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NAME OF THE General Education

PROGRAM
COURSE TITLE Gender and Society COURSE CODE SOC103
PREREQUISITE/ CO- None COURSE UNIT 3 units
REQUISITE
COURSE OUTCOME CO1: Understand the difference between sex and gender and be
able to explain social construction theories of identity.
MODULE 1 Sex, Gender, and Sexuality
LESSON LEARNING After successful completion of this module, you should be able
OUTCOME/S to:
a. Differentiate sex, gender, and sexuality;
b. Discuss the implication of these differences; and
c. Contemplate about their own sexuality and the
importance of appreciating sexual diversity.

TOPICS a. Sex, Gender, and Sexuality

b. Gender and Sexuality Across Time
c. Gender and Society as a Subject of Inquiry
WEEK / INCLUSIVE
DATE
MODALITY On-ground lecture

▪ LESSON PROPER

Sex, Gender, and Sexuality

• First thing you need to understand is the complexities of defining and differentiating
sex, gender and sexuality.
• Having a clear grasp of these concepts is crucial since we will be using these terms
over and over again in succeeding discussions.
• Likewise, there are nuances in the meaning of these terms, which have an
implication on at which context we can appropriately use them.

Sex
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• Sex is the biological dimension of your gender and sexuality. Also referred to as
biological sex or physical sex.
• Vagina-female
• Penis or testicles- male
*there are cases when the baby’s genitals appear to be conglomerate of male and
female organs that it may be difficult to classify the baby’s sex without further examination
(intersexuality).

How do we determine the sex of a person?

• Sex is typically determined by examining the genitals which are external organs that
are associated with reproduction or the process or the ability to create offspring.
• Other biological markers used: chromosomes (sex chromosomes)
• XY- male
• XX- female

• The level of some hormones:

• Males tend to have higher levels of testosterone which is associated to sex
drive and aggression
• Females tend to have higher levels of estrogen and progesterone, which
are associated to lactation, menstruation, and other female reproductive
functions.

Gender

• Refers to the roles and responsibilities of men and women that are created in our
families, our societies and our cultures.
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• The concept of gender also includes the expectations held about the
characteristics, aptitudes and likely behaviors of both women and men (femininity
and masculinity)

Gender Identity

• One important aspect of our gender is our sense of who we are: Do we see and
experience ourselves as a man, a woman, or neither. This refers to our gender
identity. Typically, males are comfortable identifying as a man and females are
comfortable identifying as a woman.
• However, there are cases wherein a person’s biological sex does not align with
one’s gender identity. People with this experience are referred to as transgenders,
such as a male who does not feel comfortable identifying as a man (transgender
woman) or a female who is not comfortable identifying as a woman (transgender
man).

Sexual Orientation

• Another aspect of our gender pertains to our emotional and sexual attraction to a
person. This aspect refers to our sexual orientation. According to the
Psychological Association of the Philippines, typically at ages 6 or 8, we experience
or develop attraction to other people. By adolescence, we already know who we
are attracted to and would experiment through dating and relationships.
• People who are attracted to the opposite sex are called “heterosexuals” or
“straight.”
• People who are attracted to people of the same sex are called “homosexuals”, “gay”
or “lesbian.”
• “Bisexual” or “bi” people are attracted to both sexes, male or female.
• LGBT refers to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community.

Appreciating Diversity

• Nature and Nurture play a complex role in shaping our sexual orientation.
Homosexuality and heterosexuality are part of the human sexuality and is a large
part of the human experience (APA).
• Identifying as a heterosexual, lesbian, gay or transgender is a deeply personal
process, so it may be more difficult for others to ‘come out’ or for them to be
comfortable enough to their sexuality that they feel safe to share it with other
people. For others, it comes early in adolescence while for some, it may take time
to understand and discover themselves.
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• According to the Psychological Association of the Philippines, “we can only truly tell
if the person is gay, lesbian or bisexual if the person shares with us his or her
experiences and feelings of attraction towards them.”
• That is why it is important for everyone to feel safe as they share their sexuality
since it is a personal and sensitive topic. We can do that in an environment where
we do not feel judged and discriminated upon. People who experience prejudice
and discrimination suffer negative psychological effects (APA), so we must work
towards an inclusive environment where everyone feel safe.

Understanding Transgenderism

Who is a Transgender?

• The APA defines transgender as “an umbrella term for persons whose gender
identity, gender expression, or behavior does not conform to that typically
associated with the sex to which they were assigned at birth.”
• This means that a transgender person does not feel comfortable in their biological
sex like a person who is born male but feels like a female, and a person who is born
female may feel like he is male. This “feeling” or gender identity is not something
that changes through time, but is a feeling that they have since childhood. This
creates a problem for a heteronormative society wherein everyone is expected and
forced to fit in the boxes of male masculinity and female femininity.

The Transitioning Process

• When a person realizes that he or she may be a transgender, a psychologist can

guide the person through the transition especially when a person wants to go
through permanent changes like sex reassignment surgery.
• In some countries, transitioning is covered by their medical insurance, and they get
support from their employees and families which is very crucial during transitioning
because it takes years to fully transition.
• There are transgender people who cannot have or do not want to have hormonal
replacement therapy or sex reassignment surgery because of personal, economic,
or cultural reasons and that is okay.
• Transitioning to another gender is a very challenging process for many transgender
people because of the social stigma, discrimination, medical cost, accessibility of
medical treatment and support, oppressive laws in each country, and the threat of
violence from prejudiced people.
• Some countries allow for transgender people to change their legal gender from
male to female or female to male. This recognition is a product of decades of
collective effort of the transgender community and the LGBTQ+ community.
• However, Philippines still lack the laws and the medical capacity to support
transgender people in living their full potential.

