1. Gender Development, Gender Roles, and Gender Identity
Chapter Three
Gender Development, Gender Roles, and Gender Identity

2. Agenda Discuss Distinction between Gender and Sex
Review Various Theoretical Explanations for Gender Differences
Discuss Gender Roles
Gender Roles & Gender Traits
Gender Role Theory
Varieties of Gender
Gender Role Socialization

3. Distinction Between Gender & Sex
Gender – refers to behavioral, psychological, and social characteristics of men and women
Sex – refers to the biological aspects of being male or female
Both nature and nurture are important in forming gender
Case study: Dr. John Money and Brenda/Bruce

4. Theoretical Explanations for Gender Differences
From Table 3.4 in Text

5. Table 3-4, p. 82

6. Prenatal Development: X and Y Make the Difference
Humans reproduce sexually and are made to be sexual beings
Each parent supplies a gamete, each with half of the genetic information (23 chromosomes), including a sex chromosome
Male: sperm (X or Y)
Female: egg/ovum (X)
Sex is determined at conception

7. Sexual Differentiation in the Womb
Gestation: 9 months
4-6 weeks: gonads begin to develop and sexual differentiation starts 1-2 weeks later
Sex chromosomes control development of:
internal sex organs
external sex organs
the embryo’s hormonal environment
the brain’s sexual differentiation

8. Homologous Tissue: Male and female organs that began from the same prenatal tissue are called homologous.

9. Development of the male and female external genitalia from the undifferentiated genital tubercle.

10. Hormonal Development and Influences
Ovaries produce:
Estrogen: female sexual characteristics
Progesterone: menstrual cycle and pregnancy
Testes produce:
Androgens: development of male-typical characteristics

11. Sex Chromosome Disorders
Over 70 sex chromosome abnormalities
Extra or missing sex chromosomes
3 most common:
Klinefelter’s syndrome
Turner’s syndrome
XYY/XXX

12. Klinefelter’s Syndrome
XXY – egg contained an extra X
1/700 live male births
Develops male genitalia, but not fully
Tall, feminized body
Low testosterone levels; low in sexual desires
Gynecomastia
Infertile
Testosterone therapy

13. XYY Syndrome / Triple X Syndrome
XYY or XXX – sperm contains an extra sex chromosome, or egg has an extra X
May be normal male (XYY) or normal female (XXX)
May have slight mental retardation and/or fertility problems

14. Hormonal Irregularities
Hermaphrodite – born with fully developed testes and ovaries; extremely rare
Pseudohermaphrodite – external genitals appear on some level similar to both sexes
Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH)
Androgen-Insensitivity Syndrome (AIS)

15. Gender Roles Gender Roles & Gender Traits Gender Role Theory
Varieties of Gender
Gender Role Socialization

16. Gender Roles and Gender Traits
Gender stereotypes greatly influence our thoughts and interactions
Gender roles – culturally defined behaviors, attitudes, emotions, traits, mannerisms, appearances, and occupations that are appropriate for females and males
Gender traits – biologically determined differences between males and females

17. Class Exercise: Discuss Gender Stereotypes
How are stereotypes generally supported? How are they challenged? How has our culture responded to efforts to change gender role stereotypes?
What messages did you learn in your family about gender?
How does gender role socialization occur before a child is born?
How are gender roles reinforced by your partner?
How does the use of language influence gender stereotypes?
How does the media support gender stereotypes? Does it present challenges?

18. Gender Stereotypes
What stereotypes does this cartoon reinforce?

19. Gender Stereotypes
What stereotypes does this cartoon reinforce?

20. Gender Stereotypes
What stereotypes does this cartoon reinforce?

21. Masculinity and Femininity
Ideal cluster of traits that society attributes to each gender
Changes with society, and varies from culture to culture
Less gender role stereotyping in African Americans and Northern U.S.

