GE 1 ELECTIVE – GENDER AND SOCIETY

Module
(for instructional purposes only)

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Learning texts compiled by:
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Jireh S. Fortaleza
Instructor
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College of Teachers Education

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2022
 VISION
A provide of relevant and quality education to a society
where citizens are competent, skilled, dignified and
community- oriented.

MISSION
An academic institution providing technological,
professional, research and extension programs to form

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principled men and women of competencies and skills
responsive to local and global development needs.

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QUALITY POLICY
Northwest Samar State University commits to provide

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quality outcomes-based education, research, extension and
production through continual improvement of all its
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programs, thereby producing world class professionals.
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CORE VALUES
Resilience. Integrity. Service. Excellence.
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INSTITUTIONAL GRADUATE OUTCOMES

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Creative and critical thinkers

Life-long learners
Effective communicators
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Morally and socially upright individuals

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Course Code: GE 1 ELECTIVE

Course Title: GENDER AND SOCIETY

Course Description:
Concepts, principles, and approaches in the understanding of genders in the Philippine
towards an effective gender responsive society.
Gender and Society is a three-unit course that ignites awareness to the students’
understanding of our country’s current problems in Gender inequality, Gender
mainstreaming, Gender preferences, and the likes. It equips the students with a broader
perspective on their gender roles as they discern stereotypes and discriminations as dictated
by the society. It prepares students to be more gender sensitive in words and in actions as they

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build a new society filled with gender responsive individuals
Course Outcomes:

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At the end of the course, the students must be able to:

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LO1. Discuss the context of sex, sexuality and gender following the Philippine
social norms.
LO2. Identify current gender issues in the country
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LO3. Analyze gender stereotypes and gender inequalities as experienced on the
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four levels of socialization: at home, in school, in peer groups, and in mass
media.
LO4. Familiarize with the Philippine Laws concerning sex and gender.
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LO5. Apply gender sensitivity by correcting inappropriate gender expressions

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LO6. Be attentive to gender maltreatment regardless of one’s personal gender

preference.
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1.
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Module 3
Module Title: What is Sexuality?

Let’s Get Started:

This module contains the psychological impact of how an individual sees himself
inside.

Let’s Find Out:

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Activity 1: Answer the following questions with pure honesty. (PLEASE REFRAIN
FROM SEARCHING IN THE INTERNET IN ANSWERING THE QUESTIONS BELOW)

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1. What is sexuality in your own understanding?

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2. What does social media tells about sexuality? How does it affect ones’ view of
himself?

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3. What is the most difficult aspect of your sexuality.
4. In your own words, explain the connection of the term “SEX” to SEXUALITY.
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5. Create a picture collage that depicts your sexuality. USE a ⅛ illustration board.
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Let’s Read:
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What is Sexuality?
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Sexuality is not about who you have sex with, or how often you have it. Sexuality is about
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your sexual feelings, thoughts, attractions and behaviours towards other people. You can find
other people physically, sexually or emotionally attractive, and all those things are a part of
your sexuality. Sexuality is diverse and personal, and it is an important part of who you are.
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Discovering your sexuality can be a very liberating, exciting and positive experience.
Sexuality includes all aspects of who we are – our values and beliefs, bodies, desires,
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relationships, gender and our thoughts and feelings about all of these. Because our sexuality
is made up of so many different components, our understanding of our own sexuality is
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ever-changing and unique to each person.

The most important thing to understand about sexuality is that it is self-defined; that is, that
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every person is allowed to talk about and understand their own sexuality in their own way
that makes sense to them.
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Sexuality is dynamic and always changing; often we may discover that different parts of our
lives may interact with each other in confusing or affirming ways. This is okay and is part of
our normal development. Exploring our own sexuality, rooted within the principles of consent
and sexual rights, is a key determinant of our health and wellness.
The Development of Sexual Orientation
Gender identity and sexual orientation are often confused. As previously discussed, gender
identity describes the gender(s) people consider themselves to be (masculine, feminine, or
transgendered). Sexual orientation refers to a person's pattern of attraction to other people

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including physical, emotional, sexual, and romantic attraction. These patterns of attraction are
usually identified in the following manner: 1) heterosexual (straight) refers to a pattern of
attraction to the opposite gender, 2) homosexual (lesbian or gay) refers to a pattern of
attraction to the same gender, 3) bisexual refers to a pattern of attraction to both genders, and
4) "questioning" is a term used to describe people who are not yet certain which (if any)
pattern of attraction best suits them. It should be noted that an attraction is an internal
psycho-emotional experience and should not be confused with sexual behavior. Therefore,
sexual orientation refers to a pattern of physical, emotional, sexual, and romantic attraction to
others, which may or may not be acted upon. Like gender identity, sexual orientation is
usually described along a continuum ranging from exclusively heterosexual, to exclusively
homosexual, with bisexuality falling in between these two poles.