What We Can Do

• The proper use of pronouns, he or she should be observed when talking to a

transgender person to show respect as a decent human being. Often, when a
person is clearly presenting herself as a female by the way they dress and carry
themselves, it is safe to assume that they want to use “she” or “her”.
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• The same goes for the transgender men who is clearly presenting himself as a
man, you may use “him.” However, it is always a good practice to ask them for their
preferred pronoun instead of assuming but do so in a polite way.

▪ ACTIVITY/ EXERCISE/ ASSIGNMENT

Collaborate: This activity creates mixed groups and provides participants an opportunity to share
insights on the lesson.

1. Form five groups.

2. Pick a concept.
3. Label whether the concepts you picked evoke a “positive” or “negative” feeling.
4. Create an artwork to show your classmates presenting each of the concepts you picked.

▪ EQUIPMENT OR MATERIALS TO BE USED (for Face-to-face)

Laptop, Projector

▪ PRACTICAL EXERCISES (for Face-to-face)

Group presentation

▪ SUPPLEMENTARY LEARNING MATERIALS

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7BngrViqjM

▪ REFERENCES

Botor, N; Laude, T. & Peralta, E. (2019). Gender and Society: A Human Ecological Approach. Rex Book
Store. Manila, Philippines

Florendo, R., Florendo, A. (2022). Gender and Society. Wiseman Books Trading, Inc. Quezon City,
Philippines
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NAME OF THE General Education

PROGRAM
COURSE TITLE Gender and Society COURSE CODE SOC103
PREREQUISITE/ CO- None COURSE UNIT 3 units
REQUISITE
COURSE OUTCOME CO1: Understand the difference between sex and gender and be
able to explain social construction theories of identity.
MODULE 2 Gender and Society Across Time
LESSON LEARNING After successful completion of this module, you should be able
OUTCOME/S to:
a. Discuss the historical roots of our understanding of gender
and sexuality; and
b. Show appreciation of how this understanding evolved
through time, affected various aspect of human life.
TOPICS Patriarchy
Historical Views on Gender
Women Empowerment
WEEK / INCLUSIVE Weeks 3-4
DATE
MODALITY On-ground lecture

▪ LESSON PROPER

Divine Feminine
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• In the past, human societies have high regard for women.

• the concept of the divine feminine (the sacredness of the woman due to her ability
to conceive children) has prevailed, and thus, women are treated equally with men.
This makes societies egalitarian.

• For the longest time thereafter, societies have privileged men over other genders,
mainly because of the preferential given to them in the productive sphere (work of
public work).

Why are men more preferred in the productive sphere?

Women who have been revered due to their ability to conceive have been viewed as solely
capable only of reproductive affairs (world of the home and related tasks such as suckling
the young, child rearing, and home management).

Patriarchy

A close examination of our society can lead us to see the invisible layers of oppression in
our society like patriarchy—a system based on the control and oppression of women
wherein they are perceived to be the weaker sex. It is a structure that upholds male
supremacy in the law, at home, in the workplace and in the society.

Definition of Patriarchy

• came from a Greek word Patriarkhes which means, “the rule of the father.”
• It is a social system where men primarily holds power in the political and the
private spheres.
• In this social system, society is organized and maintained in a way that men rule
over women and their children.
• In the social, legal, political, and economic spheres, men a re expected to lead
while women are expected to obey and are relegated to house chores, bearing
children, and childcare.

Patrilineal Society

ü Only men can inherit property and the family name;

ü Women were left with no inheritance and are expected to marry a man who can
support her economically; and
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ü women were not allowed to go to schools, or even vote, because they are viewed
as a weaker sex and should not concern themselves in learning science and
politics.

• Patriarchy is viewed by most sociologists as a social construct and not as a

biological phenomenon. This is because history proves that in the prehistoric
hunter-gatherer tribes and civilization, they prioritized equality of all members, male
and female.
• History suggests an egalitarian system rather than a patriarchal system. Men and
women contribute to society, and they enjoy the same social status.

Friedrich Engles

• a German philosopher and sociologist

• He argued that patriarchy came about when people started having private property
instead of a communal living.
• The development in agriculture and domestication of animals led to creating product
surplus which allows people to have private property. As a way to control the
excess wealth generated by these advancement, male dominance was asserted
over women so only the male heir can inherit family wealth.

Historical Views on Genders

 Greek

Aristotle, Plato, and other Greek philosophers viewed women as the inferior sex
and are properties of men whose only job was to obey their husbands, bear
children, and take care of the household. They were forbidden to learn philosophy,
politics and science.

 Egypt

Herodotus, a Greek historian, observed the Egyptian civilization citing that Egyptian
men enjoyed higher social status than Greek women because they can inherit
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property and engage in trade and politics. However, Greek influence quickly spread
in Egypt through the conquest of Alexander the Great across Asia and Africa.

 China

Confucianism has stringent written rules that dictate how women should conduct
themselves. The written documents titled “Three obedience’s and four virtues” and
“Precepts of women” states that women should obey their father, when married, she
is to obey her husband, and when widowed she is to obey her son.

Women have come a long way since the ancient times through the feminist movement,
however, patriarchy has taken on subtle forms of oppression that often go unnoticed such
as:

• sexism- prejudice, stereotypes, and discrimination based on sex;

• gender pay gap- men earn more than women;
• underrepresentation in politics, military, executive positions, etc;
• rape on women and the stigma making women ashamed to report the crime;
• very conservative expectations on women on how they behave;
• unrealistic depictions of women in fiction, often very sexualized;
• women do more housework and childcare;
• boys were trained to be leaders while women were trained to do house chores.

