BASIC GAD CONCEPTS

SEX & GENDER: WHAT ARE THEY

AND HOW THEY DIFFER
• SEX refers to:
The biological characteristics that categorize someone as
having either a female or male body
The act of mating between two organisms (COITUS)
This categorization is made according to reproductive
function
o the female produces the egg cell, or ovum
o the male provides the sperm that fertilizes it
o a rare category exists - the INTERSEXED: people born
with both male and female, or incomplete genitalia –
but these form a very small proportion of the human
population
 SEX & GENDER: WHAT ARE THEY
AND HOW THEY DIFFER
• Gender refers to:
The socially determined ideas and
practices of what it is to be female or
male, how a person’s biology is culturally
valued and interpreted into locally
accepted ideas of what it is to be a woman
or man
A term that implies the cultural roles
expected of a person
 DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GENDER
AND SEX
SEX GENDER
Biologically determined Constructed by society

Multi-faceted differs within and

Universal for all human beings
between cultures

Unchanging Dynamic, changes over time

Inborn Acquired
 ATTRIBUTES OF SEX AND GENDER

SEX GENDER
Maleness Masculinity

Femaleness Femininity
 SEX & GENDER… AND MORE

SEX
 SEX & GENDER… AND MORE

ORIENTATION
 SEXUAL ORIENTATION
Refers to each person’s capacity for profound emotional,
affectional and sexual attraction to, and intimate and sexual
relations with, individuals of a different gender or the same
gender or more than one gender
Heterosexual—towards members of the opposite sex.
Bisexual—towards members of both sexes.
Homosexual—towards members of the same sex.
 SEX & GENDER… AND MORE
IDENTITY
SEX & GENDER… AND MORE

EXPRESSION
IS GENDER ROLE INBORN???
GENDER ROLE IS LEARNED

“Gender role is the behaviors, attitudes values,

beliefs and so on that a particular cultural group
considers appropriate for males and females on
the basis of their biological sex.
Gender ROLES and EXPECTATIONS are
learned.”
 GENDER ROLES
Activities carried Activities needed to
out by M/W in order ensure the
to produce goods & reproduction of
services to meet society’s labor
the subsistence force, mostly done
needs of the family Productive Reproductive by women

Activities primarily Activities primarily

undertaken by undertaken by men
women as an at the community
extension of their level; usually may
reproductive role; Community Community be paid directly or
voluntary unpaid Managing Politics result in increased
work in “free” time power & status
 SITUATIONS WHERE WE SEE
GENDER DIFFERENCES
SOCIAL – Different
perceptions of women’s and
men’s social roles
The man seen as head of the
household and chief bread-
winner who deals with the public
sphere
The woman seen as nurturer and
care-giver who deals with the
private sphere
 SITUATIONS WHERE WE SEE
POLITICAL – Differences in the GENDER DIFFERENCES
ways in which women and men
assume/share power and
authority
Men more involved in
national/higher level; Women
involved at the local level linked
to their domestic roles
Men use violence and weapons as
tools to further their own power;
Women do not have access to such
tools & are often the victims
 SITUATIONS WHERE WE SEE
GENDER DIFFERENCES
EDUCATIONAL – Differences
in educational opportunities &
expectations of girls and boys
Family resources directed to boy’s
rather than girl’s education
Girls streamed to less-challenging
academic tracks
 SITUATIONS WHERE WE SEE
GENDER DIFFERENCES
ECONOMIC – Differences in
women’s and men’s access
to:
Lucrative careers & control of
financial and other productive
resources
Credit and Loans
Land Ownership
Learning of Gender Begin in the Early Male and Female
Roles Stages of Childhood Gender Roles
 Jokes, wolf-whistles
Peeking, 'chancing' or making sexual
passes
MANIFESTATIONS OF Sexual harassment
Domestic violence
GENDER BIAS Rape
Prostitution
VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN Commodification- the act of treating
women as a commodity or object, not
Acts of instilling fear and as a person
inflicting pain with the aim to
injure or abuse a person,
usually women.
It may be verbal, psychological
or physical in nature.
 MANIFESTATIONS OF
MARGINALIZATION (ECONOMIC) GENDER BIAS
The process which forces women out
into the periphery of economic and social life
on the periphery of decision-making process
as well as diminishing the value of the activities in
which they engage and through which they contribute
to the national development process
Under or non-valuation/recognition of women's work
Women have less access to and control over resources
and benefits
Unequal pay for work of equal value
last to be hired, first to be fired
limited opportunities
exacting sexual favors
 MANIFESTATIONS OF
GENDER BIAS
SUBORDINATION
One sex is inferior to the other; gender
subordination is the institutionalized
domination by men of women
Position - very few women in politics
and top positions
Status - weaker sex
Decision-making - women are not
included in planning and decision-
making processes
Process of socialization
 MANIFESTATIONS OF
GENDER BIAS
GENDER STEREOTYPING

