Gender
1. What is meant by the “social construction of gender”? Provide a thorough response, using sociological terms and situations.
Gender refers to how the society and culture distinguish with being male or female. By the view from society and culture, they create the gender roles which the appropriate behavior that they belongs to. Also, They give them an identity that identify being either masculine or feminine. The social construction of gender is meant of the gender’s behavior, knowledge, language, socialized, power, expression that the process of interact within society. For example, men are more status and powerful than women. Men go out and work. Women stay at home and work. They are different production in economy. Men are more active but women are more emotional. 2. What is feminism? Discuss the first wave, second wave and third wave of feminism. How do feminists address sexism, institutional discrimination and the glass ceiling? Feminism is the belief of equality of women in society, economic, and political. During the 19th century, first wave feminism was happened and concerned about the equalities. They were fighting the right to vote. The reform movement was started with Seneca Falls. It led by Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lecretia Mott, and others. Primarily led by white women that supported the restrictions based on race and property ownership. They relied on the facts that mankind repeated injuries and usurpations toward mean. Also, they argued the women and men are equal rights and men should encourage women to speak, teach, have education, and participate in public. Based on the Declaration of Independence, women should take action to protect themselves. Then in 1920, the 19th Amendment was passed that granted women the right to vote. The second wave of feminism was started during 1960s-1980s. Women started to fight their rights in the workplace, such as balance between workload and salary, and allowed married women to have employment opportunities. Also, they fight for the right of reproductive, sexual freedom, the role of women at home, defacto relationships, and legal inequalities. The Women’s Liberation Movement emphasized the rights of women in the workplace due to women were not able to pay equally while the value of their work. Also, they couldn’t able to work the same professional area that the men work. Women were suffered the losses in the workplace. Indeed, after the women were married, their job were worked at home instead. Fortunately, law of Sex Discrimination Act was passed. Then it became illegal to discriminate against women. The third wave of feminism was to change the stereotypes, language, media, culture, social, economic, and political power to define or expression women. It was the same as previous two wave, however, third wave was more focus on the interpretation of gender struction and sexuality. Women addresses sexism and institutional discrimination in the workplace by restrict the availability of job that women could work due the majority of women jobs were taking care of people or children, receptionist, secretary, etc. The glass ceiling is the invisible barrier that prevent women to promote within workplace due to gender, race, and ethnicity. 3. What occupations are men likely to perform? What occupations are women likely to perform? (See pages 303-306). Compare their (men & women) earnings. Who is likely to earn more? What accounts for wage gaps between men and women? Can such gaps be corrected? The occupation of men are mostly likely to be higher salary, such as executive, police officers, aircraft pilot, firefighter, doctor, etc. Compare to men, the occupation of women are mostly likely lower salary, such as clerk, social workers, librarian, etc. Although it declared that “equal pay for equal work”, women could not earn as much as the men do. According to the IWPR, it showed that women earn less money than men in most of any occupation. In 2003, female full time workers made only $0.78 for every dollar earned by men which the gender wage gap was about 22%. The gap was high. The discrimination in salary, hiring, or promotions were continued to be a significant feature of working life. 4. What is the “second shift?” Explain. Culturally, is it possible to “equalize” the second shift? If so, how? For more insight into women in the workplace, check out this video about women in the workplace. The “second shift” is the double burden work which women have more than one job such as, work outside the home after childcare and housework. Women work full time and part time at the same time but the workload is more than men do. It cannot be “equalize” because it affected the couples. Women wants to be identified and have the same power in the marriage. However, this affect the marriage that there will be tension within marriage, lack of sexual interest, and sleep. |