COMMUNICATION

IA GENDER
DISCRIMINATION
 Introduction

The theme of this I.A is Gender Discrimination and its Effects. This key issue is

linked to social injustice, a factor that hinders progress in the developing

Caribbean states. The Caribbean cannot experience true development if gender

discrimination prevents productivity. The purpose of this paper is to highlight

the types of gender discrimination, its effects and measures to mitigate against

it.

Firstly, the expository looked at discrimination in our society and government

policies aimed at alleviating the issue. It discussed the importance of the

eradication of gender discrimination showing where it still exists, why it still

exists and how its eradication improves productivity and development in the

Caribbean.

Next, the reflection addressed gender discrimination facing women and girls

and its effects. It focussed on how society’s ideals on discrimination affects

persons from a young age. Thus, both ably addressed the purpose.

I study Caribbean Studies where the factors that hinder development as well as

the factors that promote development are addressed. Personally, as a citizen

who seeks the betterment of this country, I have witnessed girls’ education being

sacrificed for the benefit of their brothers. As I aspire to join the field of

medicine, I know that women’s productivity in this field will be a great asset.
Preface

Gender discrimination persists due to different forms of socialisation, that is

one type for boys and another type for girls. This reflection is a monologue

which allows the emotions of the character as well as the theme to be depicted

from the perspective of a victim of discrimination. It is entitled ‘Remember

You Are A Girl’ and comments on a girl’s life choices. It bothers her that her

mother is least supportive of what she wants to do with her life.

The purpose of the piece is to create awareness about society’s reaction to a

person who acts outside of accepted norms and the significance of defying the

conventions. As society dictates roles to which its members are expected to

conform and some are prevented from following their passion due to their

gender. Fortunately, this character defies the norms and the societal stigma. This

shows that gender discrimination can be eradicated by strong women who are

willing to stand for what they believe in.

The target audience for this piece is young girls between the ages of 13 and 20

who are in secondary school where opportunities for shaping their future

determine the course of society. A publication in the school magazine or class

discussions on gender issues would be ideal to reach the audience.

Reflection

Title: Remember you are A Girl

Glenna gyul when Trinidad goin change? I tired fuh so.

Wha happen Jackie gyul?

Imagine my mother telling me in her proper, proper way, "Jackie why don't you

dress more like a girl and get a girl’s job?

I was so taken aback to hear my mother saying dat, if was someone else it eh

go bother me buh nuh my mudder of all persons. She know that I love

mechanic work since I small. I love big trucks, I cyar wait to get a job driving a

large truck. She eh know that I done apply for a job to drive truck with my

uncle. And he done promise me the job. I go be the first women working with

him drivin a truck an helpin him fix his trucks. My uncle has a fleet of trucks.

Jackie you really luv trucks and mechanic wuk. I remember in school we use to

call yuh truck girl. While everyone would move away when they see a big

truck you would be the only one to go forward to check out the people truck, or

to watch as the truck speed by. We always laughed at you. you were fearless. It

is great dat you passed your 9 CXC subjects.

Glenna I was working in my uncle truck business since I was 12 years old. He

use to leh me bring a spanner fuh him or a screw driver for him and so I geh to

know the tools. I wud be right by he side when he doing work on truck engines

and he wud explain to me what he doin and why he doin it. The more he

explained the more curious I geh. I wud ask questions and he wud answer, soon

I was fixin little things on trucks and real enjoyin it.

I remember de first time he took me for a ride in a big truck on a lonely road

and leh me drive the truck for a short distance. It was the best feelin ever. He

was surprised that I was not scared I was 15 years old den.

Girl I have been wearing dirty jeans and oily clothes most of my life as I have

always followed my uncle around in his trucking business and garage. My

mudder know dat, so I eh know wha rubbish she telling me bout girl dress and

girl job and husband. I good for now. I just 23 years ole, let me do meh do nuh.

