Perspectives on Gender

Perspectives on Gender

Functionalist Theory

• Men are usually assigned instrumental roles, focusing on discipline and economic support within the family structure.
• Women are typically attributed expressive roles, emphasizing emotional nurturing and conflict management in social groups.
• Societal expectations in the Philippines suggest men must be providers, and women should master domestic tasks.
• This gender-based mentality fosters inequality, pressuring individuals to choose between family and work.

Structural Functionalism Theory

• Explains societal functions through interrelationships of social institutions (government, school, family).
• Emphasizes the need for balance and equilibrium within society.
• Gender inequality is evident in labor perspectives, establishing a hierarchy where men are dominant and women are subordinate.
• When women become wage earners, they can gain power in family dynamics but still often bear the domestic burden.

Symbolic Interactionalism Theory

• Analyzes social behavior based on interpersonal interactions and the significance of symbols.
• Identity is shaped through interactions with immediate social groups.
• The meanings of symbols evolve over time, reflecting societal changes (e.g., the term "GAY" shifted from cheerful to primarily associated with homosexuality).

Conflict Theory

• Centers on the conflict between individuals/groups over limited resources, maintaining social order through domination and power.
• Highlights the patriarchal structure, where men hold significant political, economic, and social power.
• Key theorists include Karl Marx, Max Weber, and Ralph Dahrendorf.

Feminist Theory

• Aims to address gender inequality, emphasizing gender politics, power relations, and sexuality.
• Advocates for women’s rights and seeks to eliminate institutional barriers to equality.
• Basic tenets include enhancing equality, expanding choices, dismantling gender stratification, and promoting sexual freedom.

Lenses of Feminism

• Black Feminism: Addresses the dual oppression of race and gender faced by Black women in a patriarchal society.
• Cultural Feminism: Suggests women possess unique traits that differentiate them from men, advocating for the recognition of these qualities.
• Ecofeminism: Connects the oppression of women and the environment, arguing that patriarchal methods harm both.
• Liberal Feminism: Focuses on achieving rights and social justice for women through legal reforms.
• Marxist and Socialist Feminism: Contends that true equality requires challenging capitalist structures that exploit women's labor.
• Multiracial Feminism: Addresses how racial dynamics influence gender oppression, representing marginalized voices.
• Radical Feminism: Calls for a foundational overhaul of societal structures to achieve true gender equality.

Psychodynamic Theory

• Freud's theory posits that early parental interactions are crucial for a child's gender identity development.
• Explores psychosexual stages, particularly the phallic stage, and associated complexes (Oedipus and Electra).
• Adler emphasizes the sense of inferiority in personality development and the impact of birth order.

Social Learning Theory

• Highlights the role of environment and experiences in shaping social behaviors regarding gender.
• Emphasizes modeling and reinforcement, as children learn gender roles by observing and the responses they elicit.

Cognitive-Developmental Theory

• Proposes that intelligence emerges from interactions with the environment through various life stages.
• Gender constancy develops as a child matures cognitively, understanding stable gender roles.

Evolutionary Theory

• Argues that human behaviors, including gender roles, are influenced by genetic coding and adaptive responses.

Women in Development (WID) Theory

• Aims to dismantle societal barriers to women's advancement and integrates women into broader developmental agendas.

Gender and Development (GAD) Theory

• Focuses on socially constructed gender differences and seeks to redefine roles to promote equality.
• Key frameworks: Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), Beijing Platform (1995).

Queer Theory

• Developed in the 1990s, critiques traditional notions of sexuality and gender, thus challenging essentialist views in identity politics.

This quiz explores various theories regarding gender roles and inequalities, focusing on Functionalist Theory and Structural Functionalism. It examines how societal expectations shape the roles of men and women and the implications of these roles in family and work dynamics. Test your understanding of these concepts and their relevance in contemporary society.