Chapter 5: Gender and Sexuality Objectives: Describe how anthropologists define gender, sex, and sexuality Appreciate how anthropologists study gender socialization, gender variation, and sexuality Explain how sexuality and gender become embedded in systems of social inequality Understand how anthropological perspectives on gender and sexuality can be helpful for the church

Gender Definition: What it means to be male or female in a particular culture Key Concepts  gender vs. sex  gender status  gender role  intersex

Gender Gender Variations  Some cultural understandings of gender push beyond a two-gender system  “Third gender” a gender other than man or woman conceptualized differently in various cultures in some cultures can extend to five or more genders

Gender Anthropological Research on Gender  Early male anthropologists overgeneralized the male experience as the human experience.  Later work by female anthropologists has worked to fill in the gaps in male fieldwork.

Gender Gender Socialization: The process of learning how to act according to the gender norms of a given society Key Concepts  Limited sexual dimorphism in humans makes socialization more critical for gender differentiation.  Gender ideals are expressed through cultural narratives, stories, and rituals.

Sexuality Definition: Includes the biological sex act, but also includes sexual thoughts, feelings, and behaviors Key Concepts  Sexuality is culturally conditioned and differs cross-culturally.  Views of sexuality are often expressed in gender roles.  While same-sex sexual relations exist across cultures, homosexuality as a sexual orientation is very rare.

Sexuality Sexuality in Anthropological Research  Sexual culture: the system of cultural meanings about sexuality and the social practices of sexuality  Sexual identity: an element of some sexual cultures, the intentional sense of having a sexual desire around which your social identity is built  Sexual life way: a culturally constructed expression of sexuality and gender roles

Sex, Gender, and Inequality  Culture has the power to interpret and express biological differences as good, bad, important, or irrelevant.  These interpretations become the basis for excluding certain genders from areas of social life and restricting access to resources.

Anthropological Contributions to the Church How do anthropological studies of sexuality help the church? o Instead of seeing our own cultural views of sexuality as natural or normal, we can learn how our culture has shaped our views. o We can learn how Christians in other cultures think about and experience shalom in their sexual lives. o Can better understand biblical depictions of sexuality and gender in Scripture.