Jackie you remember in Convent School the nun use to say , "Young ladies,

please sit quietly, sit like young ladies, speak softly",

Yes I remember good and when we laugh out she would say , "Ladies are seen

and not heard, now behave like girls". Those were the days of old. Today

women can do whatever they wish, laugh as loud as they want and do any job

they want to. It eh have no man wuk and lady wuk, everybody could do any

wuk they like and want to do. I like to drive big truck and do mechanic wuk

and that is what I going to do with my uncle. He hasto hire me, I goin to be he
first female truck driver and mechanic. I will make he proud and pave the way

for other women to drive big truck. I hope my mudder doh tell my uncle any

rubbish about puttin me to wuk in he office so I can dress like a lady, walk like a

lady, look beautiful, do the filing and photocopying, answer the phone and tings

like dat cause I go surely go crazy.

Glenna yuh know wat har to happen, we women ourselves must act in whatever

way possible in our own situation to start making corrective changes. Women

must speak out, voice our opinions, take control of ourselves and our actions.

We need to assert ourselves to bring about that change which would make a

difference in the way we are treated by our parents, our siblings, at work, at

school even in the communities in which we live.

You self Glenna wanted to do landscaping full time and yuh mother tell yuhdat

eh no wuk for a gyul so yuh take ah office wuk instead. Before complaining

why yuh doh just buy yuh tools and do yuh landscaping dat yuh wah do. It go

pay better dan the office wuk I sure.

I wah drive truck as my uncle workers does make real money in overtime. I

wuk hard to geh my 9 subjects at CXC as my mudder wanted, so now all I want

to do is to work with my uncle driving truck and fixing dem and make plenty

money. Fixin and drivin truck is my dream.

I don’t want to just sit home and cook and clean for any man and children. I

want much more dan dat. I want to provide for myself and help to support my
family. My husband would har to understand and accept me as I am and so

would my mudder. Times have changed. Women have equal rights.

Reflective Analysis

The reflective piece, ‘Remember You Are A Girl’ is a monologue reflecting a

conversation between two friends. The writer of this piece utilized language

register and communicative behaviours to establish the attitudes and

relationships between characters.

The writer used dialectal variation as a means of establishing character

relationships. Jackie and Glenna spoke to each other in the standard Caribbean

Creole, typically associated with informal situations such as a conversation

between friends. This was used as a way to show that the two were friends.

This, however, is contrasted against the way Jackie said her mother spoke to

her. She said her mother spoke to her in her, ‘proper, proper way’ meaning

standard English. The standard is typically used in formal situations yet her

mother spoke to her in the standard which is an indicator of the strain in their

relationship due to her mother’s lack of support for her and her life choices. It

also reflects the topic and as it gives a glimpse of how gender discrimination is

being eradicated as there are more women like Jackie or inspired by people like

Jackie to do what makes them happy despite society’s norms and disapproval.
The register throughout the dialogue between the friends was an informal

intimate register. Intimate register is used with family members and close

friends and this can be seen through their use of the Creole which is typically

associated with an informal setting such as a conversation between two persons

with a close relationship as well as their referral to shared past experiences such

as the nun at school telling them how young women should act. This showed

that the characters are comfortable speaking freely to each other and have

known each other for a very long time. As Jackie mentioned, Glenna also had a

mother who did not support her career aspirations thus Jackie called someone

who understood her plight and who understood her situation. Glenna is quite

supportive and reminds Jackie of what she has done in the past to show that she

is more than capable to be who she wants to be.

