilation
● Change the way you are in order to assimilate and be accepted
into the society
■ Exclusion
● Ex: being excluded from certain jobs, neighborhoods, universities,
churches, etc.
○ Why do we have groups?
■ Self-righteousness: the groups thing they are right
■ Power: the group in power wants to maintain their power
● Why are the relationships for otherness not binary while for differences is?
○ For otherness, the reference group is so much stronger, so the relationship is not
the same as with differences
● If there are relations of acceptance, it is not otherness anymore, just differences
A Suit of Light
● Concepts
○ Biological sex: whether you were born a boy or a girl
○ Sexual orientation: the attraction that one has
○ Gender: actions/norms appropriate for a boy/girl. Society and culture create
gender roles
■ Gender is socially constructed. Society decides how boys/girls dress, act,
etc. the constructions are different in each culture/country
● Ex: in our culture, men are not supposed to wear skirts/dresses,
but in scottish culture, men wear kilts
○ Transsexual: modifying biological body to the other sex
○ Transgender:
■ Ex: including cross dressing,
■ Miguel is Transgender
○ Maslow’s hierarchy of needs
■ Physiological needs
● Physiological and biological needs
● Miguel’s biological needs are met, he isn’t described as a hungry
child
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Document Summary
Otherness is constructed when traits are attributed to differences. Historical example of people who were different from another group and really treated as others: Ex: polygamy is considered odd here but in other cultures it is considered normal. Unless you have the notion of identity, you cannot have the notion of difference and otherness. Change the way you are in order to assimilate and be accepted into the society. Ex: being excluded from certain jobs, neighborhoods, universities, Why do we have groups? churches, etc. Self-righteousness: the groups thing they are right. Power: the group in power wants to maintain their power. For otherness, the reference group is so much stronger, so the relationship is not the same as with differences. If there are relations of acceptance, it is not otherness anymore, just differences. Biological sex: whether you were born a boy or a girl. Sexual orientation: the attraction that one has.
