Gender and Society, Meaning and Nature of Sexuality

Society ● Straight - Attracted to people of the

“opposite” sex; also sometimes generally
● Group of individuals which is characterized used to refer to people whose sexualities are
by common interest and may have distinctive societally normative. Alternately referred to
culture and institution . as “heterosexual.”
● Human beings are essentially social ● Gay - Attracted to the people of their own sex
creatures. or gender
● Lesbian - A woman who is predominantly
Origin of the Society attracted to other women.
- Societe ● Bisexual - Used to describe people who have
French word which emerged on 15th century the capacity to form sexual attraction to
- Societas people of more than one gender.
Latin word means “friendly association with others.” ● Asexual - Used to describe people who
- Socius experience little to no sexual attraction.
Latin word means “companion, associate, comrade or Many asexual people desire romantic
business partners.” relationships, and romantic orientations are
a way for asexual people to communicate
Society - an independent community with whom they prefer to date or form
Culture - an attribute of a community relationships.

In the study of social science society has been used Difference between Sex and Gender
to mean a group of people that form a semi-closed Sex
social system, in which most interactions are with ● Different bioological and physiological
other individuals belonging to a group. characteristics of male and female.
● Act often referred to as the act of
Gender - refers to the socially constructed roles and reproduction
relationships, personality, traits, attitudes, behaviors, ● Is the category for liginh beings specifically
values, relative powe, and influence that society related to their reproductive organs
ascribes to the sexes on a differential basis. Gender
● Socially constructed of men and women
Sociology of Gender such as norms, roles, and relationship both
groups (men and women)
● Distinction between sex and gender
● It examines how societies influence our Biological Differences
understanding and perception of difference
between masculinity and femininity
Female Male
● One of the biggest within the field of
sociology
Genitalia Vagina, Penis,
Clitoris Scrotum
Gender
● Transgender - Most often use term describes Internal Uterus, Testes
non- traditional gender behavior to identities Ovarties
● Transexual - The term transsexual has
historically been used to refer to individuals Reproductive Fallopian
Tube
who have medically and legally changed their
sex, or who wish to do so.
Organs Ovum
● Intersex - a person is born with a
reproductive or sexual anatomy that doesn’t Chromosomes XX XY
seem to fit the typical definitions of female or
male
 Sex Characteristics ● Race - Is when a person is treated less
● Women menstruated while do not. favourably than other person in similar
● Women have developed breast that situation because of their race, colour,
are usually capable of lactating descent national, or ethnic origin, or
while men have not immigrant status.
● Women can give birth ● Gender - Inequality betweej people to
● Men can supply sperm. opposite gender
● Men have testicles while women do ● Appearance - how an indvidual, or a
not person looks like.
● Caste - the complex system of social division
that per vades life.
Sex Gender

