SEX

GENDER
SEXUALITY

Montakarn Chuemchit, Ph.D.

January 7 , 2021
 What is SEX?

Sex refers to the biological characteristics

that define human beings as female or
male. They are generally permanent and
universal.

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 What is GENDER?

Gender refers to “socially constructed roles, behaviours,

activities, and attributes that a given society considers
appropriate for men and women”

Gender roles can be changed.

(WHO definition of Gender) 3
Clip: Gender norm and behavior
Examples of GENDER characteristics :
– In Saudi Arabia women are not allowed to go out alone

– In many countries, many more men than women smoke, as female smoking has
been considered inappropriate

– In most of the world, women are expected to do more housework than men

– In many countries, including Thailand women earn significantly less money than
men for similar work

(Fact sheet for Gender, WHO 2015)

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 SEX and GENDER

So while your sex as “male” or “female” is a biological fact, that is the

same in any culture what that sex means,

Whereas, gender role as a 'man' or a 'woman' in society can be quite

different cross culturally.

These 'gender roles' have an impact on the health of the individual

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 What is SEXUALITY?

Sexuality refers to people’s sexual interest

in and attraction to others; it is the capacity
to have erotic or sexual feelings and
experiences.

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_sexuality)
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 Different types of SEXUALITY

❑ Sexuality is diverse and personal, and it is an important part of who you are
❑Most people are attracted to the opposite sex. These people are heterosexual,
or ‘straight’.
❑Some people are attracted to the same sex. These people are homosexual.
❑ LGBTQ is an acronym for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer or
questioning. These terms are used to describe a person’s sexual orientation

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 Different types of SEXUALITY

❑ Sexuality can be more complicated than being

homosexual, heterosexual, or bisexual
❑ A person who identifies as asexual is someone who lack
of sexual attraction to others, or low or absent interest in
sexual activity

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 Society and SEXUALITY

Each society has different Individuals are socialized

norms about premarital to these norms from an
sex, the age of sexual early age by their family,
consent, homosexuality, education system, peers,
masturbation, and other media, and religion.
sexual behaviors.

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 Some religions view sex as a sacred act between a man and a woman that should
only be performed within marriage, other religions view certain kinds of sex as
shameful or sinful

Mass media continues to shape what is deemed appropriate or normal sexuality :

to perpetuate about sexual relationships and the sexual roles of men and women,
developing sexual identities and sexual attitudes.

Culture is particularly restrictive in its attitudes about sexuality; men are more
sexual than women, prohibiting premarital sexual intercourse for women

(Reiss, 1960). 11
 Discrimination based on sexuality

❑ LGBTQ have an increased risk of depression, anxiety, substance abuse, homelessness,

self-harming and suicidal thoughts, compared with the general population.
❑ Young LGBTQ who are coming to terms with their sexuality and experiencing victimization
and bullying at school.
❑ Some of the stressful experiences that can affect the mental health of an LGBTQ person
are feeling different from other people, being bullied (verbally or physically), feeling
pressure to deny or change their sexuality, feeling worried about coming out, and then
being rejected or isolated, feeling unsupported or misunderstood.
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 they can compound
the experience of
discrimination,
health risks, and lack
of access to
AGE
resources needed for
health attainment.

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GENDER and HEALTH

Gender differences can limit Gender norms, roles and relations result
opportunities or resources needed to in differences between men and
attain health, and thereby result in women in:
discrimination and inequalities that
may have negative consequences on exposure to risk factors or vulnerability;
health. Household level investment in nutrition,
care and education;
access to and use of health services;
experiences in healthcare settings; and
social impacts of ill-health.
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Clip: Society and Gender inequalities
 Key messages

“….boys and girls, women and men, are expected by society to play a certain
role and behave in certain way based on traditions, religious, beliefs….

…..these behaviors are learnt and shape gender norms in our society

Unfortunately, gender norms create disadvantages for women”

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 Gender and Health

Gender inequalities have an enormous effect on the lives of women and

girls throughout the world.

Girls and women are almost universally less powerful, less privileged, and
have fewer opportunities than men (i.e. excluded from schooling, a
distinction between roles of men and women and their separate
assignment to domestic and public spheres)
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Gender Inequality In
The Workplace

Struggle of a
woman to reach
her goal.

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 Gender and Health (cont.)
– Food allocation: during the first 10 years of life, the energy and nutrient
needs of girls and boys are the same. Yet, in some countries, especially in
South Asia, men and boys often receive greater quantities of higher quality,
nutritious food than girls

– Gender plays an important role in determining risk factors for eating

disorders, the ‘ideal’ female body that a key factor is the desire to please
others.

(Fact sheet for Gender, WHO 2015)

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 Gender and Health (cont.)

– There are many risk factors for disease burden

– There are 2 high burden risks to show the role that gender norms have :
alcohol and unsafe sex
– Alcohol-related health problems, including injuries, road traffic
accidents, and other health issues
– Alcohol, like tobacco, has a substantially higher burden in men than in
women
(Gender and Global health, The Lancet, 2013) 20
 Gender and Health (cont.)

Gender-determined patterns of exposure:

For men: men drink alcohol and consume tobacco in greater quantities
and more frequently than women, Alcohol and tobacco consumption is
affected by culturally driven gender norms of behavior, portrayed as a
positive aspect of masculinity

For women: drinking and smoking are not accepted (bad girl /good girl)
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 Gender and Health (cont.)

➢ Unsafe sex, unplanned and unwanted pregnancies, and maternal mortality.

Much of this burden falls on women

➢ Gender inequalities have an enormous effect on the lives of women and

girls throughout the world.

(Gender and Global health, The Lancet, 2013)

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Gender equality
in health

women and men, across the

life course and in all their
diversity, have the same
conditions and opportunities
to realize their full rights and
potential to be healthy,
contribute to health
development and benefit
Gender Fact Sheet
from the results. WHO, 2015

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Equality vs. Equity

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http://www.sollis.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/equity-vs-equality.jpg 27
https://twitter.com/daalenkim/status/1158023861486665729 28
Clip: Meghan Markle
Thank you