SOCIOLOGY

Sociology

Sociology

Introduction

This article applies a labor process analysis to the issue of employment rights in the particular context of gender inequality and unlawful discrimination in the recruitment process. It criticizes conventional perspectives on employee rights for their failure to examine critically managerial power and prerogative and its implications for gender inequality. The article outlines two particular labor process theories of gender divisions and inequality. (Giddens & Griffiths 2006:52)In exploring the strengths and weaknesses of these more critical perspectives, the article highlights the analytical significance that they ascribe to power asymmetries in the labor process and labor market. Building on this perspective, the analysis then presents empirical data on gender discrimination in the selection practices of contemporary UK organizations. The research material reveals how gender discrimination can be reproduced, rationalized, and resisted. These empirical findings are theorized through a combined labor process analysis of power, knowledge, and identity in recruitment practices. (Andersen & Taylor 2005:302)

DISCUSSION

Difference between ''sex'' and ''gender''

Sex = male and female

Gender = masculine and feminine

So in essence:

Sex refers to biological differences; chromosomes, hormonal profiles, internal and external sex organs.

Gender describes the characteristics that a society or culture delineates as masculine or feminine.

So while your sex as male or female is a biological fact that is the same in any culture, what that sex means in terms of your gender role as a 'man' or a 'woman' in society can be quite different cross culturally. These 'gender roles' have an impact on the health of the individual. (Giddens & Griffiths 2006:57)

In sociological terms 'gender role' refers to the characteristics and behaviours that different cultures attribute to the sexes. What it means to be a 'real man' in any culture requires male sex plus what our various cultures define as masculine characteristics and behaviours,.

How does Sex And Gender Relate To The Workplace?

Gender discrimination in the workplace occurs when a woman is treated less favorably than a male for the simple reason of her sex. Gender discrimination involves a variety of forms of discrimination, including such ones as sexual harassment and wage inequality. The 1964 Civil Rights Act prohibited employment discrimination based on an employee's race, color, religion, national origin or sex. Future legislation added others categories classified as employment discrimination, including age and physical or mental disability. In 1975 the Sex Discrimination Act became law, one that prohibited sexual discrimination. (Andersen & Taylor 2005:310)In 1980 the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued guidelines that affirmed sexual harassment as a form of gender discrimination and imposed strict liability on employers for failing to take preventive or remedial measures. The Civil Rights Act amendment of 1991 made employers liable for workplace sexual harassment. Gender discrimination can take many forms other than sexual harassment. These include: pay differences, promotions, working conditions, and access to overtime, perks and retirement conditions/benefits. This research will now explore several forms of gender discrimination in the workplace.

Sex discrimination is another significant form of gender discrimination that routinely occurs in the ...