WGST MIDTERM STUDY GUIDE
sex - Answers - biological maleness or femaleness
Physiological characteristics related to reproduction
gender - Answers - Non-physiological aspects of being female or male
Cultural expectations for femininity and masculinity or our ideas of masculinity and
femininity
stereotypes - Answers - Classifications of others according to some categorical
membership
Belief systems that guide how we process information
our bias perception - Answers - Exaggerate the similarities within a group and the
contrast between the groups
stereotyping - Answers - a product of categorization. doesn't represent reality with
great accuracy
we tend to... - Answers - exaggerate difference between men and women and have
different expectations for their behaviors. see men as normative, women as other
gender stereotypes - Answers - ignores individual differences that exist within groups
of men and women, dividing is the beginning of oppression. linked with stereotypes
about homosexuality. appearance is a core aspect. rely on generalization
function of stereotypes - Answers - bolster (strengthen) the status quo, justifies
prejudice against a subordinate group, involves dynamic processes, depends on a
social context
content of stereotypes - Answers - not a single stereotype of masculinity or femininity
but male seems to be more rigidly defined of the two
instrumentality - Answers - an orientation toward action, leadership, and
accomplishment
expressiveness - Answers - an orientation to emotion and relationships
prejudice - Answers - negative evaluation of a person's or their activities because they
belong in a particular group
sexism - Answers - prejudice that is based on a person's sexual category
stereotypes and the media - Answers - major institutions (education, religion, business,
politics) contribute to gender stereotyping,
, schemas - Answers - knowledge structures that act as filters of information, pay
attention to information that fits the stereotype and to ignore or explain away things that
don't fit, behavior that appears to dis-confirm the stereotype is often attributed as
external forces
free from bias - Answers - able to see the world without being influenced by our own
thoughts and feelings about it (no one is free from bias)
trope - Answers - a common pattern in a story or recognizable attribute in a character
that conveys information to the audience, becomes cliche when overused, some tropes
perpetuate offensive stereotypes,
the straw feminist video - Answers - distorted and warped version of feminism which
bares little resemblance to actual feminist movements, use straw feminists in movies, it
is a trope, straw feminists work by creating an exaggerated characteristic of a feminist,
can be seen in veronica mars, separate from female roles, or powerpuff girls-fem fatal,
straw feminist creates notion of already reaching equality,
courtney martin: this isn't her mothers feminism - Answers - 3 paradox: 1)rejecting the
past then promptly reclaiming it 2)sobering up about our smallness and maintaining our
faith in our greatness 3)aiming to succeed wildly and being fulfilled by failing really well
1st wave feminism - Answers - primarily concerned with equality (all women equal to
men). origins in anti-slavery and temperance campaign. widespread support
goals of 1st wave feminism - Answers - the right to education, voting, employment, and
owning property. want full legal and political equality with men which would benefit
society as a whole (not just women)
contributions of 1st wave feminism - Answers - admission to higher education and
entrance into their professions. women problems dealing with wages, hours, conditions,
and safety of travelling to and from work. the vote for women.
critiques of 1st wave feminism - Answers - white middle class movement. racism:
excluding women of color, and it's language and actions towards women of color
2nd wave feminism - Answers - occurred during many other movements (the civil right
movement, the student movement, the new left), focused on the specifications of the
differences of women from men and the nature of sexism. the goal is to make visible the
gender differences. by 1960's there was an active and visible movement called the
womens liberal movement.
2 core thoughts of feminism (2 wave feminism perspective) - Answers - 1) men do
important work, and the work that men do is important 2) women's identities are defined
sex - Answers - biological maleness or femaleness
Physiological characteristics related to reproduction
gender - Answers - Non-physiological aspects of being female or male
Cultural expectations for femininity and masculinity or our ideas of masculinity and
femininity
stereotypes - Answers - Classifications of others according to some categorical
membership
Belief systems that guide how we process information
our bias perception - Answers - Exaggerate the similarities within a group and the
contrast between the groups
stereotyping - Answers - a product of categorization. doesn't represent reality with
great accuracy
we tend to... - Answers - exaggerate difference between men and women and have
different expectations for their behaviors. see men as normative, women as other
gender stereotypes - Answers - ignores individual differences that exist within groups
of men and women, dividing is the beginning of oppression. linked with stereotypes
about homosexuality. appearance is a core aspect. rely on generalization
function of stereotypes - Answers - bolster (strengthen) the status quo, justifies
prejudice against a subordinate group, involves dynamic processes, depends on a
social context
content of stereotypes - Answers - not a single stereotype of masculinity or femininity
but male seems to be more rigidly defined of the two
instrumentality - Answers - an orientation toward action, leadership, and
accomplishment
expressiveness - Answers - an orientation to emotion and relationships
prejudice - Answers - negative evaluation of a person's or their activities because they
belong in a particular group
sexism - Answers - prejudice that is based on a person's sexual category
stereotypes and the media - Answers - major institutions (education, religion, business,
politics) contribute to gender stereotyping,
, schemas - Answers - knowledge structures that act as filters of information, pay
attention to information that fits the stereotype and to ignore or explain away things that
don't fit, behavior that appears to dis-confirm the stereotype is often attributed as
external forces
free from bias - Answers - able to see the world without being influenced by our own
thoughts and feelings about it (no one is free from bias)
trope - Answers - a common pattern in a story or recognizable attribute in a character
that conveys information to the audience, becomes cliche when overused, some tropes
perpetuate offensive stereotypes,
the straw feminist video - Answers - distorted and warped version of feminism which
bares little resemblance to actual feminist movements, use straw feminists in movies, it
is a trope, straw feminists work by creating an exaggerated characteristic of a feminist,
can be seen in veronica mars, separate from female roles, or powerpuff girls-fem fatal,
straw feminist creates notion of already reaching equality,
courtney martin: this isn't her mothers feminism - Answers - 3 paradox: 1)rejecting the
past then promptly reclaiming it 2)sobering up about our smallness and maintaining our
faith in our greatness 3)aiming to succeed wildly and being fulfilled by failing really well
1st wave feminism - Answers - primarily concerned with equality (all women equal to
men). origins in anti-slavery and temperance campaign. widespread support
goals of 1st wave feminism - Answers - the right to education, voting, employment, and
owning property. want full legal and political equality with men which would benefit
society as a whole (not just women)
contributions of 1st wave feminism - Answers - admission to higher education and
entrance into their professions. women problems dealing with wages, hours, conditions,
and safety of travelling to and from work. the vote for women.
critiques of 1st wave feminism - Answers - white middle class movement. racism:
excluding women of color, and it's language and actions towards women of color
2nd wave feminism - Answers - occurred during many other movements (the civil right
movement, the student movement, the new left), focused on the specifications of the
differences of women from men and the nature of sexism. the goal is to make visible the
gender differences. by 1960's there was an active and visible movement called the
womens liberal movement.
2 core thoughts of feminism (2 wave feminism perspective) - Answers - 1) men do
important work, and the work that men do is important 2) women's identities are defined
