Gender Inequality Nature vs Nurture Gender Stratification males

Gender Inequality

Nature vs. Nurture • Gender Stratification males’ and females’ unequal access to property, power, and prestige. • Sex biological characteristics that distinguish females and males consisting of primary and secondary sex characteristics. • Gender the behaviors and attitudes that a society considers proper for its males and females, masculinity or femininity.

Nature vs. Nurture • Why are most males more aggressive than most females? Why do women enter “nurturing” occupations such as nursing and early childhood education? • How do we answer these questions? • -with biology or culture? • Thinking Critical Articles

Dominant Position in Sociology • Most sociologists will say that we behave the way we do because of social factors not biology. • Visible sex characteristics do not come with meanings built into them • If biology were the true way than all women all over the world and males all over the world would behave the same way.

Nature vs. Nurture • However the door to biology is slowly creeping open in sociology. • Ex. Mothering characteristics? Innate skills that are different from fathering characteristics. • Read together Medical Accident and the Vietnam Study. • Human behavior may not be either nature or nurture but the two working together. Now trying to distinguish which are culture and which are biology.

Minority Group • How did women become a minority group if they are the majority? • Hunting and gathering societies men and women were considered equal. Simply because women were responsible for 60% of the groups food supply.

Minority Group • 1. In order for society to continue – must have lots of children to ensure survival – Consequences • Women were physically encumbered – breast feeding, pregnant, carrying another child or watching 2 more toddlers • Ended up with chores about the home and childcare • Men took over jobs that require lengthy absences – Access to others, made tools weapons accumulate possessions and wealth – Prestige by the “big” kill

Minority Group • 2. Men were warriors because of their strength and speed. Needed to fight others in hand- to – hand combat. Women became the reward. • Read Mass Media and Social Life. • Society perpetuates patriarchy by creating activities that are “not appropriate” for women. • Today after all of those are absent from our society patriarchy is more of a followed tradition.

Sex Typed Work • All societies around the world have activities that are sex typed. • Activities are associated with one sex or the other. Ex. Metal work (Men), cooking/cleaning (Women). • Not all societies have the same types of sex typed work. (Argument for culture)

Prestige of Work • One could argue this is not discrimination but a way to divide work that needs to be done. • However, Universally, great prestige is given to male activities—regardless of what those activities are. • If men’s work is taking care of goats than that job becomes more important. • Midwives vs. Doctors (birthing: which carries more prestige? )

Global Gender Discrimination • Education 1 billion adults around the world cannot read 2/3 are women. (maybe more some people are considered literate if they can write their name. ) • Politics On average women make up just 18% of the world’s national legislative bodies. In some countries only 1%

Global Gender Discrimination • Pay In every nation women are paid less than men. (US 72% of what men make). • Violence Past: Foot binding, witch burning , and suttee. Today: Rape, wife beating, female infanticide, kidnapped brides, forced prostitution, “honor killings”