Exploring Sex and Gender Roles

Activity Description:

Purpose:

To identify the differences between sex and gender, and how these roles affect work and family.

Steps:

  1. Ask students to list characteristics (traits and behaviors) of the ideal worker in American culture, and write their answers on a flip chart sheet. When finished, put the list aside.
  2. Write the words “sex” and “gender” on the board. Ask students to define and explain the difference between these two words.  
  3. Ask the students to identify characteristics and behaviors of idealized masculinity (i.e. what type of masculinity is reinforced by our society). Write answers on flip chart sheet.  
  4. Repeat Step 3, using characteristics and behaviors of idealized femininity.
  5. Place lists on the board, on either side of the sex and gender definitions.
  6. On the board where you have written the categories of sex and gender, draw a solid line between female and feminine and male and masculine. Ask students how girls generally learn femininity and how boys learn masculinity.
  7. On the board where you have written the categories of sex and gender, draw a dotted line between female and masculine. Ask students what happens if a female is masculine.
  8. Repeat Step 7, by drawing the dotted line between male and feminine.
  9. Have students create “ideal wife/mother” and “ideal husband/father” lists on board.
  10. Hang the list of “ideal worker characteristics and behaviors” in the space in the middle, over the top of the sex and gender definitions.
  11. In small groups, have students discuss the following questions:
  • • What do you notice about the feminine list versus the ideal worker list?
  • • What do you notice about the masculine list versus the ideal worker list?
  • • What do our lists have to do with careers?
  • • What do our lists say about the pay gap between men and women?
  • • What do our lists say about the glass ceiling?
  • Have each group share their answers with the class.

     12. In small groups, have students discuss the following questions:

  • • How easy is it for women to get economic power in this gendered system?
  • • How easy is it for mothers to get economic power in this gendered system?
  • • What do our lists have to do with careers?
  • • What about men who want to know and nurture their children or elderly parents?
  • • How does this affect you?…make you feel as a man?…as a woman?

OPTIONAL: Give students copies of the handout “definitions” (available for download in MS Word format). Go over the definitions in the handout. Ask students why they think the gender differences exist. Discuss explanatory theories from biological determinism to social constructionism and explanations in between.

Activity Source:

Content contributed by Teresa Rothausen as a Suggested Work and Family Class Activity