Lecture Notes on Masculinity and Femininity

Key Concepts

• Masculine vs. Feminine
  • Not the same as male and female; refers to manlike and womanlike traits.
  • Example: A man can exhibit feminine traits, and a woman can exhibit masculine traits.
• Anthropological Perspective
  • Studies on gender roles began in the 1930s.
  • Margaret Mead, a notable female anthropologist, significantly contributed to this field.

Emotional Gender Roles

• Masculine Society
  • Distinct emotional gender roles.
  • Boys: Assertive, tough, focused on material success.
  • Girls: Focused on quality of life.
• Feminine Society
  • Weaker role separation.
  • Men may also express modesty and tenderness.

Work and Family Dynamics

• Masculine Societies
  • Work prevails over family.
  • Neglecting family for work is acceptable; family obligations are not.
• Feminine Societies
  • Attempt to balance family and work.

Parental Roles

• Masculine Society
  • Fathers deal with facts; mothers deal with feelings.
  • Children approach mothers for comfort and fathers for facts.
• Feminine Society
  • Both parents handle facts and feelings equally.

Cultural Attitudes

• Admiration vs. Jealousy
  • Masculine societies admire strength; feminine societies feel jealousy towards high achievers (e.g., Yente Law in Nordic countries).
• Emotional Expression
  • Boys are discouraged from crying and encouraged to fight.
  • In feminine societies, both boys and girls can cry but are discouraged from fighting.

Religion and Sexual Relationships

• Masculine Society
  • Focus on a powerful God (God the Father).
• Feminine Society
  • Emphasis on human relationships.
• Sexual Relationships
  • Masculine: Often performance-based, with men as subjects and women as objects.
  • Feminine: Seen as relational between partners.

Measuring Masculinity and Femininity

• Masculinity Index (Mas)
  • Scale from 0 (most feminine) to 100 (most masculine).
  • Example countries:
    • Most Masculine: Japan, Italy, Mexico, USA.
    • Most Feminine: Netherlands, Denmark, Costa Rica.
• No Correlation with Wealth
  • Wealth does not determine masculinity or femininity.

Societal Correlations

• Functional Illiteracy and Poverty
  • Higher rates in masculine societies compared to feminine societies.
  • Masculine societies associate poverty with laziness; feminine societies attribute it to bad luck.
• Marketing and Employment
  • Food advertising targets women in feminine societies; both genders shop in masculine societies.
  • Salaries prioritized over leisure in masculine societies; leisure is valued in feminine societies.

Social Media Usage

• Masculine Societies
  • Use social media for fact gathering.
• Feminine Societies
  • Use social media for rapport and relationship building.

Historical Context and Stability

• Masculinity and femininity traits are passed down through generations as societal norms.
• Example: Historical comparison of Britain (masculine) and Holland (feminine).
• Taboo in the USA
  • The term femininity is considered taboo, reflecting strong societal values.

Conclusion

• Masculinity and femininity at the societal level are as stable as other cultural dimensions.