GENDER

GENDER
 According to Maciones (2002), gender refers to the
personal traits and social positions that members of a
society attach to being male and female. Gender for
him is a dimension of social organization, shaping
how we interact with others and how we think about
ourselves.
 On the other hand, sexuality is the state of being either
male or female.

Maciones
INFLUENCES ON GENDER

Gender influences may be biological, social or

cognitive in nature.
BIOLOGICAL INFLUENCES

 Biological influences on gender involves pubertal

change, sexuality and an examination of Freud’s and
Erikson’s notions on anatomy and destiny.
PUBERTAL CHANGE AND
SEXUALITY
 Pubertal change influences gender behavior. Studies
show that sexual behavior; is related to hormonal
changes in puberty. Robert Udry (1990), an adolescent
sex researcher, reported that boys increased sexual
activity are related to rising androgen (male hormones)
level, whereas girls increased sexual activity are
strongly influenced by their peer groups.
ANATOMY IS DESTINY: FREUD AND
ERIKSON
 Sigmund Freud and Erik Erikson’s “Anatomy is Destiny”
theorizes that gender behavior is influenced by a person’s sex
organ. According to Freud, human behavior and history are
directly related to reproductive processes. Erikson agreed with
Freud and furthered stressed that anatomical differences
affect psychological differences. He noted that male
individuals are aggressive while females are passive.

Sigmund Freud Erik Erikson

SOCIAL INFLUENCES
 In the early years of development, parents are the most
critical and influential developments agent to
socialization. Other social influences are culture, school,
peers, and the media.
PARENTAL INFLUENCES
 By their examples and actions, parents influence their
children’s gender development. Boys are given more
independence while girls’ sexual vulnerability causes
parents to monitor them closely. Severe restrictions on
adolescent boys disrupt their development.
 Parents exhibit different expectations for their sons and
daughters in different areas.
SOCIAL LEARNING THEORY OF
GENDER
 The social learning theory of gender states that gender
development of children and adolescents occur through
observation of gender behavior, which are appropriate and
inappropriate, through the system of rewards and
punishment.
PEERS
 Peers also play a vital role in modeling and responding to
gender behavior. In adolescence, peer approval or
disapproval or disapproval is a powerful influence on
gender attitudes and behavior.
SCHOOLS
 The pressure to achieve and to excel in academics is
more likely to be heaped on boys than on girls because
they will grow up to be the breadwinners.
THE MEDIA
 Social researchers assumed that mass media carry
sexist messages. Exposure to mass media by the sexes
would inculcate stereotyped messages in them.
COGNITIVE INFLUENCES
 Cognitive influences on gender stress that children
organize their world on the basis of gender after
identifying themselves as either male or female.
GENDER STEREOTYPES,
SIMILARITIES AND
DIFFERENCES
GENDER STEREOTYPES
 Gender stereotypes pertain to images, impressions and
beliefs about males and females. These vary in culture
and in socioeconomic status. These are largely negative
in nature and may be prejudiced and discriminatory.
SEXISM
 Sexism is characterized by endorsement of traditional
gender roles, differential treatment for men and women,
especially the stereotype that females are less
competent than males.
GENDER SIMILARITIES
AND DIFFERENCES
DIFFERENCES
 Most women have the capacity to bear children, whereas
men do not.

 Males are more active and aggressive than females.

SIMILARITIES
 Both sexes use the same facial expressions, adopt the
same language and describe their emotional experiences
similarly.
 Both sexes are physically capable of learning to cook and
sew. Yet western societies assigned these task to women.
DAVID BUSS(1995),
AN EVOLUTIONARY PSYCHOLOGIST.

 Stressed that men and women differ psychologically

in domains where they have encountered different
problems.

David Buss
ANDROGYNY
 Androgyny is the presence of both masculine and
feminine traits in person. An androgynous person may be
an assertive but nurturant male or a dominant but
sensitive female.
GENDER ROLES
 Gender roles or sex roles are aspects of gender that refer
to a set of expectations prescribing how males or
females should act, think and feel (santrock 1998). They
are the attitudes and activities that a society links to each
gender. In Philippine culture, society defines males as
ambitious and decisive. Females, on the other hand, are
expected to be emotional, submissive or supportive
especially to their husbands. Wives are likewise
considered as home makers while husbands are family’s
breadwinners.
WOMEN
 In 1848, when slavery was legal in most parts of united
state, Women where subordinate to men. Women could not
own property or keep their salaries if they were married.
They could not drop a will and where barred from filing
lawsuits in court including suits seeking custody of their
children.
WOMEN
 Women could not study in college and their husbands would
beat them up using a stick no thicker than a thumb, (the
origin of the phrase “the rule of thumb”).

