The document discusses gender sensitization as a crucial aspect of individual development and societal awareness of gender equality. It highlights the differences between biological sex and social gender roles, addressing the impacts of gender bias and traditional stereotypes on both boys and girls. The text advocates for gender-neutral parenting and encourages breaking away from rigid societal norms to foster a more inclusive environment for all genders.

1. GENDER SENSITIZATION
LET US BRIDGE THE GAP…
TOGETHER WE CAN!
Dr. Shelly Mannan

2. CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION TO THE CONCEPT
SEX VS GENDER
GENDER BIAS
CRYING QUESTIONS
REPURCUSSIONS OF GENDER
SPECIFICATION
GENDER NUETRAL PARENTING
CONCLUSION

3. I. INTRODUCTORY NOTE
 Gender Sensitization is a basic pre-requisite for
the normal development of an individual.

4.  The need for this sensitivity has been felt and
realised through times immemorial and in
almost all kinds of human existence, across the
globe.

5. Gender sensitization creates
awareness
Gender Sensitivity refers to the
modification of behaviour.
Both these work towards
raising an awareness towards
gender equality.

6. GENDER EMPOWERMENT
 It refers to the empowerment of any gender.
 Conventionally speaking, the word
‘empowerment’ has been reduced to
empowerment of women only.
 Actually, the concept stresses the distinction
between biological sex and gender as a role.

7. 2. SEX VERSUS GENDER

8. THE DIFFERENCES
 Biological and
physiological
characteristics that
define men and
women.
 It refers to a person’s
biological make-up as
male or female.
 Male and female are
sex categories.
 Sex is permanent and
universal.
 Socially constructed
roles, behaviours,
attributes, activities that a
given society considers
appropriate for men and
women.
 It varies from one society
to the other.
 Masculine and feminine
are gender categories.
 Gender can be changed
since gender identity is
determined by the
society.
SEX GENDER

9. TRADITIONAL GENDER STEREOTYPES
MASCULINE
 Aggressive
 Decisive
 Tough
 Insensitive
 Cruel
 Blunt
 Dominating
 Independent
 Silent
 Active
 Analytical
 Rarely cries
FEMININE
 Submissive
 Indecisive
 Flexible
 Sensitive
 Kind
 Tactful
 Sub-ordinating
 Dependent
 Talkative
 Passive
 Verbal
 Cries too much

10. 3. GENDER BIAS

11. WHY BLUE IS ASSOCIATED WITH BOYS AND PINK
WITH GIRLS?

13. GENDER SPECIFIC CONDITIONING
 Girls must play with
dolls and cooking
sets.
 Girls must like pink
colour.
 Girls must be homely
and docile.
 Boys should play with
toys like guns, trucks
and super-heroes.
 Blue is the colour for
boys.
 Boys must be
outgoing and
demanding.

14. 4. CRYING QUESTIONS???
 Why do we still prefer male babies only?
 Why do we indulge in female-foeticide?
 Why is a woman’s second marriage still a
social taboo?
 Why males cannot accept women heads in
organisations?
 Why is child rearing a sole responsibility of a
mother only?
 Why is there an alarming increase in crime
against women?

15.  Why is there a sharp decline in male-female
ratio?
 Why only a woman has to sacrifice her career
at the altar of house-hold responsibilities?
 Why a female whether an infant or an old
woman, is unsafe in our society?
 Why do men find it difficult to accept, respect
and understand the point of view of women?
 Why do we come across the incidents of crime
against women in this informative age also?

16. SOME DISTURBING SOCIAL PRACTICES…

27. SOME OBSERVATIONS/
PARADOXES/ILLOGICALITIES
 She is a working mother!
 Have we ever heard a working father?

28.  You are a girl and you do not know how to
cook. Weird….
 We all eat.
 So shouldn’t cooking be a mandatory skill for
everybody?

29.  Don’t cry like a girl.
 Come on, you are a boy.
 Why can’t boys cry?
 Are they deprived of emotions?

30.  You are a boy. You should not cook…
 It is to be done by girls only.
 If boys eat. Why can not they cook?

31. THESE SICKENING PROVERBS….
 Sons are gold and daughters silver???
 Girls are second to none.
 The girls are not even perceived as a
category???

32. 5. REPERCUSSIONS OF GENDER
SPECIFICATION
 This conditioning negatively influences young
minds and they become acutely conscious to
act within the rigid role-play specified by the
society.

33. AFTERMATHS
 Girls who do not fit in
stereotypical
expectations fall prey
to negative criticism,
mental and physical
violence and even
ostracism.
 Rather they should be
made aware of women
excelling in various
fields so that they may
get inspired.
 Boys who love
cooking, reading, hate
violence, dislike sports
activities are identified
as girls in the skin of
boys. They often
become a butt of
ridicule.
 Rather boys should be
encouraged to express
their emotions so that
they may be at ease
with themselves.
GIRLS BOYS

34. GENDER EQUALITY BENEFITS BOTH.

35. 6. GENDER NEUTRAL PARENTING
 It’s a new-age parenting practice which
breaks away from the gender binary and
exposes children to a variety of gender types
and allows them to explore.
 There are different levels of gender-neutral
parenting.
 It is a relaxed form of parenting style which
encourages children to play with toys they
want irrespective of stereotypical social
practices.
 The clothing and room colour is kept neutral or
children are allowed to pick their own
clothes/colours.

36. REWARDS OF GENDER NEUTRAL PARENTING
 Girls and boys can opt for career options in
which they are the most comfortable.
 They can look beyond stereotypical
professions being set by the society.
 They can lead happy and successful lives they
wish for.

37. MINIMISING GENDER VOID
 Use Chairperson instead of Chairman.
 Use Salesperson instead of Salesman.
 Use Humankind instead of Mankind.
 Use Police-officer instead of Policeman.
 Use Firefighter instead of Fireman.
 Use Businessperson instead of Businessman.

38. LET US RAISE OUR KIDS THE WAY THEY WANT.

39. 7. TOGETHER WE CAN
 Let us acknowledge, recognise and talk about
gender bias.
 Let us lend it a voice.
 Let us spread the word.
 Let us renovate our culture.
 Let us transform our mind-sets.
 Let us reframe our society.
 Let us make our world a happier place....