GADGRC Module 4 - Sex, Gender, and Diversity PDF

MODULE 4: SEX, GENDER AND DIVERSITY Gender and Development and the Green Culture (GADGRC)  1. Sex and Gender Identity Sex- is a biological label, “male or female” based on genital one has born with, and the chromosomes one have. GE...

MODULE 4: SEX, GENDER AND DIVERSITY Gender and Development and the Green Culture (GADGRC)  1. Sex and Gender Identity Sex- is a biological label, “male or female” based on genital one has born with, and the chromosomes one have. GENDER- is socially constructed characteristics of women and men, such as norms, roles and relationships of and between groups of women and men. It varies from society to society, and can be changed. It is also generally male or female, not based on one’s biological sex but more of how one is expected to act. Gender includes gender roles which are manifested by one’s behavior, thoughts and characteristics that go along with the person’s assigned sex. GENDER IDENTITY- is how one feel inside and how he or she expresses those feelings. Clothing, appearance and behaviors can be ways of expressing one’s gender identity.  GENDER IDENTITIES CISGENDER TRANSGENDER TRANSSEXUAL when one when one identified when one has done identified himself himself or herself gender or herself with the with a gender reassignment gender different than surgery to he/she was he/she was assigned change the sexual assigned at birth. at birth. organs he/she was born to that of a different gender. 2. SEXUAL ORIENTATION AND RELATIONSHIPS - a person’s preference for sexual relationships with individuals of the other sex (heterosexuality), one’s own sex (homosexuality), or both sexes (bisexuality). The term also increasingly refers to transgender (also transgendered) individuals, those whose behavior, appearance, and/or gender identity (the personal conception of oneself as female, male, both, or neither) departs from conventional norms. SEXUAL ORIENTATION - who one is sexually attracted to, whom he/she gets turned on by or who he/she would want to engage in sexual behaviors with. Heterosexual - attraction to a gender different from their own (e.g. male attracted to female). Homosexual - attraction to a gender the same as their own (e.g. male attracted to fellow male). Sometimes referred to as gay. Lesbian - women who are attracted only to other women Bisexual - when one is attracted to two or more genders. This term is generally used to describe being attracted to men and women. Pansexual- when one is attracted to all genders and/or do not concern with gender when he/she is attracted towards someone Polysexual - when one is attracted to many genders Monosexual - being attracted to only one gender Androsexual- being attracted to masculine gender presentation Gynosexual - being attracted to feminine gender presentation Questioning - people who are debating their own sexuality/gender Asexual- not experiencing sexual attraction. Sometimes the term, ace, is used to describe asexuals. Queer - a reclaimed slur for anybody in the LGBT+ community or who do not identify as cisgender and/or hetersexual/heteromantic Transgender – people whose gender expression is not per society’s expectations for their biological sex Transgender female – whose gender expression is masculine; identified as “butch” (masculine woman) Transgender male–has feminine gender expression with high-pitched voice; identified as “queens.” Ally - a supporter of the LGBT+ community that does not identify as LGBT+ 3. Gender Roles and Stereotypes Gender Roles - Every society categorizes its members according to sex and/or gender, treating men and women in different ways and expecting different patterns of behavior from them. The society distinguishes among their members on the grounds of age, giving different rights and responsibilities to people of various age categories and requiring them to play.  Gender Roles in the Philippines Filipino society assigned to men the role of breadwinner and to women the role of housekeeper. “Man’s World” – outside home was viewed as harsh and heartless jungle in which men needed strength and aggression. “Woman’s World” – was the home, and her job was to comfort and care for husband and children, maintain harmony, and teach her children to conform to society’s norms. Gender Roles in the Other Countries Margaret Mead found differences among three tribes in New Guinea. She concluded that human nature is almost unbelievably malleable. Responding to cultural conditions, standardized personality, differences between the sexes are of this order, cultural creations to which each generation, male and female are trained to conform. Arapesh found both men and women would consider a feminine way. They were passive, gentle and home-loving. Mundugumor found both sexes show masculine traits. They were competitive, aggressive and violent. Tchambuli found sharp differences in the male and female roles. Men are passive, emotional and dependent. Women