Deck 9: Constructing Gender and Sexuality

Question 1

What is the belief that the lived experiences of women and men differ as a result of biological differences?

A) gender theory
B) social constructionism
C) transsexuality
D) essentialism

Answer 1

D

Question 2

Doctors and parents are quick to seek a surgical "fix" for babies who are born intersex because

A) intersex babies face serious health risks later in life.
B) an ambiguously sexed person seems threatening and disturbing in Western society.
C) doctors and parents can always tell the sex a baby was meant to be.
D) it is impossible to change a baby's sex later in life.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

In The Mismeasure of Women, social psychologist Carol Tavris argues that there is nothing "universal and nonvarying . . . in the natures of men and women." If you agree with her, you would have to reject the concept of

A) essentialism.
B) queer theory.
C) symbolic interactionism.
D) social construction.

Answer 3

A

Question 4

In 2009, South African track star Caster Semenya broke the world record in the 800-meter race. Subsequently, she was asked to prove to the world that she was a woman. The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) subjected her to a complex series of tests that included physical and medical examinations. The controversy over Semenya's gender raises which of the following issues?

A) The IAAF is perpetuating gender inequality in sports.
B) Gender does not vary across cultures.
C) The IAAF's response assumes an essentialist idea of gender.
D) Medical and other physical examinations are often necessary to determine gender.

Question 5

Most sociologists argue that gender is a social construction, and they acknowledge the possibility that binary male-female categories are not the only way of classifying individuals. This perspective is called

A) a constructionist perspective.
B) an essentialist perspective.
C) a macro perspective.
D) biological determinism.

Question 6

A man is romantically interested in other people, though he has no sexual attraction of any kind and he has never felt an interest in or desire for sex. How would this man MOST likely identify?

A) homosexual
B) bisexual
C) asexual
D) gender nonconforming

Question 7

For most sociologists, what is the difference between sex and gender?

A) Sex is biological; gender is social.
B) Both relate to genetics, but hormones have a greater influence on gender.
C) Sex is genetic; gender is about primary and secondary sex characteristics.
D) Gender is biological; sex is social.

Question 8

In April 2015, Olympic gold medalist and former "World's Greatest Athlete" Caitlyn Jenner announced that "for all intents and purposes, I am a woman." Jenner discussed transitioning with Diane Sawyer in a special two-hour edition of the ABC News show 20/20. In the interview, Jenner stated, "As of now, I have all the male parts, but I still identify as female." What does this tell you about gender identity?

A) For many people, primary sex characteristics do not define gender.
B) The transgender community has accepted the principle of human sexual dimorphism.
C) Gender identity is often not fully formed until adulthood.
D) Public displays of gender are more important than private displays.

Question 9

A person's self-conception of being male or female based on their association with masculine or feminine gender roles can be defined as

A) sexual orientation.
B) gender identity.
C) transgender.
D) sexual attitude.

Question 10

The textbook's examples of "third genders" like "two-spirit" people and hijras demonstrate that

A) sex and gender in some non-Western cultures defy the binary classification of male and female.
B) gender expression is more important than biological sex.
C) sociologists and anthropologists are important actors in the creation of gender expression.
D) gender is determined by secondary sex characteristics.

Question 11

The Intersex Society of North America recommends that "surgeries done to make the genitals look 'more normal' should not be performed until a child is mature enough to make an informed decision for herself or himself." Why is this advice necessary, given that doctors would usually try to involve a patient in their treatment?

A) There are serious health risks associated with being born intersex that must always be addressed immediately.
B) So few people are born intersex that no one knows about them.
C) In our society, the prospect of an ambiguously sexed person seems so threatening that surgical procedures are performed long before a child is old enough to know what is happening.
D) Intersex is based on secondary, not primary, sex characteristics and these won't develop until later in life.

Question 12

An example of a primary sex characteristic is

A) reproductive organs.
B) facial hair.
C) body hair.
D) bone structure.

Question 13

American anthropologist Margaret Mead spent much of her career documenting the ways in which other cultures had gender roles that differed, sometimes radically, from those of twentieth-century America. Why does this matter?

