Part one

Gender norms, the roles fulfilled by men and women, and sexual behavior have changed drastically since the 1950s.For this discussion you must read Chapters 9, 10, and 11 in your text.If you would like additional information you may also review this timeline of important events (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. related to gender, work, and the family.For extra information related to this discussion see the “Recommended Resources.”After reading the three chapters in the text, address the following:

Describe how ideas about gender have changed since the 1950s.Be sure to use examples from the text.

How have these changes impacted the structure and responsibilities of the family?What has been the greatest change for women during this time?For men?For example, with the decline of manufacturing jobs (as well as many white-collar jobs during the recent recession) that are typically held by men, combined with the increase in service-sector jobs that are typically held by women, we saw more and more men staying at home to raise their children while their female partners are in the paid labor force.Does this challenge or fit with our society’s current definition of masculinity?How are men who stay at home affected?

Describe how expectations regarding sexual behavior for men and women have changed since the 1950s.Explain and give an example of the “sexual double standard.”

Your initial post should be at least 250 words in length. Support your claims with examples from required material(s) and/or other scholarly resources, and properly cite any references.

Reference

https://workfamily.sas.upenn.edu/sites/workfamily.sas.upenn.edu/files/imported/timelines/other/PRtimeline.pdf

Part two

The gay and lesbian communities in the United States have fought for many decades to achieve full civil rights. In recent years there has been a large shift in society’s ideas about and attitudes towards the gay and lesbian community. For this discussion, listen to the podcast from This American Life entitled “81 Words (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.,” which discusses how and why the American Psychiatric Association (APA) declared that homosexuality was not a disease in 1973. In addition, read the recent report (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. from the Associated Press and NORC, which provides statistics from public opinions polls regarding American’s attitude. After reviewing these resources, address the following:

• Describe the social context for gays and lesbians in the United States in the early 1970s and compare that to the social context today.
• How can society’s changing attitudes towards gays and lesbians be used as evidence that sexuality is socially constructed?

Select two statistics from the AP/NORC report that you think serve as evidence that ideas about gay and lesbian communities are socially constructed. Describe the statistics and explain how these statistics can be used as evidence of the social construction of sexuality.

Your initial post should be at least 250 words in length. Support your claims with examples from required material(s) and/or other scholarly resources, and properly cite any references

Chicago Public Media. 81 Words (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. [Audio file]. This American Life. Retrieved from http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/204/81-words

http://www.apnorc.org/PDFs/SameSexStudy/LGBT%20issues_D5_FINAL.pdf