Gender & Society

An examination of the role gender plays in human life. How does being labeled and socialized to be male or female shape peoples' daily life and life chances? How do our culture and others regard people who do not fit mainstream conceptions of maleness or femaleness? The course will discuss the concepts of gender and sex, gendered behavior and expectations, third genders (e.g., the North American berdache, the Indian hijra), homosexuality, transgendered individuals and sex-reassignment surgery, and cross-cultural similarities and differences.