1. Gender Inequality

2. Nature vs. Nurture
Gender Stratification  males’ and females’ unequal access to property, power, and prestige.
Sex  biological characteristics that distinguish females and males consisting of primary and secondary sex characteristics.
Gender  the behaviors and attitudes that a society considers proper for its males and females, masculinity or femininity.

3. Nature vs. Nurture
Why are most males more aggressive than most females? Why do women enter “nurturing” occupations such as nursing and early childhood education?
How do we answer these questions?
-with biology or culture?
Thinking Critical Articles

4. Dominant Position in Sociology
Most sociologists will say that we behave the way we do because of social factors not biology.
Visible sex characteristics do not come with meanings built into them
If biology were the true way than all women all over the world and males all over the world would behave the same way.

5. Nature vs. Nurture
However the door to biology is slowly creeping open in sociology.
Ex. Mothering characteristics? Innate skills that are different from fathering characteristics.
Read together Medical Accident and the Vietnam Study.
Human behavior may not be either nature or nurture but the two working together. Now trying to distinguish which are culture and which are biology.

6. Minority Group
How did women become a minority group if they are the majority?
Hunting and gathering societies men and women were considered equal. Simply because women were responsible for 60% of the groups food supply.

7. Minority Group
1. In order for society to continue – must have lots of children to ensure survival
Consequences
Women were physically encumbered – breast feeding, pregnant, carrying another child or watching 2 more toddlers
Ended up with chores about the home and childcare
Men took over jobs that require lengthy absences
Access to others, made tools weapons accumulate possessions and wealth
Prestige by the “big” kill

8. Minority Group
2. Men were warriors because of their strength and speed. Needed to fight others in hand- to –hand combat. Women became the reward.
Read Mass Media and Social Life.
Society perpetuates patriarchy by creating activities that are “not appropriate” for women.
Today after all of those are absent from our society patriarchy is more of a followed tradition.

9. Sex Typed Work
All societies around the world have activities that are sex typed.
Activities are associated with one sex or the other. Ex. Metal work (Men), cooking/cleaning (Women).
Not all societies have the same types of sex typed work. (Argument for culture)

10. Prestige of Work
One could argue this is not discrimination but a way to divide work that needs to be done.
However, Universally, great prestige is given to male activities—regardless of what those activities are.
If men’s work is taking care of goats than that job becomes more important.
Midwives vs. Doctors (birthing: which carries more prestige?)

11. Global Gender Discrimination
Education  1 billion adults around the world cannot read 2/3 are women. (maybe more some people are considered literate if they can write their name.)
Politics  On average women make up just 18% of the world’s national legislative bodies. In some countries only 1%

12. Global Gender Discrimination
Pay  In every nation women are paid less than men. (US 72% of what men make).
Violence  Past: Foot binding, witch burning , and suttee. Today: Rape, wife beating,female infanticide, kidnapped brides, forced prostitution, “honor killings”