Gender Hierarchy

Gender hierarchy is exactly what it sounds like. Men or women being superior to another.

1. Gender Hierarchy Presented By: Sykat Mondal ID: MSS 151621 MSS 1 st term, Sociology Discipline, Khulna University, Khulna.

2. Men or women being superior to another. But it’s obvious more complicated than that. In some societies men dominate over women. In others, women dominate over men. In some societies women are secondary to men but become quasi-equal to men once they reach a certain age

3. Supernatural Religious cosmologies Origin stories Stories: Woman created from man’s rib conditions Subordinate to husband Bring forth children in pain Natural Law “The relation of male to female is naturally that of the superior to the inferior of the ruling to the ruled .” - Aristotle “Woman is naturally subject to man because in man the discretion of reason predominate. - Aquinas

4. Supernatural Contd. Greek medical Womb floats around female body so women are irrational and incapable of ruling themselves. Darwinian, Socio-biologists Sperm is active, warrior Egg is passive Sperm invades egg Primatologists Look at apes Men fight each other Women take care of children

5. Good Old Days 1. Women once had greater authority 2. Moment historically when it all changes Before patriarchy… 1. Egalitarian societies 2. No differences in sizes of houses 3. No differences in sizes of burial plots 4. No evidence of weapons 5. Evidence of “culture” – the arts 6. Evidence of women being held in high esteem Rise of Dominator Societies 1. 5000-3000 BCE on – 2. Consolidation of power in hands of temple bureaucracy 3. Development of militarism – weapons 4. Institutionalization of slavery Social Construction Theories on Gender Hierarchy

6. Social Construction Theories on Gender Hierarchy Contd. Woman Slave Slavery – first institutionalized form of hierarchical dominance in human history Crucial invention - possibility of designating group to be dominated as “ different” - Other - not human Predominance of female slaves over male Which Women ? The Legacy of Sowing Division Among Women Hierarchy among men rested on property relations, reinforced by military might Women’s place in hierarchy mediated through the status of the men on whom they depended

7. Social Construction Theories on Gender Hierarchy Contd. Somewhere above wives – exceptional women distinguished by virginity and religious service Top - wife Middle – slave-concubine Bottom - slave woman ..and then incorporating it into custom, law, religion, … Veil is symbol and emblem of married woman elevated to distinguishing mark wearing it is made a privilege Distinction between women based on their sexual activities. Women not under one man’s protection and sexual control are “public” - unveiled

8. Patriarchy – begun in violence and force–is institutionalized through : Customs Economics Religion Law Family structures Paradigms of thought Sociological empirical research provides evidence that there is a socially constructed gender hierarchy which leads to an unequal division of power and prestige between men and women. Social Construction Theories on Gender Hierarchy Contd.

9. When we speak about gender we speak about difference. There appears to be little evidence that gender differences are natural, but instead that they are a product of social construction that is reinforced through socialization processes. Further, gender differences appear to be subject to a hierarchy of value which leads to inequality of life chances and life choices.

10. References Stoller , R. 19682. Sex and Gender: On the Development of Masculinity and Femininity , Science House Sally, H. 2000. Gender and Race: (What) are They? (What) Do We Want Them to Be?, 34(2): 31-55

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