UNIT 1

Understanding Gender and Society:

The Basics

1
 LESSON 1.1
Society and Culture

Lesson Outcomes

At the end of this lesson, you should have:

1. differentiated society from culture;

2. compared and contrasted the basic characteristics of the different
types of societies;
3. expressed through writing the relationship between culture and
society; and
4. assessed the relevance of studying culture and society to current
social situation.

Activate

What would your society look like? Draw it!

Now, come up with three adjectives that best describe your society?
__________________ ___________________ _________________

What difficulty have you felt or encountered in answering the two items
above?
________________________________________________________________

2
 Introduction

The society which we live influences us every day

of our lives. What we eat and drink, what toy to play
with, how to behave in particular ways, what course to
take in college, what job to choose, whom to marry, how
many children to have… everything! We are being
shaped by the society.

As you go through this lesson, you will find that the word “society” is not
that simple to visualize. You will discover its importance, its complexity, and its
role in building and sustaining a world.

Acquire

A. Definition and Types of Societies

“No concept is more pervasive in As mentioned in the introductory part

modern social science than of the lesson, the word “society” is complex, it
society, and no concept is used
is abstract. But we continuously use the word
more automatically and
unreflectively than society, and in a way, we understand what it means.
despite the countless pages There is an array of definitions given to the
devoted to its definition.” word, each trying to capture its very essence.
Below are definitions coming from known
- Immanuel Wallerstein
sociologists.

 Society refers to people who interact in a defined territory and share a

culture (Macionis, 2012).

 Society is a system of usages and procedures of authority and mutual aid

of many groupings and divisions, of controls of human behavior and
liberties (Maclver & Page, 1950).

 Society is a collection of individuals united by certain relations or mode of

behavior which mark them off from others who do not enter into these
relations or who differ from them in behavior (Ginsberg, 1950).

3
  A society may be defined as a network of interconnected major groups
viewed as a unit and sharing a common culture (Ficther, 1957).

 A society is a group of interacting individuals sharing the same territory

and participating in a culture (Robertson, 1977).

Society therefore, is viewed as a web of social relationships. It is abstract

basically because we can only see people but not the social relationships. We
know that the society exists but we cannot see it, it is a process and we can only
realize it.

Now that you already have an idea of what a society is, let us now
proceed to how societies have evolved. Historically, there are five (5) types of
societies and they are as follows:

1. hunting and gathering

2. horticultural and pastoral
3. agricultural
4. industrial
5. post-industrial

Hunting and gathering societies

People in these societies both hunt and gather plants and other vegetation
for food. They are nomadic people, that is, they transfer from one place to
another. By being nomadic, their societies tend to be composed of small number
of people. Transferring places prevent them to build permanent houses. They
have very few possessions other than the tools they use for hunting and
gathering. Because of few possessions, wealth is fairly equal among society’s
members.

These societies, developed some 250,000 years

Egalitarian – a family pattern
ago and depend on each other’s cooperation for in which power, authority and
survival. Everyone is expected to find food which is decision making are shared
between the spouses.
shared to others. Further, according to anthropologists,
these societies are fairly egalitarian. Because of the Status – social positions of
individuals in a society.
body physique inherent to being a female and a male,
Role – the expected behavior
the males do the hunting and gathering while other assigned to a particular
activities such as preparation and distribution of food status.

are being performed by the females. Beyond division

of labor by sex and age, there are few differences in role and status.

4
Horticultural and Pastoral Societies

Pastoral societies have food-producing strategies based on keeping herds

of domesticated animals, whose care is the central focus of their economic
activities. Domesticating animals has replaced hunting. Pastoral societies tend
to be somewhat nomadic, as they often have to move from one place to another
to find better grazing land for their animals. Possession of these animals
represent a form of wealth. In pastoral societies, wealth stems from the number
of animals a family owns, and families with more animals are wealthier and more
powerful than families with fewer animals. Possession of wealth (animals) brings
substantial changes in the role and status of men and women in these societies.

Horticultural societies keep domesticated animals but focus on primitive

agriculture or gardening. They tend to be less nomadic, for they are able to keep
their growing plants in the same location for a period of time. They use digging
sticks and wooden hoes to cultivate tree crops. The amount of land a family
owns determine who is wealthier and more powerful.

Both horticultural and pastoral societies, which were developed some

10,000 to 12,000 years ago, often manage to produce a surplus of food which
allows them to trade their extra food with other societies. That surplus also allows
them to have a larger population size than hunting-and-gathering societies.
Some societies are either primarily horticultural or pastoral, while other societies
combine both forms.

The greater complexity and wealth of horticultural and pastoral societies

have brought greater inequality in terms of the role of women and men compared
to what is found in hunting-and-gathering societies. Greater conflict, disputes
and even fighting over land and animals, are the results of the possession of
greater wealth.

Agricultural Societies

Agricultural societies developed some 5,000 years ago in the Middle East.
Like horticulturists, agrarian farmers rely primarily on raising crops for food. This
they do efficiently through the use of the plow which allows much more cultivation
of crops than the simple tools used by the horticulturists. The development of
agricultural societies marked a turning point in the development of human
society.

Agricultural societies continue to have greater production and conflict

compared to the horticultural and pastoral societies. Having more surplus of
food, agricultural societies often become so large in number. They are involved in

5
extensive trade and this further lead to inequality which can be seen among the
peasants working on the land of the rich landowners. Inequality is more
pronounced in the role females and males perform. Because land cultivation
requires strength, the males are the ones in charge of it which gives them the
opportunity to hold and control their income. The males started to acquire more
power over the females.

Conflicts in agricultural societies may be internal or external. Internal

conflicts proliferate within members of agricultural societies as rich landowners
struggle among themselves for greater power. Conflict may also be external as
governments of these societies tend to look for other markets for greater wealth
and eventually, greater power.