Women Empowerment

• Women’s liberation movement, women’s movement, or feminism is a continuing

series of social movements that aim to challenge the patriarchal society that creates
these oppressive political structures, beliefs, and practices against women. It
started at different decades in different countries, some are far more advance in
their struggle while others are still starting a movement. During the 19th and early
20th century, first-wave feminism spread across the western countries as women
demanded for their right to vote or participate in elections and to be able to legally
own property.
• Le Mouvement de Liberation des Femmes or the women’s liberation movement was
formed in Europe and they sought the right to education, right to work, and the right
to vote in the 1940s. Later, they also won women’s right to decide on their own
bodies and their sexualities. This liberation movement views the intersectionality of
economic status or class to patriarchy.
• Inspired by Beauvoir’s book, second-wave feminism in 1960s through the 80’s,
women drew attention to various social and cultural inequalities such as domestic
violence especially marital rape, reproductive rights, wage inequality, and etc. the
90’s gave birth to the 3rd wave and 2012 started the fourth wave.
• These movements only show that there is still much to be done for women’s rights.
• The United Nations reports that women do more work than men because even
when they work at the office, they are still expected to do household tasks. Another
report from UN Women states that “women perform 66 percent of the world’s work,
produce 50 percent of the food, but earn 10 of the income and own 1 percent of the
property”. This is because in agricultural countries, women participate in making
the produce, but only the father or the male head of the family controls the income.

To put simply, feminism demands equality. Here are a few salient points that feminism
demands.
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• Women suffrage
• Equality in Politics and Society
• Reproductive rights
• Domestic violence
• Sexual harassment and sexual
• Other rights include the right to divorce their husbands, the right to make decisions
on her pregnancy, equitable wages, and equal employment opportunity.

▪ ACTIVITY/ EXERCISE/ ASSIGNMENT

Collage-making Activity

1. Create a collage showing the progression of human understanding and attitude of gender and
sexuality in modern societies.

Interview:

 Interview people from different age groups (adolescent, adult, elderly) and ask them what
they can think of when they hear the words gender and sexuality. Ask them what influenced
them to have these thoughts?

▪ EQUIPMENT OR MATERIALS TO BE USED (for Face-to-face)

Laptop, Projector

▪ PRACTICAL EXERCISES (for Face-to-face)

Group presentation

▪ SUPPLEMENTARY LEARNING MATERIALS

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7BngrViqjM

▪ REFERENCES

Botor, N; Laude, T. & Peralta, E. (2019). Gender and Society: A Human Ecological Approach. Rex Book
Store. Manila, Philippines

Florendo, R., Florendo, A. (2022). Gender and Society. Wiseman Books Trading, Inc. Quezon City,
Philippines
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NAME OF THE General Education

PROGRAM
COURSE TITLE Gender and Society COURSE CODE SOC103
PREREQUISITE/ CO- None COURSE UNIT 3 units
REQUISITE
COURSE OUTCOME CO1: Recognize the shifting definitions of man and woman to
evolving notions of masculinity and femininity.

MODULE 2 Gender and Sexuality as a Psychosocial Issue

LESSON LEARNING After successful completion of this module, you should be able
OUTCOME/S to:
a. Discuss thepsychosocial dimesion of gender and sexuality;
b. Identify the needs, issues and concerns experienced by
people who are in a romantic relationship; and
c. Show appreciation of the diversity of human sexual
expression.
TOPICS d. Intro to the psychosocial issues of gender and sexuality
e. Love, Intimacy, and Relationship
f. Sex and Senses
g. Sexual Behaviors
WEEK / INCLUSIVE Week1-3
DATE
MODALITY On-ground lecture, Asynchonous

▪ LESSON PROPER

What does Psychosocial Mean?

§ The term “psychosocial” is an encompassing term. It is comprised by two

primary aspects: psychological and social.

1. Psychological- anything associated with mental process and behavior.

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The psychological aspect of gender and sexuality is anchored on three domains:

Affect, Behavior, and Cognition.

§ Affect- the way a person feels about an attitude or an object.

§ Behavior- involves the person’s intention to do something with regard to an
attitude/object; (overt or covert)
§ Cognition- the beliefs a person has about an attitude/object; (thought
processes: memory, perception, imagination, attention, problem solving, etc).

The Interplay of Affect, Behavior, and Cognition

§ For instance, someone who believes (cognition) that another person is attracted to
them may also feel excited (affect) upon seeing the said person, which may also
increase the likelihood of flirting (behavior).
§ Someone who feels disgust (affect) toward someone with a different sexual
orientation may perceive (cognition) the said feelings as valid because of one’s
belief system, and in turn try to justify speaking out against the said person
(behavior).

2. Social

§ pertains to anything associated with human relationships, connection, and

interaction.
§ anchored on sociology and social psychology.
§ This means the study of gender and sexuality can also be viewed from the lens of
people’s experiences and realities as they interact with other individuals, groups
and institutions.
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Elements of our Gendered Self

1. Self-awareness

§ Self-awareness is self-focused attention and knowledge.

§ Being self-aware means recognizing one’s strengths, weaknesses, interests,
aspirations, values, fears, among many other aspects of one’s identity.

Self-awareness in Terms of Gender and Sexuality

§ Having a sense of what one’s sexual orientation is;

§ how one expresses one’s gender;
§ what one’s values and convictions are;
§ knowing what one is comfortable and afraid of;
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§ why one reacts a certain way, etc.

2. Human Relationship

§ a bond form between two or more people, manifested through communication and
interaction.

Intimacy

§ As two people begin to get to know each other, interact more often and share more
of themselves, they form a relationship.
§ This may or may not be formal and may or may not be time-bound. As people
continue to engage in relationships with others, they invest time, energy and
resources.
§ Part of what people may share and develop is intimacy.