A) It shows that the American version of gender roles is the most advanced in the world.
B) It shows that the meaning of masculinity and femininity differs in different societies.
C) It shows that the physical environment determines gender.
D) It shows that gender is determined at birth and does not change.

Question 14

Which term is used to describe a person whose chromosomes or sex characteristics are neither exclusively male nor exclusively female?

A) intersex
B) intrasex
C) primary sex characteristics
D) secondary sex characteristics

Question 15

In the 1940s and 1950s, Alfred Kinsey surveyed Americans to find out about their sexual behavior. His findings were important because they

A) challenged the view that Americans were either exclusively heterosexual or homosexual.
B) concluded that most Americans were asexual.
C) challenged the belief that Americans were heterosexual.
D) challenged the belief that sexuality can change over the course of a person's life.

Question 16

What percentage of babies are born intersex?

A) 0.3 percent
B) 1.7 percent
C) 5.4 percent
D) 9.6 percent

Question 17

Every presidential candidate nominated by a major political party in the United States has been, at least publicly,

A) cisgender.
B) homosexual.
C) a feminist.
D) male.

Question 18

Some people believe that women are better suited to be homemakers because they are naturally more caring and emotional than men. What perspective is expressed in this statement?

A) an essentialist perspective
B) a social constructionist perspective
C) a macro perspective
D) an interactionist perspective

Question 19

A transgender woman, a person who does not identify as male or female, and a person who usually identifies man who sometimes identifies as a woman are all

A) cisgender.
B) gender nonconforming.
C) transgender.
D) homosexual.

Question 20

An example of a secondary sex characteristic is

A) chromosomes.
B) hormones.
C) body hair.
D) reproductive organs.

Question 21

Which of the following is true regarding gendered occupations?

A) "Pink collar jobs" are considered more desirable in a patriarchal society.
B) Men tend to be overrepresented in jobs that involve caretaking.
C) Men outnumber women in occupations with more prestige and higher salaries.
D) Women and men are similarly represented in occupations that require a college degree.

Question 22

Babies become aware of their own gender

A) at age two.
B) when they begin attending school.
C) at six weeks of age.
D) when they start walking.

Question 23

From an interactionist perspective, the MOST important way that schools socialize children into their gender identities is

A) by forcing schoolchildren to wear uniforms.
B) by exposing children to mass media.
C) by punishing children for minor violations of gender norms on the playground.
D) through interactions between teachers and students.

Question 24

Some newspapers, magazines, and other media tend to use gender-inappropriate names or pronouns as well as other language that trans people find insensitive or offensive when describing transgender people. This is an example of

A) homophobia.
B) a microaggression.
C) sexism.
D) patriarchy.

Question 25

Sociologists who study gender in rural areas have noticed that only one person is called the "farmer," even though everyone in a family has to work on the farm. The "farmer" is usually male and has more prestige than the other family members working on the farm. This is an example of

A) the "second shift."
B) sexual orientation identity.
C) patriarchy.
D) feminism.

Question 26

Alice came to the realization that she is attracted to other girls her age. Now that she's started her sophomore year in high school, she wants to ask out girls without being afraid of the consequences. She tests her friends' acceptance of these feelings first by mentioning a hypothetical friend at another high school who just came out as a lesbian. Alice's friends say they overwhelmingly believe that homosexuality is wrong and that anyone who is not heterosexual is a deviant. What concept do the opinions of Alice's friends exemplify?

A) gender role socialization
B) instrumental role
C) social learning
D) heteronormativity

Question 27

Alfred Kinsey conducted research to determine what percentage of the population was heterosexual and what percentage was homosexual. Why would he have avoided asking the question, "Do you identify as gay or straight?"

A) He tried to offset bias in his research sample by having many questions.
B) He believed that people were not exclusively either gay or straight and that those two binary classifications were too limiting.
C) He believed that people would lie to him and would need to be tricked into revealing that they were gay.
D) He thought that there would be a large number of transgender people in his sample.

Question 28

The point in children's school careers by which gender norms become firmly established is

A) first grade.
B) the sophomore year of high school.
C) fifth grade.
D) before the end of high school.

Question 29

An example of a microaggression is

A) a pregnant woman who is not given paid maternity leave by her employer.
B) men who whistle at and catcall a woman who is walking down the street.
C) an employer who pays his female employees less than his male employees.
D) a sports team that refuses to allow female athletes to play.

