1.5 Why Study Sociology of Gender?
Why is it important to study sociology of gender? As stated earlier, a core theme in sociology is the origin and nature of inequality. We study sociology of gender to recognize and better understand the inequalities around us and to find solutions to social problems in our society. Chapter Three will apply a sociological perspective to the social problem of sexual violence. Throughout this book, we also will consider the intersectional impacts of gender in terms of inequitable outcomes related to education, access to abortion and healthcare, and income.
Sociology identifies and examines discriminatory policies and practices that are systematically embedded in the existing structure of society. Sociology of gender identifies and examines discriminatory policies and practices against women and those outside of the gender binary.
Another reason to study the sociology of gender is to recognize how individuals do and don’t fit into the world, including how they are viewed and how they view others through the lens of gender. We may be able to understand how gender norms and socialization steer women and feminine-presenting people into teaching jobs in primary and secondary schools, while men and masculine-presenting people tend to be either maintenance staff, coaches, or administrators. Because sociology encourages us to be reflexive, we can also consider how gender norms, standards, and expectations have impacted our personal experiences. The Looking Through the Lens activity at the end of this chapter will give you an opportunity to practice reflexivity.
Sociology of gender helps us ask big questions about how gender and sexuality work in our society. Imagine you have a friend, colleague, or peer who is transgender and has been ostracized by their family, perhaps bullied at school, or lost a job. We can then ask some big questions: Why? Why did people react so strongly? Using the sociology of gender, we discover an interconnected web of culture, power, identity, and socialization.
Patterns of Inequality
By applying the tools and methods of sociology to questions of gender, sexuality, gender expression, and identity, the sociology of gender identifies gender-based inequality and reveals the social processes by which gender is socially constructed, imposed, enforced, reproduced, and negotiated in our everyday lives.
For example, the wage gap is not just an idea or an opinion. Most of us expect that our work will be fairly rewarded, based on our performance, and if some people are paid more than others, it is because they have more skill and experience. However, sociologists, economists, and other social scientists have identified overwhelming data that documents differences in compensation, hiring, promotion, retention, and job satisfaction for the same work between different genders and between PGM and people who are White.
They also record the experiences of individuals and groups through qualitative data methods an