GENDER AS A SOCIAL CONSTRUCT GENDER ROLES

GENDER BIAS & EDUCATIONAL PRACTICE

PRESENTED BYPRESENTED BYMs. GURKIRAT KAURMs. GURKIRAT KAUR

ASST. PROF. ASST. PROF. CHITKARA UNIVERSITYCHITKARA UNIVERSITY

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Group 1– List differences between women and men and

consider:• On what are these perceived differences based?

(e.g. biological, social, cultural or religious beliefs)

Group 2 – List similarities between women and men and

consider:• On what are the perceived similarities based?

(e.g. biological, social, cultural or religious beliefs)

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All participants to consider together:

–To what extent do assumptions about biologically determined sex differences between women and men influence popular culture, sayings or beliefs in your cultural setting?

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Definitions

• Write down your own definitions of the terms sex and gender

• Compare your definitions with those of the person next to you

• Each pair to report back to whole group• Brief group discussion

SEX GENDER

• categorization of people into male and female groups based on biological characteristics

• cultural or social interpretation of sex

• behavioral expectations associated with being a socially appropriate man or woman

SEX GENDER

• XX (female) or XY (male) chromosomes

• eggs or sperm • facial hair• breasts• “female, male”

• masculine• feminine• “man” • “woman”

Sex• Sex refers to the physical and biological

attributes of men and women• Sex includes the chromosomal, hormonal,

and anatomical components of males and females.

Gender and Gender Identity• Gender refers to the social, psychological and

cultural attributes of masculinity and femininity, many of which are based on biological distinctions– Gender includes people’s self image and

expectations for behavior among other things• Gender describes societal attitudes and behaviors

expected of and associated with the two sexes.• Gender identity refers to the degree to which an

individual sees herself or himself as feminine or masculine based on society’s definitions of appropriate gender roles.

Gender Characteristics?

• Generally, sex is considered to be an ascribed status while gender is an achieved status

• Examples of gender characteristics? What physical, emotional, or other characteristics are considered “masculine” or “Feminine”?

• Sheena and Jaye are sister and brother. Sheena is invited by a neighbor to an all girl birthday party. Jaye wishes to go, but the neighbor said that he can’t go because he’s a boy. What would you tell Jaye if you were his parent?

• Now, reflect on what the different ways say about your assumptions of gender.

Gender as a Social Construction

• Gender is a process, stratification system and structure;

• Process = day to day interactions reinforce gender as opposites. For examples, conversations, rituals of daily life, sayings, etc

• Stratification = Men as a group have more status and power than women as a group. Women are treated as “other,” and compared to men.

• Structure = Gender divides work in the home and economic production. It legitimates those in authority and organizes sexuality and emotional life.

Gender as a Social Construction• What is necessary for society’s perpetuation?

• Rules for allocating goods• Assigned responsibility for children and others who can’t care

for themselves• Common values and the transmission of them.• Legitimate leadership.• Expression of the above through arts, music, stories, etc.

• What social categories influence the way the above exist?

Gender as a Social Construction

• What is work?

• Any activity that creates goods and services for one’s own use or for exchange or pay. There is paid work (market); coerced work (slavery) and domestic work.

Gender as a Social Construction

• Industrialization reduced work to pay. Why?

• Most domestic work is devalued or invisible.

• For example: babysitter versus lawnwork. Also, domestic work not included in the economy

Gender as a Social Construction

• How does our conception of gender affect work?

• Products created for different tasks• Expectations for different jobs.• Value for the tasks done: for

example, is it truly more valuable to work outside than inside?

• Gender displays both men and women create to control the workplace.

The Social Construction of Gender

• Gender Roles

– Expectations regarding proper behavior, attitudes, and activities of males and females

– Gender roles evident in work and in how we react to others

Gender Roles in the society are gendered in nature.

Gender roles are cultural and personal.

They determine how males and females should think, speak, dress, and interact

within the context of society.

A gender role is a set of social and behavioral norms that are generally considered

appropriate for either a man or a woman in a social or interpersonal relationship.

Gender roles adopted during childhood normally continue into

adulthood.

Traditionally, fathers teach boys how to fix and build things; mothers teach girls how to cook, sew,

and keep house. Children then receive parental approval when they conform to gender

expectations and adopt culturally accepted and conventional roles. All of this is reinforced by

additional socializing agents, such as the media.

Gender BiasSociety produces bias that is structured on the

basis of gender identities. Patriarchy strengthens the gender bias and recognises the society as a

male dominated space. Thus, women face bias from the dominant patriarchal society.

Gender bias is the construction of socialization process and it is the extension of patriarchal

ideology. Gender bias is commonly considered to be discrimination and/or hatred towards people based

on their gender rather than their individual merits, but can also refer to any and all systemic differentiations

based on the gender of the individuals.

EDUCATIONAL PRACTICE

Equal accessPreventing and responding to gender-based violence

CurriculumHuman rights education

Peace education

Life skills and health education

Teaching and learning materials

Instruction and learning processes