GENDER AND CULTURE
that are in the same time accepted by his culture.
Culture
Refers to the shared values, beliefs, and norms of a
specific group of people.
Influence the manner we learn, live and behave.
Culture is an important shaper of our personality.
People who are born and bred in the same culture share
common personality trait.
Personality
According to Boas and Benedict
- personality is obtained thru culture and not biology
Cultural Relativism Theory gives a comprehensive
understanding of the underlying relationship between
culture and personality.
- preserve shared personalities through their own
values, beliefs and rituals
Margaret Mead
- societies have uniform value systems, thus share
common personality trait.
Sex, Differences and Personality
Evolution and genetics are believed to have brought
about differences in personality traits as determined by
the biological sex of a person. As explained by the
Theory of Sexual Selection, males compete to attract
females, so men are more likely to be aggressive and
competitive than women.
Our culture greatly contributes to the development of
our beliefs and values. In addition, gender differences
also influence the personality traits a person possesses.
Culture regulates our lives and influences the
development of personality at every turn, primarily by
prescribing and limiting what he will be required to
acquire for the development of his personality.
Each culture has its own concept, needs, and specific
techniques of child rearing as well as a set of
expectations regarding patterns of approved behavior.
There are social differences – children from different
socio-economic backgrounds differ in personality
structure, behavior, and attitudes.
How culture affects personality?
A child develops certain desires and drives as a result of
the situations he passes through earlier in his life. The
child then develops certain personality traits that
enables him to satisfy these drives.
All of the personality traits that appear later on usually
have one common goal, which is fulfilling these desires
that the child developed provided that his culture
allows him to fulfill them that way.
Culture affects the personality of a person indirectly.
Culture forces most people to be bound by certain rules
then the child will develop different personality traits
that would allow him to appear superior to others and
While genes do affect people’s personalities still this
effect is greatly determined by the environment. This
means that two people having the same exact genes
but raised in different environments are very likely to
develop totally different personalities.
Cultural Diversity
The diversity of our languages, customs, and expressive
behaviors confirms that much of our behavior is socially
programmed, not hardwired.
Understanding Cultural Diversity
As we work, play, and live with people from diverse
cultural backgrounds, it helps to understand how our
cultures influence us and how or cultures differ.
In conflict-laden world, achieving peace requires a
genuine appreciation for both genuine differences and
our deep similarities.
All cultures have their accepted ideas about appropriate
behavior.
NORMS – rules or expectations that are socially
enforced.
It may be prescriptive or proscriptive.
Norms do restrain and control us – so successfully and
so subtly that we hardly sense their existence.
How is culture in reference to norms?
Culture is largely influenced by the norms that are
accepted by the society. Each culture differs in its
standards and norms.
How is gender and culture related?
Genders are shaped by culture.
Gender identities and gender relations are critical
aspects of culture because they shape the way daily life
is lived in the family, but also in the wider community
and workplace.
Gender functions as an organizing principle for society
because of the cultural meanings given to being male or
female.
World Cultural Regions
WESTERN: ANGLO AMERICAN
Most often refers to a region in the Americas in which
English is a main language and British culture and the
British Empire have had significant historical, ethnic,
linguistic and cultural impact.
Approaches on Gender and Sexuality
• Depictions of gender in Beowulf are important
to the definition of individual community
identity.
 • If individuals did not act according to their roles,
then the community could not be unified and
would fail.
• Male gender role was dominant
(images of the hero, kings, rulers)
the Anglo-Celtic that has influenced and modified its
development in the American South.
• Gender roles established within African-
American families often contradict the
ideologies of the functionalist perspective.