Industrial Societies

Industrial societies emerged in the 1700s along with the development of

machines which replaced the plow and other agricultural tools and equipment as
the primary method of production. The growth of industrial societies marked
such a great transformation in many of the world’s societies - the Industrial
Revolution. This revolution has had great effects, both good and bad, in almost
every aspect of society.

Among the positive effects of industrialization is the technological

advances that improved people’s health and expanded their life spans.
Compared to agricultural societies, industrial societies have lowered economic
and gender inequality. This is because women have access to employment in
industries.

On the negative side, industrialization gave rise to large cities where there
is concentrated poverty and degrading conditions. This inequality has led to
riots and other violence which further led to the rise of modern military and police
– forms of social control.

Post-industrial Societies

In postindustrial societies, information technology and service jobs have

replaced machines and manufacturing jobs as the primary dimension of the
economy. Industrial revolution is replaced by information revolution and some
scholars fear that the information age will aggravate the disparities we already
have between the rich and the poor.

6
 Postindustrial societies rely on new sources of power such as atomic, wind
and solar energy. The search for power among nations will be obvious and
inequalities will further intensify conflict both within and between societies.

The chart below summarizes the development of societies.

Type of
Key characteristics
society
These are small, simple societies in which people hunt and gather food.
Hunting-and-
Because all people in these societies have few possessions, the societies are
gathering
fairly egalitarian, and the degree of inequality is very low.
Horticultural and pastoral societies are larger than hunting-and-gathering
societies. Horticultural societies grow crops with simple tools, while pastoral
Horticultural
societies raise livestock. Both types of societies are wealthier than hunting-
and pastoral
and-gathering societies, and they also have more inequality and greater
conflict than hunting-and-gathering societies.
These societies grow great numbers of crops, thanks to the use of plows,
Agricultural oxen, and other devices. Compared to horticultural and pastoral societies,
they are wealthier and have a higher degree of conflict and of inequality.
Industrial societies feature factories and machines. They are wealthier than
Industrial agricultural societies and have a greater sense of individualism and a
somewhat lower degree of inequality that still remains substantial.
These societies feature information technology and service jobs. Higher
Postindustrial
education is especially important in these societies for economic success.
Source: https://2012books.lardbucket.org/books/sociology-comprehensive-edition/s08-02-the-development-
of-modern-soci.html

Time Out 1
Apply

Examine the five definitions of society given above. Are there

commonalities in these definitions? Write your thoughts on the space provided
below.
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________

Among the 5 types of societies, which would you prefer? What are the
reasons behind your choice?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________

7
B. Culture

The terms “culture” and “society” goes together – they are two sides of the
coin. Although they go together and are connected, they have different
meanings. Macionis (2012) defines culture as a shared way of life while society
refers to people who interact in a defined territory and share a culture.

Culture is created by people who are interacting with each other. It is not
a product of a single individual, it is a product of a group of individuals as they
relate and interact with one another.

There are two main

components of culture: the
material and the non-material
culture. Material culture
includes all things that people
create and use. It ranges from
the simple stick that is used in
planting to the most
sophisticated machinery used in
the production of goods and
services. The food that we eat, the clothes that we wear, the cellphones that we
use, the houses where we live, the buildings that we build… all these are part of
material culture. We create material culture because it is our way of adapting to
our environment. We use the plow because we need to hasten the cultivation of
the land and we invented the tractor to make cultivating far more speedy for
people demand more food. We build houses made of concrete for us to be safe
during rainy and stormy days and we make two-storey houses to protect us from
flood. We use the cellphone because parents are both working and we need to
be in touch with them. These are examples of how we make things that later
become part of our culture.

The second component of culture is the non-material culture. Unlike the

material culture which is tangible, the non-material culture includes practices and
ideas that people observe. This non-material culture governs people’s behavior
and everyday interaction with one another. It is some sort of an unwritten
agreement that anybody within the specified territory should follow and observe.
This is what you can notice from the definitions of society presented above –
people share the same culture.

Non-material culture includes norms, values, beliefs, and language. Let

us discuss these one by one.

8
Norms

Norms are standards of behavior. When we say standards, these are

behaviors that fall under the “should be” and are considered “normal.” They are
the expected behaviors in given situations. Norms may be further classified as
folkways, mores, and laws.

Folkways are customary rules of conduct that

are seen as acceptable for given situations but are not
strongly insisted upon nor seen as vital to group
welfare. Example of folkways is the celebration of fiesta
and birthdays. Although it is part of our tradition to
celebrate these occasions, however, in cases when we fail to celebrate, it is still
acceptable for it does not pose danger to the community or the bigger society.
Decades ago, the town fiesta is most awaited and almost everybody prepare
sumptuous meals and accommodate visitors. That’s the way they relate as a
community.

Unlike folkways, mores require obligatory behavior. Mores are essential

norms set by the society and people who fail to observe them are labeled
“deviants.” Mores are often prescribed by the values, ethics, and religious beliefs
of a society. Abuse of drugs, for example, deviate from the society’s standards
and those who engage in drug abuse are considered dangerous to the society.
Because mores are important to the welfare of the society, some of them become
laws.
Laws are formal norms. They are deliberated and
approved by legislative bodies and failure to obey result to
sanctions on the part of the deviant.

Values

Values are ideas of worth and desirability. This connotes that values are
worthy and desirable. The society believes that these ideas are important in
their lives. Hospitality, hard work, respect for elders, honesty, courtesy, and
religiosity are among the values observed by Filipinos. These values make us
known to people of other countries.

Beliefs

Beliefs are ideas that we hold about the universe or any part of it. Beliefs
may be scientifically proven or may be stories born out of experiences that are
later shared to others. Just like norms and values, beliefs promote solidarity.
What the society believes in is usually shared and observed.

