1. What is the difference between sex and gender? How is gender socially constructed?

2. Define sexism. Identify one example of institutional sexism.

3. Examine occupational segregation from the functionalist and conflict perspectives.

4. From an interactionist perspective, Wildman and Davis (2000) offer several examples of how our language privileges men over women. Can you identify cases of female privilege over men?

5. The gender role socialization process reinforces our beliefs about the differences between men and women. Is it possible to raise boys and girls the same way, to be gender neutral in the socialization process? Why or why not?

6. How do sociologists explain the wage gap between men and women? Do you think it is possible to reduce or eliminate the gap?

7. Explain the importance of the four waves of feminism.

8. We take special note of female firsts—the first woman secretary of state (Madeleine Albright), the first woman Speaker of the House (Nancy Pelosi), the first woman president of Harvard University (Drew Gilpin Faust), and the first woman to lead General Motors (Mary Barra). All these events occurred during the late 20th and early 21st centuries, two centuries after the beginning of the feminist movement. In your opinion, has the feminist movement been successful? What remains to be achieved? Would you describe yourself as a feminist? Why or why not?