Understanding Gender and Women’s Studies
1.1 Introduction Gender issues have been plaguing our society for several centuries. Discrimination against women exists in every area of life in varying degrees and forms. Women continue to suffer as the most disadvantaged group in spite of the efforts taken by the reformers and the Government. Hence, the concept of gender and Women’s Studies need to be understood to facilitate the process of women empowerment.
1.2 Gender Refers to the roles and responsibilities of men and women that are created in our families, our societies and our cultures. The concept of gender also includes the expectations held about the characteristics, aptitudes and likely behaviours of both women and men (femininity and masculinity).
1.3 Difference between Sex and Gender Sex is the biological distinction between males and females, whereas, gender is the significance a society attaches to the biological categories of female and male i.e. "masculine and feminine".
Biological Context Social Context
XX vs. XY chromosomes Family roles
Estrogen vs. testosterone Gender segregation of jobs
Body size, shape, body hair, muscle development Aggressiveness/tenderness
1.4 Gender Role Socially determined behaviors, tasks and responsibilities for women and men based on socially perceived differences that define how women and men should act. Gender roles change over time, through individual choices or with social or political changes such as economic crises, natural disasters and consequent emergencies, and post-war situations in which the decision-making power and responsibilities of women and men may vary.
1.5 Gender Identity
It is a subjective, but continuous and persistent, sense of ourselves as masculine or feminine.
1.6 Gender Stereotyping
The term gender stereotyping is a socially determined model which contains the cultural belief about what the gender roles should be. Gender stereotypes vary on four dimensions: traits, role behaviors, physical characteristics,
1.2 Gender Refers to the roles and responsibilities of men and women that are created in our families, our societies and our cultures. The concept of gender also includes the expectations held about the characteristics, aptitudes and likely behaviours of both women and men (femininity and masculinity).
1.3 Difference between Sex and Gender Sex is the biological distinction between males and females, whereas, gender is the significance a society attaches to the biological categories of female and male i.e. "masculine and feminine".
Biological Context Social Context
XX vs. XY chromosomes Family roles
Estrogen vs. testosterone Gender segregation of jobs
Body size, shape, body hair, muscle development Aggressiveness/tenderness
1.4 Gender Role Socially determined behaviors, tasks and responsibilities for women and men based on socially perceived differences that define how women and men should act. Gender roles change over time, through individual choices or with social or political changes such as economic crises, natural disasters and consequent emergencies, and post-war situations in which the decision-making power and responsibilities of women and men may vary.
1.5 Gender Identity
It is a subjective, but continuous and persistent, sense of ourselves as masculine or feminine.
1.6 Gender Stereotyping
The term gender stereotyping is a socially determined model which contains the cultural belief about what the gender roles should be. Gender stereotypes vary on four dimensions: traits, role behaviors, physical characteristics,