gh 08¥800M, > <3) = LIBRARY s % UP vishyds MORE ALIKE THAN DIFFERENT Women, Men and Gender ‘As Social Construction * ELEANOR R, DIONISIO cesional Paper No.3 SEX AND GENDER peyel laznor R. Dionisio 0 elope n, S LIBRARY 1. INTRODUCTION ‘, ow OP visnydS* “To undenand the problem of gender svbordination. one mst feveundemand wo tey concepts exand ender, earmon ung the Soins we fen nechanged. Proper, ech har a meesing dine Siretinetthother Ts dsincion bs tnportneimpitons forthe Sry we lak a oxting ie Berween women ad en. The ‘allowing paper sims to carly thie dineion and ite enpliceions both forthe presen tation and for social and personal ‘Sunge, ‘The paer will fist define sex and gender and explore the “onnccuorsbereenthe wo, Thiexploration wilde a dicession of how gander is manifested in contemporty Philippine soir, how i i commonly explained and how tiene by more contemporary theory The per wlthen dics the implctons of gender on equality betwcen men and women Next wil arempe ro race the development ‘fender to ts present Philippine context. Pally sw bee examine the scl inetiions tha main gender. IL, SEX AND GENDER: WHAT THEY ARE, HOW THEY DIFFER A. Sex Inthe Realm ofthe Biologist 1. What iis ‘Seis bloga term, We we # mos oe 0 refer tthe at of nating between two ori — an act whichis par of the proc of ‘Hologalreprodotion. A ante techn wer for this act cle, The concep ofr” may ako be expanded ocude cher ber asocited Sethe aco ating anal courship ua, puman foreplay”While ssn this sense begins with bly, human sex es rom hatofther animal in ha biological etn no lone play pimary en |The umn dite and capacity fr sex are not determined ar thee ae in ‘cher animals, bythe instinct, o he bodys teadine, for reprdction. For Insane, oma’ ety ye does nt dcate when she will want ex Pe beter chlden and postmenopausal adults may bee a sexi Many human emul peices do noe ivobe cos and hive nothing to do with reproductor,whlecvzions from the ent times hae consany been looking fr ws» have cou withou ving babies, ‘or des hums simpy repond ta phyla urge: His fe ‘wed to expres human emotion and reltonship: lov, ange, subservience oF domination, afiemation orthe need orafsmation. Thus Thuman sex has acquired culeural dimensions, human beings have sexuality thai influenced, bu nor dicated, by biological ccumseances ‘Sex alo fers othe ew categories of animale — male and female needed forthe ac of mating to results biological reproduction, This ‘ategorzacion i made according to reproductive function the female produces the eacel or orm; the mae provides the sperm that eines 4 (Athitd extepoy exis, che intersexed ~ people born mith oth male tnd female, or incomplete, genitalia — but thee form a very small proportion of the human population) Its inthis second general sense of ctegorztion that sexe confused with gender Te rt ofthis cecton wil we sex in this sense. 2 Men and Women According fo Bology Besides the fat that males produce sperm and females eg cel, males and females differ fom eachother in sever indiputable way ‘They have a diferent chromosomal makeupy different internal and ceernal genial Gex organs and diferent quantides of various hormones. Mostmale and female humans also have different secondary ex characteris, ech as patterns of body hair dsrbution, voice pitch ted mumcilar dedlopment (Ciromowmes ae the fst determinants of ex. These elongated bodies of ell cleus contain the genes that parents pass on to hei 2 fring. Esch cll of female ovary or male testis contains ewenty three ‘Shromotcmes; one ofthese ithe sx chromosomes. “There are wo types of vexchromoromes: XandY. Female egg cells, ‘sontain only the X chromosomes, hile male sperm may hive ether. An XX combination produces a femal; an XY combination, a male. Sex ‘chromosomes present in the sperm determine wher offspring ae [rnetcly male or femsle, Some ofthe “intersexed” we peneticaly male tr female thi, her chromosomal makeup ethe:XKor XY and the enfusion in their body suture is due to faulty embryonic (rebirth) ‘development, hers are truly “neuter” (ether mle no female), baving the chromororal makeup XO." Despite thisiference in chromosomal make, mal aid female ‘human embryo look prety much the same during the fists weeks of ‘thet Ives, domn tothel gonads primaryzexgnds). Aer ths period, the presence ofthe ¥comosome appsenty eggers the production of ale Hormones by the mal embryos gonad (the frre ests; then hormones simulate the development of male gentala ad suppres) the ‘deelopment of femsle genitalia. The female gonad (he farure vay) "tuts roducing hormones at ater ste; thes resultin the development ‘of female genial. Hormones are secretion of the endocrine pan, which incude the pitatary. adrenal thyroid and primary sex pande and the pancreas. ‘The main function of hormones isto simulate the development of primary sex characteristics, ao that individuals Become capable of eproducton, Hormones ae aso responsible forthe development of secondary sox charcrersts. "| |All human beings produce both male snd female hormones. Daring childhood and afte the age of say, there ili ference inthe ‘quantity of male and female hormones they produce. From puberty hough somal maturity females produce more female hormones and ‘malesmote male hormones. However, the actual quai varies fom one Indi to another seme females may actually Froduce more male Fhormones than some males, and vcevers. ‘Silay, secondary sex hares vary frm person person. Forsome charters, suchas muscle developmen: and boy hai, theferences among men or among women have been found by sme ‘tae toe reat han the dferences between the average maleandthe ‘erage fra." Moreover, rial differences in secondary sex characteristics are “often mone signnnt than diffrence between men and women of he ‘ine ice In general women tend to have les body alr chan men, but ‘any Cavessian women have moe body bir chan Flpino men. Men {end be ler and heavier than women, but the average Caucasian ‘woman is probly eller shan the average Southenst Asian man. Viet seins reveal more constitutional diferencer berween male and female: Move males are conceived than females, but more also {Be from the moment of concepon rough all sages of lie. Some ‘Sferences bgpeeen men and women are Based on their chromosomal ‘pakeup. Some disorders auch a hemophilia and clorblindness, occur ‘aly in men, these are inked to a mata gene in one X chromosome, huh 1 heathy X chromosome inherited fom the other parent (by Female bur obwously not by males) efecvelyneutaliaes. Higher male onepubltyesfectious dese, trend suppored by manystudies, can ‘be atbuted tothe sme case." 8. Gender: In the Rocim of the Social 1 What Gender refers 10 the dffereniated socal roles, behavior, capacities animtelecl, motional and social characterises arributed byagiven clr towomen and men in shorall differences besides the [ict bloga. There are two genders: mascline, ascribed othe male Sand feminine, ered tothe female The way ascii orgnized “ccoring to sere ferred wo by some socal sient athe “vexender stem" ‘Almest al culeures tend to see gender a2 natural phenomencn, deriving fom the Biologia! diferences between men and women. ‘However. deintions of masculine and feminine often vary fom one race andere wancrher. For instance, in one Brian ere, women —ieen by most other cares a the soxlypssive papers teas enualy agressive as the SUES the Zoot Indian, women, not men are the sexual Migesors™ Lain Americans and oer Asians are often surpried £0 sae he number of women working in midélesvel positions in foverament and busines officer in the Philippine; Plipines hardly oxce Sia Filpinorvew construction works “besty"abor tony armen; in Thailand and India islowwage work viewed assuiably only for women, Within our own country, the woman of Cental or Easter Views, farther removed from the cener of Spanis colonization and {orcad by an impoverished sritence economy to ave her heme and ix er living coewher, generally more adventures than the woman Centra and Southern Lason, of Western Viens, more presperour ‘elon: were agricul fll tenancy ocala rangement. ‘Gender expezations alo vary im degree among diferen reid clase within the sme ethnic group. In Man, che profesional woman ‘Showa home alone a nights more key ro inv soil dsapproval Than she woman who works the night abi na ood procesing factory. ‘The slgowrtnching that womat’s place sn the home abo finds more ‘brent among the properoed claes than among the weking cases Sthoneed bochspoues income. In many societies, pysical strength ess rental to the defintion of maleness among the propertied snd froensinnl clases than among the clases which engage in manual bor. ‘Gender ao changes through history, The women of many ber in preHlapanic Phlppines enjoyed 2 good messre of property and Doles righ, socal sour and premarital sexual freedom. Spanish ‘Ghrelin changed this iain, promoting the Weal of the chaste and {load woman auerient to dhe author of father, husband and pie. ‘Such vrationsin gender definitions are uctospecic economic, poll, and socal conditions of each clas, cule, or er. However, ont all gender stems in the world today share certain common ‘Semen,‘and politisl orgniztions and formal politcal sructres, In the Priligpines, the sadership of urban poor peasant fberflk and labor “xgunizations is redominandy male. Few women nun for publ fie a whatever level fewer stil he ‘women who actly pt elated into ofc. Women who dowin dctions [ojond the manip lee! have very similar profiles. Mast come fom traditional poll fois, having ren to power on the conta of Inusbands, fee or hrohers who were politicians before them: n effect, theysteextenvon fale power” (We descent fom pelitial dynasties figutes inthe cavers of oth male and feral politicians the men tnd ‘stess thelr own elvcatonal,proessonal and politcal achievements more than the women. Mast women in provincia, eponal or national poles telong on soviesomonac cl that ean pon the moe onerous aks of ‘he reproductive phere co working css women Trerden: Cortzon Aguina's accession o power, often cited as ‘evidence ofthe high sais of women in the Philippines, eacully an iurarion of te phenomenon. Her landowning fay bad figured in PPiipine poli