GENDER AND

SEXUALITY AS A
SUBJECT OF
INQUIRY
Prepared by: Carla Michaela M.
Hermoso-Ong, LPT
 Definition of Terms:

Gender Studies Research Approach

A field of study concerned The orientation in understanding
about how reproductive roles social realities. This can be
are interpreted and negotiated qualitative (interpretive),
in the society through gender. quantitative (deductive), or both.

Social Research Research Ethics

These are considerations in conducting
The process of investigating research to make sure that the well-being
social realities. of the participants are ensured and that
the outcome of the study is sound without
undue harm to people involved.
Introduction

Why is there a need to have gender studies?

Pick a lipstick
What color or colors do you see?
What color or colors do you see?
In a study conducted by Abramov in 2015,
results showed that women were more
adept at distinguishing between subtle
gradations than were men.

This sensitivity was most evident in the

middle of the color spectrum. With hues
that were mainly yellow or green, women
were able to distinguish tiny differences
between colors that looked identical to
men. (Lewis, 2015)
Introduction
Gender Studies as an area of knowledge, is about looking into, analyzing, and
examining society so that we notice power relations in the seemingly “simple
things”.
Introduction
To be able to see through a different lense.
Introduction
Gender is a big part of our individuality and society. It is a form of social
organization, and it is often unnoticed.

Gender studies emerged from the need to analyze how gender, sex, and sexuality
impact our lives, especially in how it creates gender inequality.
Gender Roles or Sex Roles
These are “sets of culturally defined behaviors such as masculinity and femininity”
according to the Encyclopedia of Sex and Gender (2019).

These roles are not fixed such that “culturally defined behaviors” for men and
women may be very different years ago or different for people from other
countries or tribes.
Gender Binary
Defined as a classification system consisting of two genders, male and female. a
concept or belief that there are only two genders and that one's sex or gender.
(Dictionary.com)

In a binary system of viewing gender roles, we only see the male as masculine and
female as feminine -- the norm or accepted standards of how to behave according
to your sex.

However, in gender studies, we are asked to disrupt and question these kinds of
social expectations, gender roles, and gender norms.
Gender Studies should be unbiased...
It is not just about women, it is about everyone.

It explores how our gender roles have changed throughout our history and how it
created inequalities.
Diversity and Inclusion
Gender roles are socially constructed and are not something that we are “born
with”.

Normalization in social expectations are embedded in society.

To reprimand or to ostracize is the punishment if one sways from these

expectations.

Lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and transgenders are often the ones who are
reprimanded, discriminated, and bullied. They are often subjected to violence and
hate.
Diversity and Inclusion
Gender studies lets us analyze the creation and maintenance of these gender
norms so that it does not create inequalities in our social, political, and economic
spheres.

QUESTION...
Would you be willing to befriend someone who is of a different
country than you?

How about someone who has different religious beliefs?

Someone who has a mental disability?

 QUESTION...

What if that person has different set of beliefs regarding gender

roles? Would you still be willing?

What if that person speaks a different language than you?

In the case of Jennifer Laude
On October 11, 2014, Jennifer Laude, a Filipina trans woman, was drowned to
death by Joseph Scott Pemberton, a Lance Corporal in the United States Marine
Corps in Olongapo, Philippines. Pemberton admitted assaulting Laude and
deployed a trans panic defense in his 2015 trial.
In 2020, Duterte pardons US marine over transgender
killing from the Jennifer Laude case.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has drawn criticism from rights groups after
pardoning a US marine convicted of killing a transgender woman.
The murder case has strained ties between the US and the Philippines, a former
US colony where the Americans retain a significant military presence.

Under the terms of a defence pact between the two countries, the US retained
custody of Pemberton throughout his trial and incarceration, meaning he served
his sentence on a US military base rather than a Philippine prison.

Some view the decision to pardon him as a concession towards the US.

