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So I just finished writing an anotated bibliography for a class and I thought some of the entries would be appreciated by this list. Here are the entries I made for books about gender (I have some interesting articles too, but that's for another post):
Bem, S. L. (1993). The Lenses of Gender. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.
The Author, famous for her gender measuring instrument known as the Bem Sex-Role Indicator (BSRI), revisits how we look at gender. First, she proposes three ‘lenses’ that shape the view of gender: Biological Essentialism, Androcentrism (or Male-centrism), and Gender Polarization. She then goes on to explore the psychology of the individual to introduce an expansion of her previous ‘gender schema theory’ which she calls the Lens of Enculturation. Finally she presents an argument for the abolishment of the lenses of Gender Polarization and Androcentrism that is highly utopian in nature.
Butler, J. (1999). Gender Trouble (Rev. ed.) New York: Routledge.
The author builds on the work of Michele Foucault in order to dissect modern discourse on gender. Many newer theories of gender (ie. queer theories,” depolarization theories, and intersexed theories) in turn use Butler work as support. This text uses very dense language to pull apart the social construction of gender through the discovery of how sex is also socially constructed. The author praises efforts to subvert gender through means of cross-dressing or “bending” gender expectations within the self.
Fausto-Sterling, A. (1992). Myths of Gender (2nd ed). New York: Basic Books.
This text is a response to earlier commercial publications that claim biological deterministic difference between genders based on factors such as brain size, hormone levels, and right-brained/left-brained activity. The author addresses each of these popular claims as myths (or urban legends) to debunk. Scientific biological evidence is used to refute these biological deterministic myths so that sociological judgments based on these myths do not hinder equal opportunity for both sexes regardless of gender displays.
Fausto-Sterling, A. (2000). Sexing the Body. New York: Basic Books.
The author of this text takes the idea of biological determinism in regard to sex and gender and puts it under a microscope. She makes the argument that our notion of sex as a binary is constructed through medical politics more than through actual biological reality. Using evidence of biological research on sex differences in conjunction with medical practices of assigning sex to perceived intersexed infants, the author calls for a holistic view of gender and sexuality. By this she means that we can not break down an organism to its basic biological parts and have it retain all of its characteristics, rather we should view the body as a whole, sex, sexuality gender and all.
Johnson, A. G. (1997). The Gender Knot: Unraveling Our Patriarchal Legacy. Philadelphia: Temple University Press
The author attempts to address issues of gender bias by examining a “Patriarchal Legacy.” He puts forth the argument that the patriarchy prevails in everything we do and taints our view of women and men alike. Further, the author contends that the patriarchy is an ideological construct, an ‘it’ rather than a ‘he’ or ‘she.’ He believes that everyone is responsible for perpetuating the patriarchy and blame for the gender bases woes of society (i.e. domestic violence, the glass ceiling) lies in us all.
Kessler, S., & McKenna, W. (1978). Gender: An Ethnomethodological Approach. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
This breakthrough text on gender studies is arguably the first to make the claim that gender is a social construct that is varied across culture. The authors separate gender from biological sex using an ethnomethodological approach and cross referencing with existing data from biology, sociology, anthropology and psychology. This text lays the foundation for the paradigm found in most communications scholars view of how gender is formed through communication.
Laqueur, T, (1990). Making Sex: Body and Gender From the Greeks to Freud. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
In this text the author traces the history of how the biology of sex is viewed. Historical medical drawings, dating as far back as the 1400s, are used to punctuate the historical data. Laqueur makes a strong case by virtue of historical evidence that everything said about sex is comes from an intrinsically gendered perspective. In other words, from ancient times to today, we make judgments about biology through our socialized assumptions about what men and women should be.
Preves, S. E. (2003). Intersex and Identity: The Contested Self. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press.
The author breaks ground in the study of intersexed individuals and their relation to gender. As sex is closely socially linked to gender, the personal and social identity of those born with “ambiguous genitalia” is often thrust upon them with out consultation. The text explores the result of quantitative interviews of 37 intersexed individuals and their struggle to find their own identity outside the gender/sex binary. This research serves as evidence for anyone seeking to generate theory to try to depolarize gender and sex.
Wood, J. T. (2001). Gendered Lives: Communication, Gender, and Culture (4th ed). Belmont, CA.: Wadsworth.
As a textbook on Gender Communication, this text is a thorough survey of all the polarized issues one would study as a communication scholar looking at gender and sex. It covers theories of how gender is created as well as looks at Feminist and Masculinist movements. The text has a particularly feminist slant and points out inequalities perpetuated by the media, the education system and in places of employment. Notably Missing from this text is any mention of intersexed or transgendered issues, though blues legend Billy Tipton gets a passing nod in order to begin readers questioning assumptions about gender identity.
Bem, S. L. (1993). The Lenses of Gender. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.
The Author, famous for her gender measuring instrument known as the Bem Sex-Role Indicator (BSRI), revisits how we look at gender. First, she proposes three ‘lenses’ that shape the view of gender: Biological Essentialism, Androcentrism (or Male-centrism), and Gender Polarization. She then goes on to explore the psychology of the individual to introduce an expansion of her previous ‘gender schema theory’ which she calls the Lens of Enculturation. Finally she presents an argument for the abolishment of the lenses of Gender Polarization and Androcentrism that is highly utopian in nature.
Butler, J. (1999). Gender Trouble (Rev. ed.) New York: Routledge.
The author builds on the work of Michele Foucault in order to dissect modern discourse on gender. Many newer theories of gender (ie. queer theories,” depolarization theories, and intersexed theories) in turn use Butler work as support. This text uses very dense language to pull apart the social construction of gender through the discovery of how sex is also socially constructed. The author praises efforts to subvert gender through means of cross-dressing or “bending” gender expectations within the self.