9
Language

Language is a system of conventional spoken, signed, or written symbols

by which human beings, as members of a social group and participants in its
culture, express themselves (britannica.com). Transmission and preservation of
culture within and across societies is made possible through the use of language.
Unit 8 of this module will discuss language in depth.

Time Out 2
Apply

What was transmitted to you by your parents or members of your family

and community? List at least 3 in each group.

Folkways Values Beliefs

Important Point

Each culture is unique… it varies from one society to another. Culture is

learned from the time we are born, it is shared to others, and it continuously
grows and changes. No culture is
static, culture is dynamic. As we share
Ideal culture is always our culture to others and they share
different from real culture. theirs to us, our culture is being
Hence, our behavior are not
always manifestations of
transformed. Moreover, over time and
what culture suggests. Real as the environment changes, people
culture is what happens in find ways on how to adapt to the new
real life. environment. Thus, culture changes.

10
 Assess

Name ________________________________________ Score ___________

Section_______________________________________ Date ____________

1. Values are part of culture. List down five (5) values that are evident
among Filipinos during these times of crisis. In what ways can each of
these values help alleviate Filipinos’ situation during this Covid-19
pandemic?

2. Based on the types of societies and by using your imagination, complete

the following chart.

Type of Society Material culture Values Issues

Hunting and
gathering

Horticultural and
pastoral

Agricultural

Industrial

Postindustrial

11
 LESSON 1.2
Gender and Development

Lesson Outcomes

After completing this part of the module, you must have:

1. explained the concept of development;

2. differentiated sex from gender;
3. developed an understanding of basic concepts and approaches
in analyzing roles, relationships and situations from a gender
perspective
4. recognized some gender issues, their manifestations and
structural causes ; and
5. analyzed how gender issues impede societal development.

Activate

This is one of the most popular pictures in the net when you search for
images on gender. This picture is most of the time ignored for people always
assume that it is simply a man and a woman or a boy and a girl. But remember…
“a picture tells a thousand words.” What does this picture tell you? List down at
least 5 answers.

________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________

Just get hold of your answers and as we go on with the lesson, try to
check by yourself if you have the same idea.

12
 Introduction

Sex and gender are used synonymously by most people. This leads to
confusion. These two sets of words even results to limiting one’s person’s
potentialities. Certain characteristics seem to be automatically attached to each
of the sexes. As these ideas of “what should be” for the females and males
become part of culture, people are confined in boxes where they just have to
meet society’s expectations. This prevents them from contributing their best for
the society’s development.

Understanding the differences between sex and gender will guide people
in knowing how each of the sexes could play a vital role in all spheres of life.
This part of the module will make it clear that understanding gender will lead to
respect, appreciation of every person, cooperation, and ultimately, development.

Acquire

A. Doing Gender

Gender in its simplest sense connotes socially constructed views about

how females and males should behave in a society. These constructed views
become part of culture – the people’s way of life. The question now lies on how
people construct these views. Is the construction fair enough so that both
women and men are given the same opportunities? Do they exercise the same
rights? Do they have equal appreciation for the same role they perform? Here is
where this course kicks off.

We will therefore start at the very core of why we are doing this. We will
first understand Gender and Development.

Gender and Development (GAD) is a development perspective and process that

is empowering and participatory that strives to attain gender equality. It is a
universally-recognized viewpoint which acknowledges that development affects people
differently, depending on their class, age, religion,
GAD Principle: ethnicity, and gender. GAD is about being faithful to the
principle that development is for all and that everyone has
Development is for ALL. the right to the same opportunities to achieve a full and
satisfying life.

13
 Since GAD is a development perspective, it is important for you to know what
the word development means. This is a complex word and there is a multitude of
meanings attached to it. The following two definitions were listed to help you in
understanding what development really means in the context of our course.

 Development is not purely an economic phenomenon but rather a multi-

dimensional process involving reorganization and reorientation of entire
economic and social system. It is a process of improving the quality of all
human lives (Michael Paul Todaro, Development Economist).

 Development is a process that creates growth, progress, positive change or

the addition of physical, economic, environmental, social and demographic
components (The Society for International Development).

There are two words that are emphasized in these two definitions: economic
and social. This means that when we are talking of development, we are not merely
looking at the financial progress but along with it, we have to consider the social
condition of people who are the contributors to and beneficiaries of development.

Development is about attaining a full and satisfying life. By satisfying life we

mean that we feel the progress, our quality of life has improved, we share the same
opportunities, and we do not experience violence. Attaining a full and satisfying life is a
shared responsibility of:

a. everyone regardless of their economic status, age, sex, ethnicity, or

religion;
b. the government as duly mandated authority; and
c. of all individuals and entities who benefit from development or are
affected by the lack of it.

But how do we do our share of responsibility? As individuals, the performance of

this responsibility requires two things: our capacity to do and our capacity to be.

Our capacity to do has something to do with our ability to:

 do productive and satisfying work;
 have control over one’s income and benefit from it;
 enjoy nature and the natural environment;
 procreate and raise children;
 care for others; and
 travel in search for opportunities.

Our capacity to be means a right or opportunity to:

14
  be knowledgeable and skillful;
 be well-nourished;
 be confident of own abilities; and
 be comfortable with achievements, independence and power.

The government plays an important role in this shared responsibility. For the
government, the responsibility to promote the attainment of a better life for all means
–

 helping people develop their abilities and individual strengths by creating

opportunities for people to hone their full potential so that they can
contribute to development. This is evident with the provision of free
education which lead toward the development of people’s abilities and
individual strengths;

 protecting people’s rights must be ensured by the government. A satisfying

life is a life that is safe and free from violence. Safeguarding people and
ensuring that their constitutional rights are observed is an important factor
that will lead people to do their share in the nation’s development.

There is a misconception that GAD is for women. No, it is not. Although the
focus of the program is on women because they experience more gender biases than
the men, GAD is for both women and men. We cannot simply empower the females
without considering the needs of the males. Both should grow together – this is gender
equality.

