Gender and Sexuality:

Living with Diversity in

our Everyday Lives

Prof Suen Yiu Tung

Gender Studies Programme
 Today’s content
• Gender, sexuality and diversity

• Sexual harassment policy

 Why talk about gender and
sexuality?
• It is about diversity
• Have you ever been different?
 Sex
• Distinction
based on
biological and
physiological
characteristics
 Gender
• The socially constructed roles, behaviours,
activities, and attributes that a given
society considers appropriate for men and
women at a certain historical timing
Gendered expectations
Gendered expectations
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_M9Z
Id2QAY
More than binary: Intersex status
 More than gender binary:
Transgender people
• People whose gender identity is at
variance with the sex that they are born
with
 Sexual orientation
• An enduring pattern of emotional, romantic
and/or sexual attractions to people of the
opposite sex (heterosexual), same sex
(homosexual) or both sexes (bisexual)
 Heteronormativity and minoritized
sexual orientations
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhbH3
x-Ctfc (from 1.39)
 Think again…
• To what extent have your own lives so far
been constrained by gendered social
expectations?
Have you used your ‘ruler’ to
‘judge’ others?
• ‘First they came for the socialists, and I did not
speak out—because I was not a socialist.

• Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did

not speak out— because I was not a trade
unionist.

• Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak
out—because I was not a Jew.

• Then they came for me—and there was no one

left to speak for me.’

• Martin Niemöller (1892–1984), prominent Lutheran

pastor in Germany.
Part 2: Sexual harassment
policy
 What is sexual harassment?
1. Person-to-person sexual harassment

2. Creating a hostile or intimidating

environment of a sexual nature
 Person-to-person sexual
harassment
 Unwelcome sexual advance, request for sexual
favours; or other unwelcome conduct of a sexual
nature

 A reasonable person, having regard to all

circumstances, would have anticipated
to be offended, humiliated or intimidated
 Unwelcome conduct of a sexual
nature can be…
• Physical
• Visual
• Verbal
• Non-verbal
• Blatant and overt
• Subtle and indirect
• Intentional /
unintentional
• Single / repeated
incidents
 Sexual harassment is also…
• A person, alone or together with other
persons, engages in conduct of a sexual
nature which creates a hostile or
intimidating environment for other(s)
 Quiz
• How many times does an unwelcome
sexual advance occur to be considered
sexual harassment?

• Does sexual harassment affect only

women?
 CUHK Policy
 Set
up Committee Against Sexual
Harassment in 1995
 Formulated
a Policy Against Sexual
Harassment
 Promote the awareness of prevention of
sexual harassment on campus
 Handle sexual harassment complaints and
enquiries from staff members and students
How to Deal with Sexual Harassment?
 Tell the harasser that his / her behaviour is
unwanted and reject their unreasonable request.

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How to Deal with Sexual Harassment?
 Keep a written record of the incidents, including
dates, time, places, presence of any witnesses,
nature of the harassment and your own responses.

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How to Deal with Sexual Harassment?
 Tell someone you trust and identify an advocate or
counsellor.

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How to Deal with Sexual Harassment?
 Seek help from the University’s Panel Against
Sexual Harassment or initiate a complaint (for
internal University procedures).

( All information provided will be kept in strict

confidence.)

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But a truly respecting environment
requires more than a policy…
• Understand about living with differences
What can you do?
• Learn more about gender
and sexual diversity

• Broaden your horizons

• Do not assume
 There is no action too small…
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrJxqva
lFxM