"For as long as the US maintains hegemony over our military, economy, and
politics, there will be no #JusticeForJennifer and for the Filipino LGBTQ+", tweeted
Bahaghari, another Filipino LGBT rights group.

Last week, Mr Roque, who was a lawyer for the Laude family before becoming Mr
Duterte's spokesman, had condemned the court decision to release the US marine
early, saying on Twitter that Laude's death "personifies the death of Philippine
sovereignty". - (BBC News, 2020)
Gender Studies and Research
As a subject of inquiry, Gender Studies utilizes a systematic approach in
identifying problems, making hypotheses and assumptions, gathering data, and
making conclusions. This systematic process is referred to as the research
process.

Approaches in Research
Varieties of issues could be biomedical, psychosocial, or political-legal among
others.

No singular way in conducting research process.

Approaches in Research : Qualitative Research
Qualitative Approach focuses more on the meanings created and the
interpretations made by people about their own personal or vicarious (observed)
experiences.

Example:
- Knowing HOW men, women, LBGTQ+ live their lives on a daily basis
- Knowing WHY they live their lives that way
Qualitative Research Methods
● Phenomenology - conducting intensive
interviews with individuals who have
experienced a particular event and
understanding their lived experiences.

● Hermeneutics - understanding the

meaning of texts (literary works, art
works, etc.) ana what they convey
about human realities.

● Ethnography and ethnomethodology -

immersing in a community and taking
note of their experiences, beliefs,
attitudes, and practices.
Approaches in Research : Quantitative Research
Quantitative Approach focuses more on characterizing a population (total
number of individuals in a group) or a sample (a sub-group within the population),
and in some cases, making generalizations about the population based on their
behavior of a sample.

Example:
- HOW MANY Filipino adolescents are engaged in a romantic relationship?
- HOW MANY Filipino adolescents still believe in marriage?
- HOW MUCH do Filipino youths spend on contraceptives?
Quantitative Research Methods
● Survey - collecting information from a
sample
● Experiment - creating actual set-ups to
observe behavior of people in an
experimental group (a group receiving
treatment such as training or a new
experience) and comparing it to the
behavior of people in a control group )a
group without any treatment).

In most cases, information from both

qualitative and quantitative approaches
provide a holistic view about certain social
realities. Hence, mixed methods are used.
Ethics in Gender and Sexuality Research
Ethical principles are fundamental concepts, theories, and beliefs to remember in
conducting gender and sexuality researches. They make sure that people involved
in the research are protected from harm.

Ethics is a prerequisite to a properly conducted study. So we must always abide

by them.

Informed Consent
Research should make
sure that participants are
aware of the purpose and
processes of the study
they are participating in.
(Written consent and
agreements, no forced
participants)
Ethical Principles Non-maleficence
and beneficence
3.
A study should do no harm
1. (non-maleficence) to anyone.
Especially in researches involving
humans, a study should be beneficial
(beneficence) for it to be worth
implementing.

Confidentiality Distributive
2.
and anonymity 4. Justice
Researchers should not reveal any Any study should not
information provided by the disadvantage a particular group,
participants, much so, their identity to especially the marginalized and
anyone who are not concerned with the oppressed (e.g. poor people,
the study. All data gathered from LGBTQ, women). The benefits of
surveys or interviews should be a study should be for all.
placed in a secure location or filing
system.
 Human Ecology

As a field... Environments..
recognizes the Physical,
interplay among socio-economic,
internal and external cultural
environments environments

Perspective.. appreciate that...

Human development
To look for realities
across lifespan is
from an ecological
influenced by these
perspective is to...
environments...
Gender and Sexuality in an Ecological Human Approach

We must look at gender and sexuality as

organismic personal experiences.
Look at human sexual lives and
experiences at various levels and spheres
of analysis.
QUIZ ON WEDNESDAY!
CHAPTER 1, LESSONS
1 - 3! (30 ITEMS!)