Theories of GenderTheories of Gender

Presented by : Cassandra Stepp-BollingFor: EWS 425H

Background InformationBackground Information

• Differences Differences Between Sex and Between Sex and GenderGender

- Sex: What you - Sex: What you are biologically are biologically born as; XX or XYborn as; XX or XY

-Gender: A socially -Gender: A socially acquired idea; acquired idea; femininity or femininity or masculinity.masculinity.

BackgroundBackground

Inventive Inventive OpportunityOpportunity

(Post Takeover)(Post Takeover)• No explorationNo exploration• No “rough and No “rough and

tumble”tumble”• No play in generalNo play in general• No opportunity for No opportunity for

inventioninvention

Inventive OpportunityInventive Opportunity

(Pre-Takeover)(Pre-Takeover)• Occupation acted as Occupation acted as

a catalyst for a catalyst for inventioninvention

• ScrappersScrappers• TanningTanning• Cooking surfacesCooking surfaces• Herbal remediesHerbal remedies

BackgroundBackground

The Three TheoriesThe Three Theories

Why do we behave the way Why do we behave the way we do?we do?

Karl Marx’s TheoryKarl Marx’s Theory

Marx’s TheoryMarx’s Theory

• There is a separation of classThere is a separation of class• Conflicts will always occur between the Conflicts will always occur between the

classesclasses• History of society is history of class History of society is history of class

strugglesstruggles• There will always be the “exploiters” and There will always be the “exploiters” and

the “exploited” the “exploited” • Classes brought together by a common Classes brought together by a common

interestinterest• Women are one class men are anotherWomen are one class men are another

Matriarchy PerplexMatriarchy Perplex

Was there ever a Matriarchal Was there ever a Matriarchal society?society?

Matriarchy PerplexMatriarchy Perplex

• Women provided 60-Women provided 60-80% of food80% of food

• Women were active in Women were active in hunting and gathering hunting and gathering

• Women were first to Women were first to control firecontrol fire

• Women gave birthWomen gave birth• Women bled without Women bled without

dyingdying• Most likely women had Most likely women had

more power than menmore power than men

• Men were strongerMen were stronger• May have acted as a May have acted as a

counterbalancecounterbalance• Possible equality Possible equality

among men and among men and womenwomen

Matriarchy PerplexMatriarchy Perplex

• Minoan-Crete most likely a Minoan-Crete most likely a Matriarchal societyMatriarchal society

• Had major female deitiesHad major female deities• Had no dominating male deitiesHad no dominating male deities• Can not be proved that it was not a Can not be proved that it was not a

PatriarchyPatriarchy

Take Over TheoryTake Over Theory

VS.

The Replacement of Women’s Power

Take Over TheoryTake Over Theory

Reasons For Take Reasons For Take OverOver

• Males realized their Males realized their role in procreationrole in procreation

• Advances in Advances in horticulturehorticulture

• Population Population explosionexplosion

• WarWar• Changes in ReligionChanges in Religion

Take Over TheoryTake Over TheoryAdvances in HorticultureAdvances in Horticulture

• Domestication of Domestication of animalsanimals

• Invention of a steel Invention of a steel plowplow

• Large scale Large scale irrigation irrigation

• A need to defend A need to defend territoryterritory

Take Over TheoryTake Over TheoryWarWar

War was debilitating for War was debilitating for many reasonsmany reasons

• Women were not as Women were not as strong as menstrong as men

• Were already Were already socialized not to fightsocialized not to fight

• Weapons made for Weapons made for fighting were in the fighting were in the possession of menpossession of men

• Allowed for women to Allowed for women to become slaves become slaves

Take Over TheoryTake Over TheoryReligionReligion

• Before TakeoverBefore Takeover AthenaAthena Hera Hera ArtemisArtemis AphroditeAphrodite GaiaGaia Ma’atMa’at IsisIsis White Buffalo Calf White Buffalo Calf

WomenWomen

• After TakeoverAfter Takeover AbrahamAbraham JesusJesus MohammedMohammed The Witness of the The Witness of the

Mormon TabletsMormon Tablets BuddhaBuddha Yu-huang Yu-huang

Take Over TheoryTake Over TheoryReligion: Bible QuotesReligion: Bible Quotes

• ““If a maiden who is engaged to be married, and a man If a maiden who is engaged to be married, and a man finds her in the city and lies with her, …[you] shall finds her in the city and lies with her, …[you] shall stone them to death- the young woman because she stone them to death- the young woman because she did not cry for help…and the man because he violated did not cry for help…and the man because he violated his neighbor’s wife.” (Deuteronomy 22:23-24)his neighbor’s wife.” (Deuteronomy 22:23-24)

• ““If a man finds a girl who is a virgin, who is not If a man finds a girl who is a virgin, who is not betrothed, and he seizes her and lies with her… Then betrothed, and he seizes her and lies with her… Then the man who lay with her shall give the girl’s father the man who lay with her shall give the girl’s father fifty shekels of silver, and she shall be his wife, fifty shekels of silver, and she shall be his wife, because he has violated her; he may not divorce her in because he has violated her; he may not divorce her in all his days.” (Deuteronomy 22:28-29)all his days.” (Deuteronomy 22:28-29)

• Judges 19:23-30Judges 19:23-30

Women and Technology Women and Technology TodayToday

• Women are still not well known for Women are still not well known for their inventionstheir inventions

• Due to a lack of rights men take Due to a lack of rights men take credit for many women’s inventionscredit for many women’s inventions

• Women are slowly gaining power Women are slowly gaining power again: Feminist movementagain: Feminist movement

• Still in 1998 women only held 10.3% Still in 1998 women only held 10.3% of patentsof patents

Little Known Women Little Known Women InventorsInventors

• Bette Graham – liquid paperBette Graham – liquid paper• Lillian Malt – “Stephen Hobday’s Lillian Malt – “Stephen Hobday’s

Keyboard”Keyboard”• Harriet R. Strong – storage dam and Harriet R. Strong – storage dam and

reservoir systemreservoir system• Ruth Wakefield – Tollhouse cookiesRuth Wakefield – Tollhouse cookies• Jeanne Mance – Prepaid healthcare Jeanne Mance – Prepaid healthcare

systemsystem

Questions?Questions?