Basic Concepts in Gender After reading this chapter, you will be conversant with: fi gerae gender socialization er roles: = Gender stereotyping + Gender equity + Gender diserirnination + Gender stratification (CONCEPTS OF SEX AND GENDER ‘An infant is born as either male or female. How do we ditferentiate between males and females? “The first thing that comes to mind is the sex of the newborn baby or the biologi cal characteristics that differentiate between the male and the female. At first glance, the definition of ‘sex’ in the biological context would appear clear cut. It is indeed common kenowledge that in order to create a new life, a sample of cach sex such as male and s needed. From this viewpoint, sex isa binary system in which two options exist. ‘We can say that there are a number of biological differences between the two sexes. Most of us have a mental image of biological sex, and accordingly we judge their sex he picture that has been drilled into our psyche regarding behavioural pat terns associated with cach sex superimposes this image. This image is further reinforced by our socialization patterns and individual life experiences. It is created, preserved and handed over from one generation to another. This image, which has been driven deep into the human psyche and has been taken for granted by all, is called gender, The terms ‘sex’ and ‘gender’ seems deceptively simple. They appear to be straight- ws of the most basic characteristics of human beings. Many a times. e used interchangeably, They are also considered by many to beiS “? © Bronymous. When an infant is born. it ic referred toa either a male or female baby. This c x to the sex of the infant, Sex, thus refers to the biological difference between male female. Gender, on the other hand, is a social construct, not a biological one. It refers to all the characteristics a society considers proper for its males and females. Whereas © refers to male or female, gender refers to masculinity or feminity. Sex is inherited. but gender is learnt through socialization into behaviours and attitudes considered © tate for each sex. Gender is a device by which society controls its members. eo sorts people on the basis of their sex into different life experiences. It opens and e <= access to power, prestige and property. Gender is commonly mistaken for sex but jane quite a different thing. Gender does not refer to the biological or physiological eos individuals possess at birth. It refers to the socially constructed roles ch men and women are expected to follow and enact. It is also important to keep in ___ mind that these roles vary across cultures. Gender can never be clearly defined because a society has attributed certain traits as masculine or feminine (e.g, women ing empathetic and caring whereas men being domineering and assertive), there e 2 degree of androgyny in all of us. Gender has a lot to do with the things ‘we learn and are taught by our parents, peers and society. It is a feeling inside as « gl sone tet re peck i loa eae mee Oey Seca consisting of primary and secondary characteristics is known as sex. The social ‘Characteristics that a society considers proper for its males and females—masculinity or Qe inept: Gender is commonly used as a synonym for sex, referring to ‘males’ and ‘females’ e according to genotypic differences and distinct primary and secondary sex istics. This usage is considered incorrect by some. Sex describes the biologi- s ee Se a eee i to the behavioural. social and psychol characteristics ~ eek eae Frese a eat eee eee weet It is the significance attached to bio- Jogcal categories and female by a society. The concept of gender it G—stions held about the aptitudes, ‘ar acar tects MISE bates OF es bea ‘ad women called masculinity and feminity. It is a basic i : organizing principle of society ie Bera bow peorlc think sbout themseives and guides how they interact with each Gender re expectations are learned. change tn different societies and cultures kaw fre eso ee ce In its most accepted definition, refers to Scares Ste, al cng: en ma scx. this definition, sex is seen as natural, and gender as the secidl cont ‘Sruction that stems from the reading of sex. Gender is a societal construct sepa gi asserts behaviours appearances and identities that develop eres al interpretations of practic sone sense of being woman, man, git bor sete -* tomething else entirely, and of being perceived as wornan, tan, gid, boy ed ‘on. Gender alvo implies hierarchy, as it affects the opportunities and consteaBoxic Conceptsin Gender | 3 Definition of Gender ¢s tw culturally based expectations of the roles and behaviors | of males and females. The term ‘distinguishes the socially constructed from the bio~ finale Giermined expect of being mab and Gia Hale ie aeneg of tex, | gender roles and behaviors can change histori } ‘The term gender refe there are groups, which seck to impose more stri deers arian currently exist, while feminist movements seek to reduce or eradicate these divisions. | Source: United Nations, 1995; 2000; 2001. faced by a particular gender. There are inequalities inherent in the conceps of gender, ‘chich goes much beyond the biological differences of sex. It has béen seen that, by and Tire, societies do not consistently define most tasks as either ferninine OF masculine. As see ice industrialize, gender distractions become less significant. Gender is variable societies tures and societies. With so many other elements of culture, what i eins actpe enaseuline of feminine is mostly a creation of society. Traditionally. gender has een used primarily to refer to the grammatical categories of masculine; ‘feminine, and a wt bur in revent years the word has become well established in its use to rei 00 om ized categories, as in phrases such as gender gap and the politics of gender. This usage te supported by the practice of many anthropologists, who reserve Sex for reference to biological categories. while using gender to refer to social or culturel categories Tis widely belicved that while one’s sex is determined by anatomy, the conceP® of ‘gender —the traits that constitute masculinity and feminity—is largely, if not entirely, aeeier construct, affected by the omnipresent patriarchal biases of our civilization. The saaatline, in this fashion, has come to be identified with active, dominating, adventur- ‘ous, rational and creative; the feminine, by systematic opposition to such traits, has come to be identified as passive, acquiescent, timid, emotional and conventional. SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES ON GENDER In addition to age, gender is one of the universal dimensions on which status differences ‘are based. Unlike sex, which is a biological concept, gender is a social construct 3pecify- ing the socially and culturally prescribed roles that nfen and women are to follow. Gerda ‘Lerner in her book ‘The Creation of Patriarchy says that gender is the ‘costume, a mask, a straitjacket in which men and women dance their unequal dance’ As Alan Wolfe observed, ‘of all the ways that one group has systematically mistreated another, none is moreyomen: All other discriminations di rooted than the way men have subordinated women: ree: ay ote tn at wot = Palinations and that to rid ourselves of ‘al of those other ‘isms'—racism™ ageism —t shat must first be eradicated. ot 5 "1 ae rj a eepeerved initially that gender is @ sociological construct aes to identities and expectations associated with the biological categories of os ue tae females. Gender is * ‘construct that is Jearnt—individuals ‘are born male or van hea Jearn masculine or feminine! behaviours as they pass sree ae + a rious concepts associated with the concept of gender, wl b ey ould be familiar with. In the following section, we shall briefly examine some of Sec concepts Gender Identity ‘As part ofthe process of normal gender identity ip the family, young children will often tryout a variety of sex role behaviours as they learn {9 ‘make the fine distinctions between fsculine and feminine roles. Usually, girls dress up 1 frocks or feminine dresses and play the role of the mother to perfection. Boys, on the other hand, get into suits and Gee and go to work or office ike their daddies. Some Yount, ‘boys occasionally perform eerie Se that our culture has traditionally recognized as feminine, such as wearing @ tices using cosmetics or play acting the roles of bearing and ‘nursing infants. Similarly, ‘any young girls will occasionally assume a masculine role, such as pretending to be ‘Gada’ while playing house, or temporarily adopting a cluster ‘of masculine behaviours