- Find a shampoo, razor, pen, toy, etc (any object or any advertisement) that seems to be “unnecessarily” gendered in some way. Describe the object or advertisement (Please don't use any of the ones on the powerpoint slide)
- Determine what makes it gendered (colors, explicit wording on the packaging, etc), and explain what made you perceive it as "gendered"
- Explain in why you think it’s unnecessary
- Is there a price difference if there is more than 1 version of the product?
- Why do you think it is being marketed in a “gendered” way?
Your initial post should address the above questions in 5-6 sentences. You should also post a picture, video, or some type of visual. These might be somewhat humorous, as are the examples I included in the PowerPoint slides.
Chapter 6: Gender Chapter 6: Gender Agenda Key Concepts Sex Gender Gender identity Gender Expression Intersex Gender is learned, communicated, and something we do Application activity Vocabulary Terms and Explainers Some of you will know this already, but for some this will be new. So please be patient as we go over vocabulary terms Explainer Quick explainer on gender identity vs sexual orientation (0:00-2:00) Sex Sex: Anatomical, biological distinctions External genitalia Internal reproductive sex organs Hormones Chromosomes Gender Gender: The social, psychological, and behavioral attributes that a particular culture associates with an individual’s biological sex Beliefs about individual characteristics Strength, leadership, emotionality The American public still has different expectations for people, based on a person’s gender Beliefs about roles in society Parent, teacher, politician, CEO For example, male CEOs still make up the vast majority of fortune 500 CEOs 6 Gender Identity (1 of 2) Gender Identity: Deeply felt awareness or inner sense of being A boy, man, or male; A girl, woman, or female; or An alternative Genderqueer Gender-nonconforming Gender-neutral 7 Gender Identity (2) “Gender identity: refers to how people see and identify themselves for example, some people identify as female; some people identify as male; some people as a combination of genders; as a gender other than male or female; or as no gender. For example, transgender girls identify as girls but were classified as males when they were born. Transgender boys identify as boys but were classified female when they were born. Everyone has a gender identity.” From The Sylvia Rivera Law Project Gender Expression “Gender Expression: refers to how people express their gender identity. Everyone expresses their gender identity in different ways: for example, in the way they dress, the length of their hair, the way they act or speak and in their choice of whether or not to wear make-up.” From The Sylvia Rivera Law Project Cisgenger and Transgender A person is cisgender when they identify with the gender they were assigned at birth “Transgender: is a general term used to describe people whose gender identity differs from the sex they were assigned at birth. (from The Sylvia Rivera Law Project) Gender Fluid and Non-Binary Gender fluid: when someone’s gender is fluid, or may change, across the gender spectrum; their gender may not be stable, or stay the same all the time Non-binary: someone who does not identify as either male or female/as any specific gender Non-conforming “Gender nonconforming” refers to people who do not follow other people’s ideas or stereotypes about how they should look or act based on the female or male sex they were assigned at birth. “Transgender” and “Gender nonconforming” are umbrella terms that often encompass other terms such as transsexual, cross dresser, gender queer, femme queen, A.G., Two Spirit, and many more. It is important to refer to people with the term they prefer. Vocabulary from The Sylvia Rivera Law Project Biological Sex Isn’t Binary: Intersex (1 0f 5) Biological sex does not come in only 2 forms Not if we are looking strictly at biology The idea that human sex comes only in two forms is a social construct (like all gender), created by humans, that is not inherently related to biological reality “Intersex is a general term used for a variety of conditions in which a person is born with a reproductive or sexual anatomy that doesn’t seem to fit the typical definitions of female or male.” --From the Intersex Society of North America http://oii.org.au/16601/intersex-numbers/ 13 Biological Sex Isn’t Binary: Intersex (2 of 5) Intersex is a name for the many different biological forms the human body takes in terms of reproductive and sexual anatomy And it is also about the meanings we assign to biology “Intersex traits are natural human variations, not disorders” Someone who is intersex doesn’t have the biologicial reproductive or sexual anatomy that fit the “typical” or “easy’ definitions of male and female http://oii.org.au/16601/intersex-numbers/ 14 Biological Sex Isn’t Binary: Intersex (3 of 5) “For example, a person might be born appearing to be female on the outside, but having mostly male-typical anatomy on the inside. Or a person may be born with genitals that seem to be in-between the usual male and female types—for example, a girl may be born with a noticeably large clitoris, or lacking a vaginal opening, or a boy may be born with a notably small penis, or with a scrotum that is divided so that it has formed more like labia. Or a person may be born with mosaic genetics, so that some of her cells have XX chromosomes and some of them have XY.” --From the Intersex Society of North America http://oii.org.au/16601/intersex-numbers/ 15 Biological Sex Isn’t Binary: Intersex (4 of 5) There are varying stats, but approx. 