It was mentioned earlier that the attainment of a full and satisfying life is a
responsibility by everyone. However, it is a sad reality that not everyone is given the
opportunity to contribute to and benefit from development. There are those who are
marginalized whose contribution to society is never appreciated or is being
undermined. If we want true development, then all of us should work for it regardless
of age, sex, religion, ethnicity, or class.

Time Out 1
Apply

Now that you are aware of what development is all about, can you think of at
least 6 indicators of development? Write these down on the spaces below.

15
 ___________________________ ___________________________
___________________________ ___________________________
___________________________ ___________________________
___________________________ ___________________________

B. Sex vs. Gender

If you want to know if someone is a female or a male, what term should

you use: sex or gender? This may create confusion, isn’t it? There are various
perspectives that are needed to help you understand the terms sex and gender.
Understanding these two terms in different lenses will enable you to examine the
world around you and be critical on how social relationships are affected by the
way people define these two terms.

Many times we encounter questions that relate to our being a female or a

male. There are others who find the question discriminating or a measure that
demeans someone.

Sex and gender are terms that are used by many to refer to being a male
or a female. This is NOT CORRECT. These two terms are only related but are
not synonymous. Sex is different from gender; gender is not a synonym for sex.

Sex is based on biology and it is universal. By universal we mean that

anywhere we go, a female is a female and a male is a male. At around four
months of pregnancy, the sex of a child may already be seen through the use of
an ultrasound. Our sex therefore, is determined even before we are born.
Biological sex is an objective means of categorizing people.

In the chart are the biological

attributes of male and female. These
are aspects of the human body that
make a male different from a female.
Kindly go through its content.

Remember: there are only two

sexes: female and male.

Time Out 2
Apply

If I will ask you, are you a male or a female? ___________

16
 Now that you have identified yourself either as a male or a female, try to
think of an instance or an event in your life where your sex became a hindrance
to what you want to do or achieve. Write it down here in not more than 50 words:
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

Do you find that experience fair (Yes or No)? Why? (please limit your answer to
2-3 sentences)
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

Congratulations! You got my point. Allow me to share this to you…

You are now aware that sex is a biological attribute and that it is fixed and
universal, let us now proceed with another concept this lesson covers – gender.
Gender is the cultural construction of what is feminine and what is masculine. It
is how the society defines what a female and a male is supposed and is
expected to do in a culture.
Unlike sex, gender is not a fixed distinguishing variable. By saying NOT
FIXED, it means that gender is relative
and is based on how people assign
attributes associated with being a
female and a male. Gender varies from
one country to another.

Another important distinction

between sex and gender is that sex
happens before birth, gender happens
AFTER birth. Gender is not something
we are born with. This means that
gender is LEARNED.

17
 Gender is based on perception, roles, and expectations attributed by the
society to females and males. The following chart summarizes these attributes.

Feminine Masculine
Perception Weak, emotional, Strong, rational,
secondary, can’t think primary, can’t feel

Role No hard work, no Hard work, leader,

leadership, not a boss, boss, no care-giving
no decision-making

Expectation Stay at home, just obey, Don’t make women do

don’t assert, don’t hard work, always be
participate in deciding smart, get the best,
don’t cry

Globally, women and men are boxed into situations which constrain their
capacity to do and capacity to be and hinder their potential to attain a full and
satisfying life. These boxes, as seen in the chart, are called stereotypes that
hinder people from using their capabilities and maximizing
Stereotype – a widely held their potentialities. People tend to follow the dictate of the
but fixed and oversimplified
image or idea of a society because most often, they do not want to be labeled
particular type of person or
thing.
as “deviant.”
Socialization – the lifelong
social experience by which How the society came up with these perceptions,
individuals develop their
human potential and learn
roles, and expectations is a product of socialization within
patterns of their culture. social institutions. This will be intensively discussed in the
succeeding units of this module.

The stereotypes in the chart was practiced and is still being observed. It
became part of culture. But, culture can be changed!

C. Gender Issues

Gender issues pertain to beliefs, ideas, attitude, behavior, systems and

other factors that block people’s capacity to do and capacity to be. Gender
issues affect all people, regardless of age, sex, race in all spheres of life. Men,
as well as women, are affected by gender issues.

The chart, which contains the society’s perception, role, and expectations
for the females and the males, seems to be like a box where each of the sexes
are forced to behave in ways given to them. Problems in this social construction
begin when their confusion find its way into decision affecting:

 resource allocation
 assignment of roles and responsibilities

18
  transactional processes
 problem analysis

Resource allocation

In the Philippines, farming is a family affair. Because of their body

physique, men till the land by using the plow or a tractor. The woman does her
share by weeding, watering, harvesting, and even marketing the produce.
However, when we say the “farmer,” we automatically think of a man although
much of the work in the farm is performed by the woman. In the same line, the
man earns more because he tills the land and does the “hard” work. The woman
is paid less. This is an example of a problem in resource allocation.

A recent study by BioSpace conducted in the United States revealed that

the average salary for men is higher than for women (https://biospace.com). The
Gender pay gap reveals a difference of:

 nearly 48% in healthcare

 48 % in academia
 12% in biotechnology
 11% in pharmaceuticals

Moreover, the Philippines placed 8th in the Global Gender Gap Index in
2018. This is in the midst of a continuous effort seeking for gender equality in all
sectors of the society. Jobstreet, in a study involving 6,971 skilled workers,
revealed that a gender pay gap still persists in the country. Data revealed that
male employees in the Philippines earn Php5,000 more than their female
counterparts (https://investingwomen.asia).

Assignment of Roles and Responsibilities

The following figure shows the productive-reproductive divide. Please

take note that the reproductive sphere is expected to be performed by women
while the productive sphere is expected to be done by men.