• Women gender roles (cupbearers,
peace-weavers)
• Law of Cnut: women had the
right to leave if marriage was
“displeasing”
• Once married, wife prepared to take the
husband’s place at any moment (look after the
home/farm, see if there needs to be repair,
collect ransom in case husband was a prisoner)
• Men focused on the protection and labor work
• Finances belong to both men and women
Promoting equality of opportunity for all and achieving
diversity at all levels increasing women involvement in
the workplace.
WESTERN: LATIN-AMERICAN
These are generally of Western origin, but have various
degrees of Native American, African and Asian
influence.
• Latin American gender roles speak
traditionally accepted gender archetypes:
machismo (an exaggerated masculinity for
men) marianismo (a passive nurturing role for
women)
• One of the difficulties in defining gender roles is
that Latin American countries underwent rapid
changes in gender roles during the latter part of
the twentieth century.
• In the three Latin American countries surveyed,
strong majorities say they accept homosexuality
in society.
WESTERN: ENGLISH-SPEAKING WORLD
The United Kingdom, the United States, Canada,
Australia, New Zealand, Ireland
Approaches on Gender and Sexuality
Survey finds these countries are abandoning traditional
views of gender roles with 72% disputing the
conservative view that women should dedicate
themselves to housework, compared with 58% 10 years
ago.
There is a view that feminism is redundant; they have
their rights now so they can take off the dungarees and
choose to do what they like.
Views of Homosexuality Around the World | Pew
Research Center
WESTERN: AFRICAN-AMERICAN
African-American culture is rooted in the blend
between the cultures of West and Central Africa and
• In examining sex and gender roles within
African-American families, there is a paradigm
shift in the Black family structure.
• The culture practices and functions of Black
families were all by means shaped by the
institution of slavery-> crucial turning point as it
marked some of the greatest changes in the
structure of Black families.
• Families were deconstructed in many ways
which affected the roles of Black men and Black
women. As a result, they were forced to
conform to the traditional norms of the Anglo-
Saxon community.
• Regardless of gender, persons were expected to
fulfill domestic and outdoor activities on an
equal basis. The roles of African women were
not limited.
INDOSPHERE CULTURE
(highlights the culture influence in Southeast Asia)
Approaches on Gender and Sexuality
of
• Gender in Southeast Asia is the deciding factor
concerning independence, ability to work and
even health.
• Despite Southeast Asian countries’ reputation
for being run by men, the Philippines and
Singapore have impressive indicators on gender
equality. However, when considering Southeast
Asian as a whole, gender equality is still
nowhere near perfect.
• Cultural shifts over the last 40 years mean that
Southeast Asia currently has a female workforce
participation rate of 42%, which is higher than
the global average of 39%.
• These days women are able to have jobs to
support themselves and not rely on their
significant others so much, hence the term
independent women.
SINOSPHERE CULTURE
(the regions of Chinese diaspora outside of greater
China, and some for the entire Chinese-speaking world)
Approaches on Gender and Sexuality
• The concept of gender is foundational to the
general approach of Chinese thinkers. Yin and
yang, core elements of Chinese cosmogony,
involve correlative aspects of “dark and light”,
“female and male”. These notions, with their
deeply-rooted gender connotations, recognize
the necessity of interplay between forces in
generating and carrying forward the world.
The constitution of the People’s Republic of China,
which was enacted is 1954, stated that women and men
should have equal rights. To promote gender equality,
the Communist Party promoted the slogan “Women
hold up half the sky” to illustrate the importance of
women to China’s economic success.
One child policy, official program initiated in the late
1970s and early 1980s by the central government of
China, the purpose of which was to limit the great
majority of family units in the country to one child each.
There was a persistent gender imbalance (because of
the traditional preference of having sons) and invoking
stronger measures such as forced abortions and