1.7% of the population is intersex 1.7% is a conservative estimate put forward by Anne Fausto-Sterling, Professor of Biology and Gender Studies at Brown University That means that approximately 220 people here at EdCC are biologically intersex It is not supported by scientific evidence (or actual human bodies/babies) to claim that human biological sex is binary http://oii.org.au/16601/intersex-numbers/ 16 Biological Sex Isn’t Binary: Intersex (5 of 5) Most intersex advocacy groups advocate for assigning intersex babies a gender Listing a gender on the birth certificate, raising/socializing the baby as a particular gender Because gender is very important in our society—it affects our whole lives But such groups strongly oppose medically unnecessary genital surgery on infants and children Currently, many doctors and hospitals will perform painful, unnecessary surgery that can cause problems later in life because it make the genitals “look” more like typical penises or vulvas (not for medical reasons) In other words, babies are not always born fitting into 1 of 2 biological sex categories but doctors often perform surgery to make such babies more easily “fit” into male or female categories Intersex advocacy groups oppose this practice http://oii.org.au/16601/intersex-numbers/ 17 Important note of clarification Please note that intersex is a term used to describe biological, anatomical distinctions It is not the same as someone’s gender identity or expression Being intersex is not the same thing as being transgender or genderqueer Though of course someone who is intersex can fall anywhere on the spectrum of gender identity and expression, just like anyone else http://oii.org.au/16601/intersex-numbers/ 18 There is a useful way to visualize gender Expression, Gender Identity sexual orientation, and Biological Sex on the next slide Sylvia Rivera Since I took some of the vocabulary definitions on the previous slides from the Sylvia Rivera Law Project: She was a trans, Latina civil rights advocate and leader She was a leader at the famous Stonewall protests in 1969, fighting for LGBTQ rights She fought for low-income people, people of color, and LGBTQ people over her lifetime Gender is Communicated Gender is Learned Like culture, the way the qualities that we associate with male and female are taught and learned Gender is Learned A variety of sources contribute. Family and friends Schools Mass media 24 Gender Is Socially Constructed Primary way we understand gender is by interacting with others in society, as well as with societal structures Hospitals Stores Public restrooms Items for purchase are marketed by gender, we are split off by gender when we go to the bathroom, etc These actions constantly reinforce cultural ideas of gender through action, through doing, through communication 25 Doing Gender Gender is not static. We cannot opt out of doing gender. Gender is interactional. Typical expectation: Gender expression coincides with sex. Examples of societal resource for doing gender: Public restrooms “Lady Doritos” 26 Doing Gender Because it is learned, we learn to communicate our gender to others Even if you do it do it without thinking very hard about it It is a part of your public self We all present and perform our gender as part of our presentation of self We communicate it through things like clothing, jewelry, body language etc Even though there is no specific set of clothing or jewelry or body language that can be claimed by one gender So it’s quite important—it’s a part of your self—it’s part of how you communicate who you are to others, but it is communicated For example, what do many parents do with children’s clothes to communicate gender? Google Image Results for “Baby Clothes for Boys” Google Image Results for “Baby Clothes for Girls” Gender Is Socially Constructed and Can Change over Time In previous decades, you would have communicated that your child was a boy by dressing him in pink Link to video here Communication About Gender has Material Effects What does it mean to throw like a girl ? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LD5Xm5u7UDM 31 Considering Gender Roles Gender roles: Shared societal expectations for conduct and behaviors that are deemed appropriate for girls or women and boys or men Girls and boys across the world encounter unequal gender expectations and stereotypes. Differences are socially, not biologically, determined. Gender and Verbal Communication Do differences exist? Research suggests it may be a matter of where we focus—on the differences or the similarities. Bulk of recent research suggests a lack of gender differences in verbal communication. Gender and Nonverbal Communication We communicate our gender to ourselves and others in the ways we use our bodies, voices, faces, and personal space Emotional “mask” for boys and men Think back to chapter 4, and how it is more socially acceptable for girls/women to express sad emotions and less so for men, while it is more acceptable for boys/men to express anger, but less so for girls/women We communicate gender when we choose our clothing, accessories, personal objects How we convey our emotions Communicating Gender For some people, they may communicate our gender through clothing, body movement, other behaviors without really thinking about it much. For others, it is something communicated with a great deal of thought Additionally, some people may not realize how much time and effort they put into communicating their gender Time spent on clothing, makeup, body language When someone spends a lot of time putting on makeup and doing their hair, that is part of a careful gender performance When teenage boys are worried about appearing “girly” for example, they are concerned about their gender performance! Gender and Relationships Romantic relationships Incorrect assumptions include: Heterosexual bias Men and women completely different Men and women as homogenous groups Reflecting on Gender and Relationships Reflecting on gender in our relationships We are never just one category, or piece of ourselves, but rather the sum total of all of our individual experiences, cultures, and co-cultures. 37 Moving Beyond Gender Stereotypes Hostile sexism Hostility toward women Attitudes like “women are too easily offended” Benevolent sexism Promotion of traditional roles Attitudes like “women should be cherished” Again, as noted in previous chapters, “benevolent” prejudice is still harmful 38 The next few slides provide examples for, and explain your chapter 6 application activity