Question 1: How do systems of privilege and oppression function in our society? How do we combat these systems?

Systems of Privilege/Oppression: The systems of privilege and oppression are social systems that affect the everyday lives of individuals within our society. Privilege causes oppression to occur in our society due to marginalized groups having unfair power over the oppressed group. There are different types of privilege:  male privilege, white privilege, heterosexual privilege, etc. White privilege is the subject of Peggy McIntosh’s article, White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack. McIntosh writes, “I have come to see white privilege as an invisible package of unearned assets which I can count on cashing in each day, but about which I was ‘meant’ to remain oblivious. White privilege is like an invisible weightless knapsack of special provisions, maps, passports, codebooks, visas, clothes, tools, and blank checks.” From this quote, having white skin comes with certain amenities, amenities that aren’t really available for ethnic people. We combat these systems by giving the oppressed a voice and representation, as in giving marginalized citizens seats in power to bring awareness and change.

Question 2: What is the concept of intersectionality and why is it important in women’s, gender, and sexuality studies?

Intersectionality involves a system of discrimination that affects individuals, groups of people, and communities based on social identity, race, or gender/sexual orientation.  Intersectionality is important to the study of women, gender, and sexuality due to it shedding light on the specific hardships different types of gender identities have to undergo. In the article, Beyond The Gender Binary written by Alok V. Manon says  “According to the 2015 US Transgender Survey, 30 percent of trans and gender non-conforming people reported workplace discrimination resulting in an unemployment rate of three times more than the general population.” By identifying these intersections, education on intersectionality will help people understand the specifics of gender studies and encourage a fight against gender inequality. 

Question 3: Why is it important to recognize patriarchy as a system and not an individual identity?

Understanding patriarchy as a system is crucial to the development of our society. Without recognizing patriarchy, as a society, we will continue to be stuck in our ways of oppression and prejudice. In Allen Johnson’s article, Patriarchy, the System, they write, “Patriarchy is a kind of society organized around certain kinds of social relationships and ideas that shape paths of least resistance. As individuals, we participate in it as we live our lives.” Patriarchy is a social system that every type of citizen takes part in. Since we take parts in this system, we also create and contribute to these systems as well. When we, as a society, fully recognize patriarchy as a system and not just individuals, we could shape the social system. 

Question 4: How is gender constructed and learned in our society? How do we perform gender?

In our society, gender is a social construct that limits a person’s ability to be themselves. We constructed gender from the biology of a person when in reality, the biology of a person is only the sex. Gender is first taught by parents/guardians to children. Kyl Myers writes in the article, “Sex and Gender 101”, “Gender plays into how most children are treated and how they learn what is expected from their gender and what is not, i.e. the boy who won’t ask for ballet lessons because “ballet is for girls.”” We perform gender by participating in specific roles within the sexes we align with, as in men feeling the need to be the “breadwinner” in their families or women only being able to wear skirts and dresses.   

Question 5: What is the difference between sex and gender? How are sex and gender conflated (converged and confused) within our culture?

According to the article, “Sex & Gender 101” written by Kyl Myers, “Sex refers to anatomy and physiology. This includes sex chromosomes, sex hormones, sex organs, and external genitalia.” Meyers also defines gender, they wrote, “Gender refers to the social and cultural roles that males and females are expected to subscribe to base on their biological sex.” From these quotes, I can come to the conclusion that the main difference between sex and gender is that sex is biological and gender isn’t, which usually gets misconstrued. Sex and gender are conflated within our culture due to the fact that we often identify a person’s sex by the clothes they wear or what they like when that just stems from outdated beliefs that a man/woman should only ever act like a man/woman.

Question 6: What is a double bind? How do double-binds function within our society?

A double bind is a dilemma where a person’s actions are criticized no matter which decision they make. In this society, those who go through this double bind are marginalized groups. In their article, Oppression by Marilyn Frye, they write, “It is common in the United States that women, especially younger women are in a bind where neither sexual activity nor sexual activity is all right.” If a woman is sexually active, she may be bombarded with terms such as “easy” or “hoe” by men, but if a woman is not as sexually active, she’ll be seen as a “prude” or “boring”. It’s a lose-lose situation either way. This is a problem that will continue to occur unless we, as a society and especially men, come together to end the scrutiny and realize the prejudices within us.  

Question One

Privilege is defined as the advantages that are exclusive, not earned, and socially conferred to powerful social groups. A system of privilege in society is based on three primary factors; dominance, identification, and centeredness. For instance, white supremacy means that white people view themselves as supreme and dominant positions of power. White identification is based on the notion that white people are the standard race. Centeredness is seen when a specific group is placed as the center of attention, for example, male privilege. When a society is organized this way, privilege is given to the social groups in power. Oppression is a consequence of privilege. Recognizing privileges and power and resisting the status quo will help create new systems of fairness, justice, and compassion for all. 

Question Two

  Coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw, intersectionality identifies various factors of advantage and disadvantage, such as gender, race, sex, and class. It defines how different people experience multiple forms of inequality which intersect and exacerbate each other. Connecting this concept to feminism is imperative as it validates the fight for gender equality. Intersectionality broadens previous works of feminism that fixated on white women to include women of color, immigrants, and low women with low income. it shows how race, sex and gender, and other factors merge to shape people’s experiences. Intersectionality symbolizes how systems combine to define the experiences of people, thus creating privilege. Crenshaw introduced intersectionality to show the hindrances caused by intersecting factors that create certain aspects of violence against the oppressed in society. 

Question Three

Patriarchy is a social construct where males dominate and hold power, and women are greatly excluded from the power. A core attribute of patriarchy shows that male qualities are dominant over all other qualities. This system oppresses women exposing them to economic dependence, domestication, and violence. Patriarchy affects various aspects of life, including the home, leadership, education, management, religion, and ownership. Although there are positive shifts in attitudes, patriarchy continues. From unequal pay, unequal access to opportunities, overlooking women’s achievements, gender roles, and gender violence. Through recognizing and unlearning patriarchy, society can achieve fairness and equality. 

