Gender and Communication
Dr. Marcia D. Dixson
Building Bridges Between the Sexes
through Understanding of our Differences and Similarities
COM 410 Gender and Communication
Midterm
Chapters 2-5
Choose one of the following questions. Write a well defined argument articulating your perspective on the issue and answering the question. Papers should be typed, double spaced, one inch margins, 12 pt font and no longer than two pages. Use a cover sheet, your name should not appear anywhere except the cover sheet. You may use your (and other groups') projects to support your answer. However, that may not be your only support. Please feel free to use personal experiences you are comfortable sharing to support your answers as well as your text. No library research is required or desired.
1. Are we (as a society) still socializing our children into traditional gender roles? What evidence do you have to support your answer? Is this good and/or bad for the child? Is it good and/or bad for society?
2. Your text maintains that sexist language is still in use in many contexts. How big of a problem is this for society? for men? for women?
3. Sexist images and ideas fill our media. Choose a particular medium and discuss the likely influences this may have on men, women or children (choose one).
4. What are some of the obstacles to building healthy cross-sex relationships (friend, family or romantic)? Where do these obstacles come from (be specific, don't just say "society")? How can we overcome them?
5. Using what you have learned so far about social construction theory, standpoint, gendered language, and socialization, talk about who you are as a gendered individual and how you got that way - what is your standpoint (especially regarding gender), are you a feminist (declared or not), are you using sexist language with/without thinking about it? Is this who you want to be? Why or why not?