Question 30

Which of the following is an example of how teachers treat boys and girls differently in a classroom setting?

A) Boys are less likely than girls to be called on in class.
B) Boys are more likely than girls to be punished for misbehaving.
C) Boys are given less praise than girls for the intellectual quality of their work.
D) Boys are naturally better at math and science, so teachers call on them more.

Question 31

Why don't girls, who tend to get better grades than boys, translate their advantage into material success after graduation?

A) They tend to flaunt authority.
B) They are typically credited for hard work rather than intellectual ability.
C) They are poorly socialized.
D) They don't work as hard as males.

Question 32

The changing representation of LGBTQ people in the media, such as their greater inclusion and more positive treatment on television shows, can lead us to conclude that

A) LGBTQ people have achieved equal status with heterosexual people.
B) media representation of LGBTQ people is slowly changing to reflect increasing tolerance toward them.
C) heterosexual people want LGBTQ people to be equally represented in the media.
D) LGBTQ people now control major media channels.

Question 33

A three-year-old boy scrapes his knee while playing in his backyard and immediately begins to cry. In response, his father walks over to him and says, "Don't be a sissy; boys don't cry." This is an example of

A) gender role socialization.
B) sexism.
C) transphobia.
D) gender inequality.

Question 34

Sociologist C. J. Pascoe found that boys often use homophobic slurs toward each other in an effort to define masculinity for themselves and other boys in her ethnography of high school boys titled Dude, You're a Fag. This is an example of the

A) influence that peers can have as agents of socialization.
B) inability of school officials to manage the behavior of young boys.
C) prestige that boys have over girls in schools.
D) consequences that all-boys schools can have on male behavior.

Question 35

Textbooks often still contain sexist language and gender stereotypes. In the social structure of the school itself, women tend to be concentrated at the lower levels, as teachers and aides, while men tend to occupy upper-management and administrative positions. Which concept do these patterns MOST reinforce?

A) gender nonconforming
B) heteronormativity
C) gender role socialization
D) social learning

Question 36

Patriarchy can be defined as a society

A) in which women and men share equal access to positions of prestige, power, and control over the means of production.
B) in which men dominate women.
C) that privileges women's experiences over those of men.
D) that seeks to equalize men's and women's access in the workplace.

Question 37

A woman is married to another woman. She is attracted to her wife, but she is also attracted to men. In the past, she has dated both women and men. How would this woman MOST likely identify?

A) homosexual
B) bisexual
C) asexual
D) gender nonconforming

Question 38

A same-sex couple holding hands or kissing in public may receive disapproving looks or even abusive comments from other people. This is an example of

A) misogyny.
B) homophobia.
C) transphobia.
D) sexism.

Question 39

Gender role socialization begins

A) at birth.
B) around puberty.
C) when children begin attending school.
D) before birth.

Question 40

Sociologists have criticized scientists searching for a "gay gene" for their narrow understanding of sexual orientation. Scientists' approach does not take into account the way biology and the social environment interact to produce sexual behaviors. Which of the following theorists makes this point?

A) Simon LeVay, who believes that "there's growing evidence to support the idea that biological and developmental factors before birth exert a strong influence on sexual orientation"
B) Dean Hamer, who examined the DNA of forty gay brothers and found that thirty-three of them had a statistically significant similarity in the Xq28 region of the X chromosome
C) Social historian Jeffrey Weeks, who points out that even though homosexual acts have been documented throughout history, homosexual identity as we know it today didn't exist before the twentieth century
D) UCLA scientists Laura Allen and Roger Gorski, who reported that a segment of the fibers that connect the brain's hemispheres is up to one-third larger in homosexual men

Question 41

Feminist theory has contributed to our understanding of gender by supporting the claim that

A) gender is no longer an influence on social life.
B) gender inequality is rooted in biological differences between men and women.
C) women continue to have unequal positions in society, as reflected in the ways their contributions have been written out of history books.
D) only women in positions of power can achieve gender equality.

Question 42

The two complementary roles that functionalist Talcott Parsons identified within the family are

A) conflicting and conciliatory.
B) instrumental and expressive.
C) interactionist and noninteractionist.
D) biological and social.

