¶ … Ethnology: Balinese vs. The Lahu
Gender and Sex in Anthropology
Anthropology 203
A Case Study in Comparative Ethnology: Balinese vs. The Lahu
Defining Sex and Gender
The definition of sex is generally treated as a category by both biologists and cultural anthropologists, a category with mainly two choices: male or female (Worthman 597-598). From a biologist's perspective sex is the exchange of genetic material and the requisite biological functions required for successful procreation activities. For example, sperm and ovum are supplied by males and females, respectively, and women are the only ones capable of gestation and lactation. Primates, including humans, are generally required to make significant investments in child-rearing activities, so parental investment, in addition to mating investment, is thought to be required of both sexes (McIntyre and Edwards 84). The form that parental investment takes can in turn be heavily influenced by social norms, and accordingly sex helps to define what gender roles are assigned by society.
Cultural anthropologists, on the other hand, struggle with the relative genetic and cultural contributions to an individual's sexual identity. Rather than viewing sex as strictly a biological phenotype, sex is the product of both biological contributions and an individual's self view. Although an individual may be anatomically a male for example, the child-rearing environment, both familial and cultural, could have shifted the sexual identity of the individual away from the more traditional male/female dichotomy. Despite the threat that cultural anthropologists may view sex as a continuum between male and female identities, the definition of sex is still primarily viewed as biological and thus treated as a category.
In contrast to sex, an individual's gender is viewed by cultural anthropologists as a continuum between traditional male and female social roles (Worthman 599). Gender roles are defined by the sex of the individual, family environment, schools, social media exposure, peer groups, and governments; therefore a traditional male role in one culture could very well be seen as feminine in another. Although individuals are not normally viewed as able to 'chose' a gender role when immersed in their culture...
Gift giving creates a bond between the giver and the receiver. Mauss felt that to reject a gift, was to reject the social bond attached to it. Likewise, to fail to reciprocate is viewed as a dishonorable act in some cultures. Gift giving is a means to create social cohesion among the group. What Distinctive contributions did Weber make to social theory? Weber used his work to attempt to understand the
Moreover, in addition to narrowing the purview of human sexuality to groups within the larger society, the sociocultural aspect examines social norm influences including the effects of external factors such as mass media or politics. These movements can assist in bring about significant and widespread changes in the social norm, such as the sexual revolution and the advent of feminism. Overview of Theory and Practice Theories regarding gender and sexuality date
Gender Inequality in Hong Kong Wage discrimination is the discrepancy of wages between two groups due to a bias towards or against a specific trait with all other characteristics of both groups being equivalent. In the case of gender inequality, wage discrimination exists between the male and female gender. Historically, gender inequality has favored men over similarly qualified women (Kwong, 1999). In Hong Kong, Article 19 of the Bill of Rights
The button downs made for men tend to accentuate and broaden different areas than for women, for example, the shoulders. Both genders accessorize in different ways and one way is through shoes and bags. Women tend to wear high heels while men don't, and the former tend to carry a purse while the latter accessorize with a cross-body or messenger bag. Hair is another way to accentuate the gender
Sex Workers in Thailand Thailand ("Land of the Free") is the only Southeast Asian country that has avoided being colonized by a Western power. It is known for its rich culture and hospitable inhabitants. Unfortunately it also has the dubious distinction of being the leading country in sex trade and has even been given the demeaning title of "the whorehouse of the world." Tourism has played a significant role in Thailand's
Anthropology Review and Critique: Gender in Cross-Cultural Perspectives The textbook by Brettell and Sargent on the myriad and diverse studies of gender is not only written with excellent scholarship and with a style that is engaging, but the subject selections - and their order of placement - contribute to a wholly informative presentation. Even the introductions to each section are interesting and informative; indeed, a bright, alert reader could digest just
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