There is a significant debate over whether biology or culture is most responsible for gender differences. The dominant sociological position is that social factors, not biology, most account for gender differences in behavior, including male aggressiveness and female nurturing. A minority view within sociology, however, attributes male dominance in society to biological differences between males and females. A classic study addressing the nurture versus nature argument is the case study of an identical twin who was subjected to a sex change shortly after birth after an inept physician severed the baby’s penis during circumcision. Another study of Vietnam veterans measured the relationship between testosterone level and aggressiveness.
Around the world, gender is the primary division between people. In practically every society, greater prestige is given to male activities, regardless of the types of activities. To some degree, this unequal treatment stems from the idea that women are considered a minority group because they are discriminated against on the basis of a physical characteristic—their sex.
A patriarchy is a society in which men dominate women and authority is vested in males. Although nobody knows the origins of patriarchy, the dominant theory contends that patriarchy was a social consequence of human reproduction.
A global human rights issue is violence against women. Historical examples include foot binding in China and witch burning in Europe. Modern examples include rape, wife beating and forced prostitution. Inequality is not an accidental affair. It is how society’s institutions work together to maintain the group’s forms of inequality.
In the United States, the “first wave” of the women’s movement (early in the twentieth century) gained women the right to vote. The “second wave,” beginning in the 1960s, contributed to women achieving more rights and gains—from raising women’s pay to changing policies on violence on women. A “third wave” of feminism has emerged; three main aspects are apparent. The first is a greater focus on women in the Least Industrialized Nations. The second is a criticism of the values that dominate work and society. The third is an emphasis on women’s sexual pleasure.
The most remarkable area of gender inequality at work is the pay gap—men earn more than women, even when their educational achievement is the same. Some of this is the result of women’s career choices and the “child penalty”—women missing out on work opportunities while they care for their children. Women are also underrepresented as CEOs of the largest U.S. corporations. The “glass ceiling” is the invisible barrier that prevents women from advancing to the top levels at work. Another area of concern is sexual harassment in the workplace. The perception on this issue is changing so that we are now more apt to perceive a supervisor who makes sexual advances to a worker not as sexual attraction, but as a misuse of authority.
Globally, females are more likely to be the victims of violence. Forcible rape and date rape are prevalant—1 of every 1,000 U.S. girls and women between the ages of 12 and 50 is raped each year and studies show that date rape is a common occurrence.
After reading, you should answer ONLY two of the following three questions. Be sure that you are answering each element in your question. A paragraph each.
1 The selection on Cultural Diversity Around the World: “Female Circumcision” (CH 10) discusses the circumcision of young girls as a traditional practice in certain cultures. This custom takes on different forms in different cultures. Often it is supported by women who insist that the custom continue. Others claim it is a form of ritual torture to control female sexuality. Discuss this tradition and attempt to explain the gap in public opinion and the persistence of the use of female circumcision despite prohibition in countries such as Egypt. The United States specifically bans the practice although many of our immigrants support and desire to uphold the tradition.
2 Do you think there will be a woman president of the United States in your lifetime? If not, why? If so, what differences, if any, do you think a woman would bring to the office of the presidency? If the United States had a woman president, do you think that other nations might perceive this as a weakness or as a strength?
3 Think about how American society views “youth” and “aging,” while addressing the following: In what ways, if any, does American society celebrate and glorify looking young? What accounts for American society’s obsession with youth? Who profits by it? How do they profit by it? Who is hurt by it? How are they hurt? At what age do you think Americans start using “anti-aging” products and/or considering surgery to make them look more youthful? Finally, how might a functionalist, conflict theorist, and symbolic interactionist explain the popularity of such products and the consequences of that popularity?
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