Question 43

Regarding gender, functionalists generally believe that

A) some social roles are better suited to one gender than the other.
B) men maintain control of the most valuable social roles.
C) the current system of gender stratification is based on conflict.
D) gender is constructed and maintained through everyday actions.

Question 44

Judge Aaron Persky was asked by prosecutors to sentence a man found guilty of rape to six years in prison. Instead, Judge Persky handed down a sentence of six months in county jail. Many felt that, by handing down a light sentence for a serious crime, Aaron Persky was normalizing

A) transphobia.
B) intersectionality.
C) the feminization of poverty.
D) rape culture.

Question 45

Authors often use words or phrases such as "mankind" to refer to large groups that include both male and female members. Sociologists and feminists argue that this is an example of the use of sexist language. What does this tell us about the relationship between language and culture?

A) Language is shaped by culture, and the use of nonsexist words is a signal of social change.
B) Language shapes culture, so using gender-neutral language facilitates social change.
C) Language can change culture, but only in negative ways that increase sexism and discrimination.
D) Culture can only be transformed through material and economic change, not through any connection to language.

Question 46

You are observing children on an elementary school playground. Why might you find some girls playing sports with boys, but almost no boys playing jump rope with girls?

A) Children are mocked by their peers for crossing gender lines, and boys are mocked more than girls.
B) Boys develop more slowly than girls and, therefore, they tend to not be good at jumping rope when they're in elementary school.
C) Boys are more naturally suited for the physical competition of sports, whereas girls excel at the sort of cooperation that goes into activities like jumping rope.
D) Parents have instructed their children to avoid any cross-gender playground activities because they fear that it will lead to their children being labeled "abnormal."

Question 47

Which of the following examples could be associated with Talcott Parsons's concept of the expressive role?

A) a mother providing love, care, and affection to her husband and children
B) a father providing for his family by paying the rent and household bills
C) a grandmother babysitting her grandchildren while both parents work
D) a daughter refusing to do homework after school

Question 48

A math teacher writes problems with stories that have male characters who are always given an occupation like Bob the janitor or James the lawyer, but the female characters have no occupation. This is an example of the

A) way schools socialize children into gender roles.
B) way men are associated with blue-collar work.
C) way boys are given credit for intellectual ability, whereas girls are given credit for hard work.
D) fact that more women than men are now graduating from college.

Question 49

"Welfare queen" is an insulting term for a woman who is accused of cheating the government by collecting welfare payments. There is no "welfare king" insult. What sociological truth is contained in the phrase "welfare queen"?

A) Women are far more likely to cheat and steal than men.
B) People who use welfare to its fullest extent tend to live very well as indicated by the word "queen."
C) The use of the word "queen" reminds us that women are more likely than men to live in poverty.
D) The use of the word "queen" accurately describes the population that is on welfare, which includes many gay men and transgender people.

Question 50

Aggressive men are often described as "go-getters" in the workplace, but aggressive women are often described as "bitches." This is an example of

A) gender role socialization.
B) a microaggression.
C) romanticism.
D) male liberationism.

Question 51

Agnes was raised as a boy before coming out as a transgender woman. What is one of the ways that Agnes began to "do being female" after coming out?

A) She only had brief, meaningless interactions with other people.
B) She showed deference to her male boss.
C) She rejected the expectations of her boyfriend and his family members.
D) She was open about her identify as a transwoman and did not keep it a secret.

Question 52

A young man is told by his friends that, when at a bar, he should drink beer, but buy women shots in the hopes of getting the women drunk and increasing his chance of having sex with them. He tells his friends that they are encouraging

A) transphobia.
B) rape culture.
C) functionalism.
D) men's liberation.

Question 53

The sociological perspective of ________ is concerned with how gender is constructed and maintained in our everyday lives.

A) essentialism
B) symbolic interactionism
C) conflict theory
D) feminism

Question 54

A little girl notices that, whenever both of her parents are in the car, her father is always driving. She deduces that women should be passive and men should be active. This process is called

A) sexism.
B) expressive work.
C) social learning.
D) gender inequality.