 Women also could not exercise the right to vote because

people think they naturally lacked the required intelligence
and political will.
WOMEN
 They were seen as mere decorations in homes and where
fitted for household chores. However, this attitudes and
practices only reflected the “cultural conventions of that time
and place”.
 Time have changed. Society has recognized the unique role
women play, complementing men in terms of capability in
running the affairs of the home, politics, career development
or any chosen professional field.
WOMEN
 The women of modern times display a positive and highly
secure gender identity. They feel very comfortable in being
feminine while performing their duties and responsibilities,
even those perceive to be dominated by men. Women are
no longer typecast that empowered, independent and
principled. Women, like men, increasingly struggle to gain
influence and change the worlds of business, politics, and
relationship with opposite sex.
MEN
 Rather than just being the breadwinner and the
disciplinarian in the family, today’s male has stepped into
the role of nurturer to his family. He is now actively
involved in his children’s upbringing, spends quality time
with his family and is more positive and highly secure of
his gender identity.
MEN
 He confidently does household works and other tasks
previously relegated to women without feeling a shame
or insecure of his masculinity.
Gender
Issues
WOMEN ISSUES
 Feminist advocates still believe that sexism is still rampant
in these modern time. Although a number of females have
broken through male bastions in the past decades,
feminist argue that there is still much work to be done.
Changes in nations’ economist globally have brought more
opportunities for women to participate in the work place.
SEXUAL HARASSMENT
 Sexual harassment occurs when an individual is unable to
perform a task due to unwelcome and unwanted sexual
advances by either the same or opposite sex.
 Forms of sexual harassment include sexist remarks, vulgar
sexual language, covert physical contact (deliberate and
improper touching of private and sensitive body parts,
patting) especially in the work place.
SEXUAL HARASSMENT
 The position, authority and influence of employers often
opportunities for them to ask sexual favors or make
sexual advances on their women employees.
 Sexual harassment is also rampant within the academe.
Some students are subjected to sexual harassment from
their professor who promises them higher grades and
easier assignment loads.
LOW WAGES
Technological advancements have made qualities
like physical strength no longer a work pre-
requisite. This development contributed to the
opportunity for women to explore once male
dominated workplaces.
LOW WAGES
The years have seen more females given more
opportunities to occupy traditionally male-
dominated occupations. Women now operate
push-button machines interface with
computers.
LOW WAGES
Gender discrimination remains responsible
for sizeable differences in pay among the
sexes. In a number of work places, the
principle of ‘equal pay for equal work’ is
continuously being resisted.
LOW WAGES
Reasons for such gender discrimination
include unsubstantial scientific claims like
women are weak, women are emotionally
unstable, and women give birth frequently
and go on leave which adversely their
productivity.
EQUAL WORK OPPORTUNITIES
AND PROMOTIONS
Women oftentimes encounter attitudinal or
biases that prevent them from reaching
their full potentials in the work place they
are often blocked from top management
positions in business industries.
SEXIST ADVERTISING AND
MUSIC
The media has often been criticized for the