are the economic providers, doing the farming, hunting and fishing. STEREOTYPE - is a fixed, over generalized belief about a particular group or class of people. An advantage of a stereotype is that it enables individuals to respond rapidly to situations because people may have a similar experience before. But it can make people ignore differences between individuals; therefore people think things about other people that might not be true. By stereotyping, people infer a person has a whole range of characteristics and abilities that people assume all members of the group have. GENDER STEREOTYPE - is a generalized view or preconception about attributes, or characteristics that are or ought to be possessed by women and men or the roles that are or should be performed by men and women. Gender stereotypes can be both positive and negative. COMMON MEN STEREOTYPES: COMMON WOMEN STEREOTYPES: ✅ Men are tough and powerful. ✅ Women are helpless and ✅ Men are unfeeling and childish. insensitive. ✅ Women are sensitive and ✅ Men are logical, sensible and intuitive. rational. ✅ Women are scatterbrained, ✅ Men are afraid to commit in a unstable and irrational. relationship and form an ✅ Women can easily form deep attachment. emotional attachments. ✅ Men are primarily interested in ✅ Women do not have a primary their careers or vocations. interest in their careers or ✅ Men do not have a primary vocations. interest in marriage and ✅ Women are primarily interested parenthood. in a long term relationship and parenthood. Furthermore, the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) has explained that states parties are required to modify or transform “harmful gender stereotypes” and “eliminate wrongful gender stereotyping”. CEDAW provides to take all appropriate measures to “ensure, on a basis of equality of men and women the elimination of any stereotyped concept of the roles of men and women at all levels and in all forms of education by encouraging coeducation and other types of education which will help to achieve this aim and, in particular, by the revision of textbooks and school programs and the adaptation of teaching methods”. CEDAW Obligations to eliminate stereotyping: ✅ revising text books; ✅ ensuring that teachers receive gender training; ✅ implementing programs to encourage girls to pursue education and employment in nontraditional fields; ✅ undertaking public information and education programs to change attitudes concerning the roles and status of men and women; ✅ taking measures to train public officials and the judiciary to ensure that stereotypical prejudices and values do not affect decision-making; ✅ emphasizing through awareness raising activities the importance of women’s participation in decision making roles; ✅ adopting measures, including temporary special measures, to eliminate occupational segregation based on gender stereotypes; ✅ adopting positive measures to expose and modify harmful genders stereotypes within the health sector; 4. GENDER EQUALITY AND EQUITY GENDER EQUALITY - refers to equal rights, responsibilities and opportunities that all persons should enjoy regardless of whether one is born male or female. Gender equality, also known as sexual equality, is a state of equal ease of access to resources and opportunities regardless of gender, including economic participation and decision-making, and the state of valuing different behaviors, aspirations and needs equally, regardless of gender. Gender Equality in the Workplace: In the context of the world of work, equality between women and men includes the following elements: ✅ Equality of opportunity and treatment in employment ✅ Equal remuneration for work of equal value ✅ Equal access to safe and healthy working environments and to social security ✅ Equality in association and collective bargaining ✅ Equality in obtaining meaningful career development ✅ A balance between work and home life that is fair to both women and men ✅ Equal participation in decision-making at all levels  GENDER ROLES TODAY TOWARDS GENDER EQUALITY Annie Gottlieb wrote, “women found themselves serving as secretary, mother and concubine, while men did all the speaking, writing, and negotiating– and these were men who profess to reject the ‘oppressive’ ritual machinery of their society.” THE WOMEN'S MOVEMENT Egalitarian Feminism- a belief that emphasizes sexual equality by insisting that men and women be treated exactly alike. Protectionist Feminism- emphasizes the biological differences between the sexes by insisting that men and women be treated exactly alike (e.g. prenatal care, maternity leave, and child-care services). While Men’s Liberation: Janet Chafetz emphasized “ the degree of gender equality depends on the degree on which women are involved in socially valued economic production—women will enjoy more equality with men if they move into male-dominated, higher-status occupation. GENDER EQUITY - is the process of allocating