Introduction to Gender Identity among Individual.ppt

This is a presentation of gender identity among individuals and its impact on society.

1. Chapter 2: Gender Chapter 2: Gender
IdentityIdentity

2. Please Note:Please Note:
Please turn off cell phones, Please turn off cell phones,
MP3 players and other MP3 players and other
technology of which I’m technology of which I’m
unaware.unaware.
These slides are meant These slides are meant
to help students think to help students think
about the material. They about the material. They
are not meant to replace are not meant to replace
reading the material or reading the material or
taking notes. Using taking notes. Using
these slides as your only these slides as your only
means of garnering means of garnering
information could harm information could harm
your ability to your ability to
understand the content understand the content
of this class.of this class.

3. Sex/Gender SystemSex/Gender System
Organizing society in a way such that Organizing society in a way such that
men and women are pressured to men and women are pressured to
perceive themselves and act “opposites” perceive themselves and act “opposites”
and in which men as a group have more and in which men as a group have more
power than women as a group as a power than women as a group as a
result.result.

4. Sex/Gender SystemSex/Gender System
1) If female/male were purely biological there 1) If female/male were purely biological there
wouldn’t need such elaborate rituals and wouldn’t need such elaborate rituals and
control mechanisms to ensure people stay control mechanisms to ensure people stay
“appropriate.”“appropriate.”
2) Sex/Gender system is an organizing system 2) Sex/Gender system is an organizing system
that is created through a complex interaction that is created through a complex interaction
between biology and ritual, rules, expectations between biology and ritual, rules, expectations
and action.and action.

5. Theories of Gender Theories of Gender
IdentityIdentity
1) What do we mean by the term 1) What do we mean by the term
identity?identity?
2) Most theories are simplistic. They 2) Most theories are simplistic. They
focus on:focus on:
One cause.One cause.
Are static over timeAre static over time
Don’t allow for variation across cultures.Don’t allow for variation across cultures.

6. Biological Theory of Biological Theory of
Gender IdentityGender Identity
1) Biological differences exist; as do 1) Biological differences exist; as do
similarities. We tend to focus on the similarities. We tend to focus on the
differences.differences.
A) Hormonal differences and gender identityA) Hormonal differences and gender identity
B) Brain lateralization theory and gender B) Brain lateralization theory and gender
identity theoryidentity theory

7. Biological Theory ContBiological Theory Cont
2) Problems -- 2) Problems --
It’s hard to show cause/effect (non-It’s hard to show cause/effect (non-
spuriousness and temporal order). spuriousness and temporal order).
Often theories are reductionist and Often theories are reductionist and
deterministic.deterministic.
Selective Perception affects what we observe.Selective Perception affects what we observe.
Third Genders exist.Third Genders exist.

8. Gender and Social Institution Gender and Social Institution
and Gender Identityand Gender Identity
1) Sex/Gender system, Sexuality, Race/Ethnicity are organizing 1) Sex/Gender system, Sexuality, Race/Ethnicity are organizing
principles which dictate rules and expectations and teaches principles which dictate rules and expectations and teaches
people what is appropriate.people what is appropriate.
Roles – prescribed expectations, duties and rights.Roles – prescribed expectations, duties and rights.
Gender is built into the rules of society. For examples, Monopoly. Gender is built into the rules of society. For examples, Monopoly.
You have to have a winner/losers. With Gender, you can only You have to have a winner/losers. With Gender, you can only
have two genders in our society. When there are more, we make have two genders in our society. When there are more, we make
those “others” deviants” or “cheaters.”those “others” deviants” or “cheaters.”

9. Socialization Theory and Socialization Theory and
Gender IdentityGender Identity
1) Peers, Parents, Teachers, Religious leaders teach 1) Peers, Parents, Teachers, Religious leaders teach
us through sanctions and expectations what it means us through sanctions and expectations what it means
to be male/female of various races/ethnicities, ages, to be male/female of various races/ethnicities, ages,
classes.classes.
2) Tools of Socialization2) Tools of Socialization
1) Regulating Transgressions (punishments)1) Regulating Transgressions (punishments)
2) Hegemony – Cultural tools which convince people that there 2) Hegemony – Cultural tools which convince people that there
is not other way or organizing except the present way. Thus, is not other way or organizing except the present way. Thus,
oppression is inevitable. oppression is inevitable.
Books, Movies, T.V shows. Parents “protect” their children.Books, Movies, T.V shows. Parents “protect” their children.

10. Socialization TheorySocialization Theory
3) Problems3) Problems
Theory sees people as passive.Theory sees people as passive.

11. Symbolic Interactionism Symbolic Interactionism
and Gender Identityand Gender Identity
1) What we become emerges through our 1) What we become emerges through our
relationship with others and interpreting the relationship with others and interpreting the
symbols of society which help us interpret and symbols of society which help us interpret and
act upon reality.act upon reality.
2) Tools of SI2) Tools of SI
A) Taking the role of the other – Mead – A) Taking the role of the other – Mead –
seeing yourself through othersseeing yourself through others
B) Doing GenderB) Doing Gender

12. SI SI
1) Problems1) Problems
While sees people as active, does not take While sees people as active, does not take
into account institutions and their affect on into account institutions and their affect on
gender identity.gender identity.

13. Identification Theory and Identification Theory and
Gender IdentityGender Identity
1) Chodorow– Psychoanalyst1) Chodorow– Psychoanalyst
Mothering leads to attachment in girls and Mothering leads to attachment in girls and
individuation in boys. Unconscious individuation in boys. Unconscious
process in which boys learn to devalue process in which boys learn to devalue
connections and girls put premium on connections and girls put premium on
them.them.
Tools: MotheringTools: Mothering

14. Identification TheoryIdentification Theory
Problems:Problems:
Too much focus on familyToo much focus on family
Assumes family form is static and constantAssumes family form is static and constant

15. Cognitive Developmental Cognitive Developmental
Theory and Gender IdentityTheory and Gender Identity
1) Stage theory that argues children interpret 1) Stage theory that argues children interpret
information about gender as it relates to their information about gender as it relates to their
cognitive stage.cognitive stage.
Tools: Schemas – cognitive stage affects Tools: Schemas – cognitive stage affects
information and how it is interpretedinformation and how it is interpreted
They learn gender is dichotomous and they must fit They learn gender is dichotomous and they must fit
in one category. Over time, they learn gender is in one category. Over time, they learn gender is
NOT fluid.NOT fluid.

16. Cognitive Developmental Cognitive Developmental
TheoryTheory
ProblemsProblems
They claim gender is fixed at a young They claim gender is fixed at a young
age.age.
Ignore Institutions.Ignore Institutions.