--- title: Introduction to Gender Studies description: This interdisciplinary subject introduces the social construction of gender, sex, and sexuality across different cultures and eras. Learners will understand how gender shapes individual identity, social institutions, and power dynamics. category: social-sciences subcategory: gender-studies difficulty: beginner, intermediate, advanced url: /subject/introduction-to-gender-studies --- # Introduction to Gender Studies This interdisciplinary subject introduces the social construction of gender, sex, and sexuality across different cultures and eras. Learners will understand how gender shapes individual identity, social institutions, and power dynamics. ## Available Resources 2 Books • 2 Courses • 3 Websites ## Courses ### 1. Gender and Sexuality: Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace **Author:** Julie Beaulieu, Susan Marine An introductory Coursera course from the University of Pittsburgh on core concepts of sex, gender, sexuality and LGBTQIA identities, how their meanings have changed over time, and how gender expectations shape workplace culture. Learners gain vocabulary and analytical tools from gender and women's studies. **Difficulty:** Beginner | **Price:** Free **Link:** https://www.coursera.org/learn/gender-sexuality **Tags:** gender-studies, sexuality, lgbtqia, womens-studies, workplace-inclusion ### 2. Feminism and Social Justice "Feminism and Social Justice" is an adaptation of Distinguished Professor Bettina Aptheker's long-running course at UC Santa Cruz. In the course, Professor Aptheker presents a broad definition of feminism that serves to frame three significant events in the history of feminism and social justice: the Empire Zinc strike of 1951, the 1971-1972 trial of Angela Davis, and the #metoo Movement. **Difficulty:** Beginner | **Language:** English | **Price:** Free **Link:** https://www.coursera.org/learn/feminism-social-justice **Tags:** courses, humanities-social-sciences, gender-studies ## Websites ### 1. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: Feminist Perspectives on Sex and Gender Scholarly encyclopedia entry surveying feminist philosophical debates on the sex/gender distinction, including biological determinism, the social construction of gender, and critiques of the category 'woman', giving readers a rigorous map of core positions and the thinkers behind them. **Difficulty:** Beginner | **Price:** Free **Link:** https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/feminism-gender/ **Tags:** feminist-philosophy, sex-and-gender, social-construction, gender-theory, philosophy ### 2. nwsa.org Official site of the National Women's Studies Association, offering resources for gender and women's studies students and scholars—including membership, conferences, grants, publications, and links to research and advocacy resources. **Difficulty:** Intermediate | **Language:** English | **Price:** Free **Link:** https://nwsa.org **Tags:** websites, humanities-social-sciences, gender-studies ### 3. jstor.org/subject/gender JSTOR is a digital library of scholarly journals, books, and primary sources; the Gender subject page collects peer-reviewed articles and book chapters on gender studies, covering feminist theory, sexuality, gender identities, and intersectional approaches across disciplines. **Difficulty:** Intermediate | **Language:** English | **Price:** Free **Link:** https://jstor.org/subject/gender **Tags:** websites, humanities-social-sciences, gender-studies ## Podcasts ### 1. Feminist Frequency **Author:** Kat Spada, Anita Sarkeesian Feminist Frequency Radio is coming for your media. Each week, Kat Spada invites you to listen in on entertaining and stimulating conversations about films, games, and TV... from the latest blockbusters to classic hidden gems, and more. With special guests bringing their distinctly different feminist perspectives to the mix as they celebrate and critique it all—including media critics, entertainers, academics, and everyone in between—Feminist Frequency Radio is there to help you dig deeper into the things you love. Warning: Feminist Frequency Radio may significantly enhance your media experience. Created by Anita Sarkeesian, Feminist Frequency ran as an organization from... **Difficulty:** Beginner | **Language:** en | **Price:** Free **Link:** https://www.feministfrequency.com **Tags:** podcasts, feminism, media-criticism ## Books ### 1. Feminism Is for Everybody **Author:** bell hooks bell hooks's short introduction to feminist theory for general readers, explaining feminism as a movement to end sexist oppression and connecting it to race, class, reproductive rights, work, and relationships, without relying on academic jargon. **Difficulty:** Intermediate | **Language:** English | **Price:** Paid **Link:** https://www.amazon.com/dp/0896086283?tag=edmonddante07-20 **Tags:** books, humanities-social-sciences, gender-studies ### 2. Gender Outlaw **Author:** Kate Bornstein Kate Bornstein's memoir and critique of the binary gender system, first published in 1994, mixing personal narrative, theory, and performance text to question how gender is assigned and enforced; a foundational text in transgender studies and queer theory. **Difficulty:** Intermediate | **Language:** English | **Price:** Paid **Link:** https://www.amazon.com/dp/0679757015?tag=edmonddante07-20 **Tags:** books, humanities-social-sciences, gender-studies --- *This content is part of Dantes.io - Your Treasure Map to Knowledge* *Curated by humans at Dantes.io. Personal study use welcome; republishing this curation requires permission (team@dantes.io).* View this page online: https://dantes.io/subject/introduction-to-gender-studies