3. Well-being
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§ In studying the psychosocial aspect of gender and sexuality, it is important to

consider that the aim is for people to achieve and experience a state of well-being.
§ Well-being is a state of satisfaction, meaning and purpose in life.

2 General Classifications of Well-being

§ Objective – this is observable and can be evaluated for its presence or absence in
the environment.
§ Subjective – this is one’s personal experience of satisfaction, meaning and
purpose. In some instances, the environment may not provide for one’s needs yet a
person experiences well-being. In other instances, even when needs are provided
for, one’s well-being is wanting.

In the aspect of gender and sexuality here are some of the questions to ask:

Objective Well-being:
§ Does the physical environment allow expression of diversity? Does the physical
infrastructure mitigate any possibility of abuse and violence related to gender?
§ Are material resources (money, properties) equitably available to men, women, and
other people with different genders? Are these resources sufficient for them?
§ Are there health systems which cater to gender-related needs? Are there wellness
programs that support women, men, and people of different gender.

In the aspect of gender and sexuality here are some of the questions to ask:
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Subjective Well-being:

§ how far is your sense of satisfaction about the various areas of your life as a sexual
being?
§ is your purpose as a person clear to you and if not yet, what are you doing to clarify
your purpose?

Love, Intimacy, and Relationship

Definition of Terms

§ Love- a complex phenomenon characterized by an affective and cognitive

inclination to someone, and a set of social behaviors geared towards cohesion.
§ Intimacy- the psychosocial component of love; knowing and being known by
someone in a deeply, personal level; emotional closeness and connection.
§ Passion- the emotive and physical component of love; drive towards sexual and
romantic attraction.
§ Commitment- decision to engage and maintain a loving relationship.
§ Relationship- social bond between and among individuals manifested through
communication and other forms of interaction. This bond may be biological or
determined by social contacts such as consensus or laws.

§ In February 15, 2015, an article featuring a study by McCann World Group, among
30,000 respondents from 29 countries, came out of a national newspaper,
bannering the title “Filipinos most expressive about love among Asia Pacific
countries—study” (Hegina, 2015).
§ The article presented an interesting result: The Filipinos say “I love you”
approximately 17 times in a week, making us sixth among the countries in the
survey, which are most articulate and expressive.
§ Love and the expression of love tends to be many different things to different
people.
§ Whether other forms of animals also experience love is subject for another
discussion.
§ For now, we can agree that love is an interesting and important universal human
phenomenon.

Love as a Culture Universal

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Love as a Social Phenomenon

§ Social phenomena are events or experiences which ensue within our interaction
and relationship with other people.
§ Loving entails communication—the process of giving and receiving information
between and among people.
§ It also entails the use of a language—symbols that are culturally agreed upon as
possessing certain meanings and that are used by people to express certain
realities and worldviews.

Love as an Emotion

§ Emotions are physiological responses that we evaluate psychologically as we

experience life events.
§ There are basic emotions such as joy, sadness, fear, disgust, and anger among
others.
§ There are also complex emotions, which are a combination of basic emotions in
varying magnitudes and are made intricate by circumstances surrounding the
experience (e.g., the people involved, the place and time, where the emotion is
experienced, etc.).
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Love as a Neurobiological Event

§ The study of the experience of love is now often studied in neuroscience, with key
findings regarding how love can be observed as it occurs in the nervous system,
including brain activity and the release and movement of various neurotransmitters,
chemicals that facilitate the human experience at the biological level.

Theorizing Love

1. Psychodynamic View on Love

§ The psychodynamic theory posits that we have desires and motives fueled by our
lives (Eros) and death (Thanatos) instincts.
§ For instance, desirable behaviors that promote positive relationship with others
might be viewed as influenced by our life instincts, while aggressive behaviors that
hurt, manipulate, or harm ourselves and others might be viewed as influenced by
our death instincts.

Eros and Thanatos

§ Both the life and death instincts are thought to stream in our unconscious—the
province of the mind, which we are highly unaware of.
§ Likewise, the psychodynamic view puts prime on the influence of our early life
experiences (from conception to around six years old)—referred to as formative
years—in our personality development. Crucial to this life stage is our relationship
with our primary caregiver—typically the mother. It suggests that the kind of
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attachment we have with our primary caregiver/s, influence our relationship in later
life, including our choice of romantic partners and the way we relate and operate
within this partnership.
§ Hence, from a psychodynamic view, love can be seen as a manifestation of our
eros and the placement of our libido (life energy) unto an object (a thing, or a
person towards who we transfer our psychic energies to ease pain or achieve
pleasure).

2. Color Wheel of Love

§ John Alan Lee (1973), a Canadian psychologist, suggested that there are different
types of love. The primary types are: eros (sexual and romantic), philia (friendly),
and storge (parental/filial love). The secondary types are: pragma (practical love),
agape (universal love), and philautia (self-love).
§ It is possible for us to experience not just one, but two or more of these types of
love in our lifetime. A child who loves her parents (storage) might eventually find
new friends whom to like once they go to school (philia) and then experience
romantic love (eros) especially during her youth.

3. Triangular Model of Love

§ One of the most popular theories of love is the triangular model by Sternberg
(1986).
§ This theory looks at love from a psychometric stance, which means that it is
generally concerned about trying to measure love as a psychological variable and in
determining various dimensions and facets that love has experienced by people.
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§ According to Sternberg (1986), love has three interlocking dimensions—passion,

intimacy, and commitment.

Three Interlocking Dimensions of Love

§ Intimacy – feelings of closeness, connectedness, and warmth in a relationship.

§ Passion – drives that lead to physical attraction, sexual consummation and related
phenomena.
§ Commitment – agency component of choosing to engage in and maintain the
relationship.
§ The presence or absence and the combinations of any of these three dimensions
indicates the type of love people experience for another.

