According to Morgenroth and Ryan, what is the primary function of the gender/sex binary in Western society?

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BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

The question asks about the primary function of the gender/sex binary in Western society, as argued by Morgenroth and Ryan. 
Option 1: 'To maintain an oppositional and essentialist view of gender that aligns with biological sex' posits that the binary serves to enforce a simplistic, dichotomous understanding of gender as strictly tied to biological sex, which is central to Morgenroth and Ryan’s critique of essentialist and binary thinking. This aligns with their analysis that the binary functions as a social mechanism to reinforce gendered norms by presenting gender as natural and immutable. 
Option 2: 'To encourage the acceptance of nonbinary and transgender identities in mainstream culture' contradicts the authors’ stated view of the binary as limiting and exclusionary; rather than promoting acceptance of nonbinary/trans identities, the binary often marginalizes them. 
Option 3: 'To provide a flexible system for understanding diverse gender identities' runs against the core claim that the binary is rigid and constraining, not flexible or inclusive of diverse identities; Morgenroth and Ryan critique the binary as not accommodating trans or nonbinary experiences. 
Option 4: 'To reinforce the idea that gender roles are shaped by societal norms rather than biology' partially overlaps with some feminist critiques but does not capture the main function as described by the authors, which centers on stabilizing a biologically aligned opposition rather than emphasizing social construction alone; while social norms are involved, their emphasis is on the essentialist alignment with biology. 
In summary, option 1 directly encapsulates the core function identified by Morgenroth and Ryan: the binary sustains an oppositional, biologically anchored view of gender, undermining more nuanced understandings of gender beyond biological sex.

psyc_328_120251_246416 Quiz 1

According to Morgenroth and Ryan, what is the primary function of the gender/sex binary in Western society?

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