Chapter 9: Gender and Sexuality 🚻
1. Differentiating Sex and Gender
● Sex: Biological characteristics with which we are born (e.g.,
chromosomes, hormones, anatomy). It includes physical and
physiological attributes.
○ Intersexuals: People whose sex at birth isn't clearly male or
female.
● Gender: Learned attitudes and behaviors that characterize
women and men. It is based on social and cultural expectations
(Nurture).
○ Gender Identity: An individual's internal sense of being male,
female, or something else.
○ Transgender: People whose gender identity differs from the
sex they were assigned at birth.
○ Gender Expression: The way a person communicates their
gender identity to others through behavior, clothing, etc.
○ Gender Roles: The characteristics, attitudes, feelings, and
behaviors that society expects of females and males.
○ Gender Stereotypes: Expectations about how people will look,
act, and feel based on their sex.
● Sexism: An attitude or belief that one sex is superior to the other.
2. Sexuality and Societal Reactions
● Sexual Identity: An awareness of ourselves as male or female and
how we express our sexual values, attitudes, and feelings.
● Sexual Orientation: A preference for sexual partners of the same
sex, the opposite sex, both sexes, or neither sex.
○ Homosexuals: Sexually attracted to people of the same sex.
○ Heterosexuals: Sexually attracted to people of the opposite
sex.
○ Bisexuals: Sexually attracted to more than one gender.
○ Asexuals: Lack of sexual attraction to anyone.
● Heterosexism: A belief that heterosexuality is the only acceptable
orientation.
● Homophobia: The fear and hatred of homosexuality.
● Sexual Scripts: Formal or informal norms that guide how people
engage in sexual behavior.
● Sexual Double Standard: A code that permits greater sexual
freedom for men than for women.
● Controversial Issues: Abortion and same-sex marriage continue
to be widely controversial due to deeply held moral, religious, and
political beliefs.
3. Gender Stratification
, ● Gender Stratification: The unequal distribution of wealth, power,
and privilege between men and women.
● Family: Differential socialization of sons and daughters reinforces
traditional gender roles.
● Workplace:
○ Occupational Sex Segregation: The concentration of women
and men in different occupations.
○ Gender Pay Gap: The difference between men’s and women’s
earnings.
○ Sexual Harassment: Unwanted sexual advances, requests for
sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual
nature.
● Politics: Women remain underrepresented in political power globally
and in the U.S.
4. Theoretical Explanations of Gender and Sexuality
Perspective View on Gender/Sexuality Key Concepts
Functionalis Gender roles are complimentary Stresses the functions
m and necessary to maintain a stable of the traditional
family and society. nuclear family.
Conflict Gender inequality is a result of Focuses on
Theory capitalism and male dominance, patriarchy and how
creating a system where men gender
exploit women. stratification
benefits men
economically.
Feminist Focus on the multiple sources of Sexism, Gender
Theories gender inequality and how all Pay Gap, Sexual
institutions, including the family, Harassment.
education, and economy, maintain
male domination.
1. Differentiating Sex and Gender
● Sex: Biological characteristics with which we are born (e.g.,
chromosomes, hormones, anatomy). It includes physical and
physiological attributes.
○ Intersexuals: People whose sex at birth isn't clearly male or
female.
● Gender: Learned attitudes and behaviors that characterize
women and men. It is based on social and cultural expectations
(Nurture).
○ Gender Identity: An individual's internal sense of being male,
female, or something else.
○ Transgender: People whose gender identity differs from the
sex they were assigned at birth.
○ Gender Expression: The way a person communicates their
gender identity to others through behavior, clothing, etc.
○ Gender Roles: The characteristics, attitudes, feelings, and
behaviors that society expects of females and males.
○ Gender Stereotypes: Expectations about how people will look,
act, and feel based on their sex.
● Sexism: An attitude or belief that one sex is superior to the other.
2. Sexuality and Societal Reactions
● Sexual Identity: An awareness of ourselves as male or female and
how we express our sexual values, attitudes, and feelings.
● Sexual Orientation: A preference for sexual partners of the same
sex, the opposite sex, both sexes, or neither sex.
○ Homosexuals: Sexually attracted to people of the same sex.
○ Heterosexuals: Sexually attracted to people of the opposite
sex.
○ Bisexuals: Sexually attracted to more than one gender.
○ Asexuals: Lack of sexual attraction to anyone.
● Heterosexism: A belief that heterosexuality is the only acceptable
orientation.
● Homophobia: The fear and hatred of homosexuality.
● Sexual Scripts: Formal or informal norms that guide how people
engage in sexual behavior.
● Sexual Double Standard: A code that permits greater sexual
freedom for men than for women.
● Controversial Issues: Abortion and same-sex marriage continue
to be widely controversial due to deeply held moral, religious, and
political beliefs.
3. Gender Stratification
, ● Gender Stratification: The unequal distribution of wealth, power,
and privilege between men and women.
● Family: Differential socialization of sons and daughters reinforces
traditional gender roles.
● Workplace:
○ Occupational Sex Segregation: The concentration of women
and men in different occupations.
○ Gender Pay Gap: The difference between men’s and women’s
earnings.
○ Sexual Harassment: Unwanted sexual advances, requests for
sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual
nature.
● Politics: Women remain underrepresented in political power globally
and in the U.S.
4. Theoretical Explanations of Gender and Sexuality
Perspective View on Gender/Sexuality Key Concepts
Functionalis Gender roles are complimentary Stresses the functions
m and necessary to maintain a stable of the traditional
family and society. nuclear family.
Conflict Gender inequality is a result of Focuses on
Theory capitalism and male dominance, patriarchy and how
creating a system where men gender
exploit women. stratification
benefits men
economically.
Feminist Focus on the multiple sources of Sexism, Gender
Theories gender inequality and how all Pay Gap, Sexual
institutions, including the family, Harassment.
education, and economy, maintain
male domination.