§ It is still important to note that within the three dimensions, there are more things to
consider in any intimate relationship.
§ Also, relationships change over time as both partners grow as individuals. Hence, it
is important to consider and regularly assess one’s relationship.

4. Love Languages

§ Gary Chapman, a world renown author, suggested that people have various ways
through which they give and receive love.
§ He proposed a model to show how different people may have developed different
love languages.
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§ Although to some extent, it is helpful to express and receive all different forms of
love language, people may have a dominant love language, which when ignored,
may be interpreted as the absence of love from their partner, leaving the person
wanting and feeling devalued in a relationship.

5. Relationship Stages Theory

§ Each relationship goes through stages. This is important to understand as people

sometimes go into a relationship thinking how they felt and interacted with their
partner in the beginning will remain the same throughout the rest of the relationship.
§ George Levinger proposed a five-stage theory to describe intimate relationships.
Also known as the ABCDE of relationships.

Relationship Stages

1. Acquaintance

§ Intimate human relationships start in acquaintanceship. We meet up through

circumstances and first learn about basic information about one another, crucial at
this stage is attraction. What does it take for a person to actually decide to be
acquainted with another? Attraction can take place in an enabling environment.
§ It can happen when there is exposure—when due to proximity, there are repeated
possibilities of interaction. It can also happen when there is similarity—common
preferences, interests, and probably, beliefs and values.

2. Buildup
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§ The involved parties begin to introduce one another to each other’s friends and
families, thus, making the social network larger and interconnected. This is the
stage when two persons test their boundaries. They test the waters before
engaging fully and so committedly in the relationship.

3. Consolidation and Continuation

§ The third stage of intimate relationship is consolidation. This stage is when people
commit to a long-term relationship with one another, either through a personal
agreement (i.e., exclusivity of partnership) or a social-legal agreement (i.e.,
marriage).
§ What makes people commit to a relationship, to a point of legitimizing it through
marriage? Often, people set standards that are sustainable (e.g., ability of each
other to maintain a family or a household, readiness of each other to raise children,
career, and financial capacities).
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4. Decline / Deterioration
§ While not all relationships go through this stage, there are those that encounter
misunderstandings or irreconcilable differences.
§ These may range from changes in the priorities, attitudes and values of each or
both partners. This may also be triggered by a stressor in the relationship that both
partners cannot resolve.
§ Regardless, at this point, the partners have the option and agree to compromise,
ignore the concerns or consider the last stage.

5. Ending/Termination
§ Finally, for those intimate partnerships who are unable to address the causes and
circumstances leading to the deterioration of their relationship, the stages culminate
into ending or termination of the agreements made (either personal or socio-legal)
through informal (e.g., collective decision to end the relationship) or formal (e.g.,
marriage dissolution) means.

Sex and Senses

Sensorium

 Sensorium is a technical term for the entirely of our sensory experiences and
perception. As our organs receive input from the environment, nerves send these to
the central nervous system, particularly our brain. The information is then
processed and interpreted into something meaningful, to which we then respond to
via our behavior and affect.
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 It is important to understand that not all sensory experiences are processed via
higher order thinking done in the cortex of the brain. Some sensory experiences are
processed by a more primitive part of the brain—limbic system—that is focused on
emotions (e.g. fear, anger, sexual attraction).

What are the different sensory experiences related to sexuality?

Visual Experience: Studies on Men and Women

 Human beings rely heavily on visual information in order to navigate the world,
including sexual experiences. Males, for instance, are found to be responsive to
visual stimuli and are influenced by the sex of the person in a particular scenario,
focusing on what the person looks like.
 On the other hand, while females are also influenced by the appearance of another
person, women are found to be more influenced by the context (e.g. is the other
person trustworthy or showing care?) (Rupp and Wallen, 2007).
 What can we glean from these studies? Women and men differ in strategies of
viewing sexual stimuli. Women tend to pay more attention to contextual and
nonsexual cues than men (Lann and Everaerd, 1995), and thus are putting prime
on subjective valuing of circumstances.

Olfactory Experience

 While we have a limited olfaction capabilities compared to other mammals, our

sense of smell and our interpretation of certain smells also contributes to our
sexual experience.
 Scientists have long been interested in how olfaction influences sexual
experiences. One concept they are exploring is the major histocompatibility
complex, proteins that signal the presence of foreign substances to our immune
system. Studies on the MHC seem to show that people tend to be attracted to
those with different MHC genes.
 The other concept often studied is about pheromones, hormones emitted by the
body. Both of these are hypothesized to attract people to certain sexes, and
avoid others. However, these are yet to be confirmed by replication studies

Auditory Experience

 When we communicate with other people, we use verbal signals, language,

which also plays a role in our sexuality. Certain words said to a person trigger
strong emotional responses, such as when your crush calls your name, or when
your partner says they love you.
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 Certain sounds indicate joy or pleasure, and signal one’s emotional state to
another. Think also of how certain kinds of music played in the background
influence your mood, especially in the presence of someone you are attracted
to.

Tactile Experience

 Touch is an important component of sexual attraction and intimacy. Tactile

signals received by the skin are coded—was the surface rough or smooth?
Were the signals pulsating or steady? Was there too much or too little pressure?
These are then interpreted to denote meaning—was the touch loving and
tender? Was it rough, dominant and hurting?
 In addition, touch also triggers the release of oxytocin, more commonly known
as the bonding chemical because it promotes tribal bonds/team cohesion,
maternal caring, and intimacy.

