GE ELEC 2: Gender & Society

Midterms Reviewer

MALE & FEMALE DIFFERENCES

BODY PARTS
MALE FEMALE
Skull is larger Shoulders ‘carry angle’
Shoulders are wider and higher Thorax is narrower
Torso is shorter Pelvis wider
Arms and legs are longer Oblique slant of femur is more pronounced
GENDER TRAITS
MALE FEMALE
Assertive Collaborative
Task Focused Process Focused
Passionate Creative
Forceful Passive
Deductive Possibilities
Interest in How Interest in Why
ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIOUR
MALE FEMALE
Tough and Aggressive Cooperative and Socially Oriented
Focused on Winning Team Work
Enjoys holding Power Willing to Share Power
Self-Promotion Respect the Others
Insensitive to Critics Caring
GENDER DIFFERENCES
MALE FEMALE
More Aggressive Less Aggressive
More Directive/Autocratic in Leadership Roles More Democratic in Leadership Roles
More Independent (Less empathetic, more
More Interdependent (tend and befriend)
domineering)
Score higher on spatial skills – mentally
Score higher on verbal, reading and writing
rotating objects
DIFFERENCES IN COGNITIVE ABILITIES
Variability is larger within sexes than between sexes
No differences in math abilities despite stereotypes
 FOUR PARTS
PROBLEM SOLVING
(Ventilating vs Curing)
COMMUNICATING NEEDS & DESIRES
(Hinting vs Telling)
UNDERSTANDING A SITUATION & RELATING
(Privacy vs Gossip)
GENERAL APPROACH TO SITUATIONS
(Competition vs Cooperative)
MEN WOMEN
Wants to solve the Simply want to express
problems themselves
Directly tells their needs Often hints about their
and desires needs and desires
More likely to gossip
because of frequent
communication
Often wants to compete Often wants to cooperate

GENDER & SENSITIVITY TRAINING

SEX – biological characteristics of being a female or a male.
- generally permanent and universal
- attributes are equally valued
o Physical attributes pertaining to a person’s body: contours, features, hormones,
genes, chromosomes and reproductive organs (genitals).

WOMEN
PRIMARY SEX CHARACTERISTIC
Uterus, ovary (estrogen and progesterone) ovum, fallopian tubes cervix, vagina, clitoris, etc.
SECONDARY SEX CHARACTERISTICS
• development of the breast • hair grown under the arms & in the pelvic
• pelvic widens & hips broaden region
• voice deepens slightly • ovaries start to function
• regular menstruation
FERTILITY CHECK (CYCLE OF THE VAGINA)
CLOSE TO MENSTRUATION COMMON DURING FERTILE PERIOD
• NO OR LITTLE DISCHARGE. • WATERY DISCHARGE
• COMMON DURING INFERTILE • CLEAR AND SLIPPERY
PERIOD. • STRETCHABLE
COMMON BEFORE OVULATION PEAK FERTILE PERIOD
• CREAMY DISCHARGE • EGG WHITE DISCHARGE
• WHITE/ TACKY COMMON DURING OVULATION
• HIGHLY STRETCHABLE

MEN
PRIMARY SEX CHARACTERISTICS
Penis, testes (androgen and testosterone), scrotum, sperm, vas deferens, etc.
SECONDARY SEX CHARACTERISTICS
the body become more muscular
shoulder & chest become broader
adam’s apple grows
vocal cords enlarge
underarm, pubic hair & hair on the face,
chest & shoulders start to grow
penis & testes enlarge
testes begin to make sperm

MALE SEXUAL RESPONSE CYCLE STAGES

• Flaccid Penis • Erection Stage 3
• Erection Stage 1 • Erection Stage 4
• Erection Stage 2 • Erection Stage 5
SEX ROLES
MALE FEMALE
Ovum fertilization Gestation
Produces Spermatozoa which determine the Lactation
child’s sex Child-bearing
XY = BOY (YYX) XX = GIRL (XXY)

GENDER
- The set of qualities (katangian), differentiated roles (tungkulin) or responsibilities
(pananagutan), attitudes (saloobin) and values (kahalagahan) assigned by culture and society
to women and men.
- Expectations (inaasahan) held about the characteristics (Katangian), Aptitudes (kakayahan)
and likely behaviors (Kilos) of both women and men.
• Sociologically constructed
• Changing, time and place bound
• Present in both women and men
• Categorize as feminine (pagkababae) and masculine (pagkalalaki)
• Attributes are marked by inequality
GENDER SOCIALIZATION
The process by which norms (kaugalian) and expectations (inaasahan) in relation to gender are
learned by women and men. This may lead to gender bias.
GENDER BIAS
A behavior that shows favoritism toward one gender over another. Most often, gender bias is
the act of favoring men and/or boys over women and/or girls.

