Gender StratificationGender Stratification

unequal distribution of unequal distribution of wealth, power and privilege wealth, power and privilege between men and womenbetween men and women

Macionis, Sociology, Chapter Thirteen

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Gender and InequalityGender and Inequality• Gender is the personal traits and social Gender is the personal traits and social

positions members of a society attach to positions members of a society attach to being female and male (remember from being female and male (remember from Chapter 8)Chapter 8)

• At all levels in the class system, women have:At all levels in the class system, women have:•Less incomeLess income•Less wealthLess wealth•Less education, and Less education, and •Less power than menLess power than men

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Biological & Socialization DifferencesBiological & Socialization Differences

•Mathematical Skills

•Verbal Skills

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Impact of career choices & gender on pay

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Social StratificationSocial Stratification

• 60% of all women work and 72% of 60% of all women work and 72% of working women work full-timeworking women work full-time

• Women hold primary responsibility for Women hold primary responsibility for housework and parenting – the “second housework and parenting – the “second shift”shift”

• On average, women earn 78 cents for On average, women earn 78 cents for every dollar earned by men.every dollar earned by men.

• Some work defined as “men’s work”Some work defined as “men’s work”

• ““Pink-collar” jobs are at the lower end Pink-collar” jobs are at the lower end of the pay scaleof the pay scale

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Education, Politics & MilitaryEducation, Politics & Military

• Gender and educationGender and education•In 2007 women earned 59% of all associate In 2007 women earned 59% of all associate and bachelor degrees, 61% of master’s and bachelor degrees, 61% of master’s degrees and 50% of doctorates. degrees and 50% of doctorates.

• PoliticsPolitics•Nineteenth Amendment (1920)Nineteenth Amendment (1920)•Women active in local, state politicsWomen active in local, state politics

• MilitaryMilitary•14% of US military personnel are women, 14% of US military personnel are women, including deployed troops.including deployed troops.

•Culture influences views of women in the Culture influences views of women in the military.military.

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Intersection TheoryIntersection Theory

• The interplay of race, class, and gender, often The interplay of race, class, and gender, often resulting in multiple dimensions of disadvantage.resulting in multiple dimensions of disadvantage.

• All women earn less than all groups of menAll women earn less than all groups of men

• $31,223 vs. $40,798$31,223 vs. $40,798

• Black ($27,730) and Hispanic ($23,444) women Black ($27,730) and Hispanic ($23,444) women earn significantly less than white women ($32,486)earn significantly less than white women ($32,486)

Why?

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Violence Against WomenViolence Against Women

• Most often at homeMost often at home

• ““Rule of thumb” 150 years agoRule of thumb” 150 years ago

• Sexual assaults, rapes, attempted Sexual assaults, rapes, attempted rapes, and physical assaultsrapes, and physical assaults

• Campus and university gender Campus and university gender violenceviolence

• Wolf whistles and pinch to physical Wolf whistles and pinch to physical assaults “rape culture”assaults “rape culture”

• Female genital mutilationFemale genital mutilation

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Sexual HarassmentSexual Harassment

• Comments, gestures, or physical Comments, gestures, or physical contact of a sexual nature that contact of a sexual nature that are deliberate, repeated and are deliberate, repeated and unwelcomeunwelcome

• Causes of sexual harassmentCauses of sexual harassment• Culture encourages men to be Culture encourages men to be

sexually assertive and perceive sexually assertive and perceive women in sexual termswomen in sexual terms

• Most people in positions of Most people in positions of power are menpower are men

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Types of FeminismTypes of Feminism• Liberal feminismLiberal feminism

• Free to develop own talents and Free to develop own talents and interests - individualisticinterests - individualistic

• Socialist feminismSocialist feminism• Pursue collective (male and Pursue collective (male and

female) personal liberationfemale) personal liberation

• Radical feminismRadical feminism• Eliminate idea of genderEliminate idea of gender• Egalitarian, gender-free Egalitarian, gender-free

revolutionrevolution

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Opposition to Opposition to FeminismFeminism

• Threat to male status and self-Threat to male status and self-respectrespect

• Growing body of evidence that Growing body of evidence that men and women think and act in men and women think and act in different waysdifferent ways

• Note: Sheri does not think this goes Note: Sheri does not think this goes against feminism (think Liberal)against feminism (think Liberal)

• How should women improve social How should women improve social standing? Individual abilities or standing? Individual abilities or collective rightscollective rights

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“Great Spirit, help me never to judge another until I have walked in his moccasins for two weeks.”

- Sioux Indian prayer