Read the assigned readings and the lecture material below, including watching the embedded videos. Please also complete the Padlet activity under the ‘Gender Expectations’ heading. As you read, take

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Read the assigned readings and the lecture material below, including watching the embedded videos. Please also complete the Padlet activity under the "Gender Expectations" heading. As you read, take notes for each reading, and also make notes in your Key Terms/Concepts spreadsheet as you come across relevant terms. Once you've studied all the materials, complete the short assignment under "What to Submit."

Assigned Readings

 Read the assigned readings below before proceeding with this assignment. You should always take notes as you work through the content, perhaps using a note-taker like this oneLinks to an external site.. Save your notes in a dedicated folder for this class. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1W4esysAweh8Y4mqnp6PEOr-h8jskxQBa-15oEfjuPhk/edit?usp=sharing

 

 

Sometimes called "gender roles," gender expectations are the socially constructed expectations that a society places on individuals, based on their assigned gender. We receive messages about gender throughout our entire lives about how we are expected to behave based on our gender–from children's t-whirts that say "friends forever" for girls and "tough guy" for boys, to the expectation that men shouldn't cry and women shouldn't act too aggressively–society has a way of rewarding expected behaviors and discouraging (or even punishing) behaviors that challenge these norms.

For example, women who wear make-up in the workplace tend to be perceived as nicer and more agreeable, an example of a reward (sourceLinks to an external site.). Women who enjoy sex with multiple individuals are called disparaging names like "slut" or "whore," an example of a punishment. On the other hand, men who engage in the same behavior may be praised as "studs" or "players," an example of a reward. (This is also an example of a sexual double standard!) (See the reading "The Boys are Not All Right"Links to an external site. for more examples of these punishments and their impacts.)

Gender expectations for men and for women generally come down to two key characteristics:

Agency for men – Men are expected to be strong, active agents who make things happen.

Passivity for women – Women are expected be passive recipients, doing for others more than for themselves, and being acted upon rather than taking action.

Let's break this down even further. On the Padlet below, share a few characteristics that are associated with femininity and a few that are associated with masculinity. (Remember, this doesn't mean you are advocating for these behaviors! I am simply asking you to describe what you have noticed in the world around you.) [How to post to PadletLinks to an external site. video]

https://padlet.com/MF22/gender-expectations-zj5r2m0fq1c0#share

 

Gender is a Social Construct

I used to explain here the difference between sex and gender–that sex is biological, and gender is socially constructed. However, it's pretty clear that, actually, both are socially constructed. 

Biology refers to body parts and DNA–genitals and secondary sex characteristics like amount and placement of body hair, shoulder and hip width, etc, along with X and Y chromosomes.

Even in biological terms, though, there is not a clear definition of male and female. To illustrate this, consider that up to 10% of the population is intersex, which means that they have biological sex characteristics that don't fit with traditional definitions of male and female. Learn more about the intersex experience with the video below:

 

Notice that for several of the individuals mentioned in the video, they were born with ambiguous genitalia, or genitalia associated with both maleness and femaleness. They were raised to conform to the gender expectations of the sex that their genitals most closely resembled, even if their gender identity did not match. This illustrates how a lot of meaning is attached to the physical characteristics that we associate with a person's sex.

When we talk about, "meaning," however, we are officially talking about social constructs. A "social construct" is an idea that is created and reinforced by a society, rather than being the product of concrete reality or biology. Penises and vaginas are concrete reality–but what they mean in society is socially constructed. 

It's easy to tell that gender is socially constructed because it is different in different societies; it changes over time and from culture to culture and place to place. For example, I am a cisgender woman ("cisgender" will be defined below) who lives in California in the 21st century. If I were a cisgender woman in California in 1843, I would dress very differently, speak differently, have different relationships with my family, and my ability to move through the world or hold any power or autonomy would vary. I certainly wouldn't be a professor! Likewise, a woman living now, but in a very different culture, like the matriarchal Bribri tribe of Costa Rica,Links to an external site. would experience her womanness very differently than me. Culture determines what gender means.

Just like sex, gender identity doesn't fit into a simple binary. A binary is when two ideas are presented as polar opposites, with no options in between. Binary thinking results in an exaggeration of the differences between the two groups–an exaggeration that is constructed by society, and not necessarily reflective of real lived experience. Male vs. female is an example of a binary. Other examples include gay vs. straight, and even sex vs. gender! The reality is that binaries rarely ever fully capture any experience, and they certainly don't when it comes to gender.

Even though the most powerful influences on many societies throughout the world have reinforced a rigid male vs. female binary, neither sex nor gender have ever been that simple. There have always existed cultures that identified three or more genders, including the Two SpiritLinks to an external site. individuals of many Indigenous North American groups, and the HijraLinks to an external site. of India. And the experience that we now call "transgender," has always always existed across time and across human cultures, even if that particular term is quite new.

