Gender Socialization, Identity, and Feminist Theory

Workbooks provide opportunities to relate course materials to media, experiences, and empirical works in a

personal/reflective manner. Full credit responses meet length requirements, adhere to format/citation

specifications, and sufficiently address every component of each prompt – while citing two concepts or quotes

from assigned materials. A typical paragraph includes 4-8 sentences. Length specifications indicate the

minimum expected, but you will not be marked down for longer replies. Insights should be original, well thought

out, and supported by materials. Responses can either be elaborated on in a short essay that is 4 paragraphs

long or as short answers which address each prompts components in bullet point format of the same length.

Overall, Workbook #1 should come out to a total of 4 prompt responses, 16 paragraphs, and 8 cited concepts. hen citing materials, only note the author(s), publication

year, and relevant page numbers or resource details in the parentheses (i.e. Lucal, 1999, p.794).

PROMPT #1 SOCIALIZATION (+5.5 points)

(#1) Reflect on these aspects related to your childhood experiences, and elaborate on the following points:

What are some of your earliest memories about gender socialization experiences?

How did these practices represent a form of borderwork/boundarywork?

How did these practices reinforce the binary gender system?

How can such interactions/ideologies contribute to 3 inequalities or differential outcomes throughout ones life?

…up to 5.5 points (+1.25 childhood gender socialization experiences; +1 how these practices reflect

borderwork; +1 how practices reinforce binary gender system; +0.75 x 3 inequalities/outcomes)

PROMPT #2 BIOGOVERNMENTALITY (+6.5 points)

(#2) Consider how your own experiences within grade school relate to our class discussions about Martins

research and the scenes from Kindergarten Cop. Then address each of these components:

What is hidden curriculum and how does it differ from explicit lessons or formal rules?

Summarize 3 ways that gender was constructed interactionally by teachers from your school

What may such practices teach kids about gender norms related to identities, behaviors, ideals and/or beliefs?

How may these biogovernmental practices discipline bodies in ways that serve 3 institutional/school interests?

…up to +6.5 points (+0.5 define hidden curriculum; +0.5 how this differs from explicit lessons or rules;

+0.75 x 3 constructions of gender reinforced by your teachers; +1 what these practices convey about

gender; +0.75 x 3 specific institutional interests these practices served to your school)

PROMPT #3 IDENTITY (+5.5 points)

(#3) Reflect on these aspects related to your gender performances, and elaborate on the following components:

Describe an instance when you have in some way engaged in trying on gender

What have been some core aspects with how you choose to do and display gender? How do expressions

or adornments (i.e. clothing, hairstyles, accessories, embodiments) contribute to your sense of gender identity?

How has your identification with gender in some way changed at any point/s in your life, and what do you think

influenced these shifts? Examples to consider when responding to this component include: Was there any

moment/s when gender felt less or more important to you? Did performing certain gender displays feel more

necessary in specific contexts than others? Was there some aspect of your gender expression that you altered?

What and/or who do you think might have inspired some of the ways that you have chosen to do gender?

Influences can include family members, friends, subcultures, celebrities etc.

…up to +5.5 points (+1 trying on gender; +1.5 doing & displaying gender; +1 some change within

gender identification and/or performance; +1 what might have influenced change; +1 inspirations)

3

PROMPT #4 MEDIA & THEORIES (+7.5 points)

(#4) Watch a TV show, TV episode, or film (that has not already been discussed in this class) which portrays a

social problem related to gender. Select 3 different perspectives from the Feminist Theories Handout which I

posted in the Week #5 module. First describe the social problem related to gender, and how the character/s are

impacted by it. Then provide a detailed summary of how the source/s of the problem would be understood each

feminist perspective, and what solutions each theory would specifically recommend for addressing the problem.

TV SHOWS: Glow, Transparent, Pose, Orange is the New Black, The Deuce, Jasmine, Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,

Handmaids Tale, Good Girls Revolt, Mad Men, The Fosters, Adolescence, Looking, Euphoria

FILMS: Monster, Precious, Frida, Mean Girls, Moxie, Set It Off, Hidden Figures, Persepolis, Girl Interrupted,

Confirmation, She Said, League of Their Own, Boys Dont Cry, Thelma & Louise, Hustlers, American Psycho,

Fight Club, Easy A, Real Women Have Curves, Fire Island, The Color Purple, Joy Luck Club, North Country,

Maria Full of Grace, Dallas Buyers Club, Brokeback Mountain, The Danish Girl

Describe social problem related to gender

How this problem impacts the lives of some character/s

How feminist theory #1 would explain the problem

Solutions theory #1 would propose to address the problem

How feminist theory #2 would explain the problem

Solutions theory #2 would propose to address the problem

How feminist theory #3 would explain the problem

Solutions theory #3 would propose to address the problem

…up to +7.5 points (+0.75 describe social problem related to gender; +0.75 how problem impacts the

character/s; +1 x 3 how each theory explains the problem; +1 x 3 solutions from each theory)