The Study of Communication, Gender & Culture Chapter 1

Research on Gender, Comm., & Culture Classes widespread only last 20 years First handbook of research on gender and communication – 2006 Learn more at: http://www.sagepub.com/booksProd RelatedProducts.nav?prodId=Book22 6595&currTree=Subjects&level1=K0 0&level2=K60

Research on Gender, Comm., & Culture Research on gender from range of fields Communication Anthropology History Philosophy Psychology Sociology

Studying Communication, Gender, & Culture Learning about communication, gender, and culture: Enhances appreciation of ways culture influences views

Research on Gender, Comm., & Culture Quantitative research methods Data that can be quantified and analyzed Descriptive statistics Surveys Experiments

Research on Gender, Comm., & Culture Qualitative research methods/ interpretive methods Understand nature of meaning or experiences Textual analysis Ethnography

Research on Gender, Comm., & Culture Critical research methods Identify and challenge inequities and problems

Learn About Comm., Gender, & Culture Learning about communication, gender, and culture: Enhances appreciation of cultural complexities Enhances insight to your own gender

Learn About Comm., Gender, & Culture Learning about communication, gender, and culture: Strengthens effectiveness as communicator

Gender in a Transitional Era Probably don’t prescribe to grandparents’ ideals Likely are confused about gender issues

Gender in a Transitional Era On one level Think women and men equal On another level May hold traditional values Live in a transitional era

Differences between Women & Men Difficult to find language to discuss patterns of communication Women and men troublesome Imply all can be grouped together

Differences between Women & Men Essentializing Tendency to reduce to characteristics assume are essential in every member of category Presume all members of sex alike

Differences between Women & Men Essentializing Obscures range of individual characteristics Book’s generalizations do not imply essentializing

Gender, Culture, & Communication Sex, gender, sexual orientation, culture, communication interlinked Cannot study one without understanding others

Sex Sex = designation based on biology Gender = socially constructed and expressed Sex and gender usually go together Can be inconsistent

Sex Male or female based on external genitalia and internal sex organs Genitalia and sex markers determined by chromosomes

Sex Y chromosome determines how fetus develops Females usually have XX Males usually have XY

Sex Occasional variation XO XXX, XXY, XYY XY and XX

Sex All have cells with at least one X Males typically have one X More vulnerable to X-linked recessive conditions

Sex Some born with biological characteristics of each sex Traditionally called hermaphrodites Today intersexed preferred Learn more at: http://www.itpeople.org/

Sex Hormones influence development Fetuses with Y bathed in androgens Development of male sex organs Fetuses without Y - fewer androgens Development of female sex organs

Sex Female fetus may be exposed to excessive progesterone May not develop female genitalia Male fetus may be deprived of progesterone Male genitalia may not develop

Sex Influence of hormones continues throughout lifetime Males more sensitive to hormonal activity Biology influences how develop but doesn’t determine behavior or personality

Gender Gender Neither innate nor necessarily stable Defined by society Expressed by individuals as they interact with others and media

Gender Gender changes over time Born male or female (sex) Learn to act masculine and/or feminine (gender)

Gender Gender identity: Person’s own identification as male or female

Gender Gender depends on society’s values, In America Masculine = strong, successful, rational, emotionally controlled Feminine = attractive, nurturing, deferential, expressive

Gender From infancy, encouraged to learn how to embody gender that society prescribes

Gender Gender grows out of cultural ideas that stipulate social meaning and expectations Society’s views permeate public and private life See as normal, natural, right

Gender Not passive recipients Make choices to accept, modify, or reject Views challenged by people who define themselves as trans or gender queer

Gender Meanings of gender also changed by: Personal communication Role models Interactions with friends Reciprocal relationship between communication and cultural views

Gender Uphold or remake meanings of masculinity or femininity 1970s – androgyny coined Androgynous individuals embody qualities considered both feminine and masculine

Gender Meanings of gender can vary across cultures: New Guinea – three genders Arapesh – all feminine Mundugumor – all aggressive Tchambuli – gender reversal

Gender Body ideals for women socially constructed Current Western culture values thinness

Gender 1950s – fuller-figures preferred See photos of Marilyn Monroe at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marilyn_Monroe Some cultures regard heavier women as beautiful

Gender Some cultures view person’s gender as changeable Some Native American groups – more than two genders These individuals esteemed

Gender In U.S., gender varies across racial-ethnic groups African American women more assertive African American men more communal

Gender Social meaning of gender varies over time Prior to Industrial Revolution – family and work intertwined Industrial Revolution – division into spheres of work and home Femininity and masculinity redefined

Gender Meaning changes over time Social context changes and affects sense of identity Relational concept Femininity and masculinity make sense in relation As meanings of one changes – so do meanings of other

Beyond Sex & Gender Can also define self in terms of: Sexual orientation Transgendered Transsexual Society assumes connections between these categories

Beyond Sex & Gender Sexual orientation Preference for romantic and sexual partners Heterosexual Gay Lesbian Bisexual

Beyond Sex & Gender Other cultures’ views of sexual orientation challenge U.S. views Sambia in Melanesia Ancient Greece Victorian society

Beyond Sex & Gender Changing views of gender and sex Intersexed individuals Biological characteristics of male and female

Beyond Sex & Gender Transgendered individuals Biological sex inconsistent with identity Often dress and adopt behaviors of gender with which identify

Beyond Sex & Gender See the trailer from the movie Boys Don’t Cry (R-rated): http://www.youtube.com/watch? v=aOarssJWHhI

Beyond Sex & Gender Transsexual individuals Surgery and/or hormonal treatments Posttransition males to females Posttransition females to males

Beyond Sex & Gender MTF – Deidre McCloskey FTM – Thomas Beatie Gave birth to a child

Beyond Sex & Gender Cross-dressers/transvestites Enjoy wearing clothing of other sex Varying motivations Majority biological, heterosexual males, attracted to women

Beyond Sex & Gender Transgendered, transsexed, and intersexed people challenge dualities

Culture Culture = structures, institutions, practices that reflect and uphold social order Upheld by defining certain groups, values, expectations, as good

Culture Surrounded by communication that announces social views of gender Women give up name in marriage Judicial system Western culture is patriarchal

Culture Messages that reinforce culture views pervade lives Seldom pause to reflect Take for granted Don’t question Learning to reflect empowers Increases freedom to choose

Communication Communication is dynamic Continually changes, evolves Process No beginnings or endings

Communication is Systemic More than context affects meaning All aspects of communication are interlinked Influenced by how we feel Time of day, etc. may influence

Communication is Systemic Largest system affecting communication is culture Societies’ views of men and women change over time Systems interact – each part affects all others

Communication is Systemic Communication has two levels: Content level of meaning Literal meaning Relationship level of meaning Tell how to interpret content and how communicators see themselves in relationship

Meanings Created through Interaction with Symbols Humans symbol-using creatures Have to think to figure out what symbol means Symbols can be ambiguous More than one meaning

Meanings Created through Interaction with Symbols Significance of communication not in words themselves Communicating increases meanings

Meanings Created through Interaction with Symbols Verbal and nonverbal behaviors not neutral Meaning arises from interpretation

Meanings Created through Interaction with Symbols Differences in interpretation are sources of misunderstanding Can become more effective: Ask for clarification Check to see how others are interpreting us