Week 3: Beyond Anatomy

Week 3: Beyond Anatomy

1. Gender varies in all cultures, but in all cultures:

   • Gender is constructed on the basis of sex
   • Division of labor linked to gender
     • Division of Labor is based on the resources available. The economic system is the basis of DOL
       • There are 4 major economic systems
         • Foraging/hunter-gatherers
           • Interdependence
           • Women are most responsible for food
           • Men follow herds of large animals for skins b/c they are expendable.
           • Women do local hunting,
         • Settled Agriculture
         • Industrialization/ Capitalism
         • Information/ Late Capitalism
   • Sexuality is regulated based on gender
     • 2 Patterns Across Cultures
       • Dichotomous
       • Multiple Gender Categories
         • Two Spirits
           • Gender Neutral, Spiritual, “Men-Women”, High Status, Power & Blessing, Dress & Traits of Women, Tasks of both Men and Women, Biologically Male, Married Men, Can’t Marry other Two-Spirits, born sex is less important than gender in this culture
         • Mohave
           • 4 Gender Categories: Men, Women, Alyha, Hwame
             • Alyha
               • Biologically male. Shift at puberty. Dance/Ritual shedding of boy clothes and putting on girl clothes, Right of passages of women, Simulate menstruation by slashing thighs, Simulate childbirth by constipation, Ritual to celebrate the “baby” and the life it did not live.- same as stilbirth.
             • Hwame
               • Similar ritual of dressing/undressing. Would go on long hunting trips with the men, Marry women
         • In Inda
           • 3 Gender Categories: Men, Women, Hijra
             • Hijras
               • Some intersex, some made intersex by castration, “Man minus maleness” Dress in women’s saris, wear long hair, popular at blessing ceremonies, do not think of themselves as women.
         • Albania
           • Sworn Virgins
             • Women who can’t marry. Tasks of men.
   • Virtually every culture has a history of more than 2 genders.
     • Biological females don’t shift as much because the society is dependent on childbirth. Shifts happen more when they’ve given birth a certain # of times.