Gender and Society: Definition and Key Aspects

• Gender and society explores gender awareness, knowledge, and skills.
• It aims to shift perceptions and attitudes related to gender.

Society Defined

• "Societe" is a French word originating from the Latin "Societas," which means "a friendly association with others."
• "Socius" means companion, associate, or business partner.
• Society consists of individuals grouped by common interests, potentially having distinct cultures and institutions.
• It involves an organized group of people associated for religious, benevolent, cultural, scientific, political, or other purposes, to achieve a common goal.

Eight Key Aspects of Society

• Society consists of people.
• Mutual awareness and interaction are present.
• Likeness is observed within society.
• Differences are accommodated.
• There is co-operation and division of labor.
• Interdependence is present within its functions.
• Society's nature is dynamic and experiences social control.

Society's Composition

• Society relies on people for social relationships and life.
• Mutual awareness is fundamental for social interaction.
• Likeness fosters resemblance in body and mind, implying a consciousness of kind.
• Differences enable varied activities since homogeneous relationships limit scope.

Division of Labor

• Assignment of tasks to units within a group, for example, a human body or institution.

Interdependence

• Social relationships rely on element interdependence.
• The family exhibits member interdependence for smooth operations.

Dynamic nature

• Society is dynamic and marked by changeability
• Constant change is inevitable, occurring gradually or abruptly.

Social Control

• Absolute freedom is limited to control behavior through formal and informal means.
• Informal controls include customs and traditions.
• Formal controls involve laws, police, and constitutions.

Two Primary Components of Society

• Culture manifests shared community traits binding individuals through beliefs, art, morals, laws, customs, and acquired habits.
• Social structure functions as an interactive system of social institutions and relationships, influencing social interactions and experiences.

Sex vs. Gender

• Sex is a biological trait (female or male) involving physical attributes like body contours, hormones, and genes.
• Gender involves differentiated roles, attitudes, and values assigned by culture and society, expectation, and aptitudes.

Primary and Secondary Sex Characteristics

• Primary characteristics refer to sexual and reproductive organs.
• Secondary characteristics include women's & men's physical developments.

Gender Socialization Agents

• Family serves as the initial source, setting expectations from birth.
• Media and school reinforces gender stereotypes.
• Peers contribute through interactions and play.

Gender Stereotyping

• Gender stereotyping creates biased perceptions of women as weaker, limiting their roles and abilities.

Gender Awareness

• Gender awareness involves understanding the differences in assigned roles, challenging stereotypes, and promoting gender equity.

Gender Sensitivity

• Gender sensitivity refers to awareness of how different genders experience life, promoting respect, inclusivity, and fairness.

4 Roots of Gender Socialization

• Family, canalization, manipulation, and school.
• Begins when the child is born.
• The way children are spoken to.
• Children's attention is directed to gender appropriate items.
• People handle girls and boys differently.
• Gender lessons and unequal treatment of students.

Inclusivity

• Inclusivity describes human diversity related to sexuality and gender.

Sexual Orientation

• Sexual Orientation refers to others, for example, heterosexual, homosexual.

Gender Identity

• Gender Identity describes their gender.
• Examples: Man, woman, non-binary.

Gender Expression

• Gender Expression describes how a others.

Aspects of Gender

• Physical characteristics at birth.
• Persons identities.

Gender fluid

• Where the persons identity changes over time.

Androgynous

• A person with qualities from those of men or women.

What it means to be men/masculine

• Society has certain images of men (masculine) and women (feminine)
• The media and peers can contribute to this