SOC 231: Gender and Sexuality in Society

EDP, SS- In this course we use a sociological lens to explore gender and sexuality, how they impact our lives, how they relate to social inequality, and how they intersect. As we explore these themes, we will study how culture and various social institutions (e.g. media, economy, family) have been pivotal sites for the maintenance, reproduction, and change in gender roles, primarily in the U.S. We will examine how gender and sexual identities are constructed and contested as well as how they evolve. We will explore the performance of femininity and masculinity in contemporary society, paying special attention to the ways gender and sexuality intersect with other socially constructed differences, including race and class.