GENDER STUDIES

Gender
• Gender is the range of characteristics pertaining
to, and differentiating between, masculinity and
femininity.
• Depending on the context, these characteristics
may include biological sex, sex-based social
structures, or gender identity.
• Gender is a status designation derived from the
physiological aspects link to males and females
to allow individuals to function within particular
social contexts. Gender is Socially Learned
behavior, based on Social Expectation from Men
& Women
 Gender studies
• Gender studies is a field for interdisciplinary
study devoted to gender identity and gender
representation as central categories of analysis.
 Sex and Gender
• Sex: biological maleness or femaleness
genetic – determined by chromosomes
anatomical – obvious physical
differences between males and
females
• Gender – psychological aspects of
maleness or femaleness
• Gender Identity – the subjective sense
of being either male or female
Gender
• It was formed from old French- gendre (medern
genre) and Latin- Genus (birth, family, nation) =
Gender
• The word gender has been used since the 14th
century as a grammatical term

• Gender’ refers to the socially-constructed roles

of and relationships between men and women.
 Gender Symbol
• Female (left),
Male (right).

• From symbols
for Venus and
Mars.
“Women and men are more alike than they
are different. Men are not from Mars;
women are not from Venus—we are all
from planet Earth.” Dr. S. Gummadi…
 GENDER PRIMER OBJECTIVES

• Understand the difference between gender

and sex
• Consider how gender roles impact
participation
• Appreciate diversity among women
• Identify discrimination and how to address
it
 Stereotype Gender Bias
• GENDER IS NOT A “Women’s Issue” It’s
a “People’s Issue”
• It’s the undue pressure on Boys & Girls to live
up to the established norms of Masculinity &
femininity
• Girls endure unwarranted social control,
discrimination & domination
• Boys discouraged from being emotional, gentle
or fearful thrust into a world of Macho
Protectors, Warriors, Breadwinners
We need to study gender studies
Some of the important issues of life revolve
around being a man, or being a woman,
or inhabiting a post-binary invention of
gender
• To distinguish what is right and wrong.
• To avoid (consideration) girls (Women)
as a sex object.
We need to study gender studies
• To consider each and every human being as
equal.
• To understand the discrimination on the basis
of their gender. Even transgenders are at par
with men and women.
• To avoid the arrogance in man
• To understand that the society will exist only
and only if all genders prosper equally.
Gender roles
 Gender role
• Gender Role – attitudes and behaviors
considered appropriate in a specific culture for
people of a particular sex
• Expectations we should fulfill
• Masculine or Feminine
• Vary widely from culture to culture but
rapidly evolving
Most significant were the amendment
to the
• 10. 1972: The Indian Evidence Act
Section113B. {presumption as to dowry death]
• 11.1983: Criminal Law second Amendment
Act, Section 498A
• 2010: Sec 41a CrPc [no automatic arrest on
complaint u/s 498A
• 2012: Supreme Court dictate on 41a