Please watch the video below to learn more about cultures that embrace this fluidity of gender:

 

Keep in mind that each of us identifies internally based our own understanding of our own gender–though this can change over time as we learn more about the world and about ourselves. When someone determines that their own understanding of their gender, their gender identity, differs from the gender assigned to them at birth, their gender assignment, this person may identify as transgender. Cisgender refers to a person whose gender identity matches their gender assignment. For example, when I was born, a doctor looked at me and said "It's a girl!" and I agree; I identify as female. This makes me cisgender because my gender assignment and my gender identity are the same. Another way to describe gender assignment is to say "sex assigned at birth." For example, I was assigned female at birth (sometimes abbreviated AFAB). A person with a penis is generally assigned male at birth (sometimes abbreviated AMAB).

So, not only might someone's identity differ from their assigned gender (or sex assigned at birth), but a person might also identify as outside of the male-female gender binary by identifying as non-binary, gender non-conforming, gender fluid, or another identity category. Regardless of how someone identifies, their gender expression may match their gender identity or not. Gender expression is about how a person looks–clothing, hairstyle, makeup, etc. (See the "Gender Unicorn"Links to an external site.reading for a visual representation of some of these terms.)

If you're someone who is cisgender like me, you might find it a bit confusing understanding all of these different identities, and you might fear saying the wrong thing. My advice about this is to avoid making assumptions, listen to people when they tell you about themselves, and simply try your best and be apologetic when you get something wrong. Identity is complicated, regardless of the fact that our culture reinforces the false idea that it is simple. (In fact, I may have even gotten some of these terms wrong, as the language around gender evolves frequently and sometimes it takes me some time to catch up. If you believe I've used a gender identity term incorrectly, I ask you kindly to please let me know!)

In sum, life is complicated and so is gender! And so is sex! And the lines are blurred between sex and gender. It seems that the underlying difficulty here is not gender, but a historical obsession with categorizing and labeling that has never fully been able to encompass the complexity of the human experience.

Welcome to studying gender!

Social Constructionism

Why does it matter that gender is socially constructed? Does this mean it isn't "real?"

Just like other identity categories–like race, sexual orientation, or ability–what gender means and how we experience the world as a result of our gender assignment and gender identity is shaped by society. Though these categories are socially constructed and not concrete or biological, they still have very real impacts on our lives, as they shape the way people treat us and often determine our access to power. Consider other social constructs that also have very real impacts on our lives, like money and time!

Besides, society is us. You, me, everyone–we are society. And that means that we are the "social" in social construct. In other words, we have the power the shape change and combat social inequities.

As Kang et al note in the assigned chapter, "Social Constructionism," "What are the implications of a social constructionist approach to understanding the world? Because social constructionist analyses examine categories of difference as fluid, dynamic, and changing according to historical and geographical context, a social constructionist perspective suggests that existing inequalities are neither inevitable nor immutable." If inequalities are not inevitable or unchangeable, knowing that they are socially constructed reminds us that we have the power to work toward changing those inequalities!

A Note about Terminology

As this lecture demonstrates, the English language is imperfect and ever-evolving when it comes to discussing gender. It can be challenging to balance precision in language with respect for individuals' own gender labels, particularly when discussing the past. You will notice throughout the course that I often use the terms "women" and "men." This usually means "cisgender women" and "cisgender men," respectively, but can also mean anyone being perceived in the world as a woman or man, or who was "assigned female at birth" or "assigned male at birth," even if that individual identifies as transgender or non-binary. I haven't yet figured out the perfect language to use to discuss the ideas of the class, and I hope it comes across that I attempt to be inclusive and respectful at all times. Throughout the course, I welcome and appreciate feedback about ways in which my language around gender can be improved.

Key Terms/Concepts

As you move through the course, take notes on your copy of the Key Terms/Concepts spreadsheetLinks to an external site..

Key Terms/Concepts in this lecture or readings:

  • intersex
  • binary
  • gender identity
  • gender assignment
  • gender expectations
  • gender expression
  • transgender
  • cisgender
  • non-binary
  • gender non-conforming
  • gender fluid
  • social constructionism
  • sex assigned at birth

What to Submit

Submit a typed response in the text box. Your response should be at least 300 words and respond to this prompt:

Gender is a social construct, rather than biologically determined. To understand this, it's important to understand what "social constructionist theory" is. Imagine you're telling your friend about your first week in WGS 101. To the best of your ability, explain to your friend (1) the meaning of social constructionism in your own words (don't copy from the text), and (2) explain how understanding social constructionism is important for studying gender. Refer to examples or definitions from the lecture above or the assigned readings to demonstrate how your understanding the materials so far.

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