SOAN 2400 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Virginity, Anal Sex, Gerda Lerner

• School: University of Guelph
• Department: Sociology and Anthropology
• Course: SOAN 2400
• Professor: Rose Deidre

Document Summary

Soan2400- introduction to gender systems tuesday sept. 16th/2014. Sex/gender systems: refers to the institutionalized system which allots resources, property and privileges to persons accordant to culturally defined gender roles. Thus, it is sex which determines that women should be child bearers, it is the sex-gender system which assures that they should be child-rearers. Plural as they vary from one culture to another and vary through time. Institutionalized gender systems: it is a part of our laws and in government. Typically a monogamous heterosexual couple, women at home and men out for work. Religion, medicine, science all institutions were there are gender systems. Duelling dualisms: categories are not, as many believe, imposed by nature but rather by society, in other words gender is socially constructed and enforced through social institutions. Fausto-sterling: sex/gender distinction: social expression of masculinity or femininity (gender). Argues that sex and gender are not a case of either/or (male/female; social/physical etc. ).