Sex and Gender Studies

Sex and Gender

• Sex: Biological characteristics, including sex chromosomes.
• Gender: Behavioral, cultural, or psychological traits associated with a particular sex within a culture and historical context.
• Intersexed: Individuals whose physical sex characteristics fall outside the male/female binary.
• Cisgender: Individuals whose gender identity corresponds with their birth sex.
• Hypermasculinity: Extreme and exaggerated form of traditional masculinity.
• Heteronormative: The view that heterosexuality is the expected or preferred sexual orientation.

Feminist Theories

• Feminist theories are a broad social and political practice and thought that examines gender inequality, with different waves (e.g., first, second, third).
• They are a part of critical theory that aims to destabilize power structures.

Contemporary Gender Inequality

• Individual sexism and institutionalized sexism maintain gender inequality.
• Ethnicity encompasses cultural traits like language, religion, food, and shared descent.
• Race is a socially constructed categorization of people based on physical characteristics.
• Prejudice is a generalized attitude of bias toward a group.
• Racism is a specific form of prejudice based on physical appearance.
• Discrimination is mistreatment based on group membership.
• Critical race theory argues that racism benefits the dominant class economically.

Cognitive, Affective, and Behavioral Components of Prejudice

• Cognitive component: Thoughts and stereotypes about a group.
• Affective component: Emotions associated with stereotypes (e.g., prejudice).
• Behavioral component: Discrimination, which is the acting out of prejudice.

Prejudice, Discrimination, and Social Justice

• Attitudes of prejudice generalized to all members of a group.
• Mistreatment of someone based on group membership.
• Racism: Stereotyping or discriminating against people from a certain racial group.
• Discrimination: Mistreating individuals due to their belonging to a particular group.

Oppression and Privilege

• Privileged groups have unearned advantages.
• Hierarchy: Privileged groups have a higher place than those that are oppressed.
• Oppression: Experiences of disadvantage and power imbalances.
• Internalization: Accepting negative messages and beliefs about groups that one belongs to.
• Exploitation: Using the work of those with subordinate power.

Individual and Systemic Issues

• Inequality: Unequal treatment or opportunities.
• Social Justice: Addressing systemic inequalities and oppression.
• Five Giants: Illness, poor housing, insufficient education, and unemployment, and others.
• Social Police in Canada: The government's role in maintaining social order
• Civic Rights: Essential rights for citizens for individual freedom and justice.
• Political Rights: Rights for citizens to participate in political processes.
• Social Policy: Policies made by governments to improve the lives of citizens.

Social Organization and Power

• Cultural: Values, norms, shared patterns of thought and action (what is considered "right" and "normal").
• Structural: Institutionalized oppression through laws, policies, and social practices.