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Chapter Three

Gender and Families

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The Berdache Men or women in Native American

societies who dressed like, performed the duties of, and behaved like a member of the opposite sex

Berdaches were found in more than 100 Native American tribes

Number declined rapidly with the arrival of European culture

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The Difference Between Gender and Sex Gender = social and cultural

characteristics that distinguish women and men in a society

Different clothing Expectations about who should cry

Sex = biological characteristics that distinguish women and men

Sex chromosomes, reproductive organs, physical characteristics

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Gender

How many genders are there? Modification of gender identity

(berdache) Intersexuals – people born with

ambiguous sex organs Activists want doctors to wait until

individuals are older to reassign their sex

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Gender as reflection of power relationships in society How do gender roles reflect men’s

attempts to retain power over women?

Why is the study of gender and sex important to the understanding of family?

Gender

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The Gestational Construction of Gender Genetic transmission of sex

XX = female XY = male

Gestation Period Genitals develop in either male or

female form Males produce androgens which

cause genitals to develop into male form

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Some scientists believe that not only are sexual organs different, but the brain also develops differently in the male and the female

Studies of levels of male sex hormones while females were in womb Led to differences in gendered behavior Parental socialization had weaker effect on

behavior if hormone level was higher

Hormonal Influences

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Biosocial approach Biology and society influence gender

differences Biological differences in gendered

behavior exist only “on average” Individuals show a wide range of behavior

Social influences can counteract biological dispositions

Biosocial Influences

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Evolutionary Influences Evolutionary biology– women and

men evolved different strategies for reproductive success

Gender roles = different sets of behaviors that are commonly exhibited by women and men Gendered division of labor

Reflects men’s interests more than women’s

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Parental Socialization

Parents teach us the ways of our society and how to behave in it

Socialization approach Rewarding children for a set of

behaviors appropriate to their sex Social role = pattern of behaviors

(parent, teacher, child) that society expects

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The Media Children learn from books,

television, advertisements, music Characters in books

Males outnumbered females in 1972 More evenly distributed by 1990

Television and Computer Games Exhibit gender imbalance in favor of

males

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Early Peer Groups Peer group = a group of people at

roughly the same age and social status

Boy peer groups reinforce competition and dominance

Girl peer groups reinforce more open conversational interaction and agreement

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Children’s Preferences

Boys engage in more aggressive behaviors Also more likely to play with blocks

Girls engage in more nurturing behaviors and are less aggressive

Differences may reflect biological influences

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Later Peer Groups

Games and sports Boys more likely to play organized

games with rules and a goal Girls play reinforces the relational and

emotional skills exhibited by women Most play groups are either all-

male or all-female

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Unconscious Influences

Psychoanalytic Approach Stresses unconscious mental

processes Importance of internalization

Attachment to mother remains the same for females

Attachment changes for males at age 3-4 break/distancing

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Interactionist approach Gender identification and behavior based on

the day-to-day behavior that reinforces gender distinctions

Patriarchy and Male Domination Sex-gender system =Transformation of

biological differences between men and women into a social order that supports male domination

The Continual Construction of Gender

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The Sex-Gender System

Capitalist economies Men have access to more

resources

Social economies Sexes equal in theory, but not in

practice

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Gender theorists believe gender is a primary basis of social stratification, like class or race Sex differences in childbearing

Women becoming pregnant, bearing and breast-feeding children

May be relevant to different family roles of women and men

Gender, Class, and Race

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Gender: The Male Point of View Gender studies mostly done from

feminist point of view Sociologists are now studying

masculinity and the personal characteristics typical to men

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Contribution of Gender Studies Socialization approach best

explains differences between men and women

Biosocial and Psychoanalytic approaches both suggest girls and boys have predispositions for behavior

Gender studies demonstrate that men’s and women’s family roles are socially and culturally constructed

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Gender distinctions reflect differences in power Biological differences exist without

dismissing cultural and social influences

Contribution of Gender Studies