the social construction of gender
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““The Social Construction of The Social Construction of Gender”Gender”
By: Judith Lorber
Judith LorberJudith Lorber
• “Gender is so pervasive in our society that
we assume it is bred in our genes. […] gender
is constantly created and re-created out of
human interaction, out of social life, and is
the texture and order of that social life.”
“Everyone ‘does gender’ without thinking about it.”
• Q-How do you, personally, “do gender?” • Q-What kind of clothes are you wearing right
now? Why? • Q-Are you wearing makeup? Why or why
not?
“The process of gendering and its outcome are
legitimated by religion, law, science, and the
society’s entire set of values.”
“[Gender inequality] is not the result of sex,
procreation, physiology, anatomy, hormones or
genetic predisposition.”
• Q-What are some specific examples of how religion, law, science and societal values perpetuate gender norms?
“As a process, gender creates the social differences that define “woman” and “man.” In social
interaction throughout their lives, individuals learn what is expected, see what is expected, act
and react in expected ways, and thus simultaneously construct and maintain gender
order.” “Political power, control of scarce resources and violence uphold the gendered social order in the
face of resistance and rebellion.”
• Q- Can you think of a time that you decided against or for something because you thought it was expected of people of your gender?
“Gendered norms and expectations are enforced through
informal sanctions of gender-inappropriate behavior by peers
and by formal punishment or threat of punishment by those in
authority should behavior deviate too far from socially
imposed standards for women and men.”
• Q-Can you think of a personal experience that evidences her
claim?
“Gender inequality […] has social functions and social history. It is produced and maintained by identifiable social processes and built into the
general social structure and individual identities deliberately and purposefully.[…]The continuing purpose of gender as a modern social institution
is to construct women as a group to be the subordinates of men as a group.”
• Q-In what ways does the engineered social construction of “female” benefit men?
“Most people go along with their society’s prescriptions for those of their
status because the norms and expectations get built into their sense of
worth and identity as [the way we] think, the way we hear and speak,
the way we fantasy and the way we feel.”
• Q-Would you be able to not “do” your prescribed gender role and feel
the same way about yourself?
How are gender roles perpetuated?
Toys
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=-CU040Hqbas
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