for decades, Herbusband, too, came froma prominent pital family ad had boen billed the next President afer Marcos. tcepeine te Presidential candidacyin 1985 she warthur erly epi fino ber late band’s vated shoes. Had her husband not been ‘sevsinatedshewould probly hve remfined "plain housewife” Her ‘ctor in the 1986 elstons ha lew to do with the status of Filpino ‘women than cc with her being Benigno Aauino Js widow and with ‘the undesirably ofher opponent (whose most effective argument against her was tht shewas «weak, vicilating inexperienced woman). Pippte government burenvracy hast fi hae of women — smore than in oxber courses —but sin other eer, one ins more men than women as ne po up the hierarchy. The few women who have served {ngaiour eines hve ronal been apoined ro department dat are cexersions ofthe male role it the fri (eg, eda, socal servi). Gendt eal ner wth sei, though thre simple orepondencs hewn he oo (ep, ale homes cn be colic snd fale homacxiak inne tn all but hel sel ‘erence Sule cannr be edd to proce aed rept re “The sexta sevicing of men an importns task that women perform within the reproductive phere %® This task svalued notsiapy, ‘or even primarily, for its par in biologi reprodueton, but forthe ‘lsu inves to men. Unferunately, woman’ stow provider ofsexal ‘lear pts her ina doubled. On the one hand, hex expested tobe ‘desinble ro men onthe fbr she met be socal mdse enh one rman, to whom she both sexta! sad repoductne propery. (The proceed ty from the need for mento be sure tha Ger wiv children ane lk their own ~ an important consideration in herance °° He ‘worman hae sec eitione with anyother man, otf er desirability teeter agpresion rom any ocher man, soetycndemnsher ase Nestea Fo ceticcacchae fares oh eee binding of a woman in smu and reais sere to one soil chmod male partner ~as th higher feminine achievement, Dit Ths once fas bg BRE perce ja esi BF joe who senices none at all. Such women are considered nna, nfemicea aed aye he wert of oper Sevusl vil a much part of our eulure’s defintion of ‘masculinity assenal races of femininity. This 10, eink ‘th reproduction: in Asian eatin, fr instance, the more offspring ‘man Is sred, the more vie hei considered (hus the Flip mae’ suspicion of contraceptives, expecially those affecting his own abily to ‘eget ten) Buta man’s xual acti # oe serve ethe sexual oF reproductive sts considered to be directed ac his own plssure rather ‘than a his parmers. Moreover, masculinity ako ensured by one’ abiliytoedce many women, Thus, while soley condemns promiscuity inwomen, it implicit encourages this in men 3. Gender ideology Gender roles ae justified by gender tereorypet about the different ‘eronality traits, sills and capacities chat men and women have Mas aes oe phscally sronge than women, thus more ft ‘che co wrk outsdeaftheome, Women on the other hand, are perceived ‘= fe only or household wosk hat dos noe requie pat pal exon. ‘Women are suppose oe beer equiped forminut, dred manual work, ‘ecu the finger ae sale sn therefore ules han menMen are said ro be biave, aggresive, independent, ood at conmolling theit emotions The center of their Ives is heir work ‘elirionshipe ae secondary helt decisions re supposed ro be based on resco, hence sid and unshakenble. All this makes them beter ‘cuipped, inthe eyes of sci, to end fae, business enterprics, ‘oc snd politi orgnisons, communities, mations and amis. ‘Women, on the other hand, are perceved as timorous,psive, “morionally dependent, demonstrate, loving patient, selfsaceficing and peaceful by nate. Relationship ~ expecially wichin the family — ake precedence over everthing tee. Women as mothers and wees ate predestined oles. They can alo be good peacemaker. However, they are ‘otro rartewith major decisions, since they operate nay reason but [yimution or wore, whim women ares fickle asthe weather SSereonpes aout wees and men smalty ako jus ther Afferent gece les wahin sex eaonshipe Men ae euppase ro be more swelly arsine than women, Ther exal urges cannot rook delay fandom independent of loving reltionships ~ thus even strangers ae ‘potential sexual partner. Women ae supposed tbe les easly roused, es Inverted coi than the levine feelings hat nezompany i hence they ‘ough Sind tard wo engage in the sex ac with coangers®™. Men are by ‘ature pljgameus, women bynture monogamous: the double standard of ‘moni esting he svi expression of thee inherent tendencies. All these gender sereorypes acem to be validated by a cunry ‘bseriton of me’ and women's behavior. Exceptions are numerous fd tolerated whin» cermin dere, bur men and women who devine ‘marke from the norm are iewed a unnatural, and encounter much soil dsapproml Gender oes end steeonpes find coherent explanation in gender \eology The bis of mor gender ideology is ilo drei, the ‘thesis the the Bolopical differences between men and women dicate a diference in soc rol aswel! Thelogc goes: case women ae the cnet sally equipped ober and nurse chiten, nae ited that he ee “Should revale noun theca of chdren and he fry Biologic determinism takes this logic one step further: the