Miss

Rose has seven children Mind Builders

and a tin containing seven biscuits.

Each child wants a biscuit but they

also want Miss rose to leave one in
the tin!

How can she satisfy her whimsical

brood?

Which direction is he facing?

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 (UNIFIED)FOUN 1101:
CARIBBEAN CIVILISATION
Plenary #10

19th November, 2018

Ms Lynette Sampson
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2
Caribbean Sexuality & Gender Relations
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Sex is biological Physiological differences
Primary and secondary sex characteristics

and medical

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Caster Semenya & Dutee Chand
• Nature creates ambiguities

• Hyperandrogenism
Causes their bodies to naturally
produce high levels of
testosterone.

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Gender is based on biology but is socially
constructed

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From Masculinity to masculinities?

• Can a homosexual man be considered masculine?

• Can a transgendered man be considered masculine?

• Can an intersexed person be considered masculine?

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Who would you hire to fill these jobs
1. Live in helper / maid
2. Pre-school teacher
3. Gardener
4. Auto-mechanic

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The Heterosexual discourse
• Caribbean masculinity rests In the power of the
acceptability of the heterosexual discourse.

• Male/female union as the basis of civil society

• Stereotypical expectations of the heterosexual male

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Dominant Ideas supporting Caribbean
patriarchy
• Conservative perspective
• Traditional society is best. Men as providers and protectors (i.e. the public
sphere) and women as homemakers and caregivers.(i.e. the private sphere).

• Socialist Perspective
• Dominance of economic systems dominated by men is a natural devlopment.
Disruption would divide the labour class without benefit to the labour class

• Evangelican Christian Perspective

• Belief in correctness of patriarchy in the Bible.

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Stereotypical expectations of heterosexual
men
• Financial Independence /
• Confidence Provider
• Lack of fear • Leadership
• Control of a situation • Dependable
• Control of other people • Ability to succeed

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Gender in neo-indian society
• Sexual division of labour
• Polygamy
• Patriarchal

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 Gender in plantation
society
• Allocation of work

• Parenting

• Sexual predation

• Resistance

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Gender in East Indian
society

• Independence

• Differing standards of sexual

behaviour for men and women

• Sexual division of labour

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Hegemonic masculinity
A dominant form of masculinity which is culturally upheld as the
norm. It is characterized by:

• Heterosexuality
• Hyper-masculinity
• Homophobia

It subordinates all other expressions of masculinity and

femininity.

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Influences on Gender roles in the
Caribbean
✓ Family
✓ Church
✓ School
✓ Media

“Tie the heifer; Loose the bull”

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Church
Juedo-Christian religious values have dominated the
development of Caribbean society

• Female subordination was intrinsic to God’s creation

• St. Paul emphasized overcoming the desires of the flesh
• St. Augustine believed female subordination was central to moral life
• Eve as temptress inducing Adam to sin
• Men are victims of their passions; women are responsible for their
behaviour
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Victorian Era
• Public sphere vs private sphere

• Control of female sexuality to allow men’s free exercise of their

sexuality

• Man as victim of his passions

• Women by nature did not have such passions, thus her value was
determined by appearance of innocence

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SCHOOL
• Tradition of educating boys
• Separation of subject offerings
• “Co-educational” schooling
• Sport offerings at school
• Under-representation of girls in STEM subjects
• Numerical dominance of women in higher education

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MEDIA
• Gender roles in Caribbean media are re-inforced
through
• stereotypical portrayals of men and women
• Sexualisation of girls
• Use of the male voice as the “voice of authority”

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Male stereotypes

• Beach bum
• Badman / Badjohn
• Player
• Bufoon / Idiot
• Conman
• Mystical /Obeah man

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Female Stereotypes
• Hyper-sexual / jezebel
• Gold-digger
• Mammy / Tantie
• Exotic / Mystical
• Good girl
• Independent woman

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These institutions in the Caribbean have
largely served to regulate women’s roles
and sexuality to maintain a patriarchal
system.

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What role do men and women play in the perpetuation of
these cultural norms?

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Challenges to Heterosexual Discourse
• Gay Male Perspective
• Masculine feminine division breeds a culture of aggressiveness and violence.

• Pro-feminist Perspective

• They believe that society’s insistence that men and boys follow certain
hegemonic ideals of manhood, limits their ability to function harmoniously in
society with women

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Male Marginalisation Thesis (Miller, 1991)
Primary school teaching and teacher education shifted from
being male dominated to being female dominated as a result of
the intention of those holding central positions in the society to
restrict black men to occupations related to agricultural and
industrial labour; to stifle the possible emergence of militant,
black educated men who could possibly overthrow the power
structure; to loosen the hold of the church on the education
system; and to limit the upward mobility of black men in society.
In a real sense the black woman was used against the black man
(Miller 125)
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MEDIA GENDER & CARIBBEAN SOCIETY

Issues and concerns

• Objectification of the woman

• Glorification of male violence and promiscuity
• Sexualisation of children
• Homophobic violence

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IMPLICATIONS of Caribbean gender norms
• Gender-based violence

• Restrictive identities

• Different pay for same work

• Perpetuation of inequity e.g. justice system

• “Feminisation of poverty”
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 • Occupational segregation with women tending to have lower-waged
occupations in the economy and a lower female labour force
participation. Higher educational achievements of girls does not yet
translate in a higher participation in the labour market and closing of
the wage gap.
• A high proportion of female-headed households in poverty and with
high dependency ratios.
• Social isolation of elderly men.

CARIBBEAN DEVELOPMENT BANK, COUNTRY GENDER ASSESSMENTS (CGAs) SYNTHESIS REPORT, 2016

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• Educational gaps at secondary and tertiary levels with mixed results
for boys and girls. Drop out of boys increases the potential of
deviance and anti-social behaviour. Drop outs of girls might be related
to teenage pregnancies resulting in incomplete education.

• Gender-based violence as being endemic among the researched

countries. The Report reveals a predominance of male perpetrators
(reported cases), women and girls as the vast majority of victims, and
men and boys increasingly reporting gender-based violence.

SOURCE: CARIBBEAN DEVELOPMENT BANK, COUNTRY GENDER ASSESSMENTS (Cgas) SYNTHESIS REPORT, 2016

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 These gender inequalities do not only represent
human rights issues, but are also serious
constraints to economic growth and well-being in
the Region.

SOURCE: CARIBBEAN DEVELOPMENT BANK, COUNTRY GENDER ASSESSMENTS (CGAs) SYNTHESIS REPORT, 2016

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 CARIBBEAN GENDER RELATIONS

NOT THIS THIS

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