Question Four

Gender is a social construct often interchangeably used with sex. Sex is biological, and gender is psychological, which means an individual’s gender can be different from their sex. Society has already determined what is masculine or feminine and expects people to live accordingly. Gender identity arises during self-identification. A theory on social learning suggests that children progress their identity through observation and imitation of the gender-based behaviors of others, upon which reward is given for emulating mannerisms of others with a similar gender and punished for mimicking the mannerisms of the opposite gender.

Question Five

Sex refers to the biological reproductive organs, whereas gender refers to socially constructed roles and norms. The combination of androcentrism and heterosexism creates a conflation of sexual orientation, sex, and gender. The conflation triangle depicts sex at the base-where conflation begins-and sex and sexual orientation at the top. Expectations are placed on people with certain genitalia to behave a certain way and are punished or harassed when they do not conform to the societal standard. The conflation of gender is linked to systems of bias in society.

Question Six

A double bind refers to assumptions placed on an individual regarding gender and leadership. Women are stereotyped as compassionate, soft, kind, and nice, while men are the opposite. In a leadership position, the leader is expected to demonstrate control, assertiveness, toughness and make tough decisions to ensure growth in an organization. These qualities are far from the stereotype society created for women. Therefore, a woman in such a position is left at a crossroads on how to lead. If she decides to lead as nice and friendly, she is viewed as weak, but she is deemed unlikeable if she leads with assertiveness.

Question 1: How do systems of privilege and oppression function in our society? How do we combat these systems? 

            The systems of privilege and oppression today function as race and social status. In society white people are always the ones who are privileged instead of those of color. For example, most of the time we see children’s books or books that are based on white people instead of other races. Now a days we see more books that are coming out that are from other races. Oppression is when someone who has power and takes advantage over someone else. For example, in society we have economic status of people in which those who are rich control the poor. In that case people who are poor and are working only make enough to have food and somewhere to live. We can combat these systems by not viewing people any way different and instead help each other by volunteering. 

Question 2: What is the concept of intersectionality and why is it important in women’s, gender, and sexuality studies? 

            The concept of intersectionality is discrimination and oppression over gender, race, class, and sexual orientation. Intersectionality is important in women’s gender and sexuality studies because there’s always discrimination. For example, a women can be discriminated if she’s wearing something that is too revealing and if she has friends that are just guys. In the eyes of people, it may look wrong that she’s hanging out with just men or that wearing something too revealing is her throwing herself to men. In “Beyond the Gender Binary” by Alok V. Manon he mentions “40 percent of trans and gender non-conforming people have attempted suicide.” This shows that many of those who have been discriminated have tried to commit suicide. It’s sad to see that people are still being discriminated about their sexuality. Society should understand that everyone is different and has different likes whether it’s how the person dresses or them liking someone the opposite sex. 

Question 3: Why is it important to recognize patriarchy as a system and not an individual identity? 

            It is important to recognize patriarchy as a system and not an individual identity because in society men are the ones who have power over women. We have seen this in society where men think that women should be at home and be a housewife and take care of the children. Even back in the day women couldn’t really take the jobs that men had or have an education. In society today we see this happen in some countries in which women can’t get an education. Women should be able to have the same rights as men whether if it’s in a work environment or at home. Men should be able to support women’s right and there should be equality between both men and women. 

Question 4: How is gender constructed and learned in our society? How do we perform gender?

 Gender is constructed by the behaviors and roles of women, men, girls, and boys. In society gender is learned by how one is raised and their interactions with other people. We perform gender in society by when we are born. When we are born parents usually get things that are pink for a girl and blue for a boy. Even when buying a girl toy, they get toys such as dolls, doll houses, kitchen toys, etc. It goes the same for a boy a boy would usually get a car or anything that has to do with male toys. We usually see the roles in society as women and men that women should be staying at home and taking care of the children while the men work. Now a days we see that both roles can be played by both men and women. Even though in some countries is still believed that women should be the ones to stay home and the men to work. I believe that both men and women can work and take responsibility of the things that need to get done at home. 

Question 5: What is the difference between sex and gender? How are sex and gender conflated (converged and confused) within our culture? 

            The different between sex and gender is that sex is referred to as biological and physiological features. Gender is the social and culture roles of male and female. Sex and gender are confused in our culture by not realizing the difference between sex and gender. Sex is based on when a girl or a boy is born based on their biological features. Gender in our culture is viewed as females wearing dresses or skirts and they don’t expect males to wear any of it. Now a days we see people dressing the way they want to and it’s something we see every day. We shouldn’t discriminate against those who wear anything different that wouldn’t be “normal” in society. 

Question 6: What is a double bind? How do double binds function within our society?

            A double bind is when an individual or a group of people receive two or more conflicting messages. Double binds function in society by having oppression towards people. For example, Women can be oppressed by wearing something that is too revealing, and people would judge her for it and think that she is throwing herself at men or that she wants the attention on her. Women get judge for what they wear when it’s too revealing but sometimes, they want to dress that way whenever they’re going out. It’s not something that they wear every day. In society women are the ones to be oppressed because sometimes there’s men that control them and want them to treat them a certain way. Such as having the food done once they get home from work or not having the choice to work and be a housewife. 

Celina Wever 

Midterm

Question 1: How do systems of privilege and oppression function in our society? How do we combat these systems?

