Internet Exercises

Stratification by gender has an impact on educational opportunities, work experiences, and personal relationships of both men and women. One emerging area of study is in the arena of sports. Visit The Feminist Majority Foundation's Women & Girls in Sports! Homepage.

What are the goals of the Title IX portion of the Educational Amendments Act? How long has Title IX been in effect? To what degree has it been successful?
What myths about women in sports does the site address? Which facts do you find the most interesting? What do those facts reveal about the current experience of women athletes?
What kinds of challenges are faced by women athletes, sports reporters, and coaches?
How does the sociological concept of the "glass ceiling" apply to the world of sports?
In what ways do the Olympics reveal both how far women have come in sports and how many obstacles remain to full acceptance?

One of the lessons of sociological inquiry is that socially constructed gender roles place limits on both women and men. The National Coalition of Free Men (NCFM) maintains a website focused on the limitations faced by males. Visit the site to learn about this organization.

When was the group founded?
What are the mission and goals of the NCFM?
Describe the logo used by the organization. According to the site, what does the logo symbolize?
How do the "Philosophy" and "Objectives" of the NCFM connect to the book's discussion of gender roles and the themes of the chapter?
What are some of the challenges faced by men according to the site? Can you think of any to add?
What kinds of events and services does the NCFM use to help those who have experienced sex discrimination?
Using all you have learned, describe some specific ways to bring about less stratification between men and women.

The Administration on Aging (AoA) offers online information of interest to citizens and gerontologists: Examine the following areas of the site, as well as others: "A Profile of Older Americans: 1999," "Age Discrimination: A Pervasive and Damaging Influence," and "Elder Abuse Prevention."

Why is the AoA tagline "In the New Century ... The Future Is Aging" an appropriate and fitting choice?
Currently, how many people in the United States are 65 years of age and older? What estimate does the site provide for how many people will be 65 and older in the year 2030?
What percentage of older U.S. men and women are married? Divorced? Widowed?
What are the current ethnic and racial demographics of older U.S. citizens?
Find your state in the "Geographic Location" section. How many people 65 and older live in your state?
In what ways do age bias and prejudice lead to discrimination? What examples and statistics on age discrimination does the website provide?
What forms can elder abuse take? About how many people are victims of this form of abuse?
Do you believe that enough attention is given by the media and government to issues of importance to older citizens? Why or why not?
How might the application of the theories presented on pages 275-76 of your textbook be useful in creating policies and programs aimed at alleviating problems faced by older citizens?

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