resources, programs and decision making fairly to both males and females without any discrimination on the basis of sex, age, and addressing any imbalances in the benefits available to males and females. Women and men should not be only given equal access to resources and opportunities, but they should be given the means of benefiting from this equality. This is where the concept of gender equity comes into play. It implies fairness in the way men and women are treated, and their experiences and needs are taken into considerations. Thus, equity is very essential to achieve true equality. Also, gender equity refers to the policies, instruments, programs, services, and actions that address the disadvantaged position of women in society by providing preferential treatment and affirmative action such temporary special measures aimed at accelerating “de facto equality” between men and women shall be considered discriminatory but shall in no way entail as a consequence the maintenance of unequal or separate standards. These measures shall be discontinued when the objectives of equality of opportunity of treatment have been achieved (Magna Carta of Women, RA 9710). EQUALITY VS. EQUITY BENEFITS OF GENDER EQUITY: - Treat everyone fairly involved in the organization. - Improve productivity and economic performance. - Men and women learn to build equal partnerships. - Enhance recruitment and retention of the occupation. - Women and men able to do their best work and be rewarded on merit. - Encourage men and women to participate actively in the work force. 5. GENDER DIVERSITY AND SENSITIVITY Gender Diversity is an equal ratio of men and women and frequently in the news you will read Stories about gender diversity in corporate boardrooms and other areas traditionally dominated by men. Some of the most common industry areas that see a dominance in male employees over female is in computing, engineering, medicine and science. Gender Sensitivity is way service providers treat male or female clients in service delivery facilities and thus affects client willingness to seek services, continue to use services, and carry out the health behaviors advocated by the services. 6. SEXISM AND GENDER-FAIR LANGUAGE What is Sexism in Language? The University Center for Women’s Studies of the University of the Philippines defines SEXISM in Language as the use of language, which devalues members of one sex, almost invariably women, and thus fosters gender inequality. It discriminates against women by rendering them invisible or trivializing them at the same time that it perpetuates notions of male supremacy. Why the concerns about mere words? 1. Language articulates consciousness This not only orders our thought, but from infancy, we learn to use language to give utterance to our basic needs and feelings. 2. Language reflects culture This encodes and transmits cultural meanings and values in our society. 3. Language affects socialization Children may absorb the cultural assumptions and biases underlying language use and see these as an index to their society’s values and attitudes. Social inequity reflected in language can thus powerfully affect a child’s later behavior and beliefs. How to avoid sexist language? Guidelines on Gender-Fair Language 1. Avoid attaching sexist terms when the gender is unknown When the gender is unknown, there is no reason to attach a supposed gender. If we are talking about a doctor, whose identity is not given, do not assume that the doctor is “he.” 2. Avoid Sexism Sexism is introduced to base words by using suffixes. Adding “ess” or “ette” onto an otherwise neutral noun indicates a feminine adjustment to a masculine word and, therefore, should be avoided in the non-sexist language (e.g., usherette, directress). 3. Avoid Demeaning Words Some words demean like “chick” to refer to a woman and “cat” to refer to a man. How to avoid sexist language? Guidelines on Gender-Fair Language 4. Avoid Stereotyping Stereotyping means “an unvarying form of patterns: a fixed or conventional notion or perception or conception, as of a person group, and idea held by several people and allowing for no individuality.” This develops through time: Male perceives themselves as tough, powerful, and strong. In contrast, women perceive themselves as weak, submissive, passive (e.g., a secretary is always perceived as a woman while a bank president is always perceived as a man). 5. Avoid Verbal Abuse Words can be used as weapons or healers depending on the choice of verbiage and how they are spoken. Words like a cry baby or mama’s boy are often used with the intent to hurt. Women are described as “witches” or “bitches.” What to do to become a non-sexist speaker and writer? To become a Non-Sexist Writer or Speaker What to do to become a non-sexist speaker and writer? To become a Non-Sexist Writer or Speaker " It is time that we all see gender as a spectrum instead of two opposing ideals." - Emma Watson Thank you for Listening!