Erogenous Zones

 Different parts of the human body also have different threshold of tactile
experience.
 Areas such as the mouth, anus, genitals, and nipples are referred to as primary
erogenous zones as they are very sensitive to touch.
 The back, cheek, neck, buttocks and secondary erogenous zones—as they are
also sensitive to touch, but only supportive of the primary zones in eliciting
response.
 Often, these erogenous zones are areas of the body involved in the
reproductive and sexual act.

Love Hormones
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 Human touch is essential in social bonds. Often, we only give people we trust
the right to have tactile contact with us. It is always a consensual act to touch
and be touched. When we touch, our body produces hormones called oxytocin
—it is referred to as the love hormone because it is believed to influence tribal
behaviors and maternal bonding.
 Oxytocin is observed to be produced in vast amounts during nipple stimulation,
such as for instance when a mother suckles her newly-born.

Love language

 In intimate relationships, touch is suggested to be one of the love languages.

 A person whose love language is touch tend to give and receive tactile
stimulation to and from others through holding, hugging and other forms of
physical connections.

Sexual Behaviors

 Sexual behaviors are actions humans agree to interpret as expression of their

sexual motivations and intentions.
 Sexual behaviors are also generally erotic behaviors, meaning, they involve the
body’s primary and secondary erogenous zones—face, neck, genitalia, chest,
etc.
 They may also be classified as auto-erotic (self-directed), homoerotic (directed
at the same sex) or hetero-erotic (directed at the other sex).
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 Many of these behaviors are context-dependent, and thus, open to interpretation

of people observing or doing them.
 For instance, some people may feel that kissing and hugging are expressions of
friendship while others may see it as an expression of sexual attraction.
 This means it is important to communicate with respect on these matters and
ensure that both parties understand and agree to the messaging of these
behaviors.

Sexual Response Cycle

 During the 1960s, two pioneering researchers, William Masters and Virginia
Johnson studied males and females engaging in sexual activities in a laboratory,
eventually producing the groundbreaking model which contains four phases.

1. Excitement – As partners observe sexual cues or think of sexual fantasies, their

body begins to respond starting with erection or tumescence (elongation of the
penis). The testes and scrotum also elevate. For females, the vagina becomes
lubricated and the glans clitoris and labia minora swell. Certain parts of the skin in
both males and females become flushed. Heart rate also increases.
2. Plateau – Partners continue stimulating each other and eventually reach the peak
of organ stimulation. It is important to note that during intercourse, a male may
accidentally release pre-ejaculate into the woman’s body, making it possible to
impregnate the woman unknowingly.
3. Orgasm – At this stage, the male’s vas deference, seminal vesicles and urethral
sphincter contract leading to release of seminal fluid. In females, the vagina, uterus
and anal sphincter also contract, leading to involuntary pleasurable muscular
contractions that may be felt in the genital area or all over the body.
4. Resolution – During this stage, the genital organs relax.
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Sexual Response Dysfunctions

 It is possible for people to experience problems at various points in the sexual

response cycle.
 These may be organic—caused by biological/ physiological problems, or
psychosomatic—caused by psychological concerns that manifest physically.
 What is important is for both partners to try to learn more about their experience
and learn to be open to seeking professional help for their concerns.
 Unfortunately, in communities where sex is taboo, seeking help for various
sexual dysfunctions is often frowned upon.

 Sexual desire and arousal disorders – occurs when a partner persistently has
no or little interest and desire for sexual activity or when a partner finds it difficult
to experience arousal (e.g. erectile disorder, lacking in lubrication).
 Orgasmic disorders – manifested when one partner orgasms too early
(premature ejaculation), takes a long time or cannot ejaculate (delayed
ejaculation, female orgasmic disorder).
 Sexual pain disorders – manifested when one partner experiences intense
pain during the sexual act (e.g. dyspareunia or vaginal spasms or vaginismus).

Paraphilias

While there are typical sexual behaviors among humans, there are also those behaviors
that are relatively atypical. They are atypical due to any of the following reasons:

• they are not prevalent,

• they are dangerous to self and to others,
• they are bizarre and are not socially acceptable, and;
• they are distressing either to the doer or to other people involved in the act.
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 Among these atypical sexual behavioral variations, which is also considered by

the APA as a disorder, is paraphilia.
 Paraphilia is when an individual gets sexually aroused by an object, a person, or
a circumstance that are unusual (e.g., pain-inflicting, humiliating, non-consenting
persons).
 A paraphilic disorder is when the urge or act lasts for at least six months and is a
manifestation of clinically significant distress.

Paraphilic Disorders

1. Exhibitionism- pleasure from exposing one’s genitals to non-consenting people.

2. Fetishism- arousal from non-living objects (e.g., shoes, socks, body parts).
3. Frotteurism- touching or rubbing one’s body or genitals to non-consenting people.
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4. Pedophilia- arousal from children (prepubescent).

5. Sexual Masochism- arousal from actual suffering or humiliation.

6. Sexual Sadism- arousal from actually inflicting pain to others.

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7. Transvestic Fetishism- (for heterosexual males only) arousal from wearing clothing by
the opposite sex during sexual activities.

8. Voyeurism- observing other people engaged in sexual activities.

Note: For Paraphilia to be considered a paraphilic disorder, diagnosis has to be made.

Only trained psychologists or medical doctors can make such clinical judgments after
lengthy and comprehensive assessment.

▪ ACTIVITY/ EXERCISE/ ASSIGNMENT

Critical thinking assessment:

 What do you think should parents, teachers, and other adults do to keep their children
safe from unwanted sexual advances from other people?

