SOC 030 Lecture Notes - Lecture 8: Heteronormativity, Labour Power, Functional Response
Gender Inequality
Gender vs. Sex defined by West and Zimmerman
-Sex: “A determination made through the application of socially agreed upon biological criteria
for classifying persons as females or males.”
-Gender: “ the activity of managing situated conduct in light of normative conceptions of attitudes
and activities appropriated for one’s sex category.”
Patriarchy
-Patriarchy: a complex of structured interrelationships in which men dominate women.
-Social system of male dominance- gives power to men by oppressing women.
-Devalues feminine, values masculine.
-Embedded in society through norms and institutions that have been established over a
long period of time.
Theories on the Origins of Gender Inequality
-Biological Explanation
-Ecological Explanation
-Marxian Explanation
-Socialist-Feminist Explanation
Biological Explanation: Suggests that basic genetic, hormonal, or physical differences determine gender
inequality
-Most social scientists argue this explanation is inadequate:
-The differences within categories is greater than the difference between categories.
-Though there are some hormonal and physical differences between men and women, this
doesn’t mandate men will dominate women
-Differences in behavior still have to be interpreted as having a gendered
meaning.
-Assumes sex is binary
Ecological Explanation: Differences by gender stem from how men and women interact and navigate
their physical and spatial environments
-A functionalist explanation of gender inequality- differences in gender roles help society
function- roles are a functional response to the environment.
-Example: how societies gather or produces food impacts gender roles
-Groups that were primarily foragers had few gender divisions
-Groups that were primarily hunters had more gender divisions
Marxian Explanation:
-Developed in the 70’s and 80’s.
-Gender inequality has a material basis- result of conflict over resources
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Document Summary
Sex: a determination made through the application of socially agreed upon biological criteria for classifying persons as females or males. Gender: the activity of managing situated conduct in light of normative conceptions of attitudes and activities appropriated for one"s sex category. Patriarchy: a complex of structured interrelationships in which men dominate women. Social system of male dominance- gives power to men by oppressing women. Embedded in society through norms and institutions that have been established over a long period of time. Biological explanation: suggests that basic genetic, hormonal, or physical differences determine gender inequality. Most social scientists argue this explanation is inadequate: The differences within categories is greater than the difference between categories. Though there are some hormonal and physical differences between men and women, this doesn"t mandate men will dominate women. Differences in behavior still have to be interpreted as having a gendered meaning.
