Module 1

GENDER AND SOCIETY (GEE 201)

Objective:

 Able to understand the differences between gender/sex, gender equality/gender equity,

and gender equality /women’s right.
 To understand gender, gender concepts and definitions.
 To reflect on gender and gender differences and their implications for societies.
 To become familiar with the national and international legal frameworks for gender equality.

Defining gender
“Gender refers not to male and female, but to masculine and feminine - that is, to qualities or characteristics that
society ascribes to each sex. People are born female or male, but learn to be women and men. Perceptions of
gender are deeply rooted, vary widely both within and between cultures, and change over time. But in all cultures,
gender determines power and resources for females and males” (FAO, 2011b).

SEX GENDER
Biological characteristics (including genetics, Socially constructed set of roles and
anatomy and physiology) that generally define responsibilities associated with being girl and boy or
humans as female or male. Note that these biological women and men, and in some cultures a third or
characteristics are not mutually exclusive; however, other gender.
there are individuals who possess both male and
female characteristics.
Born with. Not born with.
Natural. Learned.
Universal, A-historical Gender roles vary greatly in different societies,
No variation from culture to culture or time to time. cultures and historical periods as well as they
depend also on socio-economic factors, age,
education, ethnicity and religion.
Cannot be changed, except with the medical Although deeply rooted, gender roles can be
treatment. changed over time, since social values and norms
are not static.
Example: Only women can give birth. Only women Example: The expectation of men to be economic
can breastfeed. providers of the family and for women to be
caregivers is a gender norm in many cultural
contexts.
However, women prove able to do traditionally male
jobs as well as men (e.g. men and women can do
housework; men and women can be leaders and
managers).
PRACTICAL POINT: At birth, the difference between boys and girls is their sex; as they grow up society gives
them different roles, attributes, opportunities, privileges and rights that in the end create the social differences
between men and women.

Gender identity & expression

Gender is a concept that can be broken down into three categories: gender identity, gender expression, and
physical sex. Gender is not fixed and can change over time.
 Gender identity is how a person sees themselves. It is their own internal sense and personal experience of
gender. 
 Gender expression includes all the ways a person communicates their gender based on societal factors such
as gender norms and perceptions. 
 Physical sex is the development and changes of a person’s body over their lifespan. 
Gender identity is how a person sees themselves – their own internal sense and personal experience of
gender. Only the individual can determine their own gender identity. Gender identity is different from sexual
orientation.  Sexual orientation is who a person is attracted to on the basis of gender. Some of the words used
to describe sexual orientation include gay, bisexual, lesbian, heterosexual or straight.
Gender binary is the problematic assumption that there are only two genders (man/male, woman/female), and
that they are distinct and unchanging.  There is now more awareness of, and support for, the different ways
that people identify outside of the gender binary (ie. Genderqueer / gender non-conforming / gender non-
binary). People who do not identify as a man or a woman may identify as both genders, neither gender,
between genders, or not gendered at all. Gender does not always match a person’s assigned sex at birth, and
gender can change over time.

Some people whose biological sex does not match their gender identity may make physical and social
changes to express their identified gender. This may involve using a different name, pronouns, clothing, hair or
makeup style. It may also involve medical changes, such as taking hormones or getting gender-affirming
surgery. This process is called transition.
Gender expression is how a person outwardly shows their gender identity. It includes physical expressions
such as person’s clothing, hairstyle, makeup, and social expressions such as name and pronoun choice. 
Some examples of gender expression are masculine, feminine, and androgynous.

Some people have the same gender expression all the time, while others may change their expression over
time or based on circumstances. Some play with gender expression for theatrical purposes, or ‘drag’, and
people can choose to express their gender identity in different ways at different times.  It can be psychological
distressing for some people who do not feel safe or comfortable expressing their gender identity.

ACTIVITY 1
EXCERCISE SEX vs. GENDER: Statements about men and women. Write S if the statement refers to SEX and G if the
statement refers to gender.
____1. Women give birth to babies, men don't.
____2. Girls are gentle, boys are rough.
____ 3. In one case, when a child brought up as a girl learned that he was actually a boy, his school marks improved
dramatically.
____ 4. Amongst Indian agriculture workers, women are paid 40-60 per cent of the male wage.
____ 5. In Europe, most long-distance truck drivers are men.
____ 6. Women can breastfeed babies, men can bottle-feed babies.
____ 7. Most building-site workers in Britain are men.
____ 8. In ancient Egypt men stayed at home and did weaving. Women handled family business. Women inherited
property and men did not.
____ 9. Men's voices break at puberty; women's do not.
____ 10. In one study of 224 cultures, there were 5 in which men did all the cooking, and 36 in which women did all
the housebuilding.
____ 11. According to UN statistics, women do 67 per cent of the world's work, yet their earnings for its amount to only
10 per cent of the world's income.
____ 12. There are more women than men in the caring professions such as nursing.
____ 13. Men are susceptible to prostate cancer, women are not.
____ 14. There are more women than men in the teaching profession.
____ 15. Girls easily freak out, boys are not.

Activity 2. Give the definition of the following.

TERM DEFINITION
Gender Balance

Gender Focal Point

Gender Roles

Gender
Mainstreaming

Feminism

Activity 3. Give your insight about the illustration bellow.