WGST 1F90 Chapter Notes - Chapter Critical Terrain Readings, pages 117-121: Gender Role, The Stereotypes, Necrosis

• School: Brock University
• Department: Women's and Gender Studies
• Course: WGST 1F90
• Professor: Jenny Janke

Document Summary

I realized that the picture of egg and sperm drawn in popular as well as scientific ac- counts of reproductive biology relies on stereotypes central to our cultural definitions of male female. The stereotypes imply not only that female biological processes are less worthy than their male counterparts, but also that women are less worthy than men. Gender stereotypes hidden within the scientific language of biology. By extolling the female cycle as a productive enterprise, menstruation must nec- essarily be viewed as a failure. Menstruation as debris , result of necrosis, or death of tissue. Descriptions imply that a system has gone awry. Male reproductive physiology is evaluated quite differently. Intense enthusiasm in descriptive wording in text books. Extreme differences and images in regards to describing male and female body parts and processes. Male positive, refreshing, strong, long lasting, renewing. Female negative, dead, dying, worn out, old.