Child rearing
The process of
Religion
attributing a set of
Occupation
characteristics,
Education
roles and traits,
favorable or Language
unfavorable to all Behavior
members of a social Gov't programs
group based on sex. Media
Popular culture
MANIFESTATIONS OF
GENDER BIAS
MULTIPLE BURDEN
Involvement in the three
spheres of work: reproductive,
productive and community work
Parenting
Housework
Community Work
Work in the public
sphere/informal sector
 FAMILY
WHO
PERPETUATE SCHOOL
In the family,
S GENDER throughout childhood
CHURCH
BIASES??? and adolescence,
parents orient their
MEDIA children about
acceptable gender roles
WORKPLACE and standards.
 25

SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS: FAMILY

… has the most influence because the
formative years of every individual is
almost always spent with and
developed by the family.
 26

FAMILY

SCHOOL

CHURCH The school further

widens the
MEDIA differentiation between
boys and girls.

WORKPLACE
 27

SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS: EDUCATION/SCHOOL

… the formal school

system promotes and
encourages the
different gender roles
between men and
women.

Sex segregation system….

Gender stereotype roles in teaching materials and selection of courses
 FAMILY

SCHOOL Religious teachings

depict women as
CHURCH Martyrs, Self –
Sacrificing and
MEDIA reinforce the belief that
women’s place is in the
home to be a good
WORKPLACE mother and wife.
 29

SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS: CHURCH/RELIGION

…. Reinforces gender stereotypes through
religious teachings, doctrines and symbols

*Good women/wife as martyrs, self sacrificing and conservatives

Affecting reproductive choices
 FAMILY

SCHOOL
The Tri- Media do not
usually portray women
CHURCH in all her diverse roles,
thus their images tend
MEDIA to emphasize her
physical appearance
WORKPLACE rather than her ability.
 31

SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS: MEDIA

… reinforces gender stereotypes and sex based
discrimination through media portrayal of men and
women

Commodification of women’s bodies…

docile homemakers… macho men
 FAMILY Women are few and far
between managerial
SCHOOL and policy-making
positions. Majority of
CHURCH them are in the
informal sector where
MEDIA the minimum wage law
rarely applies and there
is hardly any social
WORKPLACE security protection.
 33

SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS: WORK

… gender discrimination in relation to occupation
and pay
… NO balance in family life and work
… Question of power relations as well access and
control to resources
WHAT SHOULD WE DO???
 PROMOTE GENDER EQUALITY

Freedom from violence

Freedom from harassment
• VIOLENCE
AGAINST WOMEN Effects on personhood
Personhood development/self-
esteem
Control over one's body
 Equal pay for work of equal
value
• MARGINALIZATION
Economic independence
Economic Opportunities
 Quality participation in
• SUBORDINATION decision-making
Recognition of capabilities
 Liberation from stereotyped
• GENDER images
STEREOTYPING Non-sexist child-rearing
Non-sexist language
 Gender Division of Labor: the
assignment of tasks and roles
• MULTIPLE to men and women on account
BURDEN of sex
shared parenting
shared housework
shared breadwinning