19
 Biologically, women are blessed to bear a child, give birth, and breastfeed.
The men cannot do that. Because of the woman’s reproductive role, she is
expected to care for the child and at the same time manage the home. The man
on the other hand, is expected to earn
a living and probably join Productive-Reproductive Divide
organizations where he can be known
and create a better life. No problem Productive Reproductive
about that. Problem comes in when • work • child birth/rearing
• home management
the society looks at the productive and • politics • family care
reproductive roles discriminatingly. • paid • unpaid
• visible • invisible
Men are valued because they earn • valued • not valued
while women who are at home are
sometimes looked down and not
valued.

In our discussion on the types of societies, it was made clear that as

societies evolved, the men who till the land and are involved in trade begin to
earn and this makes him powerful over the women who stay at home and take
care of the children.

Because of this reproductive role, women are not preferred in some jobs
because they avail of maternity leave and make absences whenever somebody
in the household is sick. Again, this is part of women’s reproductive role and they
should not be discriminated for that.

Transactional Processes

There are procedures and practices that seem to favor members of one
particular sex or gender and undermine members of the other. These spring
from ideas or stereotypes that we hold about people, the higher value we give to
those who are earning an income, and the lesser value we give to the
reproductive role of women.

There were times when women cannot make a loan from the bank or even
buy land without the signature of the husband. However, the husband during
those times can avail the same without his wife’s signature. Some of these
practices were already amended. Thanks to national and international issuances
that protect women’s rights and people of all genders.

Problem Analysis

20
 There are situations when the society would look at members of one sex
or gender as always at fault. We call this victim-blaming wherein blame is given
to the victim rather than looking at the perpetrator. Rape cases, for example,
best illustrate how we analyze problems related to gender. We often ask the
time the crime was committed and blame the victim for staying out in an unholy
hour. Sometimes people look at the manner of dressing of the victim and
blaming follows.

Because of the stereotypes that we hold about people, we tend to neglect

the true issue behind cases of violence. We sometimes shift the blame to the
powerless and protect what the society considers the powerful.

Men’s Gender Issues

We said earlier that gender issues affect all regardless of sex, age, race,
religion, and social status. Gender issues among men are not so much
highlighted because they are men and they are expected to be always strong.
This is not always the case. The following are gender biases against them:

 They are inherently aggressive and violent

 They don’t feel pain and are incapable of expressing their emotions
 They are inherently expressive in their sexuality
 They don’t need closeness, reassurance, and attention

Women’s Gender Issues

Gender issues affect women more. When you listen to news or read posts
in the social media, you can see cases of violence inflicted against women (you
can hardly see men in these kind of news). The following are the gender issues
of women:

 Marginalization - Women being considered a nonessential force in the

economy despite their crucial role in production. Their contributions to
development remain unrecognized or undervalued.

 Subordination - Submission, sometimes due to force or violence, or being

under the authority of one sex. It often results in women having no control
over available resources and having no personal autonomy.

 Gender stereotyping - Society's perceptions and value systems that instill

an image of women as weak, dependent, subordinate, indecisive,
emotional and submissive. Men, on the other hand, are strong,
independent, powerful, dominant, decisive and logical.

21
 Multiple burden - A situation referring to the heavy workload of women and
the many, overlapping tasks involved, which if computed in terms of hours
would total more than 24 hours. This workload consists of unpaid
reproductive work, paid productive work, community management, and all
other work necessary for the survival of the family.

 Violence - Any act of gender-based violence that results in physical,

sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women, including threats of
such acts, coercion, or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in
public or private life.

WEAR YOUR GENDER LENS

• A gender lens can make us accurately understand

our social environment…an accurate understanding
of inequality is a prerequisite for effective social
change

• Gender is one of the most significant factors in

the transformation of physical bodies into social
bodies

22
 Time Out 3
Apply

Below are symbols that represent female, male and both female and male.
List down professions or jobs that are appropriate to them. Write your answers
on the spaces below the symbols. You don’t have to worry if you cannot fill in all
the lines. After that, justify why these professions are for them. Please write this
on the corresponding boxes.

__________________ ___________________ ____________________

__________________ ___________________ ____________________
__________________ ___________________ ____________________
__________________ ___________________ ____________________
__________________ ___________________ ____________________

23
D. Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression (SOGIE)

People usually associated SOGIE with “LGBT.” However, it is not merely

about the lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and the transgenders. SOGIE refers to
characteristics common to all human beings since everyone has a sexual
orientation and a gender identity. Everyone also expresses their gender and not
only the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.

Sexual orientation refers to whom a person is sexually attracted to. It falls

on a spectrum that ranges from exclusive attraction to only men or only women,
to varying degrees of attraction to both women and men. It is usually classified
as homosexual, heterosexual, and bisexual. If a man is attracted to another
man, he is gay and if a woman attracted to a woman, she is a lesbian. Lesbians
and gays are homosexuals. The word homosexual is no longer use because it is
demeaning. So better call the person gay or lesbian. If a person is attracted to
both genders, he or she is a bisexual.

Gender identity is a person’s internal identification or self-image as male,

female, something in between, or outside of the male/female binary. Everyone
has a gender identity. A person’s gender identity may or may not be consistent
with his or her sex assigned at birth.

Gender expression is how a person embodies their gender attributes and

roles. One can be straight or LGBT and be into androgynous looks, or the mixing
of feminine and masculine elements. Crossdressers or people wearing the
clothing of the opposite gender is also considered a gender expression.

Here is a list of definitions for the terms associated with SOGIE:

Ally: Describes a person who confronts and challenges heterosexism, sexism,

homophobia, transphobia, and heterosexual privilege in herself or himself and
others.

Bisexual: Describes a person who is attracted to both men and women.

Cisgender: Describes a person whose gender identity matches his or her sex
assigned at birth.

Coming Out: Describes the act or process of voluntarily disclosing one’s sexual
orientation or gender identity.