sterilization (the latter primarily of women).
ISLAMIC CULTURE
• refer to the cultural practices common to
historically Islamic people. Has influenced and
assimilated much from the Persian, Egyptian,
Caucasian, Turkic, Mongol, Indian, Bangladeshi,
Pakistani, Malay, Somali Berber, Indonesian,
and Moro Cultures. Islamic culture generally
includes all the practices which have developed
around the religion Islam. There are variations
in the application of Islamic beliefs in different
cultures and traditions.
• In Islam, scriptures, cultural traditions, and
jurisprudence affect the relationship between
men and women.
• The Quran, indicates that men and women are
spiritual equals.
• The Quran 4:124.5:
“If any do deeds of righteousness be they male or
female and have faith, they will enter Heaven, and not
the least injustice will be done to them.”
ARAB CULTURE
Arab culture is the culture of the Arabs, from the
Atlantic Ocean in the west to the Arabia Sea in the east,
from the Mediterranean Sea in the North to the Horn of
Africa and the Indian Ocean in the Southeast.
• Women in Arab countries find themselves torn
between opportunity and tradition.
• Arab Muslim women in the Middle East still face
substantial social and legal inequalities. Even as
governments in the region tout female
advancement abroad, women in the Arab Gulf
claim they still enforce traditional gender roles.
• Women in all of the Gulf states must receive the
approval of a male guardian to marry.
• In Qatar, single women under 25 require
permission to travel abroad, and Qatari men
can argue in court to stop their wives from
travelling.
• In Saudi Arabia, men can file a disobedience
complaint against female relatives for leaving
the house without permission.
• In Qatar, Kuwait, and Bahrain, a man can stop
his wife from working if he feels her
employment interferes with domestic
responsibilities of religious conducts.
GENDER SOCIAL PROBLEMS
The fight for gender equality is an ongoing struggle for
men and women throughout the world. Many aspects
of gender inequality are events that men will never
face, but that constantly shape women’s mental health
and opportunities. Listed here are the top 10 examples
of gender inequality found in the daily lives of women
across the globe.
INFANT LIFE EXPECTANCY
In India and China, the two most populous nations in
the world, there is significant data that shows a survival
disadvantage for girls under five years of age. In China,
girls have a seven percent higher infant mortality rate
than boys, and in India, a study conducted in the first
decade of the 2000s found that the risk of death
between the ages of one and five was 75 percent
higher for girls than for boys.
2. ACCESS TO PRE-NATAL CARE AND MATERNITY
MORTALITY
 As of 2017, there are 1.6 billion women of reproductive
age in the developing world. Of the 127 million women
who gave birth in 2017, just 63 percent received a
minimum of four antenatal care visits and only 72
percent gave birth in a health facility. Among women
who experienced medical complications during
pregnancy or delivery, only one in three received the
care they or their newborns needed.
3. EDUCATION
Less than 40 percent of countries offer girls and boys
equal access to education and only 39 percent of
countries have equal proportions of the sexes enrolled
in secondary education. By achieving universal primary
and secondary education attainability in the adult
population, it could be possible to lift more than 420
million people out of poverty. This would have its
greatest effect on women and girls who are the most
likely to never have stepped foot inside a school.
Once girls are attending school, discrimination follows.
One in four girls states that they never feel comfortable
using school latrines. Girls are at greater risk of sexual
violence, harassment and exploitation in school. School-
related gender-based violence is another major
obstacle to universal schooling and the right to
education for girls.
4. ILLITERACY
There are approximately 774 million illiterate adults in
the world and two-thirds of them are women. There are
approximately 123 million illiterate youths and 61
percent of them are girls.
Women’s share in the illiterate population has not
budged in 20 years. These facts not only affect women
but their children as well.
A child born to a mother with the ability to read is 50
percent more likely to survive past age five.