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Throughout adolescence, most youth will question their sexual orientation in one way or

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another. This can be a confusing time because it is quite possible to be emotionally attracted
to one gender but physically attracted to the other. Or, youth can find themselves emotionally
and physically attracted to predominantly one gender, but a specific person or persons of the

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opposite gender can attract them. Youth can be very puzzled by these conflicting feelings.
Therefore, it is considered quite normal for youth to feel somewhat uncertain, or ambivalent

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about their sexual orientation. Some gay and lesbian adults reflect back upon their youth and
say they knew from a very early age their attraction was to their own gender. However, other
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gay and lesbian adults report their sexual orientation was not at all clear to them during their
adolescence, and it took them many years to sort things out. Similarly, many heterosexual
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adults can recall some feelings of attraction toward their own gender during adolescence and
beyond.
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Ultimately, adolescent youth must decide for themselves what makes them happy and
fulfilled. While the majority of youth will eventually discover they are consistently attracted
to the opposite gender (heterosexual), other youth may find themselves consistently attracted
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to their own gender (homosexual), or equally attracted to youth of both genders (bisexual),
and some youth do not feel themselves strongly attracted to either gender (questioning). As
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their sexual development continues to progress, most youth will eventually identify
themselves as straight, gay, lesbian, bisexual, or questioning. However, since sexual
orientation is an internal, psycho-emotional experience, no one else is qualified to label or
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judge another person's sexual orientation.

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Is gender identity and sexual orientation a choice?

Adolescent sexual development can be confusing and anxiety-provoking, not only for the
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youth themselves, but for their families as well. While their children's sexuality is a very
sensitive, challenging, and even frightening topic for many parents, it is best if parents try to
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remain patient and non-judgmental. Youths' gender identity and sexual orientation will be
constantly evolving and changing during the adolescent period. As this article has discussed
throughout, the adolescent developmental process often involves "trying on" and
experimenting with many different identities, roles, and behaviors. Sexual identity and sexual
behavior are not exempt from this type of experimentation. While some parents may feel
comfortable with all gender identities and any sexual orientation so long as their children are
happy and fulfilled, other parents may feel outraged when faced with their children's
"choice." These parents may believe that a sexual orientation other than heterosexuality is
unnatural and dangerous, or think that being transgendered means their children are simply

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confused. Sometimes parents believe their children's "choices" are morally reprehensible
because of the family's religious convictions or cultural customs.

The issue of "choice" with respect to both gender identity and sexual orientation is quite
controversial and beyond the scope of this article. However, there is quite a bit of evidence to
suggest people do not get to "choose" their attractions, nor do they select their gender identity
as though they were choosing from a menu. The scientific investigation of transgendered
identity has been previously reviewed LINK to SEXUAL/gender
identity/transgendered/paragraph5; and although inconclusive, the preliminary evidence
suggests that gender identity is influenced by biological factors. Likewise, scientists and
researchers are still far from reaching an absolute agreement about the causal factors of
homosexuality; but it appears that biological factors such as genetics and hormonal processes

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are somehow involved (Bailey & Pillard, 1991; Bailey, Pillard, Neale & Agyei, 1993;

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Hamerhu, Magnuson, Hu & Pattatucci, 1993; Bailey, Bobrow, Wolfe & Mikach, 1995;
LeVay, 1993).

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Therefore, the current working hypothesis is that people do not willfully "choose" their
sexual orientation or their gender identity. Thus, whether someone is transgendered, gay, or

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straight; it is unlikely this is a choice they make. However, assuming there are genetic or
other biological underpinnings for sexual orientation and gender identity, what people do
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about these aspects of their sexuality is an entirely separate matter, and does imply an
element of choice.
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As mentioned previously, sexual orientation describes an internal psycho-emotional
experience, and does not automatically include a behavioral manifestation of that experience.
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Thus, while sexual orientation may prove to be biologically determined, people must
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ultimately decide whether they choose to act upon their attractions. For a variety of personal
reasons, some people may decide not to act upon certain attractions. However, denying the
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existence of these attractions will not eliminate them, nor does it diminish their power and
force. Likewise, acknowledging certain attractions does not compel a person to behave
according to those attractions. These are private and personal choices each person must make.
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Parents may find greater acceptance and compassion once they understand that gender
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identity and sexual orientation are probably not something their children willfully choose.
Nonetheless, it can still be highly distressing for families as their children sort out their
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sexuality. It is best if parents can find a way to put aside their own personal beliefs and
feelings in order to continue to provide their children with unconditional love and support
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during these sensitive years so that their relationship remains intact. It is quite possible to be
loving and supportive, even where there is disagreement. Harsh criticism and angry
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accusations only serve to alienate children and rarely produce any lasting behavioral change

Module 5

Module Title: Different types of Sexuality

Let’s Get Started:

This module contains the different types of sexuality and their effects to the
individual.

