Gender Inequality:
(Discussion Points from Chapter 4)
1. The
distinction between “sex” and “gender”—Sex is biologically determined while
gender is socially determined. Biologically,
there can be but two sexes (excluding hermaphrodites) socially, there can be
many genders; (Example; the “nadle” of the
Navajo). What is meant by the term,
“gendered social order”? (This term is similar to what the text describes as
gender stratification). |
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2. Why is it
that even though women comprise approximately 46 percent of the U.S.
workforce, female workers earn only 77 percent of what males earn in median
earnings for full-time workers? Give
some examples of institutionalized sexism in the U.S. |
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3. Cite
examples of how women’s bodies and female sexuality are subordinated in
male-centered cultures. Are there any
practices that suggest that this exists in the contemporary |
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4. Discuss the
role of biology versus socialization in the development of gender roles. What are some of the cultural differences
in gender role socialization that are discussed in the text? |
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5. How do each
of the theoretical perspectives discussed in the chapter—(functionalism,
conflict theory, symbolic interactionism, and feminist theories) explain the place
of gender in society and the relation of gender to social problems? Discuss intersection theory, Parsons’
theory, Marxist theory, the use of gender-biased
language, and feminist perspectives on gender inequality. |
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6. Of those
individuals suffering from anorexia, 85-95 percent are women and between 4
and 9 percent of female college students may be clinically diagnosed as
suffering from this illness. Why? What is the counterpart for males? |
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7. What is the “second
shift;” the “time bind”? |
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8. Compare
labor force participation rates of women by race and ethnicity, (e.g. Black,
White, Hispanic). How do the ratio of
earnings between males and females compare within these groups? (Median
Weekly Earnings, Full-Time Workers) |
Race/Ethnicity |
Percent of female earnings to male earnings (2nd
Qtr, 1999) |
Percent of female earnings to male earnings (2002)
(Stat. Abstract. 2003, p.423) |
White |
73 ($506/$689) |
78 ($549/$702) |
Black |
83 ($419/$504) |
91 ($474/$523) |
Hispanic |
84 ($363/$433) |
88 ($396/$449) |
All groups |
74 ($494/$665) |
78 ($530/$680) |
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White Male |
White Female |
Black Male |
Black Female |
Hispanic Male |
Hispanic Female |
MD weekly earnings (2002) |
$702. |
$549. |
$523. |
$474. |
$449. |
$396. |
% of White Male |
100% |
78% |
74% |
67% |
64% |
56% |
9. Discuss
advances made by women in the fields of medicine, dentistry, and law. How have
women fared among Fortune 500 companies in recent times? |
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10. Discuss the
“feminization of poverty” and the fact that while families maintained by a women represent 18 percent of all American families,
they represent over 50 percent of the households below the poverty level. |
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11. What is
sexual harassment and what are some of the estimates of its prevalence in |
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12. Discuss
liberal and conservative perspectives on gender equality. |