Systems of privilege and oppression function in our society through the social expectations and regulations that divide us based on race, economic status, gender or gender sexuality, and more. These functions affect the individual’s mentality and self expression but also their access to resources and equality. Privilege can mean having benefits and advantages that are unearned or granted for particular factors. White privilege, men privilege, social and economic status are examples of privileges. For example, private schools offer you a better education and future but depending upon your social status, race, and environment, you may not be able to get in. In the article, Private School Enrollment, it says,”In fall 2017, about 5.7 million students were enrolled in private schools. Sixty-seven percent of private elementary and secondary school students were White, 11 percent were Hispanic, 9 percent were Black, 6 percent were Asian, and 5 percent were students of Two or more races.” This is how it also ties hand in hand with white privilege and the advantages they carry when it comes to stability. Another example is that white people are generally assumed to be good citizens and law abiders, while people of color are perceived as criminals or law breakers until proven not guilty. Socialization systems oppresses people based on identification, degrading them. Gender stereotyping is an example of oppression. Women are portrayed the same way men are like how they are praised for many skills that women are seen not to be capable of, more of a “manly” job, house wife, low income jobs. We can combat these systems by coming to the realization that equality should be given not earned. We need to get past the judgment of someone and give them the same fair chance that a white person would get, a rich person, or a man or a woman with a nice body. Like mentioned in White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack, “ As we know from watching men, it is an open question whether we will choose to use unearned advantage to weaken hidden systems of advantage, and whether we will use any of our arbitrarily-awarded power to try to reconstruct power systems on a broader base.” It’s up to us to come together and open the eyes of those oblivious to imperfections.

Question 2: What is the concept of intersectionality and why is it important in women’s, gender, and sexuality studies?

Intersectionality involves a system of discrimination and disadvantage that affects individuals, groups of people, and communities based on social identity, race, or gender/sexual orientation. These intersecting and overlapping social identities may be empowering and oppressing. This concept is important in women’s, gender, and sexuality studies because it illustrates that people may face disadvantages and oppression in different forms no matter who and where you are. It affects our personal disadvantages and rights that are out of our hands. Intersectionality is important to women because it is how they are viewed in their placement on the hierarchy. For example, a transgender women wanting to have a baby or get pregnant is wrong to society just because they chose to dress as a man. Society doesn’t support this idea but rather  judge and push the idea of something new or different. It represents a form of feminism that labels you. It plays a role on what you’re allowed to think or say and this can be dangerous due to the forms that intersectionality comes in. In, There Is No Hierarchy of Oppressions” by Audre Lorde, she mentioned,”As a Black, lesbian, feminist, socialist, poet, mother of two including one boy and a member of an interracial couple, I usually find myself part of some group in which the majority defines me as deviant, difficult, inferior or just plain “wrong.” This is the label others put on her as who she is or oppressing as the person she was born like. She feels like we can’t have a “peaceful existence” due to oppression of identity. As women, we have to fight for equality going back to the women’s movement and we have to prove men wrong and take their need of control and judgment towards us. We fail to learn that oppression and intolerance of difference come in all shapes, sexes, colors, and sexualities and once we understand, we can’t fight against those who contribute to inequality.

Question 3: Why is it important to recognize patriarchy as a system and not an individual identity?

It is important to recognize patriarchy as a system and not an individual identity because it helps the system recognize the social problems and oppression and help improve and change society norms. Patriarchy is usually defined as men being more superior than women or having more authority over them. For example, we can make it possible for women to feel good about their bodies, to not judge themselves as being too big, to not abuse themselves, to live up to the expectations of male-identified standards of beauty and sexual attractiveness. There can be more of men trying to stop the violence and phsyciala nd emotional damage women go through like rape, beatings, shaming, degrading. Men need to normalize speaking up and defending women to recognize the system as a patriarchy because one does it, another follows. There are also individual factors that contribute to how women and men are portrayed. For example, cars or barbies not labelizing how it should be or not. Instagram models or moviestars representing what a body should look like. Like Patriarchy the System said, “To demonstrate that gender privilege and oppression exist, we do not have to show that men are villains, that women are good-hearted victims, that women do not participate in their own oppression, or that men never oppose it.” We have to work together and do the opposite of what hurts people or stop overlooking the little things that matter. A patriarchal system is believing that men and women are different and that their place in the hierarchy isn’t altered due to their gender. Everyone deserves a fair chance of becoming who they want to be without the influences of what others think and that is a peaceful patriarchy. 

Question 4: How is gender constructed and learned in our society? How do we perform gender?

Gender is constructed and learned in our society once the gender is revealed to the parents before the child is born. Society norms are that the color pink means girl and the color blue means boy. Society has already categorized and separated masculine and femine traits. Gender roles in society means how we’re expected to act, dress, conduct, speak upon our assigned sex. Growing up in this society or culture, we learn from whatever their beliefs are. If girls are believed to be dressed more feminine, to be weak, grow up to be a housewife, meanwhile boys are taught to be athletic, strong, aggressive, handsome, show no emotion, be messy, or they have to grow up to work for women, that’s usually how it is expected to be. Doing anything out of the originary is considered to be different from the normal. In Sex and Gender 101, it says,”For example, girls in many developing countries are not allowed to go to school, because some cultures only view boys’ education as valuable.” I chose this because this relates to how in some countries, men have to go to war and women stay behind with the children and also applies to how we perform gender. Gender is performed by playing by the roles and gender identification set already. Little things like men shouldn’t cry isn’t manly or that women wearing baggy clothes is classified as tomboy or gay is apart of oppression. To make changes, children should be able process their identity through observation and imitation of the gender-based behaviors of others, and making their own decision without a label all the time. Little by little, society norms are changing and now there are more opportunities for individuals to have more gender expression. 

Question 5: What is the difference between sex and gender? How are sex and gender conflated (converged and confused) within our culture?

