Gender Studies

with Ms. Aroosa Arooj

LEC04(1-B)
 Topics of the Day

• Masculinities/Femininities (Gender Identity)

• Historicizing Constructionism
• Problematizing the gender
 Masculinities/Femininities

• Masculinities and Femininities describe gender identities

• They describe socio-cultural categories in everyday language; these terms are
used differently in biology.
• Because femininities and masculinities are gender identities, they are shaped
by socio-cultural processes, not biology (and should not be essentialized)
• Femininities and masculinities are plural and dynamic, they change with
culture and with individuals.
Wodabee Men/Nandi husbands
• https://amuse.vice.com/en_us/article/neg5g8/wodaabe-wife-stealing-sex
• https://adventure.com/wodaabe-nomads-gerewol-chad-africa/
• https://thesolemates.com/blogs/be-inspired/the-surprising-origin-of-the-re
d-high-heel
Social meanings attached to gender identities

• Active vs passive
• Rational vs sensitive
• Competent vs emphathetic
• Aggressive vs emotional
“One is not born a woman rather one becomes one.”
 Social Constructionism

• Curtain raiser
 Historicizing Constructionism

• Deconstruction of the terms, “Historicizing and Constructionism of Gender.”

• History categorized
• ANCIENT
• MEDIEVAL
• MODERN
 Ancient History

• 5 lac BC to 600AD
• Stone age and Bronze age
• Stone age: Era of matriarchy
• Bronze age: Era of patriarchy
• Role of Greek Philosophers in literature, “Men should be the chieftain of his tribe.”
• Romans: absolute authority of the head of the trive to sell women and children to
recoup the economic losses
 Medieval History

• Role of religion
 Modern History

• Post 1600 history

 Problematizing the category of Sex; Queer
Theory

• Problematizing?
• The importance of problematizing the categories of gender on the basis of
sex (homosexuality, heterosexuality, rights of gays and lesbians etc)
 Historical Background

• Prior to 1970s it was considered as a CRIME

• Later in Britain (1970s) A gay liberation front emerged. (emphasises on the rights
of gays)
• 1980s; Almost 20,000 men died of AIDS in the developed States.
• Govt.Organizations’ indifferent attitude
• NGOs started working for their rights (Policies got emerged)
• Idea emerged, “Gender is not a fixed rather is somewhat fluid.”
 QUEER theory

• Micheal Focaults
• Identity is fluid
• Challenges the notion of normative sexualities
Judith Butler: Gender Performativity Theory