Gender does not exist in a vacuum; there are distinct differences between man and woman that rest from a variety of sources, whether they be biological or environmental. Social cues and norms established over thousands of years have also contributed heavily to the attitudes of men and women toward each other. In order to understand each other better, the reasons why we behave the way we do around the opposite sex must be examined.
The study of gender differences rests within many different sociological theories. Two, in particular, are structural functionalism and conflict theory; in structural functionalism, gender is seen as a complementary construct, while conflict theory sees them as two opposing forces fighting for power in relationships and society. In this essay, the subject of gender will be discussed in terms of these two theories - how they intersect, how they differ, and how these perspectives enlighten us on the understanding of one another.
Conflict Theory
Conflict theory, in and of itself, is a sociological theory which states that different ideologies and attitudes inevitable come into conflict. There is only a finite amount of power available within either a relationship or a society, and one group inevitably gains that power over another. In conflict theory there is always a struggle between haves and have-nots; in the case of gender, this conflict occurs between man and woman.
Feminist theory, on the whole, is a type of conflict theory. According to feminist theory, gender is closely related to power; in this case, mankind has invariably held the power over women in relationships and society as a whole. There has been a systematic oppression of women by men, which thereby prevents them from taking the resources, authority, jobs, and money of men. This is known as a 'patriarchy'; a society dominated by men at the expense of women's rights (Weber, 2006).
One powerful example of feminist conflict theory is Rae Lesser Blumberg's Gender Stratification Theory - in this, the position of women compared to men's power in all different kinds of societies are shown to be less influential and respected than men (Turner, p. 183). This creates a power imbalance, favoring men and their ability to enact change on a social and political scale. Women are, historically, unable to participate in economic production, distribution, and labor at the same level as men. Primarily, the key to social power for women is economic power, according to Blumberg's theory; as men possess the wealth, they possess the power (Turner, 2003).
Conflict theory is a very popular and pervasive theory in society today; this stems from a number of factors, all stemming from the systematic abuses of men toward women resulting from their power. Men continue to be the "predominant perpetrators of violence and violent crimes," which leads to conflict theory as a possible explanation (Amato, 2006). As the traditional holders of power in a society, that power is held through conflict and violence; as men have held the power, masculine norms lean toward violence as a means of control. Men conform to these societal norms because that is what is expected of them.
According to gender role conflict, "socialized gender roles have negative consequences on the person or others" (Amato, 2006). Therefore, not only does the pattern of male-centric violence partially stem from their status as the power-holders in society, violent men themselves become a social problem. Understanding the societal factors that lead men to violence has led to notions regarding their use and abuse of power granted to them by society over women. Given the intolerable epidemic of disproportionately male violence occurring in society, ideas regarding a change in power dynamic to favor women have been heavily considered.
Functionalist Theory
On the other side of the coin from conflict theory, there is structural functionalism. Structural functionalism, as a theory, states that society is one single whole with many interconnected parts - all important to the operation of the machine that is society. These parts take the form of cultural and societal norms; while many of these roles may be subjectively unfair, they must be performed by someone, or else the entire system of society falls apart (Parsons, 1964).
As it relates to gender, structural functionalism simply states that the man-woman relationship is an inequal relationship that, nonetheless, works toward a complete whole. The traditional view of the man working a job while the woman stays home to care for the children and do housekeeping is rooted in structural functionalism. This is viewed as a complementary relationship, with everyone having an equal role to play in the operation of the family unit. Extended to the entirety of society, men are given the harder, more physically laborious jobs, while women are left with clerical, administrative, and secretarial work - occupations typically considered less physically demanding, and therefore more 'feminine.'
The divide between men and women is viewed very differently between these two sociological theories. Structural functionalism sees the current trend of women having less power and authority, and therefore less freedom, as a necessary evil of maintaining a stable society. However, conflict theory vilifies the apparent domination of men in society, reaping the benefits while women are unable to have the power to make the same choices and have the same opportunities (Wallace, 1989). This leaves women on an unequal footing in regards to their life and liberty, and therefore the institution of the patriarchy must be opposed.
Structural functionalism is very much considered an 'old-fashioned' method of assessing gender relations; by equating feminine activities with male activities, the theory tends to downplay the oppression and objectification women feel as sex objects, when they simply wish to be treated as equals. This way of thinking has been downplayed ever since the advent of feminism in the 1970s, thereby making conflict theory the dominant way of thinking for many people involved in sociological gender relations (Parsons, 1964). In fact, the prevalence of structural functionalism has often been displayed as evidence of the male dominance of sociological theory during that time; "if one looks to the early masters of sociological theory, they were conspicuously quiet about gender issues, despite the fundamental facts that roughly one-half of the human population is female and that all patterns of social organizations have historically revealed a gender-based division of labor" (Turner, p. 182).
Functionalism, when weighed against conflict theory, tends to downplay the negative aspects of women's role in society as being necessary for social harmony. The function of women in society is directly family-related, and quite minimized when it comes to equal military service, equal presence in the workplace, and other such aspects (Parsons, 1964). As a sociological theory relating to gender, it tends to place a blanket over a given society and saying that it works and functions, mostly as a result of these established norms, regardless of their value or equality.
In conclusion, gender as a whole is a very complicated construct which can be viewed through many sociological lenses. In the case of structural functionalism, apparent inequalities in gender role and power are merely society's way of creating roles that everyone must perform in order to make society work. Conflict theory, on the other hand, portrays a patriarchy that systematically oppresses women, and therefore must be combated if woman are to gain the power they desire in modern society. Both of these theories contain their own individual justifications; however, modern sensibilities have leaned heavily toward conflict theory, the basis for feminist theory, as the prevalent way of thinking today.
References
Amato, F.J. (2006). Understanding male violence through gender role conflict theory and
conformity to masculine norms. Society for Social Work and Research. Retrieved
December 2, 2011 from http://sswr.confex.com/sswr/2006/techprogram/P3532.HTM.
Parsons, Talcott. 1964. Social System. Free Press.
Turner, J. (2003). The structure of sociological theory (7th ed.). Belmont, CA:
Thompson/Wadsworth.
Wallace, Ruth A. (1989). Feminism and Sociological Theory. Newbury Park, CA: Sage
Publications.
Weber, A. (2006). Feminist Peace and Conflict theory. Routledge Encyclopaedia on Peace and
Conflict Theory.