The difference between sex and gender is that sex is characteristics of male or female that is biologically defined at birth. Sex is based on the science of identifying gender that includes sex chromosomes, sex hormones, sex organs, and external genitalia. Alok mentioned in, Beyond the Gender Binary, that “the belief that category of sex is fixed and pure biological reflects an overtly simplistic perspective of science and society.” Meaning our gender assignment has already been set by society before anyone is born and it is universal since the XY chromosomes is what proves your gender. Gender is referred to as the socially constructed characteristics of male or female. Gender is a cultural construct that shifts between societies and across time and affects how people are treated based on their sex. Gender expression includes clothing and other things like make-up, hairstyles, or even style of walking or dancing. It is how we show people  how we perceive ourselves and how we wish to be perceived by others. Society confuses the fact that someone’s gender doesn’t make their personality and behavior. People fail to realize that sex and gender are two very different things and that people is simply just trying to feel comfortable in their own bodies and live how they want to. Nowadays, society is normalizing choosing your sexual orientation and we just need to keep learning how to accept the new normal and different comforts. 

Question 6: What is a double bind? How do double binds function within our society?

Double bind is a dilemma in a communication in which an individual can receive contradictory messages. Double bind occurs when the person can’t confront the dilemma, having two conflicting choices, therefore neither can they resolve or opt out of the situation. Usually anyone can be stuck in a situation like this because one can easily have two conflicting choices to choose from. For example, a mother behaving the way she “suppose” to may be liked but not respected but even if she stopped caring she won’t be liked or respected. Dilemma of a situation that isn’t a win win. Double binds function within our society when a person is taken seriously for their social identity, but others laugh and step over the ideas that you come with. For example, a woman is advised to speak up and let someone know if they feel unsafe or threatened but when a woman does that or says they were raped, people don’t believe them and laugh in their face. Meaning women can cooperate with society regulations but still won’t be in a position to be a leader or well respected. Some of these conflicting messages make freedom and privilege feel structured but limited making it impossible to enjoy ourselves.

Question 1: How do systems of privilege and oppression function in our society? How do we combat these systems?

Systems of privilege and oppression function in our society by uplifting those who are fortunate while keeping those who are disadvantaged down. In “White privileged: Unpacking the invisible Knapsack” Peggy Mclntosh said “As a white person, I realized I had been taught about racism as something which puts others at a disadvantage, but had been taught not to see one of its corollary aspects, white privileged, which puts me at an advantage”. Many people who are privileged don’t really realize how much of an advantage they have compared to others which is why white privilege continues to be a thing. When it comes to oppression, the people in our society (especially the privileged) are definitely the reason it continues to happen because of the way people think/ act. We can combat these systems by continuing to bring everyone’s attention towards these issues. The main people who know and understand that privilege and oppression are serious things happening are those who it affects the most. A lot of people who it doesn’t affect seem to not care which is why there is still barely any change. We also can combat these by coming together to fight oppression no matter if it doesn’t affect you because like Audre Lorde said “There is no hierarchy of oppression”. 

Question 2: What is the concept of intersectionality and why is it important in women’s, gender, and sexuality studies?

The concept of intersectionality is looking at people overlapping experiences and identities so that you can understand the seriousness of prejudices they face. Intersectionality is something that believes that people often face disadvantages and discrimination because of things like their race, class, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, and other identity markers. This is something that is important in women’s, gender, and sexuality studies because with all three of those things, people face the most kind of hate, oppression and discrimination which is even worse when for some people those three overlap. In “There is no hierarchy of oppressions” Audre Lorde says “As a Black, lesbian, feminist, socialist, poet, mother of two including one boy and a member of an interracial couple, I usually find myself part of some group in which the majority defines me as deviant, difficult, inferior or just plain “wrong””. Audre is included in multiple groups that face oppression and because of the way she identifies herself, she is seen in a negative way.

Question 3: Why is it important to recognize patriarchy as a system and not an individual identity?

It is important to recognize patriarchy as a system and not an individual identity because continuing to put all the blame on a man or all men will not lead to us finding a way to put an end to patriarchy. In “Patriarchy: the system” is says “Rather than ask how social systems produce social problems such as men’s violence against women, we obsess over legal debates and titillating but irrelevant case histories soon to become made-for-television movies”. We are spending our time dividing ourselves from men since we say they are the cause of patriarchy but we aren’t opening our eyes to see the real cause which is the system. Yes, a lot of men have something to do with patriarchy, but so does society and everything around us. There are multiple roles that have played a part in how patriarchy came to be, and viewing it as an issue that has multiple people and things to blame rather than an individual identity would help us learn to understand how our actions add to it and help us find out how we can change.

Question 4: How is gender constructed and learned in our society? How do we perform gender?

Gender is something that is socially constructed. According to the article “Sex and Gender 101” it says “Upon assigning a gender, children are then socialized according to the gender roles of the culture they were born into”. As we grow up in society and a specific culture, we learn and grow from whatever they tell us. From the time we are babies and until now we are taught that females and males should look, walk and talk a certain way, wear certain clothes, have certain jobs, and just overall be feminine if female and masculine if male. From a lot of society’s view, we perform gender by the way we carry ourselves. It used to be taught that a woman is supposed to be all dainty, dress girly, take care of all the housework, take care of the kids and her husband while the man is supposed to be strong, pay all the bills and basically have all the control. Times have begun to change so what used to be viewed as masculine and feminine can be done by any and everyone. 

Question 5: What is the difference between sex and gender? How are sex and gender conflated (converged and confused) within our culture?

The difference between sex and gender is that sex is something that is determined and assigned to a person when they are born by their external genitalia/ reproductive organs while gender has something to do with how a person identifies based on the influence of the society and culture they are raised in. Within our culture, many people are confused and believe that someone’s sex determines their behavior and personality which isn’t true at all. They think that if someone is assigned female at birth, they will/ should automatically grow up to be feminine and follow the roles that gender has. Once many know someone was born a certain sex at birth, they don’t really think of the fact that a person could be non binary, attracted to the same sex, apart of the lgbtq community, feel comfortable dressing differently then most, and go by different pronouns all because a lot of societies and cultures tells us it isn’t normal. They fail to realize that sex and gender are two very different things and that everyone is simply just trying to feel comfortable in their own bodies and live their true identity.  

