This document discusses different perspectives on defining gender and feminism. It contrasts social constructionist views that gender is influenced by society versus biological essentialist views that biology determines gender characteristics. It also summarizes theories by Deborah Tannen that masculinity is the unmarked norm in language while femininity is marked, and by West and Zimmerman that gender is something we "do" through our behaviors that are assessed against norms. West and Zimmerman also distinguish between sex categorization and doing gender as separate concepts.

1. Defining Gender
Media and Gender
COM 3315
Dr. Kenza Oumlil

2. Feminism
Feminism has fought no wars. It has killed no
opponents. It has set up no concentration
camps, starved no enemies, practiced no
cruelties. Its battles have been for education,
for the vote, for better working conditions, for
safety on the streets … for child care, for
social welfare … for rape crisis centres,
women's refuges, reforms in the law.… [If
someone says], "Oh, I'm not a feminist," [I
ask] , "Why? What's your problem?" —Dale
Spender

3. Contemporary theories and
perspectives on gender and sexuality
• Social constructionists – who argued that the
influences of biology are indirect and
mediated by society
Versus
• Biological essentialists – who argued that the
direct effects of biology endow each gender
with essential characteristics.

4. Defining Gender
• Deborah Tannen talks about the male figure
being unmarked and the female being
marked. Marking is a linguistic device but it is
also a semiotic device – it is a sign that tells
how to communicate gender – how to in fact
‘do’ gender.

5. Defining Gender
• Tannen (1995): Men’s styles unmarked, only
scrutinizing women at conference. “Unlike the
women they had the option of being unmarked”
(4).
• Tannen (1995): “The unmarked form of most
English words also convey “male.” Being male is
the unmarked case. Endings like ess and ette
mark words as “female”” (4). The use of “he” as
the sex-indefinite pronoun.

6. Defining Gender
• West and Zimmerman: Do gender; risk of gender
assessment: “And note, to “do” gender is not
always to live up to normative conceptions of
femininity or masculinity; it is to engage in
behavior at the risk of gender assessment…”
(139).
• Doing gender normalizes and naturalizes the
social arrangements based on sex category; it
legitimates the organization of social life.
Conversely, doing gender can also disrupt the
dominant social arrangements.

7. Defining Gender
• West & Zimmerman (2000): “…sex
categorization and the doing of gender are
not the same” (138). Categorization could be
secure or suspect. Categorization does not
necessarily depend on gender. Being seen as
unfeminine does not make one “unfemale.”
Identificatory display (dress) ; gender display
(allowing men to light her cigarette);
normative gender behavior.