DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GENDER AND WOMEN STUDIES Women Studies i.

Women studies as area of

academic studies came into being in 1960-2ns wave of feminism. ii. First course developed in late 1960s,
USA. San Diego State University, California 1969 (Based on 54 pages work “A Changing Political Economy
as it affects women” created by Mary Ritter Beard in 1934). iii. First MA in University of Kent, UK 1980.
iv. PHD in Emory University, Georgia, USA 1990 Purpose i. Raising conscious … o Gender stereotypes
(personality traits, appearance, occupation, domestic behavior)  Women were idealized as mothers
(“the angel in the house”), while those who failed to meet expectations were censured as prostitutes
with uncontrollable sexual desires. It is true that the concept of the respectable male “breadwinner”,
who had the responsibility for providing financially for his entire family, was increasingly influential in
this period. Consequently, women were frequently expected to give up their jobs when they got
married.  In marriage, men were expected to rule over their wives, and all property (except in some
cases property acquired by the woman before marriage) belonged to the husband. Men were the
primary wage earners, while women were expected to be primarily responsible for housework and
childcare, though both sexes participated in all these activities. Women's paid employment was typically
low status, low paid, and involved fewer skills and responsibilities than men's. The types of work
available to women were confined to a few sectors of the economy where the work could be seen as an
extension of women's domestic responsibilities, such as domestic service, the clothing trades, teaching,
and nursing. In politics, women possessed virtually no formal rights. Beyond employment, women's
public roles were generally confined to the exercise of their moral and domestic virtues. o Language
(weaker, sex oriented, abusive language) e.g. Bachelor/Spinster o Patriarchy o Feminism (Feminist
theories: Psychoanalysis, radical feminism, Marxist feminism, liberal feminism, post colonial feminism) ii.
Women empowerment iii. Social justice iv. Relationship between gender and society (historically and
culturally) v. Equality vi. Promotion of their contribution (past and present) Men Studies 1970s
www.CSSExamPoint.com GENDER STUDIES/CSS ZAHOOR ELAHI (CSP/CTG) 03004578032 pg. 6
MULTIDISCIPLINARY NATURE OF GENDER STUDIES i. Wide range of disciplines (Anthropology, Sociology,
Economics, Pol. Science, Economics, Religion, Psychology, Literature, History, Biology) ii. Gender Studies
is a trans-disciplinary area of study which engages critically with iii. Includes all behaviors of sexual
orientation e.g. LGBT iv. Includes all sexual entities male, female, she male etc. v. Every aspect of life
(fields). Gender/sex plays a role in almost all spheres of life. We read the world through gendered
glasses, and media, institutions, families, social networks and many other arenas construct gendered
distinctions and norms for "proper" gendered behaviours and appearances. AUTONOMY VS
INTEGRATION DEBATE IN GENDER STUDIE