Question 6: What is a double bind? How do double binds function within our society?

A double bind is when a person is given very few difficult options/ choices/ decisions to make that can’t be ignored, which leaves them with no real choice because they both will end with not so good results. In “Oppression” by Marilyn Frye, she gives an example of double bind. She talks about how even though women are angry about being oppressed, if they show it, they’ll be seen as mean, bitter, angry or dangerous but if they continue to just put a fake smile on their face, it’s as if they are being obedient to their oppressors and adding to their oppression. Double binds function within our society women are constantly never being taken seriously. Sometimes when women are sexually assaulted, they often have to choose between telling someone and them not believing her or thinking she did something to cause what happened to her, or her keeping quiet about what happened and the person who did it doesn’t get In trouble. This means a lot of them have to choose between two decisions that can both negatively impact their lives. 

Question 1: How do systems of privilege and oppression function in our society? How do we combat these systems? 

Systems of privilege and oppression function in our society by deeming certain characteristics as an advantage or a disadvantage. Oftentimes, this is expressed by skin color, socioeconomic background, gender, and sexual orientation. Whether we want to admit it or not, the United States practices under a vastly religious regime. Anything not associated with Christian beliefs is subjected to a harsh critique. This includes gender identity, sexual orientation, skin color, religious beliefs, etc. None of these characteristics are exempt from oppression. Whilst most often white, gender-conforming Christians have a significantly more amount of privilege and are least likely to face systemic oppression. In Peggy McIntosh’s, “White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack” where they speak about how, “White privilege is like an invisible weightless knapsack of special provisions, maps, passports, codebooks, visas, clothes, tools, and blank checks.” Which is a perfect articulation of the many privileges that white people inherit as soon as they’re born, many of which go unacknowledged their whole lives.

Question 2: What is the concept of intersectionality and why is it important in women’s, gender, and sexuality studies? 

Intersectionality consists of analyzing what elements of someone’s identity combine to put them at a greater risk of discrimination and/or privilege. Women, for example, face discrimination just for being women. However, a black woman would face a different set of problems on top of gender inequality, as they’re now susceptible to racial bias. This concept works with men as well, as an Iranian man can be expected to not be picked over a white man for a work opportunity, despite being equally as qualified. In this particular example, their ethnicity, as well as their religion are aspects that could potentially affect the way that they’re viewed in society. On the oposite side of the spectrum, a gender-conforming, white male has a higher amount of respect in society.

Question 3: Why is it important to recognize patriarchy as a system and not an individual identity? 

It is important to recognize patriarchy as a system and not an individual identity because a system can be dismantled. An intangible construct is much harder to analyze as its ramifications are easily disregarded on the grounds of, “well, WE create the society we live in!” This mode of thinking is devoid of any responsibility, basically shrugging it off as, “this is just the way it is.” leaving the women that this system affects to continue settling for the short end of the stick. Examples of gender inequality include gender discriminations in the workplace, healthcare inequities, sexual harassment, forced arranged marriages, unrecognized domestic labor, etc. These problems shouldn’t continue to be ignored as their consequences lead to lifelong trauma, sickness, and even death for its victims.

Question 4: How is gender constructed and learned in our society? How do we perform gender?

Gender is constructed and performed before we even take our first blink into the world. Typically, the parent(s) of a child will conform to whichever sex the doctor tells them that their baby is, whether that’s discovered before or during birth. Many even begin buying their child items with colors associated with their gender, oftentimes this will include typically “masculine” colors for boys, like blue, green, brown, and more feminine colors for baby girls, like pink, yellow and purple. Many children grow up perfectly content with the expected behaviors of their preconceived gender, while others grow up feeling alienated as they do not resonate with the behavioral codes others of their gender seem to perform naturally. A little girl who shows more “masculine” traits is often labeled a “tomboy”. This is a faulty way of thinking as it suggests that male and female are the two default genders that a person could inherit and that any inclusion of the opposite gender in their personality can only be a subcategory of itself. 

Question 5: What is the difference between sex and gender? How are sex and gender conflated (converged and confused) within our culture? 

The difference between sex and gender is that sex is a completely biologically defined characteristic, whilst gender is a social construct many just adhere to. There are very particular stereotypes that each “gender” possesses that weren’t viewed as interchangeable up until very recent times. Now people have begun fighting back against the behavior that they are “expected” to have based on what reproductive organ they were born with. The world should be a safe place where anyone can express their gender identity confidently without having to worry about a hate crime or oppression. No one should feel tied down to what’s between their legs, it should be the least of anyone’s concern. 

Question 6: What is a double bind? How do double binds function within our society? 

A double bind is a dilemma where stereotypically “womanly” traits are viewed as valued but not respected. A woman who is nurturing is well-liked in most environments, however, she is not typically viewed as a leader by her peers. This Implicates that “feminine” and “masculine” characteristics cannot co-exist harmoniously, you have to be either-or. With the particular example of workplace environments, women who are respected and viewed as competent leaders are rarely liked by their peers. In the same vein, women who are considered “emotional” are viewed as “hysterical” or “irrational” whereas an emotional man is referred to as, “passionate”, “outspoken” or, “going against the grain.” These catch-22s can leave women feeling stuck between a rock and a dark place, as they must “check” their femininity at the door once entering their job to be viewed as competent as a  man.

Q1. How do systems of privilege and oppression function in our society? How do we combat these systems?

            What is defined as privilege? A kind of special advantage or immunity granted to specific or certain groups of people. Privileges exist through social systems and/ or rights are kept intact. “White privilege is like an invisible weightless knapsack”. Most of those with these privileges are oblivious to this fact. They are unaware of the freedoms they enjoy over other groups. Oppression is created by acts of abuse which establish dominance. Oppression takes place when a person acts, or a policy is enacted unjust against an individual because of whom they are affiliated with. Oppression is socially constructed through people’s actions and behaviors towards others at a structural level. We can combat these situations by creating an awareness. When these privileged groups can acknowledge the fact that they receive different treatments. We may combat oppression by speaking up and/or showing support to marginalized groups.