5. Increases in female labor force participation result in
faster economic growth, but women continue to
participate in labor markets on an unequal basis with
men. In 2013, the male employment-to-population ratio
was 72.2 percent compared to 47.1 percent for women,
and women continue to earn only 60-75 percent of
men’s wages globally. It is estimated that women’s
income could increase globally up to 76 percent if the
employment participation gap between men and
women was closed, which could have a global value of
$17 trillion.
6. Violence Against Women, Sexual Assault and Rape:
The mental health effects of sexual assault and rape
can have jarring results on women’s stability and
livelihoods. Women who have experienced sexual or
physical abuse at the hands of their partners are twice
as likely to have an abortion, almost twice as likely to
have depression and, in some regions, 1.5 times more
likely to acquire HIV compared with women who have
not experienced partner violence.
The prevalence of sexual assault and violence against
women is deep and systemic, making it one of the most
important examples of gender inequality. Worldwide,
around 120 million girls, a number which represents
slightly more than one in 10, have experienced forced
intercourse or another forced sexual act in their
lifetime.
7. Female Genital Mutilation
At least 200 million women and girls alive today have
undergone female genital mutilation. In most of these
cases, most girls were cut before age five. In these
instances, proper anesthesia is rarely used or is
ineffective, causing severe pain. Excessive bleeding is
also possible, resulting from the accidental cutting of
the clitoral artery or other blood vessels during the
procedure.  the officers. New York's gay community, fed up after
8. Child Marriage
Globally, almost 750 million women and girls alive
today married before their eighteenth birthday. Those
who suffer from child marriage often experience early
pregnancy which is a key factor in the premature end of
education. As mothers and wives, girls become socially
isolated and are at an increased risk for domestic
violence. Child marriage is one the most devastating
examples of gender inequality, as it limits women’s
opportunities and their ability to reach their full
individual potential.
9. Human Trafficking
Adult women and girls account for 71 percent of all
human trafficking victims detected globally. Girls alone
represent nearly three out of every four children
trafficked. Women and girls are clearly the
disproportionate victims of human trafficking with 75
percent trafficked for the purpose of sexual
exploitation.
10. Representation in Government
 As of June 2016, only 22.8 percent of all national
parliamentarians were women. There is growing
evidence that women in positions of leadership and
political decision-making improve the systems in which
they work.
THE PRIDE MARCH
Pride gatherings are rooted in the arduous history of
minority groups who have struggled for decades to
overcome prejudice and be accepted for who they are.
Most pride events occur annually, and many take place
around June to commemorate the 1969 Stonewall
riots in New York City, a pivotal moment in
modern LGBTQ social movements. The parades seek to
create community and honor the history of the
movement.
In the early hours of June 28, 1969, police raided the
Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in New York's Greenwich
Village, and began hauling customers outside. Tensions
quickly escalated as patrons resisted arrest and a
growing crowd of bystanders threw bottles and coins at
years of harassment by authorities, broke out in
neighborhood riots that went on for three days.
The uprising became a catalyst for an emerging gay
rights movement as organizations such as the Gay
Liberation Front and the Gay Activists Alliance were
formed, modeled after the civil rights movement and
the women's rights movement. Members held protests,
met with political leaders and interrupted public
meetings to hold those leaders accountable. A year
after the Stonewall riots, the nation's first Gay Pride
marches were held. The area around the Stonewall Inn,
still a popular nightspot today, was designated a
national monument.
The “Pride” is credited to Brenda Howard, a bisexual
New York activist nicknamed the "Mother of Pride,"
who organized the first Pride parade to commemorate
the one-year anniversary of the Stonewall uprising.
In 1978, artist and designer Gilbert Baker was
commissioned by San Francisco city supervisor Harvey
Milk --one of the first openly gay elected officials in the
US-- to make a flag for the city's upcoming Pride
celebrations. Baker, a prominent gay rights activist,
gave a nod to the stripes of the American flag but drew
inspiration from the rainbow to reflect the many
groups within the gay community. A subset of flags
represent other sexualities on the spectrum, such as
bisexual, pansexual and asexual.
Countries with Gender Equality
Gender Gap or gender divide is the difference between
women and men as reflected in social, political,
intellectual, cultural, or economic attainments or
attitudes.
WEF_GGGR_2020.pdf (weforum.org)
WEF_GGGR_2021.pdf (weforum.org)
WEF_GGGR_2022.pdf (weforum.org)
WEF RECORD OF 2020
1. Iceland
Iceland has been at the top of the World Economic
Forum's Global Gender Gap Index for the 10th year in a
row. The small island ranks No. 1 in several of the
measures used to create the Index, including wage
equality for similar work, share of women who work in
the professional and technical sectors, and political
empowerment.
Some argue that the path to equality for Icelandic
women all started in 1975 when 90% of them went on
strike to demonstrate how dysfunctional society would
be without them. Five years later, Iceland became the
first country in the world to elect a woman as
president and became known as "the world's most
feminist country."
2. Norway
Like Iceland, Norway has historically been considered
among the best countries for gender equality. It ranked
No. 2 back in 2006, No. 3 in 2016, and No. 2 again in
2018. More women than men work in professional and
technical jobs -- 52.9% of such jobs are held by women,
one of the most even ratios among all 149 countries in
the report. Some of the gender specific actions the
country has taken to bring equality are more radical
than others, and some focus on men, rather than
women. For example, employers are allowed to choose
a woman over a man for a job if she is almost as well
qualified. Similarly, men can be chosen over women in
occupations related to child care, where men are
underrepresented.
3. Finland
Finland has a long history of promoting equal rights. It
was the first European country to grant women the
right to vote and stand for election in 1906.
Organizations working for women's rights were
established as early as the 1880s.