 Conclusion
The main topic of this portfolio is “Gender”. The main purpose is to show how and

why the Caribbean is dealing with gender discrimination. This is illustrated in the

expository essay, supported by both primary and secondary data. The reflective piece shows

how society treats persons who do not follow social stigma and expectations and is depicted

as a dialogue. It is hoped that all who read this can be inspired to follow their dreams despite

societal expectations. This project is meant to educate the general public about the reasons

and methods by which discrimination is being eliminated,

 Appendix
Gender and Power Relations

in Trinidad and Tobago

We have many highly successful women in our country, but the system itself militates against
women rising. Too often, women give up and don’t pursue their dreams. I would like to see
more women get involved in politics at the highest levels, so that the country would see us for
what we are and not pay attention to the shoes we wear and the dress we choose. We don’t
notice that in men. (2013)

Kamla Persad-Bissessar, First Female Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago

In Trinidad and Tobago, the Government has a longstanding commitment to eliminating

gender-based discrimination. According to the National Gender Policy (2018), the persistence

of discrimination and gender stereotyping in some laws, traditions, customs and religious

practices prevents women’s and men’s full enjoyment of rights and equal participation in

national development. The National Policy on Gender and Development aims to eliminate all

such barriers and advance measures to promote gender equality.

This paper examines the power relations which seeks to sustain the oppression and the

subordination of women in Trinidad and Tobago looking at the impact on gender and on

women's role in society.

A glance of women in Education is quite revealing. Traditionally, women have been a

minority in the sphere of educational leadership particularly in secondary and post secondary

institutions, while over represented in primary institutions and Early Childhood centres noted

Dr Jeanette Morris, Programme Professor at the University of Trinidad and Tobago. She
further noted that this is changing as women are rapidly closing the educational as well as the

occupational and economic gap.

However, despite the progress made, challenges still remain to women’s full participation in

educational management. Some of these challenges are related to selection procedures, the

difficulties in balancing career and family life, power relations in the workplace, gender

stereotyping and gender discrimination.

Morris further stated that on the other hand women’s increasing participation in educational

management provides opportunities for transformation of the workplace, removal of the glass

ceiling and a rethinking of traditionally masculine styles of management for more gender

sensitive and participatory management styles.

Women are marginalised not because of lack of skills nor low academic achievement, as

much as by the patriarchal power relations which dictate a rigid sexual division of labour,

with men designated the status of family wage earners and providers and women their

assumed dependents or child raisers and housekeepers, a legacy from the British colonisers.

(Dr J. Huggins).

The under-representation of women and increasing gender inequalities must be reversed if the

sustainable development goals are to be met, according to the Commonwealth Head at the

Women's Affairs Ministerial Meeting in 2016. Patricia Scotland, Secretary General of the

commonwealth said: "An increased empowerment and inclusion of women is not just about

fairness, it is about huge economic opportunity that is otherwise simply missed.

Trinidadian women even if cognizant of the discrimination women have suffered in the past,

maintain reservations about asserting clear positions independent of men. They still see

women's role as chiefly wife and mother, stated Merle Hodge, a role which fits well into the

normalising and patriarchal power relations but.

Rev. Dr. Knolly Clarke on August 1st 2019 when interviewed by me told a story about Gloria

Waldron.Gloria Waldron said , "as a female priest after serving I still have to go home and

organise lunch". Meanwhile male Anglican priest are more often than not provided with a

meal by a female parishioner, or their wife has their meals prepared, unfortunately, not so

with the female priest though they both do the same jobs.

According to Huggins 2015, women in Trinidad like their men folk have long considered

education as the avenue to upward social mobility and some women have been able to break

through the traditionally male dominated professions and have gained increased economic

independence.

Today we have female plumbers, electricians, taxi drivers masons, brick layers, builders,

women are lawyers, doctors, journalist, engineers, pilots in fact women can be found in all

fields which were once male dominated.

The General Elections of 2010 produced Trinidad and Tobago’s first female Prime Minister.

In 2015, the percentage of females graduating outnumbered males in all faculties except for

Engineering where females comprised 30.4 of graduates. . Much attention has been given to

the lower numbers of males among UWI graduates and other tertiary academic institutions.

No real structural change can occur among women alone, the focus has to include the

situation of men and the question of men's emancipation. The aim should not be for a male or

female role, but for a basically human role.

The Government’s ratification of international conventions on equality and more specifically

gender equality lends credence to the Gender Policy and its philosophy and its attempts to

reduce and eliminate the gender inequality gaps among men and women and boys and girls.

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