Gay: Describes a person who is attracted to individuals of the same gender.

While historically used to refer specifically to men, it is often used to refer to
women attracted to other women, as well.

24
Gender: A social construct used to classify a person as a man, woman, or some
other identity. Fundamentally different from the sex assigned at birth, it is often
closely related to the role that a person plays or is expected to play in society.

Gender Expression: Describes how individuals communicate their gender to

others. People express and interpret gender through hairstyles, clothing, physical
expression and mannerisms, physical alterations of their body, or by choosing a
name that reflects their own idea of gender identity.

Gender Identity: A person’s internal identification or self-image as male, female,

something in between, or outside of the male/female binary. Everyone has a
gender identity. One’s gender identity may or may not be consistent with one’s
sex assigned at birth.

Gender Non-Conforming (GNC): Describes a person who does not subscribe to

gender expression or roles imposed by society. Similar terms include: gender
creative, genderfluid, gender variant, genderqueer, and pangender. One example
would be a girl or woman who, in the past, may have been referred to as a
“tomboy.”

Heterosexuality: Describes a sexual orientation in which a person feels

physically and emotionally attracted to individuals of the opposite sex.

Homophobia: The irrational hatred and fear of lesbian or gay people, or

disapproval of other sexual orientations, regardless of motive. Homophobia
includes prejudice, intolerance, discrimination, harassment, and acts of violence
against people on the basis of their gay or lesbian identity.
It occurs on personal, institutional, and societal levels, and is closely linked with
transphobia and biphobia. Internalized homophobia is the fear and self-hate of
one’s own gay or lesbian identity, which can occur for individuals who have been
conditioned throughout childhood with negative
ideas about sexual orientations other than heterosexuality.

Intersex: Describes a set of medical conditions that feature congenital anomaly

of the reproductive and sexual system. That is, intersex people are born with sex
chromosomes, external genitalia, or internal reproductive systems that are not
considered “typical” for either males or females.
[Note: Hermaphrodite is an offensive and out-of-date term for an intersex
person.]

“In the Closet”: Refers to a lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or intersex

person who chooses not to disclose his or her sex, sexual orientation, or gender
identity to friends, family, co-workers, or society. There are varying degrees of
being “in the closet.” For example, a person can be “out” in his or her social life,
but “in the closet” at work or with family. Also known as “Down-low” or “D/L.”

25
Lesbian: Describes a woman who is attracted to other women.

LGBT: An acronym used to describe lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender

persons, or the community as a whole. There are many other variations or
extensions of the LGBT/GLBT acronym that include initials to represent terms
such as questioning, queer, intersex, allied and two-spirited.

“In the Closet”: Refers to a lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or intersex

person who chooses not to disclose his or her sex, sexual orientation, or gender
identity to friends, family, co-workers, or society. There are varying degrees of
being “in the closet.” For example, a person can be “out” in his or her social life,
but “in the closet” at work or with family. Also known as “Down-low” or “D/L.”

Queer: An umbrella term used to refer to all LGBT people; the term can be a
political statement as well as an identity, seeking to expand upon limited sexual
and gender-based categories. For some, “queer” has a negative connotation,
given its historical use as a pejorative term. Many LGBT people, however, have
reclaimed the word and now use it in a positive light. Many people use the term
“queer” because other terms do not accurately describe them.

Questioning: People who are unsure of, or in the process of, discovering, their
sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.

Transgender: Describes a person whose gender identity and sex assigned at

birth do not match.

Two Spirit: A term used in some Native American communities for persons who
identify with gender roles of both men and women, and/or are considered a
separate or third gender.

26
 Assess

Name ________________________________________ Score ___________

Section_______________________________________ Date ____________

TEST I. ESSAY

1. Why do women suffer from gender issues more than men? Explain.
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

2. How can gender issues hinder societal development?

________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

TEST II. CASE ANALYSIS. Below are situations/ cases related to this lesson.
Read the cases carefully. Using your gender lens, identify the gender issues in
each of the cases and briefly justify why you consider these as such.

___________________________
___________________________
CASE 1
___________________________
The Dean of a University noticed that female and
___________________________
male faculty members under his college are fond ___________________________
of wearing t-shirts even while they are holding
classes. The dean said that as teachers, they ___________________________
have to look presentable. He then announced
during a meeting that female faculty members ___________________________
are not allowed to wear t-shirts while inside the
campus.
___________________________
___________________________

27
Name ________________________________________ Score ___________
Section_______________________________________ Date ____________

___________________________
___________________________
CASE 2
___________________________
Key officials of three big maritime companies were interviewed as to their ___________________________
views on having female marine engineers on board. They said that women
should be protected against harm. Female marine engineers were not ___________________________
allowed to work in the engine room because it is so hot down there. To
give women something to work on while protecting them from danger, they
___________________________
assigned the female marine engineers in the vessel’s restaurant and
information desk.
___________________________
___________________________
___________________________

___________________________
___________________________
CASE 3 ___________________________
A group of politicians drafted a bill to answer the rising number of
___________________________
rape cases in the country. Their research showed that most of the ___________________________
rape cases happened late in the evening or early morning. They
proposed that women should not be allowed to be out from 10 pm ___________________________
until 4 am.
___________________________
___________________________
__________________________

28
 LESSON 1.3
Issuances that Promote Gender Equality

Lesson Outcomes

After completing this part of the module, you must have:

1. identified the salient points of the issuances that promote

gender equality; and
2. drafted your own plan furthering the call for gender equality.

Activate

To start with this lesson, please look at the three pictures below. Which
do you think best represents the Philippine situation? Put a check on your choice.
Using the space provided, please justify your answer in just two (2) sentences.

________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

29
 Introduction

Your answer is a reflection of what you have experienced as a member of

your community or the bigger society. If you have chosen the middle picture,
then you are blessed because you have witnessed the kind of balance we all
want to achieve but we still have to sustain it. If you have chosen either of the
two pictures at the sides, then you have seen the power dynamics within a
community or society leading to unequal status of women and men and this
needs to be given attention.

