gendersensitivity

1. GENDER SENSITIVITY

2. •
What is Gender?
Sex is what is biologically assigned to an
individual and Gender is what a person
identifies himself or herself as.
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Gender is not binary; it is a spectrum.
SexualMinorities

3. Sex & Gender
“Sex”refersto thebiological and physiological
characteristicsthat define men and women.
“Gender”refersto the socially constructedroles,
behaviors, activities, and attributesthat a
givensociety considers appropriatefor men and
women.

4. Thus,while sex is permanent and
universal, genderconstruction varies from
onesocietyto another.
Toputit inanother way, “Male”and “Female”
aresex categories,while “masculine” and
“feminine” aregendercategories.

5. Gender Sensitivity
Gender sensitivity is the act of being sensitive
to the ways people think about gender.

7. • Gender sensitivity tries to ensure that
people rely less on assumptions about
traditional and outdated views on the roles
of men and women.

9. Language matters!
Gender sensitivity often getsexpressedthrough
people'slanguage choice.
We canchoose moreinclusive language and use
wordsthat are gender neutral.

10. Genderdiscriminatory wordsare not innocent -
bymaking womennon-apparent, societywill
seethem as possessing lessvalue.
Genderequalitybenefits both men and women
bygiving them wider choice.

12. Gender Roles
• 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.

13. Socialization
• Gender roles determine how males and
females should think, speak, dress and
interact within the context of society.
• They define what is masculine and feminine.
• Parents, teachers, peers, films, television
and religion teach and reinforce gender
roles.

14. Examples
Someexamples of gender characteristics:
-Women are expectedto take careoffamily
ordomesticduties and remain close tohome
-All men are expectedto work and earn
moneyfor the family
- Boysare betterin mathematics than girls
-Boysnever cry
-Girlsare very emotional
-Women usually do morehouseworkthan men

16. Housework
 Mostly, itis women who dothe housework….
Cooking,cleaning, washing etc which is
repetitiveand boring.
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Women haveentire responsibility forchild
rearing.
Women haveto look after olderorsick people.
Allthis is unpaid labour / work. Ithas no
economicvalue.
Butit contributes a lotto theoverall wealthof
thenation.
Hence,housework doneby women should be
madea part ofGDP.

18. Stereotypes
Stereotypes are generalizations
or assumptions that people make
about the characteristics of all
members of a group based on an
image (often wrong).

19. Exploring Gender Stereotypes
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Men’s
Adventurous
Brave
Strong
Virile
Hard,tough
Aggressive
Intelligent
Rational
Decidesquickly
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Women’s
Patient
Tolerant
Forgiving
Chaste
Motherly
passive
Obedient
Beautiful
Soft
Loving

20. More adjectives
Men’s
 Manly
 Breadwinner
 Sexuallyactive
 Handsome
 Independent
 Hard working
 Angry
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Women’s
Sacrificing
Caring
Cheerful
Quiet
Sympathetic
Adjusting
Crieseasily

21. Conditioning
Asa child, boys gettoys like trucks,guns and
superheroes while the girlsare given dolls
and cookingsets.
Thisconditioning manipulates young minds
intobelieving thattheymustactwithin their
“givenplace” in the society.

22. Challenges
Girls who do not conform to stereotypical
expectationscan experience
criticism,ostracism and even violence.
Thisalso putsunwarranted pressureon boys
wholoveto read,dislike fighting, ordislike
sportsor mechanics.
Gender equality benefits both boys and girls.

24. Benefits
Allowboys to expresstheiremotions, encourage
themto be expressive.Involve them in activities
likegardening and cooking.
Exposegirlsto rolemodels of women in
business, especiallythoseoutside the
stereotype,like doctors,scientistsand leaders.
Theserolemodels willhelpgirlstoseethemselves
in professions outsidethe normal stereotypes.

26. Patriarchy
A worldwidesystem thatpredates recorded history,
the patriarchy is the most powerfulforcein the world
today,trumping otherideologies orpolitical systems
orreligious beliefs.
Byits verynature, it is rooted in thesubjugation of
women.
Patriarchal cultures uphold the privilegesofmen
based on gender,social structures, religious
practices, andlegal codes.

27. Eventhough menare more privileged under patriarchy
than women, some menare more privilegedthan others.
These differences vary according to the culture with its
particular class subsystems and, ofcourse,the castes
basedon physical characteristics like skin colorand sex
that cannot bechanged.
Thesesubsystems can also bebased on lineage, on
religion,or onwealth. Women within the
subsystems, however,always occupy a lowerstatus than
theirmale counterparts.

28. Patriarchal Institutions
 Family
 Religion
 LegalSystem
 EconomicSystem
 PoliticalSystem
 Media
 KnowledgeSystem

29. Masculinity
 is a set of qualities, characteristicsor roles
generallyconsidered typicalof, or
appropriateto,aman.
 Eg:being
aggressive,macho, angry, brave, virile,being
in control.
 Expectationof what a ‘real’ man should act
and look like …. Butno one actually is.
 Biological factors, culturally constructed.

30. Harmful downside
 Relationship betweenmasculinity and
gender-based violence.
 Disempowermentand impoverishment of
women and the persistenceof gender
inequalities through men’s violence.
 Lossof men's dignity andself esteemwhen
theyare taught to behave violently.

31. Moving out of the box
 Women arepushed back into conforming by
various punishments … ridicule, laughed at,
contempt,verbal threats,intimidation, physical
attacks,violence including beating,assault, rape,
murder.
 Menalso face challenges … men who listento
theirwives ordisplay sensitivity or do housework
etc….Labelled as joruka ghulam, chakka etc.
 Menalso have to be very strong tobreak out.

32. Violence against Women
Concepts of
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Honour
Chastity
 Acidattacks
• Rape as a weapon

33. •
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What is Sexual Harassment?
Sexual Harassment includes:
a) Physical contact and advances
b) A demand for sexual favours
c) Sexually coloured remarks
d) Showing pornography
e)Any other unwelcome physical, verbal or
non-verbal conduct of sexual nature

34. •
How to deal?
Criminal Proceedings
• Disciplinary action
• Complaint Mechanism
• Complaints Committee
• Raise Awareness