Social Construction

of Gender
Daryl Aleonar Cortes, Dev. Ed. D.
What are the differences between
women and men, as to these
perceived differences based on

•Biological;
•Social;
•Cultural or Religious Beliefs?
What are the similarities between
women and men, as to these
perceived similarities based on
•Biological;
•Social;
•Cultural or Religious Beliefs?
 SEX GENDER
• biological category • sociological category
• XX (female) or XY • masculine
(male) • feminine
• chromosomes • “man”
• eggs or sperm • “woman”
• facial hair
• breasts
• “female, male
 Gender and Gender Identity
Gender Gender Identity
• describes societal • degree to which an
attitudes and individual sees herself or
behaviors expected himself as feminine or
of and associated masculine based on
with the two sexes. society’s definitions of
appropriate gender roles.
Joy and Jay are sister and brother. Joy is
invited by a neighbor to an all girl
birthday party. Jay wishes to go, but
the neighbor said that he can’t go
because he’s a boy. What would you
tell Jay if you were his parent?
 Gender as a Social Construction
• Process = day to day interactions reinforce
gender as opposites. For examples,
conversations, rituals of daily life, sayings, etc

• Stratification = Men as a group have more

status and power than women as a group.
Women are treated as “other,” and compared to
men.

• Structure = Gender divides work in the home

and economic production. It legitimates those in
authority and organizes sexuality and emotional
 Manifestation of gender differences can
be found in Construction of
Roles
What women and Men do
Relations
How women and men relate to each other
Identity
How women and men perceive
themselves
Gender Roles
• A gender role is a set of social and
behavioral
• norms that are generally considered
appropriate for either a man or a woman in a
social or interpersonal relationship.

• Gender roles adopted during childhood

normally continue into adulthood.
How does our conception of
gender affect work?
• Products created for different tasks
• Expectations for different jobs
• Value for the tasks done
• Gender displays both men and women
create to control the workplace.
Gender Bias
• Society produces bias that is structured on
the basis of gender identities. Patriarchy
strengthens the gender bias and
recognizes the society as a male dominated
space. Thus, women face bias from the
dominant patriarchal society.
Patriarchy
• a form of social organization in which men
dominate women.
• Promotes patri-locality and patrilineage
• Controls sexuality, fertility and labor of
women
• Promotes double standard of sexual
morality
Power of Patriachy flows from
• Family
• Proverb
• Religion
• Kinship Network
• Custom-tradition
• Education System
• Media
• State-Laws, criminal justice system,
administration
• Leisure-time activities
 Gender at Work
HE's having lunch with the boss.
He's on his way up.

SHE's having lunch with the boss.

They must be having an affair.
The boss criticized HIM.
He'll improve his performance.
The boss criticized HER.
She'll be very upset.
HE got an unfair deal.
Did he get angry?
SHE got an unfair deal.
Did she cry?
HE's getting married.
He'll get more settled.
SHE's getting married.
She'll get pregnant and leave
HE's going on a business trip.
It's good for his career.
SHE's going on a business trip.
What does her husband say?