1. Gender and Gender Related Concepts
for BDU Female Instructors
Abay Minch Lodge , 23,Nov,2013 Prepared By Haimanot
Minwuye
2. – A woman is not a “mere means” or instrument ,to
one or more man’s pleasure or happiness. Rather
she is an “end- in -herself” ,a rational agent whose
dignity consists in having the capacity for self-
determination ( Wollstoney Craft 1879).
3. Are Women and
Men the Same or
Different ?
Are Human beings a
product of
Biological Process
or Social
Environment?
4. Sex
What makes every person
either female or male
Chromosomes
Hormones
Anatomical / Physiology
Sex;
Biologically constructed e.g
childbearing, breast feeding
Can’t change
Gender
A set of characteristics,
roles, and behavior patterns
that distinguish women from
men socially and culturally.
The different ways in which
women and men look and
behave, and how they relate to
each other
Socially-constructed
not born with
can be changed
Gender Vs Sex
5. Naturalists,
Gender is biological
Males are born masculine and females are born
feminine.
Genetics and hormones determine whether a person
will behave in a more feminine or masculine way.
Men are physically stronger. They are usually more
aggressive and externally oriented. They speak with
different voice and pitch.
Nature/Nurture debate
6. Rousseau,
– Naturally women are pleasure seeking and pleasure giving
than men.
– Rationality is the most important educational goal for men
but not for women.
– Rational man is perfect complement for emotional woman
& vise versa.
7. Goldberg;
Socialization does not consist primarily of parents
telling little boys to be aggressive and little girls to be
nurturant-these tendencies exist without socialization. To
believe that males should not have a stronger dominance
tendency .. Is to hope for the impossible.
All men and women must be themselves, realizing that
God has given each of us unique abilities with which to
pursue our goals, and that our primary responsibility is to
take full advantage of those abilities.
8. Men Are from Mars Women Are from Venus ( John
Gray).
– One day long ago the Martians, looking through their telescopes, discovered the Venusians. Just
glimpsing the Venusians awakened feelings they had never known. They fell in love and quickly
invented space travel and flew to Venus.
– The Venusians welcomed the Martians with open arms. They had intuitively known that this day
would come. Their hearts opened wide to a love they had never felt before. The love between the
Venusians and Martians was magical. They delighted in being together, doing things together,
and sharing together.
– Though from different worlds, they party in their differences. They spent months learning about
each other, exploring and appreciating their different needs, preferences, and behavior patterns.
For years they lived together in love and harmony. Then they decided to fly to Earth. In the
beginning everything was wonderful and beautiful. But the effects of Earth's atmosphere took
hold, and one morning everyone woke up with a peculiar kind of amnesia selective amnesia!
Both the Martians and Venusians forgot that they were from different planets and were supposed
to be different. In one morning everything they had learned about their differences was erased
from their memory. And since that day men and women have been in conflict.
9. Nurture
The differences between men and women are more
socially constructed since childhood by pressure of
the society & parents to conform to what they "think"
men and women should be.
Being born a woman (or man) can mean very different
things depending on the social environment. Having a
female body does not necessarily make you behave in
a particular way.
10. Cntd.
Understanding the life of a woman or man involves
understanding the history of the society in which they live.
The Tchambuli tribe in New Guinea consider ‘masculine’ what
most Westerners regard as ‘feminine’. In that tribe men
adorn(decorate) themselves.Tchambuli women are the dominant
partners and men are emotionally dependent on them.
The Arapesh of New Guinea regard both women and men as
‘inherently gentle (kind), responsive and co-operative’ and that
both women and men of the tribe take responsibility for child
care (Mead, 1963/1935: 134).These are all traits that North
Americans & Europeans tend to see as ‘feminine’ characteristics.
13. • Presence of gender inequality.
• The existence of violence on women .
• Lack of knowledge and training on the issue.
• Focus on women’s problem.
• Lagging behind International standards due to
different factors.
15. Why Gender Inequality Exists ?
Causes of Gender Inequality;
• Are many and complex and they are not fully
understood.
Intra household decision making process
Low levels of education and training of women
Poor health and nutritional status
limited access to resources ( land, credit, info. etc. ).
16. What is Gender Equality ?
– Providing equal treatment in laws and policies
– Providing equal access to resources and services
– Providing equal obligation
Providing equal enjoyment of human rights, opportunities,
and resources.
Gender equality is the measurable equal representation of
women and men.
17. What is Gender Equity
Gender equity is the process of being fair to women
and men by recognizing diversity and disadvantage
and directing resources and services towards those
most in need to ensure equal outcomes for all.
A gender equity approach therefore acknowledges
that different strategies are often necessary for
women and men.
18. Gender Mainstreaming
Gender mainstreaming is a process that
ensures:… that gender perspectives and attention
to the goal of gender equality are central to all
activities – policy development, research,
advocacy/dialogue, legislation, resource
allocation, and planning, implementation and
monitoring of programmes and projects.
19. Gender Sensitive
A policy, program or service that recognizes
that women and men are constrained in
different and often unequal ways as potential
participants and beneficiaries.
20. Gender Blind
A policy, program, project or service that
ignores gender and therefore incorporates
biases that may be in favor of existing
unequal relations.
21. Summary
The main aim of this presentation is to call for the
end of male domination and abuse, and bring equal
rights for women.
Both men and women should be treated equal.
A women should not be like a candle burning in a
dark room.
To draw staff attention on what gender means and
bring them together to work towards the same
goal.
