1. Undoing Gender Systems
and
Undoing Gender Systems

2. discriminated against
Family
WOMEN IN POLITICS
25% State Legislators
19% Congress
12% Governors
0% President
Polity
Education
BOYS IN SCHOOLS
4x psych referrals
9x hyperactive diagnosis
58% “mentally retarded”
71% “learning disabled”
80% “emotionally disturbed”
10 pts lower in reading
Housework Hours
Meals 2.3
Dishes 1.7
Laundry 0.6
Cleaning 1.5
Shopping 1.3
9.5
5.7
4.1
7.6
2.9
Institutions
Religion
Economy
Women’s Earnings
55% with HS Diploma
62% with AA Degree
63% with BA Degree
69% with MA Degree
74% with PhD
66% with MD/JD
42% say they’ve been
discriminated against
Attend Services Weekly
Christians: 53% women – 46% men
Muslims: 42% women – 70% men
Average congregation? 61% women
Media
Law

3. CONTEXTS INTERACTIONS ROLES IDENTITIES
Family Economy Polity Schools Church Media Laws
Define, Refine, and Confine Symbolic Meaning
CONTEXTS
Situations and Definitions Of Situations
Status Structures
INTERACTIONS
Socialization and Impression Management
Exchange Relationships
ROLES
Specific and Generalized Others
Role Making, Strain, and Conflict
IDENTITIES
Salience and Commitment

4. Key Concepts
We (re)create gender meanings and gendered social structures when we act like men/women.
Gender is routinely reproduced. We don’t even realize it.
Gender is a product of interactions, not individuality.
When we interact in gendered ways, we “do gender.”

5. Key Concepts
We (re)create gender meanings and gendered social structures when we act like men/women.
Gender is routinely reproduced. We don’t even realize it.
Gender is a product of interactions, not individuality.
When we interact in gendered ways, we “do gender.”
We behave so people always see our behavior as “gender-appropriate.”
Our contradictions go unnoticed.
Behaviors are used to legitimate or discredit other behaviors.

6. Key Concepts “Gender Vertigo”
We (re)create gender meanings and gendered social structures when we act like men/women.
Gender is routinely reproduced. We don’t even realize it.
Gender is a product of interactions, not individuality.
When we interact in gendered ways, we “do gender.”
We behave so people always see our behavior as “gender-appropriate.”
Our contradictions go unnoticed.
Behaviors are used to legitimate or discredit other behaviors.
Our gendered identity (not gender identity) is fluid.
Thinking about this through the habitus/field lens.
Gender is an accomplishment . . it takes work!
Doing gender strengthens differences, reifies them, and eventually makes them “essential.”
“Gender Vertigo”
(Risman 1998)