stereotyping of women and exploiting them via
sexy advertisement (portraying them in skimpy
swimsuits almost naked).
SEXIST ADVERTISING AND
MUSIC
They have been portrayed either as sexy
vamps out seduce the male population in
liquor, cigarette and personal care products
advertisements. They are viewed as sex
projects, satisfying the male’s appetite and
libido.
SEXIST ADVERTISING AND
MUSIC
Media and advertising present models
of female and male gender roles: this
media images of males and females
greatly influence gender attitudes and
behavior.
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
Battering, child abuse, verbal abuse, abuse of
elderly, and other forms of domestic
violence are ugly realities of family life in the
Philippines. Domestic violence can begin as
early as the dating and courtships stages.
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
Victims are reluctant to share their
unpleasant experiences and typically
Confide in their peers rather than in their
parents and the authorities.
WORKING MOTHERS
Maternal employment is a fact of modernity
and a positive response to social change
that meets the needs not met by the ideal of
a full time mother and homemaker. The
needs of a growing child require his/her
mother to loosen her hold on him/her.
WORKING MOTHERS
This would be easier accomplished by a
working mother whose career is an
additional source of high self-esteem and a
confident gender self-identity.
ADOLESCENT PREGNANCY
Adolescent pregnancies create health risk for
both mother and child. Moreover, adolescent
parents are more likely to have low-paying, low-
status jobs or be unemployed than those who
delay child bearing. They tend to have less-
desirable child-rearing practices and less realistic
expectations for their babies development.
ADOLESCENT PREGNANCY
A sound sex education, family planning
and access to contraceptive methods
alone will not remedy an adolescent’s
unwanted pregnancy. Adolescents need
to be motivated to reduce unwanted
pregnancy.
ADOLESCENT
PREGNANCY
They have to have opportunities to improve
their academic career-related skills, job
opportunities, lifelong consultations and
extensive mental health services. They also
need broad community involvement and
support.
MEN’S ISSUES
The early beginnings of men’s movements date
back to the ‘70s and ‘80s. A certain Herbet
Goldberg stressed that men cannot sense and
articulate their problems and feelings. His
important message to men is to become more
attuned to their inner self and emotions and work
on developing more positive close relationships.
MEN’S ISSUES
In the 1990s, Robert Bly, a poet,
storyteller, translator, best selling author
and Carl’s Jung’s disciple, stated that
today’s males are “soft” as a result of
absentee fathers and strong attachment
to their mothers.
ADOLESCENT FATHERS
Adolescent fathers have lower incomes, are
less educated and have more children. As
soon as their out of school, they land low
paying jobs. Most young fathers have little
notion of what a father’s role is.
SEXUAL HARASSMENT
Sexual harassment involving male victims is
a reality, but very few cases are reported.
Prisons are vulnerable settings for sexual
harassments. The absence of heterosexual
partners in prison cells make men turn to the
same gender for sexual favors and release.
DISCRIMINATION AGAINST
GAYS AND LESBIANS
People harbor many misconceptions against
gays and lesbians, otherwise known as the
“third sex”. They not only suffer harassment
and discrimination but have minimal rights
under the law. They are discriminated on
when seeking employment. They are victims
of such unwarranted emotions as disgust,
fear or hatred. 
DISCRIMINATION
AGAINST
GAYS AND LESBIANS
Gays and lesbians suffer not only sexual
harassment but also verbal harassment. They
are the butt of jokes in certain segments of
society. A number of gays and lesbians
experience assaults and physical violence.
AGE DISCRIMINATION
In the Philippines, we have an age limit
for employment. Those in the age
bracket of 35 to 40 years old have a hard
time finding employment.
AGE DISCRIMINATION
Employers refer to hire young, new
graduates for those below 35 years old,
probably because of the risk of accidents,
death and weak physical stamina is
generally associated with advancing age.
As women age, the more social inequities
their experience through their lifetimes.
GENDER ROLE
DEVELOPMENT
In the Philippines, human resource is
considered one of the most important assets
of an organization. Both males and females
constitute the workforce. Whatever are their
statuses and role in life and in the workplace,
both men and women affect the organization
either positively or negatively.
GENDER ROLE
DEVELOPMENT
To achieve excellence and high
productivity, an organization has to exert
effort in empowering its workforce.
GENDER EMPOWERMENT
Republic Act 7192 which was approved in
November 18, 1992 is an act promoting
the role of women in national development.
GENDER EMPOWERMENT
Women are regarded as full and equal
partners of men in development, hence the
law mandates that all government agencies in
the national level- state colleges included –
must allot 5% of their budget to their budget
to Gender and Development (GAD) which
refers to the activities and programs designed
to empower the human resource including
women.
GENDER EMPOWERMENT
These activities and programs should be
consolidated in a GAD plan for
empowerment. Empowerment means
training the workers to improve their
quality of life, their performance at work
and their adaptability to cope with any
situation, eventually making them
competent and productive in their fields of
endeavor.
THE
END