Functionalist View On Gender

Although quite different, both Functionalism and Marxism have their similarities. They also have their positive and negative aspects and ways in which each theory dysfunctions. Functionalism is the study of society as a functioning system including interdependent institutions or patterned relations that are steady overtime, and that enact specialized functions for the whole. The main focus is on how direction is kept between parts of society. Any given pattern of relations or structures within society is interpreted by reference to the results or functions that such patterns have for them majority. It is an essential assumption within the functionalist perspective is that participation in social systems is voluntary. When a sociologist uses

A structural functionalist, would support men holding powerful economic and political positions due to genetics. The functionalist believe that it is critical for every individual to have an assigned role as that will be the only way the society will function. Women were needed at home, it was not an option. Since women were expected to be child-bearers they could not be far from home, while the men were expected to risk their lives hunting. Due to hunting being viewed as a riskier job, society perceived men as a stronger and more powerful gender, while the women were associated with a weaker status due to having an “easier” job. Therefore, leading to them attaining a higher status in society. Today in modern society, many individuals still believe women should be caretakers of the home, while the man should be working, this allows them to attain very high positions. The structural functionalists would probably offer women to take more jobs outside of the home hemisphere,

It is no surprise that women, on average, earn less than men no matter their race or educational level despite being at the same work level as men. As seen from a functionalist perspective, women earn less than men due to many reasons such as the fact that they choose to get married and have kids, which in its turn interrupts their schooling and/or careers. Later, when women once again choose to focus on their careers they are already far behind their male counterparts. Functionalists also believe that society is a complex system made up of small parts that work together to make up a whole. This theory suggests that the wage gap only exist because one part of the population, (men), are needed for certain acts of labor, whereas the other part

In this assignment, I am going to briefly explore the definitions of Functionalism, Marxism and Feminism and how their ideologies affect contemporary society in Great Britain. In doing so I will give examples that expand upon the definitions and illustrate that such ideologies are evident and still have an impact on the society we live in.

Functionalist suggests that men perform instrumental roles; which is definitely the man of the house who is the breadwinner more or the material support and primary leadership authority within the family; such showing, or telling what needs to be done and how to act for orders to be followed, where the wife, is more likely to provide affection and moral support. Now in the 21century, in other displays of interpersonal conflict, women are depicted as stubborn and non-expressive of their feelings because they are acting passive aggressively. we are seeing a lot of people working more than one job, with possibly three jobs. The person whether same-sex couples, or heterosexual couples, and even grown adult children residing together in the same home with

The functionalistic perspective is based on the idea of society being made of parts, that together make a whole. Functionalist try to identify these different parts and figure out what their function is exactly, in terms of the contribution they make to form equilibrium in society. This perspective also states that if there is ever a disruption in society, it can be restored if its social control is operated effectively and efficiently (Lindsey, 2015). Lindsey (2015) stated, “values surrounding gender roles, marriage, and the family are central to functionalist assertions regarding social equilibrium” (p. 6). Specifically, because gender roles have a prominent place in marriage and families (Keirns et al., 2015).

A famous theorist to this perspective is Karl Marx. He observed that under a capitalistic society the struggle of power in groups is inevitable—one class always needs to be higher and more dominant than the other. The main differences in both perspectives is that the functionalist perspective views social institutions as working in harmony to provide the society with basic needs, while the conflict perspective defines social institutions as having a single primary purpose of preserving social order through control and conflict and through one group (the more powerful and privileged) controlling and dictating the other (the lower class) (Henslin 106). Lastly the feminist perspective explains the inequality of gender and its role in effecting all social institutions.

Gender can sometimes be seen as biological characteristics humans have, when in fact it is the social characteristic ones society deems either masculine or feminine. Sex, on the other hand, is the biological differences in humans, for example, hormones and sex organs. People usually play gender roles in society, otherwise known as gender ideology. Gender ideology is when men and women have certain attitudes regarding their ‘fixed’ roles, responsibilities and rights. Throughout history men and women have been socialized to play these expected roles that have been placed on them due to their sex. In my own personal life I have encountered many instances where I have been socialized in relation to sex and gender.

Most people believe gender is only based on being male or female. People believe gender is based on the physical and biological differences between women and men. Over the last few years, the term gender has changed. When some people believe gender is being male or female. Most people associate gender with gender roles and how people are supposed to function or perform based on society’s expectations. In other words, people believe males and females have to behave according to their gender or gender roles to be socially accepted. For instance, it is socially accepted for women to be housewives while men work. However, gender is based upon how people are viewed and accepted. In other words, gender is based on how men and women feel about themselves, what is expected from them based on their roles, and how they are socially accepted.

Functionalism sees society as a framework and a system that needs to work together , sociologists believe that we need social structures that give us shape to our lives and that each social structure has a social function , failure to follow the social structure will result in a social consequence two early contributors to this theory

Throughout our history, there has been the idea that there is only two types of gender, male and female. However as the earth and population evolves, our opinions and ideas of gender typically have changed therefore creating drastic change among the socially accepted views of solely having a choice between male and female. Although, we still are seeing patterns among judgements being made of what gender the person will identify is which is called the gender binary, which defines as “the classification of sex and gender into two distinct, opposite and disconnected forms of masculine and feminine. It is one general type of a gender system.” ( Wikipedia, n.d.).

The concept of gender has a strong social impact on me. When I was born, I was immediately assigned to a biological sex as a female with two X chromosomes. I was then socially classified as a girl in the society with feminine gender roles. Gender is defined as a social principle which attribute to the roles and expectations of males and females through the years of different societies (Phillips, 2005). Gender can be considered as behavioural, cultural and psychological traits

Gender as defined by society as a division between biological sex and the roles you must take on in society. In reality gender is a true spectrum that does not follow a simple linear pattern. There are three major aspects that make a person who they are inside. These aspects are Sex, Gender and Gender Identity.

According to functionalism, categories like class, gender and race fulfill certain social functions. This can be cultural or it can be structural. For example, a working class person has that role because it is functional for the society as a whole. There will always need to be workers just as there will always need to be employers. Society consists of more or less fixed roles that people slide into. Likewise, gender categories are there because they fulfill necessary social roles. Women have specific jobs to do and if they do not do them then society as a whole suffers. The upshot of this is that people should learn to appreciate the way society works as it is now and not try to ruin the equilibrium through radical reform. Conflict theory

In society, the biological difference between men and women is used as a justification for aligning them with different social roles which restrict and mold their attitudes and behavior. Merriam-Webster defines gender as the behavioral, cultural, or psychological traits typically associated with one sex. Narrow minded society of today is not satisfied with the natural difference of sex, but each insist on adding a cultural difference of gender to it. The unsophisticated, ideal physical facts always become associated with the complex psychological qualities (Holter). It is not enough for a male to be a man; he must also be masculine. A woman, in addition to being a female, must be feminine (Magner). In a more evolved and accepting society,