Social Inequality in relation to gender – A Level Sociology OCR Revision

Understanding Gender Inequality

Definition of gender inequality: Gender inequality refers to the unequal treatment or perceptions of individuals based on their gender. This unfair treatment may stem from several factors, including patriarchal societal structures and stereotypical gender roles.
Patriarchy: This is a social system in which men hold primary power and predominate in roles of political leadership, social privilege, and control of property.
Intersectionality: Coined by Kimberle Crenshaw, this term refers to the overlapping or intersecting social identities and related systems of oppression, domination, or discrimination. It is key in understanding the multifaceted nature of gender inequality.

Employment: The gender pay gap remains a key issue in employment, with men often earning more than women for doing the same job. Women can also face maternity discrimination, and they are underrepresented in senior roles and industries like science and engineering.
Education: Girls typically outperform boys in education, but subject choices often follow traditional gender roles, with boys more likely to study maths and physics, and girls more likely to study humanities and languages.
Health: In health, men often have higher mortality rates and die younger but women can have more health problems throughout life, with issues such as mental health often gendered.
Political representation: Women are significantly underrepresented in politics and leadership roles, despite some progress in recent years.
Domestic sphere: Gender inequalities can also persist in the home, with women often undertaking the bulk of unpaid care work and domestic chores.

Feminist perspectives: Feminist perspectives propose that society is characterised by gender inequalities that are built into social structures, and they call for social change to promote equality.
Liberal Feminism: Liberal feminists focus on equal opportunities, calling for reforms in social, political and economic structures to eliminate gender discrimination.
Radical Feminism: Radical feminists argue that patriarchy is the root cause of gender inequality, and advocate for a radical restructuring of society.
Marxist Feminism: Marxist feminists see the exploitation of women in capitalism as a key source of gender inequality.
Postmodern Feminism: Postmodern feminists challenge the notion of a universal female experience, recognising the different experiences of women across cultures, races and classes.

The impact of socialisation: Gender socialisation, the process by which individuals learn their gender roles, can strongly contribute to establishing and maintaining gender inequalities.
The role of media: The media plays a significant role in perpetuating gender stereotypes and shaping societal expectations of gender roles.
Intersectional Discrimination: Combination of gender with other social categories like class, race, and sexuality can lead to multiple layers of inequality.
The Impact of government policies: Policy decisions taken by government can either mitigate or exacerbate gender inequalities, influencing aspects such as equal pay, maternity rights, and representation in leadership roles.