● Biological ● Socially The Visual Symbolic

Characteri constructed
sitics ● Not born with Psychosocial Perspective: Gender Interest and
● Born with ● Societies, Needs
● Universal, cultures,
and historical. Gender Interest and Needs in Development
historical ● Can be ● Development plans and policies often view
● Cannot be changed
changed women as one homogenous group, this
assumes that the needs of women are all the
same.
Gender Identity - A term used to describe ● Gender Interest are assumed by many to be
a person’s internal sense of themselves as a one and same
man/male, a woman/female, no gender, or ● Molyneux, suggest the use of the phrase
another gender, regardless of anatomy “Gender Interest” over “Women’s Interest.”
● Gender Interest are considered prioritized
● Homosexual - Attracted to those of gender concerns
same sex gender. ● Gender Needs are means “by which their
● Heterosexual - Opposite sex/gender concerns maybe satisfied.”
● Bisexual - Attracted to those of ● Gender Interest are further differentiated
more than one gender. into either practical or strategic depending
● Pansexual - Attracted to those of on how these gender interest are addressed.
any se/gender
● Asexual - Refers to a person who is Two Types of Gender Needs
not physically, and sexually ● Practical Gender Needs - in terms of
attracted to anyone, but has the planning,are not necessarily feministin
same emotional need as anyone. context
- Concerned with women’s
Types of Discrimination immediate needs for survival,
nutrition, living condition, health
Discrimination - treating individuals care, and employment.
differently from others. - Women’s practical gender needs
often involve their roles in the
- Direct Discrimination - When you’re household.
treated differently and worse than someone - Short term
else for certain reason - Basic needs
- Indirect Discrimination - Is when there’s
practice, policy, or rule which applies to 1. Child care
everyone in the same way, but it has worse 2. Food Provision
effect on some people than others. 3. House work
4. Often argumented income for the household
Men and Women have different roles, and Gender Fair Language
responsibilities in society and this have different - Language and gender relations
interest or needs, called Gender Needs - Language is a potent tool for how humans
understand and participate in the world.
● Strategic Gender Needs - Are those that - Its not neutral: it carries ideas about gender
stem ffrom women’s strategic gender interest the words we use can make more men and
due to her socialized gender role as woman: women seem different
one who has climate position in the society.
- relate to gender division of (labor), Violation of Gender - Fair Language
power and control, and my include ● Sexist language is a tool that
such issues as legal rights, domestic reinforces unequal gender relations
violence, equal wages, and through sex-role stereotypes,
women’s control over their bodies. microaggressions, and sexual
- Long term harassment
● Sexism is any expression (act, word,
Challenges for Fullfilment of Gender Needs in image, gesture) based on the idea
the Philippines that some persons, most often
women, are inferior because of their
Binary Gender Assumptions sex.
- Prevailing binary understanding of Gender relating to discrimination or
(Male and Female) devaluation based on a person's sex
- Equating sex with gender identity, ignoring or gender, especially such
LGBTQ+ individuals. discrimination directed against
Neglect of LGBTQ+ Community women.
- Gender policies often ignore LGBTQ+ needs
- Leaves a significant portion unsupported. Invisibilization of Women
Women-Centric Focus - The invisibilization of women is rooted in the
- Generalizing women’s needs without assumptions that men are dominant and are
considering diversity the norm of the fullness of humanity, and
- Fails to address unique challengesof women do not exist.
marginalizse women. ● The generic use of
masculine pronouns or the
Psychosocial Perspective Issues on use of a masculine in
LGBTQIAP+ general.
● The use of male job titles
A. Affective (Prejudice): This is defined as the way an or terms ending in man to
individual feels about a particular circumstance, refer to functions that may
be given to both genders.
person, or objects.
- is what we would call prejudice, or negative Trivialization of Women
feelings toward a person that are based on - Bringing attention to the gender of a person,
if that person is a woman, the perception of
his or her group membership
woman is immature and objectifying women
B. Behavioral (Discrimination): This component is
defined as how the object of the attitude makes a Fostering Unequal Relations
person behave. - Language that lacks parallelism fosters
unequal gender relations.
- the actual actions taken - The use of “man and wife”assumes that men
- Opinion are still men and women’s identities are
C. Cognitive (Stereotyping): This aspect is defined as subsumed and shifted into beings in relation
to their husbands
how one thinks about the subject.
- Mindset
- or generalizations about a group
Gender Polarization of Words in use of Some of the reasons:
Adjectives • Peer validation
- How we use different words to describe the • Competition
same actions based on gender. • Pressure to Conform
For Example
if a man takes charge, we say he's the 'boss,' but if a Manhood
woman does the same, we might call her 'bossy.' This ● Refers to the state or condition of
difference in words makes it clear how our being an adult male biologically.
perceptions change based on gender, even for the ● It often implies the ability to
same actions. father-children and participate in
reproduction.
Hidden Assumptions ● A transition from boyhood to
- Hidden assumptions in sentences can also be manhood based on age and physical
forms ofmicroaggression if the underlying development.
perceptions are sexist and degrading.
Vandello and Boson
Sexist Language and Culture ● As stated by them, manhood is hard to win.
● Sexist language means using words that ● There are also various subcultures devise
belittle or judge someone based on their ways to initiate a boy into male adulthood.
gender These may include initiation processes to
● it's important to know that language itself enter fraternities, gangs, or even clubs.
isn't sexist, but the culture and how people ● Others may win manhood through physical
use it can make it that way. Our attitudes and activities, sports, or even through public acts
how we treat each other also play a big role of homophobia.
in making sexist language a problem
Masculine Culture
Toward a Gender – Fair Language ● An example of this is LAD CULTURE.
● The use of gender – fair language in ● Lad culture is a concept often linked to the
educational institutions and the removal of crisis of masculinity in the West. In this
sexist language as imperative to gender – campus culture, men in colleges or
responsiveness is currently being advocated. universities perpertuate traditions that
GABRIELA (General Assembly Binding objectify and sexualize others, usually
Women for Reforms, Integrity, Equality, women and the LGBT.
Leadership, and Action) Women’s Party ● Lad culture is related to raunch culture
national president and party – list because of the potential and actual harm it
representative Liza Maza called for a ban of can cause students, from binge drinking to
sexist language in all official communication harassment.
and documents in the House of ● In U.S, there is hookup culture in campuses,
Representatives. which is the counterpart of Lad culture.
● Here, sexual activity is regarded as the
Masculinity transition marker from boyhood into
Men and Gender Studies manhood.
● Lad culture has been defined as “a group or
Masculinity ‘pack’ mentality amongst students residing in
● Refers to the set of characteristics, behaviors, activities such as sport, heavy alcohol
and roles that a society typically associates consumption and ‘banter’” that is “sexist,
with being a man or male. misogynistic or homophobic,” entailing
● These characteristics often include traits like “objectification of women and rape
strength, assertiveness, and dominance. supportive attitudes,” and underpinning
GBV in student communities (Phipps and
Proving Masculinity Young 2012, 28).
● Men perform their masculinity to other
men. Men perform their masculinity mostly
to and for other men.
AN AVERSION TO THE FEMININE: Masculinity as Homophobia

A version - a strong feeling of dislike, opposition, repugnance, or antipathy

● Women and non-dominant masculinities are seen as the “other.”\

● This content is equally important to note as it provides the behaviors expected of men and the behaviors
that can add to one’s understanding of why men do what they do and how gender drives these masculine
actions.
One example is the condemning of non-masculine boys.

Michael Kimmel
● In his study, it shows that masculinity may be studied in relation to school shootings in the US. The
perpetrators of these school shootings were all male who did not fall under the typical figure. These
boys were teased, bullied, and beaten up.
● Their sexuality would be called into question as they may have failed to enact the dominant
masculinity of their school.
● Their ultimate revenge (the school shooting) seem to be their final act to prove themselves as men,
or as revenge against those who bullied them for being “different” and not ascribing to the male
code of that school.

HOMOPHOBIA is not a fear itself of gay men, but the fear of a man can and will become gay or feminine.

KIMMEL sees homophobia as the cause of sexism, racism, and heterosexism, as it is an aversion to becoming the
“other” or the non-dominant masculinity.

Fragile Masculinity
● Fragile masculinity is the idea that some men go to great lengths to look or act like a “real man,” and that
they become aggressive when their masculinity is questioned.
● Fragile masculinity encourages harmful behaviors in men, like verbal or physical aggression, sexism, or
discrimination based on gender or sexuality.