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Introduction to Anthropology

Daniel is sitting at the front of the classroom, coffee in hand, looking slightly rumpled and as though he hasn't slept all night. He's got some interesting colored bruises on his face; most appear to be nearly faded, although there's one newer looking one across his eye.

"Good, ah, morning class. I'm sorry for the gap in classes... I, uh... had to go out of town unexpectedly.

"Today we're going to be looking at the Ideology and Differentiation of Gender Issues.

We have been unable to determine the relative contributions of culture and biology to differences observed in female and male behavior.

There is little agreement on the extent to which biology is responsible for differences. Sexual differentiation exists to some extent in all societies.

Looking at the idea of universal male dominance, also known as chauvinism, is to oversimplyfy. Sexual asymmetry is often evident in language. We find most egalitarian relations in hunting-and-gathering societies. All societies make distinctions between women's and men's roles, and different cultures define gender roles in different ways.

Some gender roles are rigidly defined, whilst others overlap. Not all culture limit humans to two genders - does anyone know any cultures where transvestism is accepted?

Cultural values legitimate sex roles, status, and behavior and comprise a gender ideology. But what problems lead from this?

I'd like you to discuss this and other gender issues pertaining back to either your own culture, or another one of your chosing. Please try to do it as objectively as possible, without ethnocentrism.

Homework is to write up how different cultures deal with genders.

I'll be coming around to help as necessary"

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...

Here

Handed in here (can just be "handed in")

Here

*signs in*

*hands in*

((OOC: waw harry-mun, you must be really inspired today! I will contribute something to the discussion later on, i promise 0.o))

[[ooc: Cool! Mun is anthropology student... and is pulling out all her first year notes for this *g*]]

*Vala slipped into a seat in the back and tried to avoid everyone's eyes*

Gender issues? He had to pick gender issues for today?!?!?!

*Daniel spots Vala and smiles at her*

[[ooc: *dies* I didn't even think! It was seriously the first lot of notes that I grabbed! *g*]]

*Val gives a quick forced smile and hopes that -- having been out of town (and generally oblivious anyway) -- Danny at least doesn't know...

*Vala thunks her head on the desk and then scoots out unobtrusively, realizing she showed up for the wrong damned anthro class!!!

Daniel watches Vala go, not even realizing why, until he checks his register.

[[ooc: Oops?! *g*]]

((Are there more anthro classes? Am i in the wrong one too, now? *is confused*

[[There's Intro to Anth and Egyptian Archaeology. You're in the right one *g*]]

((Oh wait, i get it now. Nevermind :) ))

Willow signs in and sits down

Willow hands in her homework.

"Professor Jackson?" she asks. "Am I still required to go to detention? I know I missed some classes, but I have a good explanation, and I've made up all my missed homework assignments."

Daniel checks his mark book.

"If I think your explanation is good, then no, you're not still required to attend detention, Miss Rosenberg."

Well, it seems to me as though there are some things that maybe men and women are inclined to be better at, but it's hard to spread that proficiency across individuals.

I mean, boys are supposed to be good at all the analytical, scientific stuff. But I'm really good with computers, and I'm a girl, and I know lots of boys who aren't. And my friend Buffy is really good at ~~slaying vampires~~ hand-to-hand combat -- she's actually a lot stronger than she looks. And I know lots of girls who aren't nurturing at all. So it seems to me that gender roles can be really limiting if a society expects people to adhere to them really closely, and shames them if they don't.

She breathes a big sigh of relief.

"Yes, it's good. I can explain after class if you like. Thanks, Mister Jackson"

"It's, ah, Doctor Jackson," he smiles. "And I'll see you after class."

*signs in*

*turns in his homework, on octagonal paper, of course*

Willow threads her way through the departing students after class is dismissed.

"Doctor Jackson?"

He looks up at her and smiles.

"Willow, take a seat. Well done for the discussion today; you made some excellent points."

Ivanova signs in, guiltily thankful that their abscences overlapped a bit.

Ivanova nods as she listens to the other girl speak.

"I know what you mean about limiting gender roles," she said, smirking a bit. "I think someone once described my life as a contact sport, so I'm right up there with - Buffy, right? I guess I'm just luck that we're grown past - er, that where I come from gender roles have been almost eliminated. Well, they exist, but like you say, they aren't limiting because adherance isn't expected. Mostly." She frowns. "I'm not making much sense."

[[Why oh why did Danny mention transvestitism? *sings to self* I'm just a sweet transvestite, from Traaaaansexual . . .]]

Ivanova hands in her homework, with a minimum of margin-doodles.

[[Hey, I'm just going from my own anthropology notes here! *g*]]

Daniel nods. "I get what you're trying to say, Miss Ivanova. Do you have any examples of extreme gender ideology from where you from?"

[[Doesn't help. *singing* By the light of the night, it'll all seem alright . . .]]

Ivanova frowns. "I'm not quite sure what you mean by gender ideology, but I have seen some interesting expressions of gender. One species I work with determine level of intimacy with the number of genitalia they use. But I guess that's not really a gender issue. The same culture had what I think was a very free and yet a very rigid set of expectations for women. Centauri women are expected to be little more than dancers and trophy wives, but they also have incredible freedom in their sexuality. I have encountered a few cultures which have the same kind of gender restriction that many Old Earth cultures had; women had more restrictions placed on their movements, manner of dress, things like that."

"Really? That's fascinating...

Extreme gender ideology can include, for example, the subordination of one sex. As you can imagine, this may lead to harsh consequences, such as female infantcide."

*nods* That's a good point, Willow.

What would you say are common gender points around the world?

Ivanova shudders. "That's . . . horrible. I just . . . wow. I can see a culture-wide suppression of a trait that's supposedly harmful to the culture -" she doesn't think about it "- but female infanticide is . . ." She's too flustered to continue.

[[Ivanova does not know about FGM-FC. Therefore I will not begin ranting about it. I swear.]]

"That is one of the extreme examples, but it does happen.

Can anyone enlighten Miss Ivanova to China and it's one-child policy?"

"Oop, sorry!" Willow sits down.

{{OOC: Going offline. Internet down @ home and the cafe is closing. Will f/u tomorrow.}}

Daniel grins at her.

[[ooc: Not a problem. Mun is in UK anyway, and should possibly sleep soon. Or concentrate on the student council meeting with other character *g*]]

Ivanova squints as she tries to remember her history. "The one-child policy . . . but wasn't that ineffective? And weren't the stories of female infanticide grossly overexaggerated? Besides, the whole thing was practically abandoned in the early years of the twenty-first century . . ."

[[Another topic I swear I will not write pages on. I swear to drunk. You're making it very hard to stay in character. *bemoans*]]

"Highly ineffective. And whilst not all the girls were killed, many were also abandoned. In September 1997, the World Health Organization's Regional Committee for the Western Pacific issued a report claiming that "more than 50 million women were estimated to be 'missing' in China because of the institutionalized killing and neglect of girls due to Beijing's population control program that limits parents to one child."

[ooc: *pets you* This was the first topic I pulled out notes on, I swear!]

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Introduction to Anthropology

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