22. Gender Role Theory A variety of theorists and positions
Evolutionary biology: gender differences are due to adapting to our environment
Social learning: learn gender roles from society, our environment
Cognitive development: universal stages for understanding and utilizing gender

23. Gender Role Theory
Gender schema: cognitive structures organize “gender,” influenced by culture
Gender hierarchy: men are the standard and their traits are valued more by society
Chodorow’s developmental: psychoanalytic background; boys separate from mom by devaluing females; girls can love mom as a heterosexual and idealize father’s qualities

24. Gender Role Theory
Ortner’s culture/nature: masculinity is associated with culture, femininity with nature; culture encompasses nature
MacKinnon’s dominance: men use gender to dominate; it is not a biological or social issue

25. Varieties of Gender
Sex typing – thought processes that split the world into female and male categories
Greatly influences our thoughts and behaviors
Masculinity and femininity are independent traits

26. Masculinity: The Hunter
Rights of passage in many societies
Contradictions in the male role:
Provide, but don’t solely focus on career
Be sexually successful, but not degrading to women
Be strong and stable, but be emotionally available
Do not be dependent on a woman
Men have a less flexible role than women

27. Femininity: The Nurturer
Typically viewed as the opposite of masculinity
Characterized by beauty, empathy, concern, softness, modesty
Contradictions in the female role:
Job fulfillment, but stay at home with kids
Not just for looks, but use makeup/be thin
Opportunities are available, on men’s terms

28. Androgyny: Feminine and Masculine
Rate high in femininity and masculinity
Flexibility in behaviors
This concept may be reinforcing gender roles

29. Transgenderism: Living as the Other Sex
10-15% of the population
Live the other gender’s role, full/part-time
Happy as their biological sex, but psychosocially pleasured dressing as the other sex
Relaxing and peaceful to cross-dress
Billy Tipton

30. Billy Tipton was a well-known jazz musician who was discovered to be a female when he died in 1989.

31. Transsexualism: When Gender and Biology Don’t Agree
Feel their gender identity does not match their biological sex (Gender Dysphoria)
“Trapped” in the wrong body
More males than females experience this
Sex reassignment surgery involves a long process: psychological counseling, live as the other sex, hormones, multiple surgeries
M2F: realistic results, orgasm
F2M: experimental stages

32. Third Genders: Other Cultures, Other Options
Some cultures have a third gender category
Native American berdache
Oman xanˉ ýth
Indian hijra
Thai kathoey
Hawaiian aikane
Tahitian mahu

33. Asexualism: The Genetics but Not the Sex
Born without any sexual organs (no biological gender)
Has a genetic gender (XX or XY)
Typically assigned gender as a child and given hormones

34. Gender Role Socialization Across the Lifespan
Childhood
Adolescence
Adulthood
Senior Years

35. Childhood: Learning by Playing
Children are greatly defined by their gender
Name, clothing, decorations, toys
Treatment by parents, teachers, others
Model behavior of same gender individuals
Rewarded for stereotypical behavior, punished for nonstereotypical behavior (especially boys)
Homosocial play beginning 2½ to 3 years old

36. Adolescence: Practice Being Female or Male
Trying roles to determine what it is to be a man or woman
Difficult time for transgendered, homosexual, bisexual youth

37. Adulthood: Careers and Families
“Breadwinner” is a prized part of being male
Women pursue careers out of desire and necessity, yet hold primary responsibility for home life – more than men with the same occupation

38. Women and Family Life
Primary satisfaction/identity should be as wife and mother
Modern thought also insists on a career outside of the home
Often feel guilt for not adequately meeting both demands

39. Men and Family Life
Fathers spend less time with their infants than mothers
Stay-at-home dads are becoming more common, but social pressure suggests they should be in the work force and labels them as “unemployed”

40. The Senior Years
Female with typical wife/mother role may experience “empty nest syndrome”
Adjustment required at retirement if a large part of identity was related to work
More relaxed gender roles