Question 55

On his English paper, a boy receives a B+and the teacher's comment, "Brilliant insight, but you're lacking focus and have some typos." How is this typical of the way schools treat boys?

A) Boys are given more challenging assignments than girls.
B) Boys are more likely to be punished for horseplay and hyperactivity than girls.
C) Boys are judged mostly on the basis of their effort.
D) Boys are more likely to receive praise for the intellectual quality of their work than girls.

Question 56

Many expectant parents get a sonogram to find out the sex of their babies, and they only start decorating the nursery after learning the sex. This is an example of

A) gender role socialization.
B) conflict theory.
C) passing.
D) heteronormativity.

Question 57

Your textbook describes the Vanatinai society in New Guinea as an example of

A) patriarchy.
B) gender equality.
C) matriarchy.
D) cisgenderism.

Question 58

According to conflict theory, women's contributions to family life are devalued because

A) the resources provided by men are more valuable than those provided by women.
B) family life remains the same when no one plays the expressive role.
C) women are entering the workforce in greater numbers.
D) as a social group, men benefit from maintaining their dominant status.

Question 59

Women are the main characters in the vast majority of commercials that advertise cleaning supplies. This illustrates that

A) men never really do any cleaning.
B) women watch more television than men.
C) women's behavior is more easily altered by the media.
D) the media portrays gender roles in highly stereotypical ways.

Question 60

The names given to positions of power and authority, like "chairman" and "policeman," often emphasize the male gender. Why does this matter?

A) The names imply that one gender is more suited for a particular job than another.
B) The names are confusing because more women are entering these professions.
C) It doesn't really matter what words are used to describe positions.
D) The names help deter men from entering incompatible fields.

Question 61

Which of the following folk sayings expresses the idea of the "second shift" as sociologist Arlie Hochschild described it?

A) "A wife that does not know how to keep house throws out more with a teaspoon than a man can bring in with a shovel."
B) "Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater."
C) "A woman has to be twice as good as a man to be regarded as half as clever."
D) "Man works from sun to sun, but woman's work is never done."

Question 62

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, replacing a housewife with paid laborers would cost at least $100,000 per year. How could this be interpreted according to conflict theory?

A) The instrumental role is more valuable than the expressive role.
B) Domestic work is a highly functional adaptation that produces gender equality within a family.
C) Men have a great deal to lose if gender segregation disappears.
D) Gender inequality is mostly produced and reproduced through interaction.

Question 63

In her introduction to a paper about gender, the sociologist Rae Blumberg said that the central principle behind gender in our society is to "remember the golden rule: he who has the gold makes the rules." What kind of theorist is Blumberg?

A) a theorist who focuses on language and interaction
B) a conflict theorist
C) a functionalist
D) a symbolic interactionist

Question 64

Denise is a single mother of three who works a full-time job cleaning an office building. She makes $9 per hour and has to piece together child care for two of her children who are not yet in school, often paying neighbors in cash to watch her children. Despite her full-time employment, her family is struggling to survive. What sociological concept does Denise's situation exemplify?

A) feminization of poverty
B) heteronormativity
C) second shift
D) cisgenderism

Question 65

Homer Simpson, a character on the TV show The Simpsons, has a wife who stays home to take care of the children while he works, but he is often responsible for disciplining the children when they are particularly bad. What do you know about Homer even if this is all that you know about the show?

A) Homer represents the average American man.
B) Homer contributes to the feminization of poverty.
C) Homer has taken the instrumental role.
D) Homer is a misogynist.

Question 66

In terms of gendered health issues and life expectancy rates, ________ is/are viewed as "the great equalizer".

A) smoking
B) handguns
C) college education
D) heart disease

Question 67

Which sociologist conducted work on intersectionality among workers in nail salons?

A) Miliann Kang
B) Jennifer Lee
C) Catharine MacKinnon
D) bell hooks

Question 68

One reason women are more likely than men to live in poverty is the expense of child care. How do sociologists explain the relationship between poverty rates and child care costs?

A) Women are more likely to be responsible for the "second shift."
B) There are more single women who have sole financial responsibility for their children than single men.
C) Married couples tend to divide their expenses, and women are more likely to be responsible for child care.
D) Women tend to take the expressive role.