▪ EQUIPMENT OR MATERIALS TO BE USED (for Face-to-face)

Laptop, Projector
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▪ PRACTICAL EXERCISES (for Face-to-face)

▪ Activity 1: Collaborate: As a group, illustrate the environment of a person who is psychologically

well. Hint: Consider each aspect of well-being (physical, material, mental, social-emotional, etc.)
▪ Activity 2: Form at least 5 groups. Interview your parents, grandparents, or any adult in your home
or school who are in an intimate relationship. Ask them to share their “love story” (how their
relationship started, how they maintain their relationship, and how they deal with conflicts). Write
a five-minute vlog or write a song summarizing what you learned from these interviews. Present
your output in the class.

▪ SUPPLEMENTARY LEARNING MATERIALS

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7BngrViqjM

▪ REFERENCES

Botor, N; Laude, T. & Peralta, E. (2019). Gender and Society: A Human Ecological Approach. Rex Book
Store. Manila, Philippines

Florendo, R., Florendo, A. (2022). Gender and Society. Wiseman Books Trading, Inc. Quezon City,
Philippines
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NAME OF THE General Education

PROGRAM
COURSE TITLE Gender and Society COURSE CODE SOC103
PREREQUISITE/ CO- None COURSE UNIT 3 units
REQUISITE
COURSE CO3: Analyze historical and contemporary systems of privilege
OUTCOMES and oppression with special attention to the ways gender
intersects with race, class, sexuality, ethnicity, ability, religion,
and nationality.

MODULE 4
LESSON LEARNING After successful completion of this module, you should be able
OUTCOME/S to:
a. Understand the definition of gender-based violence, other
related terms, and its forms and consequences;
b. Explain the various Philippine Laws affecting women and the
rights of women; and
c. Determine the various Philippine Laws and Policies for the
protection of Rights of Members of LGBTQIA+; and
d. Discuss the theoretical perspectives on sexual harrassment.
TOPICS h. Women and the Law
i. Violence Against Women and their Children
j. Laws and Policies on Violence and Discrimination of the
Members of LGBTQ+
WEEK / INCLUSIVE Weeks 1-4
DATE
MODALITY On-ground lecture, Asynchonous

▪ LESSON PROPER

Disclaimer

This lesson will include graphic descriptions of abuse and violence. While the contents and
descriptions may be shocking, the professor will try to tackle them in an objective manner
and have no intention to offend the reader. These details are all for the benefit of those
who are studying VAWC in order for them to recognize and prevent it.
This discussion is important because abuse and violence are so normalized in society that
people often fail to recognize when it is present.
If you are a survivor of VAWC and these descriptions trigger a negative response or
causes post-traumatic stress disorder, I encourage you to see a counselor. Too many
women (and men) have been forced to bear the burden of gender-based violence because
they were ashamed to come forward. Others may have been silenced because of the
perceived disgrace it could bring to their personality and their families.
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A culture of silence breeds a culture of complicity, thus sustaining the existence of these
violent acts. Survivors need to come together to end these abuses and violence. We are
here with you in this fight.

What is VAWC?

• VAWC or the Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act of 2004, is a law
passed to protect women and children from violence.
• Also known as RA 9262, the law is in keeping with the provisions on human rights
enshrined in the Philippine Constitution, as well as the fundamental rights and
freedoms guaranteed in various international declarations and documents to which
the Philippines is signatory, including:
o Universal Declaration of Human Rights
o The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against
Women
o Convention on the Rights of the Child

• The Republic Act 9262, or the Anti-Violence against Women and their Children
(Anti-VAWC) Act of 2004, is a result of strong advocacies on women’s human rights
in the country.
• This law was deemed to be a significant victory for all Filipino women as it is based
on the right of women not to suffer abuse, discrimination, and violence in their
respective relationships.

Important features of the law include:

Four kinds of violence against women and children defined:

• the law defined four kinds of violence- physical, psychological, sexual, and
economic- in its effort to encompass all types of abuses inflicted to women and
their children.

Physical Violence

 Physical violence against a woman or child includes acts that result in or threaten
bodily harm. These include:
 Causing physical harm to the victim
 Threatening and/or attempting to cause physical harm to the victim
 Placing the victim in imminent physical harm
 Using force, or the threat of force and physical harm to:
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 Force the victim to engage in acts that the victim has the right to desist from;
 Prevent the victim from doing acts they have the right to engage in;
 Restrict the victim’s freedom of movement.

Psychological Violence

Psychological violence is defined as acts or omissions that result in or are likely to result in
mental and emotional suffering on the part of the victim. These acts include, but are not
limited to:
• Intimidation
• Harassment
• Stalking
• Damage to property
• Public ridicule or humiliation
• Mental infidelity
• Repeated verbal abuse
• Forcing or allowing the victim to witness the abuse on a member of a family
• Unlawful deprivation of the right to custody or visitation of the victim’s
children

Sexual Violence

Women and children are given protection against violent sexual acts that include – but are
not limited to – the following:
• Rape
• Sexual harassment
• Acts of lasciviousness
• Demeaning or sexually suggestive remarks
• Physical attack of a woman’s or child’s sexual parts
• Forcing the victim to watch obscene shows and publications
• Filming sexual acts without the victim’s consent
• Forcing the wife and a mistress or lover to live in the same house or sleep
together in the same room
• Forcing or attempting to cause the victim to engage in a sexual act through
the threat of violence or harm
• Prostituting the victim

Economic Abuse

Economic abuse includes acts that make a woman financially dependent, including
but not limited to:
• Withdrawal of financial support
• Preventing the victim from engaging in a legal profession
• Depriving the woman of financial resources and the use and enjoyment of
the conjugal home
• Controlling the woman’s finances or the conjugal properties and money

Important features of the law include:

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• VAWC is a public crime- the crime is perpetrated not only against a single
individual, but against the entire society, thus anyone who has personal knowledge
of the abuse, violence, or discrimination can file a complaint.

• Protection orders can be issued against the perpetrator- upon filing the case, the
victim-survivor or anyone who has personal knowledge can apply for a protection
order to enforce distance between her and the perpetrator.