Lesson 1.1 has given you the idea that development is attaining a full and
satisfying life for all and it is everyone’s responsibility. To help attain the kind of
development that we all aspire, there is a need for laws and policies that will give
direction as to where we are heading to.

Lesson 1.2 tried to examine gender issues brought about by stereotyping

which prevents people from contributing their fullest for societal development.
Though these seem part of culture. However, we can still change culture.

There are various national and international issuances wherein gender

and development initiatives of the government are anchored. These issuances
not only serve as a policy framework for a unified understanding of what needs to
be done but also signify the commitment of each member state toward ensuring
gender equality.

You may observe that these policies and issuances all geared toward
protecting the rights of women. Again, we would like to reiterate that this is
because gender biases are experienced more by women than men.

The following laws and issuances were taken from www.pcw.gov.ph

A. The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination

against Women (CEDAW)

CEDAW, also known as the

International Bill of Rights of Women, was
adopted by the United Nations in 1979 and
took effect on September 3, 1981. There
were 188 State Parties that agreed to
implement the provisions of the agreement
each of which has signified to take appropriate
measures against all forms of discrimination
and exploitation of women. The agreement or

30
treaty has 30 articles defines discrimination against women as "any distinction,
exclusion or restriction made on the basis of sex which has the effect or purpose
of impairing or nullifying the recognition, enjoyment or exercise by women,
irrespective of their marital status, on a basis of equality of men and women, of
human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social,
cultural, civil, or any other field.”

As a United Nations member state, the Philippines have adopted the

Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women
(CEDAW) in 1979.

B. Beijing Platform for Action (BPfA)

The Beijing Platform for Action (BPfA) was the resulting document of the
Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, China in 1995 adopted in
consensus by the United Nations (UN). It is during this Conference the
governments and the UN agreed to promote gender mainstreaming as a strategy
to ensure that a gender perspective is reflected in all policies and programs at the
national, regional and international levels. The BPfA represents the international
community’s commitment towards the promotion of women’s welfare and aims at
accelerating the implementation of the Nairobi Forward-Looking Strategies for the
Advancement of Women.

Following the Fourth World

Conference on Women, the United
Nations General Assembly mandated the
United Nations’ Commission on the
Status of Women to integrate into its
program a follow-up process to the
Conference, regularly reviewing
the critical areas of concern in the
BPFA and to develop its role in
mainstreaming a gender perspective in
UN activities.

In 1996, the Commission adopted a multi-year program of work based on

the 12 critical areas of concern identified in the BPfA for the period of 1997-2000.
Subsequent work programs were adopted in 2001 and most recently in 2006
based on the BPFA and the Beijing+5 Outcome Document. In March 2010,
the UN General Assembly convened a commemorative meeting during the 54th
Session of the Commission on the Status of Women in order to mark the 15th
anniversary of the adoption of the BPfA.

31
 C. The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)

Being a State Party to the United Nations

Millennium Declaration in 2000 that gave birth to
the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the
Philippine government is committed to ensure that
the country’s development planning efforts focus
on an MDG-responsive policy framework and
legislation to eradicate poverty and achieve
sustainable human development.

The third MDG focuses on promoting

gender equality and women empowerment which
include (1) ratios of girls to boys in primary,
secondary and tertiary education, (2) share of
women in wage employment in the non-
agricultural sector, and (3) proportion of seats held
by women in national parliament. While having a
goal focused for women, it is also evident that
gender issues are present in all the other goals.
Thus, addressing gender issues, which cut across
all the goals, will effectively contribute to the
attainment of the MDGs.

The 2015 report on the accomplishment of

these goals revealed the following:
 The developing countries as a whole have achieved the target to eliminate
gender disparity in primary, secondary and tertiary education.
 Globally, about three quarters of working-age men participate in the labour
force, compared to half of working-age women.
 Women make up 41 per cent of paid workers outside of agriculture, an
increase from 35 per cent in 1990.
 The average proportion of women in parliament has nearly doubled over the
past 20 years.
 Women continue to experience significant gaps in terms of poverty, labour
market and wages, as well as participation in private and public decision-
making.
 Since 1990, the maternal mortality ratio has been cut nearly in half, and most
of the reduction occurred since 2000.
 More than 71 per cent of births were assisted by skilled health personnel
globally in 2014, an increase from 59 per cent in 1990.
 Globally, there were an estimated 289,000 maternal deaths in 2013.

32
 After years of slow progress, only half of pregnant women receive the
recommended amount of antenatal care.

D. The Sustainable Development Goals

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), also known as the Global

Goals, were adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015 as a
universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all
people enjoy peace and prosperity by 2030.

The 17 SDGs are integrated—that is, they recognize that action in one
area will affect outcomes in others, and that development must balance social,
economic and environmental sustainability.

Through the pledge to Leave No One Behind, countries have committed

to fast-track progress for those furthest behind first. That is why the SDGs are
designed to bring the world to several life-changing ‘zeros’, including zero
poverty, hunger, AIDS and discrimination against women and girls.

Everyone is needed to reach these ambitious targets. The creativity,

knowhow, technology and financial resources from all of society is necessary
to achieve the SDGs in every context.

SDG Goal #5: Gender Equality

Ending all discrimination against women and girls is not only a basic
human right, it’s crucial for sustainable future; it’s proven that empowering
women and girls helps economic growth and development.

33
 UNDP has made gender equality central to its work and we’ve seen
remarkable progress in the past 20 years. There are more girls in school now
compared to 15 years ago, and most regions have reached gender parity in
primary education.

Although there are more women than ever in the labor market, there are
still large inequalities in some regions, with women systematically denied the
same work rights as men. Sexual violence and exploitation, the unequal
division of unpaid care and domestic work, and discrimination in public office
all remain huge barriers. Climate change and disasters continue to have a
disproportionate effect on women and children, as do conflict and migration.

