Sex and Power

Gender inequity is a problem that affects every single one of us. For example, it is estimated that gender inequity costs the United States around 2 trillion lost GDP. Gender bias in healthcare means that women's pain is often taken less seriously than men's pain, leading to misdiagnosis and inadequate care. The United States has the highest maternal mortality rate of any developed country and non-Hispanic Black women are three times more likely to die than White women as the result of childbirth. Women continue to be underrepresented in politics, film, STEM, Fortune 500 companies, Silicon Valley, and almost everywhere important decisions are being made. Recent studies also suggest that men's health and life expectancy is worse in countries with greater gender inequality. In this class we will pose intersectional questions about the relationship between gender, sex, and power and ask students to engage with the broader social, cultural, and political implications of institutional misogyny and other forms of discrimination. Throughout our term together, we will consider big picture questions related to women in politics, gender and the economy, sexual equity, women's movements, transphobia, popular culture, and much more. The course will culminate in student-led projects that identify a specific, possibly local, gender-based problem and envision and articulate possible solutions.