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Different Types of Sex
Heterosexual and homosexual
Most people are attracted to the opposite sex – boys who like girls, and women who like men,
for example. These people are heterosexual, or ‘straight’.

Some people are attracted to the same sex. These people are homosexual. Around 10 per cent
of young Australians experience same-sex attraction, most during puberty.

‘Lesbian’ is the common term for people who identify as women and are same-sex attracted.

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‘Gay’ is the most common term for people who

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The Better Health Channel has more information on lesbian sexuality and gay male sexuality.

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Bisexual
Sexuality can be more complicated than being straight or gay. Some people are attracted to

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both men and women, and are known as bisexual.
Bisexual does not mean the attraction is evenly weighted – a person may have stronger
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feelings for one gender than another. And this can vary depending on who they meet.
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There are different kinds of bisexuality. Some people who are attracted to men and women
still consider themselves to be mainly straight or gay. Or they might have sexual feelings
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towards both genders but only have intercourse with one.

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Other people see sexual attraction as more grey than black and white. These people find
everyday labels too rigid. Some prefer to identify as ‘queer’. And others use the term ‘pan’,
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or ‘pansexual’, to show they are attracted to different kinds of people no matter what their
gender, identity or expression.
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There are many differences between individuals, so bisexuality is a general term only. You
can read more about it at the Better Health Channel’s page on bisexuality.
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Asexual
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A person who identifies as asexual (‘ace’ for short) is someone who does not experience, or
experiences very little, sexual attraction. Asexuality is not a choice, like abstinence (where
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someone chooses not to have sex with anyone, whether they are attracted to them or not).
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Asexuality is a sexual orientation, like homosexuality or heterosexuality. Some people may

strongly identify with being asexual, except for a few infrequent experiences of sexual
attraction (grey-asexuality). Some people feel sexual attraction only after they develop a
strong emotional bond with someone (this is known as demisexuality). Other people
experience asexuality in a range of other ways.
Sexuality and mental health
LGBTI people have an increased risk of depression, anxiety, substance abuse, homelessness,
self-harming and suicidal thoughts, compared with the general population. This is particularly
true of young LGBTI people who are coming to terms with their sexuality and experiencing
victimisation and bullying at school.

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Some of the stressful experiences that can affect the mental health of an LGBTI person are:

● feeling different from other people

● being bullied (verbally or physically)
● feeling pressure to deny or change their sexuality
● feeling worried about coming out, and then being rejected or isolated
● feeling unsupported or misunderstood.

These pressures are on top of all the other stuff people have to deal with in life such as
managing school, finding a job, forming relationships and making sense of your identity and
place in the world.

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Helping someone struggling with their sexuality and mental health

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If you are worried that someone you know has a mental health problem, look out for changes
in their mood, behaviour, relationships, appetite, sleep patterns, coping and thinking. If these
changes last more than a couple of weeks, talk to them about getting help. A good place to

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start is their doctor, or a phone or online service such as QLife, beyondblue
or eheadspace (for young people). If you are struggling with your own sexuality:

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● Get support if you’re finding it hard to cope. Try talking to someone you trust – a
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friend, relative, doctor or counsellor, or use a helpline such as QLife, beyondblue
or eheadspace.
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● Don’t hang around someone if they are abusive to you.
● Remember, there is no rush to figure out your sexuality. Take your time. And don’t
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feel pressured to put a label on it.

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● If you think you’re gay but you don’t want to ‘come out’, it’s okay. If you want, you
can read more about coming out.
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Let’s Do This:
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I. Answer the following questions:

1. What is Sexuality?
2. How does it affect the individual socially and psychologically?
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3. Do you think that people nowadays are experiencing social dilemma when it
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comes to discrimination based on sexuality?

4. As a student, how can you help to those who are experiencing anxiety because
of being true to oneself?
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5. Create a concept map that summarizes the topics being discussed in Module 3
and 4. Create a short explanation (Draw it in a long bond paper)
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REFERENCES:
https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/Sexuality-explained
https://serc.mb.ca/sexual-health-info/the-basics/what-is-sexuality/
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/sexual-development
https://www.nctsn.org/sites/default/files/resources/sexual_development_and_behavior_in_c
hildren.pdf

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https://www.mentalhelp.net/sexuality/orientation/

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