Q2. What is the concept of intersectionality and why is it important in women’s gender, and sexuality studies?

            Intersectionality is said to be framework for conceptualizing a person, group of people, or social problems as affected by several discriminators and disadvantages. This involves taking into considerations the overlapping experiences of people, to comprehend the diverse preconceived opinion they face based on the complexion or appearance. Intersectionality is the declaration of the disadvantage that comes with being part of a certain race, religion, gender etc. Intersectionality recognizes that oppression and racism work hand in hand. It is essential to understand its theories and how we can convey those into necessary measures to ensure equity for all women and people that are barely regarded. Failure in acknowledging the difference will cause us to never truly access and address the inequality and injustice.

Q3. Why is it important to recognize patriarchy as a system and not an individual identity?

            Patriarchy is an analytical concept referring to a system of policies social and economic relations structured around the gender inequality of socially defined men and women. Patriarchy is a kind of society organized around certain kinds of social relationships and ideas that chose paths of least resistance. Patriarchy is something that place men as superior to women. We should recognize it as system, to see the bigger picture. Thus, the involvement of society etc. As such, we will be able to root out the cause of such norms and take measures to correct them. Society plays a bigger role in adjusting the roles in patriarchy. Men have been given the most authority, even some religious practices teach that it is mandatory and appropriate to have men superior. Most individuals act in accordance to such norms even though we may speak against it, not because we want to, but it has been embedded in us. 

Q4. How is gender constructed and learned in our society? How do we perform gender?

            Gender is socially constructed throughout an individual’s development. Gender identity as a result can be affected and depending on the society’s evaluation of the roles of men and women. Society categorizes people as either males or females. People from the moment they are born are given an identity as a boy or girl. This emphasizes the way the way the individual is treated. If you are categorized as a male, you are not expected to cry, “as that is what females do”. He is made to believe that he is the head/ superior and is expected to be aggressive. If categorized as a female, you are told to smile all the time, to dress nicely, to be gentle. We are manipulated into thinking that this who we are, and the gender we must identify as. People tend to “make gender binary system seem like a given, not a decision”. The world. Is getting more open minded and people are accepting the choices others make regarding their genders, some are still reluctant to condemn their societal norms.

Q5. What is the differences between sex and gender? How are sex and gender conflated (converged and confused) within our culture?

            Sex refers to the biological distinction of being a male or female. Gender is a structural feature of society, and the sociological significance of gender is that it is a devise by which society controls it members. Gender is a cultural construct that shifts between societies and across time and affects how people are treated based on their sex. An instance is when some people who do not conform to gender in some places are in no way allowed to express or make their preferred gender identity known. Sex is like the physical difference between a male and a female. Gender is what someone identifies as. Society has influenced our concepts since identity is formed by society based on the culture or any parameters set by the individuals to make his/ her identity whether the individual is a male or female.

Q6. What is a double bind? How do double binds function within our society?

            Double binds can be extremely stressful and become destructive when one is trapped in a dilemma and is punished for finding a way out. This involves situations where individuals receive contradicting messages from a second third party. These circumstances happen in such a way that whatever decision or action an individual takes, he or she is criticized. This is something that can happen to anybody; men, women, children, elderly people etc. An example is; if a mother constantly shows her son affection and love, she is deemed to over pampering her kid and seen as weird, she is condemned as a result. If the matter is reversed, and the mother does not show any form of affection to her son, then she is being too hard on him. She is not being a good and dutiful mother. She is criticized for that as well. Whatever way she acts towards her son, she is judged and criticized for that.

Question 1: How do systems of privilege and oppression function in our society? How do we combat these systems?

Social regulation is how systems of privilege and oppression function in our society. The social regulations in place by privilege authorities, they dictate how one can interact with one another, who can/can’t access resources, who is able to be seen and heard oppose to those who “shouldn’t” be listened to nor to be bothered with. Those who don’t have the luxury of power and money are seen as objects, things to pawn off like deals. For example, when a family doesn’t have the background of money, the parents agree to married off their youngest to a man of money. In America, everything is approached as a business deal. There is nothing humane in this process, “No human is free of social structures, nor (perhaps) would happiness consist in such freedom” stated in There Is No Hierarchy of Oppression by Audre Lorde. The social structures strengthen the oppression functions by furthering the discrimination in gender, culture, skin color, and social class. 

To combat these systems, we as community must come to a hard realization, that we all will have to come down from our bias realities. This includes people from multiple oppressed groups and non-oppressed people to agree on the claim that equality is something someone is born with not given. We must forget what we have been taught and listen to the information presented now in front of us. As a community we must set our differences aside to acknowledge times are changing so the people should be accommodating to change. We should be able to share the wrongs together and the wins, breaking the cycle together not just one individual. As a group, the cycle will be completely broken and won’t be able to repeat itself.

Question 2: What is the concept of intersectionality and why is it important in women’s, gender, and sexuality studies?

The concept of intersectionality is recognizing that all groups of people have their own experiences of discrimination and oppression, they all face disadvantages of inequality in varies or all types of environments. This is extremely important in women’s gender, and sexuality studies because women are already at a disadvantage through their gender. Women have had to fight for their equal right since before time began because men feel obligated to be in control of all including women. Johnson Allan states in Patriarchy the systems “The oppression of women happens because men want and like to dominate women and act out hostility toward them.” Women having the slightest of power threatens the man’s masculinity and hurts their social status of men needing to be in control and viewed as strong. This toxic mindset leads to women’s decrease and placement in the hierarchy of society. 