AGENTS OF SOCIALIZATION
ROOTS OF GENDER SOCIALIZATION
FAMILY (Child Rearing)
• Gender begins the moment a child is born.
• Dressing girl babies in pink and boy babies in blue.
 • The process of MANIPULATION… people handle girls and boys differently even as infants.
• The process of CANALIZATION… people direct children’s attention to gender appropriate
objects.
• The Process of VERBAL APPELLATION… telling children what they are and what is
expected of them.
SCHOOL
• Unequal treatment of teachers to female and male students.
• Gendered lessons. (Historian Books that less or does not include women in their
manuscripts)
CHURCH
• The position of women in the church and portrayal of women in the bible
• There are texts and verses that glorify sufferings, oppression and subordination
• Gender differentiation and inequality between women and men is preached and conveyed
in religious doctrines and symbols
MEDIA
• Media and Societal Violence
• Influence of pornography
• TV, Prints, and Cyberspace

GENDER MILESTONES
Gender Blind - lack of recognition of gender as an essential determinant of life choices that are
available in society.
Gender Aware - recognition of gender inequality; that there are differences between men and
women in terms of access to and control over resources, including opportunities for
development.
Gender Sensitive - recognition of the underlying and hidden cause of gender inequality.
Differences are felt undesirable and unjustifiable. Problems resulting from inequality and
discrimination are identified.
Gender Responsive - presence of programs, projects and processes that systematically
incorporate or address gender concerns and issues.
Gender Fair/Equity - society where women and men equitably share in the responsibilities,
power authority and decision-making and enjoy the benefits.
Gender Accountable - gender equity is viewed as the key commitment of the organization; it
assumes responsibility to make gender an integral part of what the organization is and what it
does.

GENDER DEVELOPMENT
Ang Pananaw na pangkaunlaran (perspective development) na kumikilala at nagbibigay halaga
sa papel ng mga indibiduwal sa kaunlaran at nagtataguyod ng kanilang partisipasyon sa
pagkakamit nito.
Gender Sensitivity
• The ability to recognize gender issues and especially the ability to recognize women’s
different perceptions and interest arising from their different social location and
different gender roles.
Gender Discrimination
• means to give differential treatment to individuals on the grounds of their gender.
Gender Subordination
• Secondary status of women in society, because of this they have less access to and
control over resources for development and its benefits.

GENDER ISSUES
• Gender linked beliefs (ideas, attitudes and behaviour), systems, processes, conditions
and situations that BLOCK an individual’s (man or woman) attainment of full potentials
or a satisfying life. Gender Issues includes:
• Economic Marginalization • Gender Stereotyping
• Violence Against Women • Obstacles to Personhood Development
• Multiple Burden • Political Subordination of Women

Multiple Burden - refers to doing unpaid work in the home, paid work as members of the
workforce and volunteer work in the community.
Violence Against Women (VAW) - Women become victims of all forms of violence, like
battering, rape, sexual harassment, female genital mutilation and other traditional practices
harmful to women simply because they are women and occupy a subordinate status in society.

Deeper Gender Issues

Only 52 countries worldwide have passed laws on MARITAL RAPE as of 2015.

HARMFUL TRADITIONAL PRACTICES

• forms of violence that have been committed against women in certain communities and
societies for so long that they are considered part of accepted cultural practice. They
lead to death, disability, physical and psychological harm for millions of women annually.
Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)
• refers to several types of deeply-rooted traditional cutting operations performed on
women and girls. Often part of fertility or coming-of-age rituals, FGM is sometimes
justified as a way to ensure chastity and genital “purity.” It is estimated that more than
130 million girls and women alive today have undergone FGM, mainly in Africa and some
Middle Eastern countries, and two million girls a year are at risk of mutilation.
Dowry Murder
• Dowry murder is a brutal practice involving a woman being killed by her husband or in-
laws because her family is unable to meet their demands for her dowry — a payment
made to a woman’s in-laws upon her engagement or marriage as a gift to her new
family. It is not uncommon for dowries to exceed a family’s annual income.
Early Marriage
The practice of early marriage is prevalent throughout the world, especially in Africa and South
Asia. This is a form of sexual violence, since young girls are often forced into the marriage and
into sexual relations, which jeopardizes their health, raises their risk of exposure to HIV/AIDS
and limits their chance of attending school.
More than 60 million girls worldwide are forced into early marriage before the age of 18.
Sexual Harassment
any unwanted, unwelcome sexual conduct, advances or attention or request for sexual favor,
either physical, verbal or non-verbal conduct which is sexual in nature.
Sexual Favor
o a condition in the hiring, re-employment or continued employment of an
individual or in granting victim’s favorable compensation, terms, conditions,
promotions or privileges;

FOCUSING ON PREVENTION: ENDING VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN

Prevention is the only way to stop violence before it even occurs.

It requires:
✓ political commitment,
✓ implementing laws that promote gender equality,
✓ investing in women’s organizations,
✓ addressing the multiple forms of discrimination women face daily.

LAWS AND POLICIES

 Magna Carta of Women (R.A. 9710)
 Women in Development and Nation Building Act (R.A. 7192)
 Special Protection of Children Against Child Abuse,
 Exploitation and Discrimination Act (R.A. 7610)
 Anti-Sexual Harassment Act of 1995 (R.A. 7877)
 Anti-Rape Law of 1997 (R.A. 8353)
 Rape Victim Assistance and Protection Act of 1998 (R.A. 8505)
 Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003 (R.A. 9208)
 Anti-Violence Against Women and their Children Act of 2004 (R.A. 9262)