A protection order under the Anti-VAWC Law is defined as:

• “an order issued…for the purpose of preventing further acts of violence against a
woman and her child specified in Section of this Act and granting other necessary
relief. The relief granted under a protection order should serve the purpose of
safeguarding the victim, minimizing any disruption in the victim’s daily life, and
facilitating the opportunity and ability of the victim to independently gain control of
her life.”

The law enumerates the following:

1. prohibition of the respondent (perpetrator) from threatening to commit or committing

personally or through another, any of the acts penalized by the Anti-VAWC Law;
2. prohibition of the respondent from harassing, annoying, telephoning, contacting, or
otherwise, communicating with the petitioner (victim-survivor) directly or indirectly.
3. Removal and exclusion of the respondent from the residence of the petitioner
whether temporarily or permanently;
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4. Directing the respondent to stay away from the petitioner and any designated family
or household member at a distance specified by the court;
5. 5. Directing lawful possession and use by the petitioner of an automobile and other
personal effects regardless of ownership;
6. 6. Granting temporary or permanent custody of a child/children to the petitioner;
7. 7. Directing the respondent to provide support to the woman and/or her child if
entitled to legal support;
8. 8. Prohibition of the respondent from any use or possession of any firearm or
deadly weapon and order him to surrender the same, including revocation of license
and disqualification to apply for any license to use or possess a firearm;
9. 9. Restitution for actual damages caused by violence inflicted including property
damage, medical expenses, and loss of income;
10. 10. Directing the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) or any
appropriate agency to provide temporary shelter and other social services that the
petitioner may need; and
11. 11. Provision of other forms of relief as may be necessary to protect and provide for
the safety of the petitioner.

Important features of the law include:

• Stronger community and mechanisms to respond to cases- various government

agencies are mandated to aptly respond or formulate mechanisms to respond to
reported cases of VAWC immediately.

What sets this law apart from common criminal acts?

• These cases has an established relationship with the victim. The law defines these
relationships to include, but are not limited to:
• Married couples
• Former spouses
• Couples with a common child, whether legitimate or illegitimate
• The legitimate or illegitimate parent of the victim
• A sexual or dating relationship, which include couples living together without
the benefit of marriage, or has a continuing romantic involvement over time,
with or without sexual intercourse

Rights of Victim-Survivors of VOWC Cases

RA 9262 specified the following as rights of the victim-survivors:

“Section 35. Rights of Victims- in addition to their rights under existing laws, victims of
violence against women and their children shall have the following rights:
a. To be treated with respect and dignity;
b. To avail of legal assistance from the Public Attorney’s Office and the Department of
Justice or any public legal assistance office;
c. To be entitled to support services from the DSWD and the LGUs (Local
Government Units);
d. To be entitled to all legal remedies and support as provided for under the Family
Code; and
e. To be informed of their right to apply for a protection order.”
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The right to privacy of the victim is also provided in the law, and its violation is punishable
by imprisonment and fine.

Duties of National and Local Government Offices

• Section 39 of RA 9262 provides for the creation of the Inter-Agency Council on

Violence against Women and their Children (IAC-VAWC), which shall formulate
gender-sensitive programs and projects according to their respective agency
mandates, including capability building programs for their employees.
• The IAC-VAWC consists of the following agencies:
q DSWD National Commission on the Role of Filipino Women,
q Civil Service Commission,
q Commission on Human Rights,
q Council for Welfare of Children, Department of Justice,
q Department of Interior and, Local Government,
q Philippine National Police, Department of Health,
q Department of Education,
q Department of Labor and Employment, and
q National Bureau of Investigation.

• The implementing rules and regulations of the Anti-VAWC Act state the following
duties and responsibilities of LGUs or the Barangay in addressing VAWC cases,
apart from the issuances of Barangay Protection Orders:
“Section 47. Duties and Functions of Barangay Officials—In order to eliminate violence
against women and their children, barangay officials shall:

a. Undertake an education program on Republic Act No. 9262 and on violence against
women and their children and it exists, the rights and remedies of victim-survivors,
and the duties of residents and all barangay officials;
b. Have a family violence prevention program, including peer counseling for men;
c. Support organizing efforts and development programs for women in the community;
d. Prioritize livelihood projects for victim-survivors;
e. Involve women in planning and implementation of all programs and projects in the
barangay;
f. Have an Anti-VAWC desk officer in the barangay who shall coordinate a one-stop
help desk. As much as possible, this help desk shall be open for 24 hours;
g. Ensure that all barangay officials, barangay health workers, barangay nutrition
scholars, other barangay workers, and tanod or barangay security officers undergo
gender sensitivity seminars to enable them to respond to victims of violence;
h. Develop a system to document and report cases of VAWC and assistance program
to victims thereof; and
i. If applicable/necessary, prescribe additional guidelines and standards provided that
these are consistent with the Act.

▪ ACTIVITY/ EXERCISE/ ASSIGNMENT

Group presentation

▪ EQUIPMENT OR MATERIALS TO BE USED (for Face-to-face)

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Laptop, Projector

▪ PRACTICAL EXERCISES (for Face-to-face)

▪ As a group, read and assess the assigned case.

▪ Answer the worksheet provided.

▪ Present your assessment in class.

▪ SUPPLEMENTARY LEARNING MATERIALS

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=shmihCkNfBU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uf39Tc65OgQ

▪ REFERENCES

Botor, N; Laude, T. & Peralta, E. (2019). Gender and Society: A Human Ecological Approach. Rex Book
Store. Manila, Philippines

Florendo, R., Florendo, A. (2022). Gender and Society. Wiseman Books Trading, Inc. Quezon City,
Philippines