Question 3: Why is it important to recognize patriarchy as a system and not an individual identity?

It is important to recognize patriarchy as a system and not an individual identify because we will be able to see all the intricate parts and individuals that are corrupting the system. By viewing it as an individual identify, we will never acknowledge the depth of the issues rotting the systems. Is not just one, but multiple and varies of groups of people that create conflict between the genders of men and women. When speaking of patriarchy, men feel singled out. In Patriarchy the System by Johnson Allan states “a lot of people hear men whenever someone says patriarchy”, It’s not only men but women as well who demonstrate privilege through oppression. The oppression of women has been altered to signify that all men are the oppressive manipulators but, men are oppressed as well. It would help if men would acknowledge women as human beings as well so they can become recognized as a part of society and not seen as objects. Toxic masculinity has led men into believing they are the only rightful ones to be in power in all environmental structures. The way men speak on power and their rightful entitlement, they should have the same drive for women’s gender equality, rights, and way of life. Together, it will be acknowledged, and change could occur throughout society. 

Question 4: How is gender constructed and learned in our society? How do we perform gender?

Gender is constructed the day one is born, through what we come into the world with, and it is learned in society that we are one or the other. We cannot be both nor none, we must be identified as male or female. Kyles Myers claim “most distinctions of biological sex are made off the appearance of an individual’s external genitalia”. Gender can be used to discriminate one another and at times another form of patriarchy. Gender can be used in a system where society and the government can belittle and as well influence a toxic way of thinking. Society has in place rules and regulations that genders must fulfill to be identified as female or male. These regulations can restrict one’s way of life, opportunities, and creativity. By stepping out of the norms, it can create a target on your back for violence, backlash, and mistreatment. These regulations are in place for order, disciplines, and structure. Without structure, there is no organization and without organization there isn’t order. With order comes power, power is main component into why gender is so important to the hierarchy. Gender is performed the way genders are rated, men are seen as a dominant person who takes lead and charge of “hard” work, while females are seen as a submissive person that takes care of those around her and only needs to worry about their appearance. During the times of today, this structure has changed. Men can express emotions without being seen as less of a man and women are able to care for more than just for their appearance. Women can work, present themselves as leaders and show their dominant side without it signifying war on men. Yes, there is still people who view this as an act of war on men’s masculinity but those who can overlooked that toxic way of thinking can see how rewarding and freeing it is to not have a gender standard. Men can freely express themselves and not have to hold everything in together for their families, and women are able to carry weight for themselves and their families. Women and Men can share the workloads, power, and control. 

Question 5: What is the difference between sex and gender? How are sex and gender conflated (converged and confused) within our culture?

In our social construction, we are taught that a person’s biological sex is what they’re gender will be. “Male, female, and intersex are the terms we use when referring to biological sex” stated in Kyles Myers article. Males have xy sex chromosomes which indicates the development of a male and females have xx sex chromosomes which indicates it will be a development of a female. With this indication, society has created gender to be the final depiction of what one is. Sex is what you have, and gender is what you are. I think sex has a lot to do with the construction of genders. Genders revolve around what type of sex chromosomes you have, and it helps to strengthen the ideals of gender. It also helps people to easily discriminate when one alters their gender to another. Sex and gender are conflated within our culture through the need to associate gender with sex, and to maintain a structure of some sort. Culture adds another element to it, it can be used to either strengthen the ideals or to discriminate between genders. In today’s time, it is used to discriminate because now there are people who either identified themselves as multiples or none. Which is hard to understand to those who are more traditional and taught that there can only be one or the other. 

Question 6: What is a double bind? How do double binds function within our society?

A double bind is when someone is in between two major problems that cannot be avoided nor be overlooked. If overlooked or avoided, it can result into bigger and messier issues for this individual at hand. In Marilyn Frye article, she compares a double bind to the oppression of women to a bird in a cage. The bird symbolizes the women, and its cage is society, society in traps women who don’t fit their ideals of a typical women. A typical woman is a quiet, manageable, nice, and beautiful person. Manageable for men to pick and marry, quiet in the sense she will not fight back nor for her own rights, nice to all even those who mistreat her, and beautiful to attract “good/deserving” attention. Women who have different ideals of what a woman is, are seen as rebels, “bitches”, non-deserving of a “good” man, disrespectful and a threat to man’s masculinity/power. 

 The way a double binds function in society is through women issues. For example, a woman dressing the way she likes to/must can capture the unwanted attention from a man. By capturing this attention from a man can led to unwanted touching, catcalling, and sexual courses. A women’s no, is not a no but a maybe or a yes, and within this statement women aren’t able to feel free, feel safe nor respected through anything they wear. If a woman looks for justice, it is seen as cries for attention and not validated because women’s clothing or the women herself wanted it according to what a man claims. This is what we called a double bind; Women aren’t seen as humans but objects. When women are cooperating with the ideal of clothing they should wear, they are still tortured and raped.

1. How do systems of privilege and oppression function in our society? How do we combat these systems?

Systems of privilege and oppression function within our society through denial and obliviousness. Privilege and oppression are not taught to be seen as a systematic issues but as an individual issue. In White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack by Peggy McIntosh she states, “I was taught to recognize racism only in individual acts of meanness by members of my group, never in invisible systems conferring unsought racial dominance on my group from birth.” All institutes of our society especially schools implicate the idea that having light skin and being a male equals dominance even if it is not intentional. We see this privilege and oppression in movies, and it is in all the history textbooks. We are always taught about the triumphs of the white man and not the powers of colored people. When something is embedded into young minds from such a young age it is difficult for those who experience privilege to notice the problem. This is where denial and obliviousness of the issue allow it to continue to function within our community. “Denials which amount to taboos surround the subject of advantages which men gain from women’s disadvantages. These denials protect male privilege from being fully acknowledged, lessened, or ended.” McIntosh said. A problem that is not acknowledged by society will never be able to come to an end unless the persons who experience it speak up and act.

