Date: Mon, 23 Jun 1997 09:31:13 -0500 (CDT)
From: "Dave Alan Coon (:" <dcoon@ksu.edu>
To: socgrad@csf.colorado.edu
Subject: Re: tracking
In-Reply-To: <Pine.GSO.3.95.970623083730.17544A-100000@jove.acs.unt.edu>
Message-ID: <Pine.SOL.3.91.970623092147.14348B-100000@abc.ksu.ksu.edu>
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On Mon, 23 Jun 1997, Rodney Arthur McDanel wrote:

> Perhaps the best argument in support of tracking in terms of gender is
> the assumption that "gender" means "female" and that the only issues
> examined by gender scholars deal with feminism.  Properly, the field
> examines both genders.  Look back at the current thread.  Some who have
> posted have themselves unwittingly supported this assumption through, on
> one side, implying that men could not possibly understand or appreciate
> gender (women's) issues because they were men, and on the other side
> arguing that men could understand women's issues.  Others have taken
> different approaches, but all lead to the same station--gender=female.
> Perhaps a more useful approach would be to recognize that gender is a much
> broader field.  View gender in only feminist terms is extremely limiting.
> Imagine if criminologists considered murder the only area of crime worth
> studying.
> 
> Rod McDanel
> UNT 
> 
> 
I agree whole-heartedly with this acessment. Most studies dealing with 
gender ten to focus on female s or femminism.  THe argument is, "well 
sociology has typically been about males, so it is time to do work 
specifically about females," I am not opposed to this argument, there 
is some validity to that statement, but I am sick and tired of those who 
say that focusing on the male gender specifically has no place in 
sociology of gender.  I am glad to see that the ABL and the WNBA finally 
got off the ground, it is about time that female athletes had an equal 
chance, but as in most occupations unfortunately, females are still paid 
LESS for the same type of work, whatever happened to equal work for equal 
pay. One study indicated that the "gender gap" in wages has actually 
increased, and the number of so called "pink collar" jobs has also 
increased. The women's basketball leagues don't seem to be nearly as 
competitive as far as employment opportunity, the rivalry between teams 
just is nto strong enough to support multi-million dollar superstars like 
Michael Jordan (who incidentally has a BA in Sociology). While there are 
a few "superstars" in women's basketball, they make no where near 
Jordan's Salary.  Hopefully with time, the competitivnes and market 
opportunities will change so that maybe one dawy women's basketball will 
become like men's basketball.  SOmehow I doubt this will happen, (look at 
the failed attempt to put Femle players in the NHL), but I hope that it does.

Sincerely,

David Coon 
http://www-personal.ksu.edu/~dcoon 
MA Student & Graduate Teaching Asst.
Dept. of Sociology, Anthropology, & Social Work  http://www.ksu.edu/sasw/
Kansas State University    
--Ideas that are real "are real in their consequences" W.I. Thomas