Question 69

________ is diagnosed more often in women than in men.

A) Heart disease
B) Cancer
C) Type 1 diabetes
D) Depression

Question 70

What did Laura Miller's 1997 study find in regard to gender harassment in the military?

A) Men were more likely to be harassed by their fellow trainees, whereas women were more likely to be harassed by their drill sergeants.
B) Men were more likely to be harassed by their drill sergeants, whereas women were more likely to be harassed by their fellow trainees.
C) Women were most often harassed by their superior officers.
D) Men were more likely to report being the object of unwanted gender harassment.

Question 71

Laura is a married mother of three who works a full-time job. She drops her kids off at school every day at 7:30 A.M., arrives at the office at 8 A.M., works until 4 P.M., and then drives to pick up her kids from after-school care at 4:30 P.M. She gets home around the same time as her husband, who works a full-time job from 9 A.M. until 5 P.M. He expects that she will have dinner ready for the family by 6 P.M. From 7 to 9 P.M., Laura usually does housework and reads to the children. What sociological concept does Laura's situation exemplify?

A) cisgenderism
B) feminization of poverty
C) heteronormativity
D) second shift

Question 72

A woman feels that she always needs to act cheerful and look her best when her husband gets home from work because he has a stressful job and he needs her help to unwind. We would say this woman is

A) living outside the gender dichotomy.
B) taking on the instrumental role.
C) taking on the expressive role.
D) a second-wave feminist.

Question 73

Men usually make more money than women because

A) men are naturally predisposed to competition.
B) men have higher levels of testosterone, which gives them an edge in the business world.
C) employers understand that men are usually their families' breadwinners.
D) socially constructed categories of employment lead to larger numbers of men than women in many lucrative jobs.

Question 74

The term "deadbeat dad" describes a man who isn't married to his children's mother and isn't helping to support his children financially. Why do we almost never talk about "deadbeat moms"?

A) Men are punished far more harshly than women for violating gender norms.
B) The legal system is biased in favor of men when it comes to divorce and custody cases.
C) Mothers usually remain the primary caregiver even when fathers don't take the instrumental role.
D) Women are not judged as harshly as men for abandoning their children.

Question 75

The phenomenon of women being more likely than men to live in poverty is called

A) the wages of sin.
B) the double standard.
C) the feminization of poverty.
D) third-wave feminism.

Question 76

For many years, Saturday Night Live ran a series of skits about a character named Pat. The premise of each skit was that no one could tell if Pat was male or female. The other characters would devise ingenious plots to determine Pat's gender, but all attempts failed. The humor in these skits is based on the fact that

A) men have historically had access to most of society's material resources and privileges. Consequently, they generally seek to maintain their dominant status.
B) gender identity is so important to our social selves that we can barely interact with anyone without first determining that person's gender.
C) Pat was trying to avoid being classified as a woman because expressive and instrumental roles may be complementary, but the social rewards for filling them are far from equal.
D) transgender and gender-nonconforming people are challenging old ideas about the relationship between sex and gender.

Question 77

Women are more likely to be arrested than men for

A) burglary.
B) murder.
C) prostitution.
D) theft.

Question 78

Previously, bank teller positions were almost all occupied by men. Today most bank tellers are women. What could explain this shift?

A) Changes in technology made the work easier and less important, which drove down the wages and prestige accorded to the job.
B) The gendered division of labor has increasingly spread to areas of the economy that used to be gender neutral.
C) Banks are more heavily regulated by the government than they were in the past, making them more likely to be sexist.
D) The banking industry is much more important in today's globalized economy, and this added prestige draws more women to the job.

Question 79

A black woman is followed around the store by a white sales associate while shopping for clothes. Frustrated, she leaves the store and decides to go home. Her husband, on seeing her enter the house, asks, "What's for dinner?" What concept could we as sociologists use to understand her experiences both in the store and at home?

A) gender inequality
B) intersectionality
C) second-wave feminism
D) feminization of poverty

Question 80

How do the incomes of single fathers compare with those of single mothers?

A) They are about the same.
B) Single fathers make more money than single mothers in urban areas, but not in rural areas.
C) Single mothers with only one child make more money than single fathers, but not mothers with more children.
D) Single fathers make considerably more money than single mothers.