It is vital to give women equal rights land and property, sexual and
reproductive health, and to technology and the internet. Today there are more
women in public office than ever before, but encouraging more women leaders
will help achieve greater gender equality.

Time Out 1
Apply

Choose 2 out of the 4 international issuances and list down how they
promote gender equality.

34
E. Magna Carta of Women

The MCW is a comprehensive women's

human rights law that seeks to eliminate
discrimination through the recognition, protection,
fulfilment and promotion of the rights of Filipino
women, especially those belonging in the
marginalized sectors of the society. It conveys a
framework of rights for women based directly on
international law.

The MCW establishes the Philippine

government’s pledge of commitment to
the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of
Discrimination against Women's (CEDAW)
Committee in its 36th Session in 2006 and to the UN Human Rights Council on
its first Universal Periodic Review in 2009. It is the local translation of the
provisions of the CEDAW, particularly in defining gender discrimination, state
obligations, substantive equality, and temporary special measures. It also
recognizes human rights guaranteed by the international Covenant on Economic,
Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR).

Salient features of the law include:

 Increasing the number of women in third level positions in government to

achieve a fifty-fifty (50-50) gender balance within the next five years while
the composition of women in all levels of development planning and
program implementation will be at least 40 percent;

 Leave benefits of two (2) months with full pay based on gross monthly
compensation for women employees who undergo surgery caused by
gynecological disorders, provided that they have rendered continuous
aggregate employment service of at least six (6) months for the last twelve
(12) months;

 Non-discrimination in employment in the field of military, police and other

similar services that include according the same promotional privileges and
opportunities as their men counterpart, including pay increases, additional
benefits, and awards, based on competency and quality of performance.

 Provision for equal access and elimination of discrimination in education,

scholarships, and training. Thus, "expulsion, non-readmission, prohibiting
enrollment, and other related discrimination of women students and faculty
due to pregnancy out of marriage shall be outlawed.

35
  Non-discriminatory and non-derogatory portrayal of women in media and
film to raise the consciousness of the general public in recognizing the
dignity of women and the role and contribution of women in family,
community, and the society through the strategic use of mass media;

 Equal status given to men and women on the titling of the land and
issuance of stewardship contracts and patents.

In addition to guaranteeing substantive rights, the MCW establishes the

responsibility of the government to take actions in order to end discrimination
against women. It provides that the Philippines government must "ensure the
substantive equality of men and women" and mandates the State to take steps to
review, amend or repeal existing laws that are discriminatory towards women.

The Government, in its entirety, shall fulfill these duties through the
development and implementation of laws, policies, regulatory instruments,
administrative guidelines, and other appropriate measures. It shall also establish
mechanisms to promote the coherent and integrated implementation of the MCW
and other related laws and policies to effectively stop discrimination against
Filipino women.

The MCW mandates all government offices, including government-owned and

controlled corporations and local government units to adopt gender
mainstreaming as a strategy for implementing the law and attaining its objectives.
It also mandates (a) planning, budgeting, monitoring and evaluation for gender
and development, (b) the creation and/or strengthening of gender and
development focal points, and (c) the generation and maintenance of gender
statistics and sex-disaggregated databases to aid in planning, programming and
policy formulation.

F. CHED Memorandum Circular 1, series of 2015 – Establishing the

Policies and Guidelines on Gender and Development in the Commission on
Higher Education and Higher Education Institutions

Pursuant to the mandate of the Magna Carta of Women, the

Commission on Higher Education (CHED) directs the
institutionalization of the policies and guidelines that will ensure
promotion of the pertinent provisions of the Magna Carta of
Women into the Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). The
memorandum covers the creation of the GAD Focal Point
System in every HEI and the integration of gender and
development concerns in their programs, projects, and activities.

36
 Assess

Name ________________________________________ Score ___________

Section_______________________________________ Date ____________

1. Almost all nations agree that there should be an end to discrimination

against women. The Philippines is signatory to issuances related to this
aim and to signify the country’s support to it, the Magna Carta of Women
was signed into a law. Do we still need this MCW or RA 9710 given that
we are the only Asian country that made it to the top 10 of the World
Gender Gap Survey? Yes or No? Justify your answer.
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________

2. The world is making all efforts to promote and maintain gender equality.
As a student, how can you contribute to this cause? Considering the
current pandemic, draft an action plan of what you will do using the format
given below.

Objective Activity Method of

Implementation

37
 References

Ballantine J. & Roberts, K. (2011). Our Social World: Introduction to Sociology.

3rd ed. London: Sage Publications.

Dutton, G. (2020). Salary report highlights growing gender pay gap and other
vital data. Biospace. Retrieved from https://biospace.com

Fichter, J. (1957). Sociology. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.

Ginsberg, M. (1950). Sociology. Oxford University Press.

Maclver R. & Page, C. (1950). Society: An Introductory Analysis. London:

Macmillan

Macionis, J. (2012). Sociology. 14th ed. Boston: Pearson.

Robertson, I. (1977). Sociology. Worth Publishers.

Sax (2005). Why Gender Matters. What Parents and Teachers Need to Know
About the Emerging Science of Sex Differences. New York: Doubleday.

Zulueta, F.M. (2011). Anthropological and Sociological Concepts and

Perspectives. Manila: National Book Store

CHED Memorandum Order 1, series of 2015

Websites

https://2012books.lardbucket.org/books/sociology-comprehensive-edition/s08-02-
the-development-of-modern-soci.html

https://2012books.lardbucket.org/books/sociology-comprehensive-edition/s08-02-
the-development-of-modern-soci.html

www.pcw.gov.ph
www.sustainabledevelopment.un.org
www.un.org
www.unwomen.org
www.investingwomen.asia

38