A century later, Finland still leads the way. In 2017, the
country established the world's first International
Gender Equality Prize, which is given to a person or an
organization that has had a significant impact in
advancing gender equality across the world.
4. Sweden
Sweden has dropped in the ranking over the last decade
when it comes to gender equality, but only slightly. The
Scandinavian country went from being at the top in
2006 to being No. 3 in 2018. One of the measures used
to create the Global Gender Gap Index in which women
fare particularly well is ministerial positions -- more
than half are women in Sweden.
However, women are still underrepresented in
business. For example, in 2016, over 80% of managers
at Swedish companies listed on the stock market were
men and no new company had a female boss.
5. Nicaragua
Nicaragua has come a long way since 2006 when it
ranked 62nd out of 114 countries when it came to
gender equality. The Central American country is now
one of three nations -- right next to France and Iceland
-- on its way to completely closing the gender gap. It is
forecast to do so within 16 years, fewer than the
expected 24 years for Iceland.
The country's fast improvements towards gender
equality contribute to its ranking second among the 149
countries in the Index for political empowerment and
first in the health and survival measures.
6. New Zealand
New Zealand has closed 80% of its overall gender pay
gap, putting it at seventh place in the world, but at the
top in the East Asia and the Pacific region. The country
rose two spots since 2017 due to improvements in
political empowerment of women. The increasing share
of women in parliament has led to New Zealand
entering the top 10 countries for gender equality for the
first time.
Another significant improvement New Zealand has
made over the last decade is in its attempt to close the
gender gap has been in educational attainment. Nearly
equal shares of the male and female population have
primary and secondary education, and slightly more
women have a college degree.
7. Ireland
Ireland's gender gap ranking has been slipping since
2016, but it remains in the top 10. The country has
managed to close more than 79% of its overall gender
gap. Ireland recorded a small gender gap in enrollment
in primary education, but saw an improvement in
estimated earned income as a share of men's earnings.
The difference between male and female life
expectancy at birth in Ireland has completely closed.
Likely due in part to the near-equal shares of men and
women who attend college, the percentages of men
and women employed in the nation's professional and  Change or improve something for youth.
technical occupations are also near equal as of this
 Build support for that cause or issue.
year's WEF report.
 Influence others to support that issue by
8. Spain
developing organized programs.
Spain is one of the most-improved countries. The main
 Influence or change legislation that affects
factor in this upturn is linked to women’s political
youth.
empowerment. In 2018 Spain became the world’s most
female-centric government with a share of 65% female Successful advocacy depends on a full understanding of
ministers in Pedro Sánchez’s cabinet. all the issues being debated, including the rights of
youth, and the strategies that can be used to support
Despite the lack of female heads of state, Spain is doing
these issues. It also depends on the commitment of
positive progress in political leadership, especially if we
those advocating for change.
consider the global average of female holding
parliamentary seats (25.2%) and ministerial positions Standing up for issues we feel strongly about is a real
(21.2%). In contrast, women’s share in companies’ challenge. It is not always easy as we have to convince
board of directors is still 22%. Spanish women continue people to listen to what we have to say, and to believe
to face the so-called "glass ceiling" to access the in what we are saying ourselves. We may also face the
management bodies in the private sector. situation where elders and adults think that we are
behaving badly or are troublemakers. Remember, it is
9. Rwanda
important that we know our facts and are able to put
At first glance, Rwanda is an unlikely champion of equal them across convincingly.
rights. Unlike other countries at the top, it is not rich,
As young people, we also need to be involved in
has a turbulent history, and its life expectancy at birth
standing up for issues that are important to youth, our
of 67 years is low compared to developed countries. At
community, and our nation. Remember that most of
88%, Rwanda has one of the highest rates of female
our peers are experiencing the same things we are, and
labor force participation in the world. In the United
we should find time to talk about what we feel so that
States, by contrast, that figure stands at 66%.
we can build strong relationships with each other.
However, this outcome is not entirely by choice. It goes
Also remember that what we do today will have an
back to the country's genocide more than two decades
impact on the future, so we should always think ahead
ago when close to 800,000 Rwandans were killed in
and try to make the best decisions that will help us
three months. As a result, up to 70% of the country's
maintain a healthy mind and body, and be a positive
population were women, and they had to fill all the
influence on those around us.
jobs.
REFERENCES:
10. Germany
 https://borgenproject.org/examples-of-gender-
Germany seems to be moving in the opposite direction
inequality/
when it comes to closing the overall gender gap.
Compared to 2006, Germany scored worse in all of the  https://www.learningtogive.org/resources/
four major measures used to create the Global Index -- philanthropic-meaning-metoo-movement
economic participation, education, health, and political
empowerment.  https://www.rappler.com/nation/philippines-
rankings-gender-gap-report-2020
The country moved down in the 2018 report specifically
because of a widening gender gap in women in  https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2019/12/
parliament. Also, Germany's still has a gender gap in gender-gap-equality-women-parity-countries /
educational attainment, causing the country to rank last
in the Western Europe region in this subindex.

ADVOCACY

Means speaking up about issues that are important and

pushing for positive change. This can be done by
drawing the community’s attention to an important
issue and influencing social or other behavior in a
specific way.

Advocacy involves working with other people and

organizations to make a difference and directing
decision makers toward a solution. In the case of
improving the lives of youth, we advocate for a cause or
an issue because we want to.

 Assist youth, family, community, and policy

makers to understand key issues facing youth.