McIntosh to confront the white privilege she experienced wrote a list of all the things that happen to her daily that she considers a white privilege. To combat white privilege, the dominant group must come to terms with and see the problem. White privilege and male privilege must be described to end the problem, once the issues are identified it is up to the dominant group to see their undeserved privilege and use it to reconstruct the system McIntosh suggests. The only way privilege and oppression in our society can be lessened or come to an end is for the denial of its impact on women and people or color to be lifted. “The silences and denials surrounding privilege are the key political tool here.” White people and males must acknowledge they do have privilege and that causes oppression on others. Then it is up to them to lessen their privilege or speak up about it as a collective. Cause only through numbers will it be able to reach a political level for reconstruction.  

• What is the concept of Intersectionality? Why is it so important in women, gender and sexuality studies?

Intersectionality is an analytical system that looks at the individual, social and political identities of a person, such as race, sex, gender, hobbies, political and social views, and self-presentation. Intersectionality is used to understand how these aspects combined can lead to different levels of discrimination, disadvantage, and oppression. Internationality is important to women, gender, and sexuality studies because it highlights that oppression has no hierarchy, it happens to all no matter what. In There is No Hierarchy of Oppression by Audre Lorde, Lorde talks about the way she faces oppression and why. “As a Black, lesbian, feminist, socialist, poet, mother of two including one boy and a member of an interracial couple, I usually find myself part of some group in which the majority defines me as deviant, difficult, inferior or just plain “wrong.” Lorde faces discrimination because she is a part of many groups that already face oppression. She speaks out about facing oppression no matter what because of the other aspects of her being. She talks about how many people struggle to live a “peaceful existence” because they are oppressed for just being them. It is important to understand that oppression comes in many forms and that is what intersectionality illustrates. when we understand all levels of oppression, we will be able to fight against the norms of society as a collective.

• Why is it important to recognize patriarchy as a system and not as an individual identity?

It is important to recognize patriarchy as a system and not as an individual identity because it is not the individual that has formed the patriarchy but the institutes they are surrounded by. Society finds it easy to blame individuals for the problems the world faces but they never look at the social systems that formed the ideas like the patriarchy in the first place. Patriarchy the System by Allan Johnson talks about how to see the patriarchy as just men and women behaviors and motives would mean to be oblivious of the institutes that caused that mental development in the first place.  Institutes like Hollywood, the media, family, school, religion are the cause of the patriarchy. Patriarchy the System by Allan Johnson states, “We would not ask, however, what kind of society would promote persistent patterns of such behavior in everyday life, from wife-beating jokes to the routine inclusion of sexual coercion and violence in mainstream movies.” This again is where we recognize that the blame of the patriarchy is on the system and not on the individual. If movies did not promote violence against women, if platforms like Pornhub were illegal the patriarchy would be weakened. If toy companies did not promote baby dolls for girls and guns and cars for boys, the patriarchy would be weakened. If religion did not promote that women must be submissive and men must be dominant the patriarchy would not exist. It is important to see patriarchy as a system; a collective of institutes because they are what mold society and the people in them. An individual being patriarchal or misogynistic is a by-product of the teaching of these institutes. If we as a collective want to end the patriarchy we need to first change the institutes and get rid of the labels of society.

• How is gender constructed and learned in our society? How do we perform gender?

Gender is constructed by society and culture throughout the years to put expectations on people based on the genitalia they were born with. Gender is assigned to a person before they are even born. Gender is learned through the culture and society a person was born into. In most cases, boys are taught to be tough, strong, dominant, emotionless, athletic, and bread makers. Girls are taught to be quiet, “girly”, home takers, submissive, caretakers, and romantic. Gender is learned and used to put labels over individual heads to say she/he can or can’t do certain things. Gender is performed when we participate in the roles culture and society have placed on us. A man being chivalrous not to be kind but because it’s the manly thing to do would be performing gender, a woman wanting to wear a suit to prom but wearing a dress to please her peers is also performing gender because she is obeying the rules of society have given based on one’s genitalia.

• What is the difference between sex and gender? How are sex and gender conflated(confused) in our culture.

Sex refers to the anatomy of a being, which entails the chromosome makeup, sexual hormones, and reproductive organs of a being. Gender is a social and cultural construct that uses the external genitalia to assign roles to a being based on whether they present masculine or feminine at birth. In our culture sex and gender are often confused to be the same thing but this is false. Sex is scientific and set but gender when referring to an individual is subjective because it’s whatever that person feels mental. What the culture we live in does not understand is that just because a being has female reproductive organs does not mean they are a girl, and the same rule goes for people with male reproductive organs. This confusion happened a lot to gender non-conforming people and non-binary people. Society expects them to act and present a certain way based on their genitalia, but sex and gender identity are not the same. In Beyond the Gender Binary by Alok Vaid-Menon, Alok states, “we are taught that masculinity belongs to men, femininity belongs to women, and that these are the only two options of self-expression. Not true.” This is the confusion our society does not seem to understand. If a being presents feminine this does not mean they have female genitalia and are a woman. If someone presents masculine it does not make them a man. Gender identity takes place in the mind and has nothing to do with the sexual organs of a being.

• What is a double bind? How do double binds function in our society?

A double bind is when an individual is forced to decide between 2 conflicting choices. Double binds function in our society by always having a double standard, no matter what option you chose it will be wrong in society’s eyes. Let’s look at the sexuality of women and the double bind society gives them. In Oppression by Marylin Frye, she talks about the double bind of women and their sexuality. The article states that in the United States women who choose to be sexually free are punished by being called “loose” a whore and blames for having a lack of morals. On the other side of the bind women who choose to be abstinent from sex are seen as uptight and a snob, society tells her to “let your hair down” but once she does, she will be viewed as easy. Therefore, in our society double-binds, all lead to judgment.