Gender

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Revision as of 12:27, 26 October 2012

Gender

In general, gender is a concept that shows the (cultural) differences between man and women. It is often confused with the concept of the sexes. According to Ann Oakley, the following distinction between sex and gender can be made: 'Sex' is a word that refers to the biological differences between male and female: the visible difference in genitalia, the related difference in procreative function. 'Gender' however us a matter of culture: it refers to the social classification into 'masculine' and 'feminine' (Oakley, 1972, p. 16).

Oakley's definition was important because it argued that social inequalities between man and women are not the result of the biological differences between man and women, but that the social inequalities were the result of different variables across time, space and location (Schech & Harris, 2007, p. 86).

Differences worldwide

Worldwide, many definitions and thoughts about gender exist. These thought differ from culture to culture. In some cultures, due to feminism, the social inequalities between man and women became smaller. Especially in the Western world women got more rights and opportunities.

Postcolonial and Poststructuralist feminisms made critical analysis of the gender (in)equality in the 1980s.

Gender (and feminist) writers

Important writers about gender and feminism are

• Elizabeth Grosz
• Ann Oakley

References

• Oakley, A. (1972). Sex, Gender and Society. London: Temple Smith. Reprinted with new Introduction, London: Gower, 1985.

• Schech, S., Haggis, J. (2007). Culture and development: A Critical Introduction. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing.

Contributors

• Page created by Lieke Vogels, 26 October 2012