Complexities of other social hierarchies Worksheet

The Rubin (1992) article complicated the social hierarchy of sexuality/ sexual orientation; privileging & oppressing based on sexuality is not only based on the gender of one's attractions. Likewise, we can similar "Charmed Circle" models to complicate our understandings of other social hierarchies, such as race, class, and gender.

1. Identify aspects of race, for which groups are privileged and other groups are oppressed.

a. Identify different aspects of race.

b. Identify the groups privileged in each aspect - and identify ways society systematically advantages those groups.

c. Identify the groups oppressed in each aspect - and identify ways society systematically disadvantages those groups.

2. Identify aspects of social class (i.e., socioeconomic status (SES)), for which groups are privileged and other groups are oppressed.

3. Identify aspects of gender, for which groups are privileged and other groups are oppressed.

Complexities of sexual hierarchy Worksheet

1. The Rubin (1992) article discusses ways that the social hierarchy of sexuality or sexual orientation is more complex than we often recognize. Using the "Charmed Circle" model, Rubin identifies aspects of sexuality for which people or groups may be either privileged ("The Charmed Circle") or oppressed ("The Outer Limits").

a. Identify the different aspects of sexuality that Rubin discusses.

b. Identify the groups privileged in each aspect - and identify ways society systematically advantages those groups.

c. Identify the groups oppressed in each aspect - and identify ways society systematically disadvantages those groups.