Fausto-Sterling, A. (1992). Myths of Gender (2nd ed). New York: Basic Books.
This text is a response to earlier commercial publications that claim biological deterministic difference between genders based on factors such as brain size, hormone levels, and right-brained/left-brained activity. The author addresses each of these popular claims as myths (or urban legends) to debunk. Scientific biological evidence is used to refute these biological deterministic myths so that sociological judgments based on these myths do not hinder equal opportunity for both sexes regardless of gender displays.
Fausto-Sterling, A. (2000). Sexing the Body. New York: Basic Books.
The author of this text takes the idea of biological determinism in regard to sex and gender and puts it under a microscope. She makes the argument that our notion of sex as a binary is constructed through medical politics more than through actual biological reality. Using evidence of biological research on sex differences in conjunction with medical practices of assigning sex to perceived intersexed infants, the author calls for a holistic view of gender and sexuality. By this she means that we can not break down an organism to its basic biological parts and have it retain all of its characteristics, rather we should view the body as a whole, sex, sexuality gender and all.
Johnson, A. G. (1997). The Gender Knot: Unraveling Our Patriarchal Legacy. Philadelphia: Temple University Press
The author attempts to address issues of gender bias by examining a “Patriarchal Legacy.” He puts forth the argument that the patriarchy prevails in everything we do and taints our view of women and men alike. Further, the author contends that the patriarchy is an ideological construct, an ‘it’ rather than a ‘he’ or ‘she.’ He believes that everyone is responsible for perpetuating the patriarchy and blame for the gender bases woes of society (i.e. domestic violence, the glass ceiling) lies in us all.
Kessler, S., & McKenna, W. (1978). Gender: An Ethnomethodological Approach. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
This breakthrough text on gender studies is arguably the first to make the claim that gender is a social construct that is varied across culture. The authors separate gender from biological sex using an ethnomethodological approach and cross referencing with existing data from biology, sociology, anthropology and psychology. This text lays the foundation for the paradigm found in most communications scholars view of how gender is formed through communication.
Laqueur, T, (1990). Making Sex: Body and Gender From the Greeks to Freud. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
In this text the author traces the history of how the biology of sex is viewed. Historical medical drawings, dating as far back as the 1400s, are used to punctuate the historical data. Laqueur makes a strong case by virtue of historical evidence that everything said about sex is comes from an intrinsically gendered perspective. In other words, from ancient times to today, we make judgments about biology through our socialized assumptions about what men and women should be.
Preves, S. E. (2003). Intersex and Identity: The Contested Self. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press.
The author breaks ground in the study of intersexed individuals and their relation to gender. As sex is closely socially linked to gender, the personal and social identity of those born with “ambiguous genitalia” is often thrust upon them with out consultation. The text explores the result of quantitative interviews of 37 intersexed individuals and their struggle to find their own identity outside the gender/sex binary. This research serves as evidence for anyone seeking to generate theory to try to depolarize gender and sex.
Wood, J. T. (2001). Gendered Lives: Communication, Gender, and Culture (4th ed). Belmont, CA.: Wadsworth.
As a textbook on Gender Communication, this text is a thorough survey of all the polarized issues one would study as a communication scholar looking at gender and sex. It covers theories of how gender is created as well as looks at Feminist and Masculinist movements. The text has a particularly feminist slant and points out inequalities perpetuated by the media, the education system and in places of employment. Notably Missing from this text is any mention of intersexed or transgendered issues, though blues legend Billy Tipton gets a passing nod in order to begin readers questioning assumptions about gender identity.
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Re: Must have Gender books
Thu, November 13, 2003 - 10:48 PMi posted a request for some kinda bookshelf/database on tribe for resources of all types. thanx for sharing some fab books.
i've got more to add to this list but its late and im heading to bed. i have read several of fausto-sterling's books/articles as well as some of bem's works. id love to see the list of articles as well........
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Re: Must have Gender books
Thu, December 25, 2003 - 10:51 AMThanks for the list of resources. I'm especially interested in your description of "Gender Trouble" ("The author praises efforts to subvert gender through means of cross-dressing or “bending ”gender expectations within the self."). This addresses an issue that has particularly attracted me towards gender studies. That is the prevelant FEAR that influences straight male culture. THE FEAR OF MALES TO BE PERCEIVED IN ANY WAY AS BEHAVING IN A "FEMININE" MANOR OR BEING PERCEIVED AS "GAY". The inference being (which most people don't seem to get) that it's okay for women to act in a somewhat "masculine" way (being a "tomboy") since "masculininty" is the unwritten societal ideal, but it is NOT okay for males to act in a "feminine" way since femininity is perceived by society as "weaker" or less desirable than masculinity.
I remember seeing an interview in a documentary of a woman who was a lesbian. When she grew up she liked to play sports and "rough house" with her brothers. Her family and the neighbor kids perceived her as a "tomboy" and thought her behavior cute. She knew a boy who lived down the street who liked to play with dolls. He was considered an "outcast" by the neighbors and considered to be a "sissy" (or a slew of homophobic epitaphs).
In my opinion this reflects the fact that the women's movement has had much more of an influence on women's thinking than men's (which I suppose is to be expected in any civil rights movement). Straight male culture has clung vociferously to the concept that males should not variate from the masculine ideal. It is an unwritten rule that every boy learns growing up. It is the bedrock of patriarchy that straight male's often cling to in the face of the great social changes of the last few generations IMHO. It also in my mind explains the fact that men on average tend to be much more homophobic than women. It also might be a reason that straight men tend to be more accepting of female homosexuality than male homosexuality.
Anyway, sorry if I'm going too off topic here (or rambling too much!). It's nice to find a forum where I can discuss gender issues. When I start discussing this topic with my friends they're eyes start glazing over unfortunately...:(
