Gender Studies

Passtra University of Cambodia-SR C i i f C b di S Campus Ms. NGUON Rothsophal August 2011

Why do we need to study gender?

To understand the difference between Sex and Gender To increase awareness of sex stereotypes and socialization To introduce and arrive at a common understanding of Gender Gender To make the links between Gender and Law Law

Teaching Method
Lectures Site visit CSL Viewing audio-Visual materials Group discussions Research study

Assessment Method
Mid-term = 20% Final-exam = 40% Term paper = 30% Class participation = 10%

Sex and Gender:

What is Sex? What is Gender?

Sex :
Refers to the natural distinguishing variable based on biological characteristics of being a woman or man. It refers to physical attribute pertaining to a persons body contours, features, genitals, hormones, genes, chromosomes and reproductive organs.

Gender:
Refers to roles, attitudes and values assigned by culture and society to women and men. These roles, attitudes and values define the behaviors of women and men and the relationship between them. They are created and maintained by social institutions such as families, governments, communities, schools, churches and media. Because of gender, certain roles, traits and characteristics gender roles are assigned or ascribed distinctly and strictly to women or to men. Gender could be changed, but sex could not be changed!

What is socialization?
Society: people living together because they share common beliefs, customs, culture. Sociology: the study of society and its development Socialization: How you are taught and how you internalize culturally appropriate attitudes and behaviors of the society you are a part of.

What is socialization?
Based on Studies of Laurel W. Richardson W and Verta A. Taylor Feminist Fontiers: Rethinking Sex, Gender, Society Sex Gender Society
Everyone is born into a culture-a set of shared ideas about the nature and reality, the nature of right and wrong, evaluation of what is good and desirable, and the nature of the good desirable versus the bas and nondesirable...As totally y dependent infants we are socialized-taught the rules, roles and relationship of the social world.. In the process we learn to think, act, and feel as we are SUPPOSED TO think act TO

Gender Roles:
The characteristics they are perceived to have and the roles and responsibilities assigned to them, differ among societies, cultures and historical period. Gender roles assigned to women and men on the basis of perceived gender characteristics and attributes, instead of ability and skill.

Mens Roles:
In industrialized countries there are few lines of demarcation between mens and womens occupations. occupations In many less industrialized societies, men have more visible and recognized roles than women women, largely because men are paid for their productive work, and women are not. Men do not usually p , y perform domestic or
house hold tasks. If they have community management roles, these tend to involve political organization and leadership. Women handle community organization and hands-on activities.

Womens Roles:
There Th are 3 categories: t i
Productive: relating to production of goods for consumption or income through work in or outside the home. Reproductive: relating to domestic or household tasks associated with R d ti l i d i h h ld k i d ih creating and sustaining children and family Community management: relating to tasks and responsibilities carried out for the benefit of the community community. The tasks women usually perform is carrying out their different roles do not generally earn them an income. In general, gender roles are not recognized and valued as economically productive. Womens contributions to national economics development are therefore often not quantified ad invisible.

Gender Order
Jill Matthews 1984_gender order should not be
hierarchical, inequitable or oppressive
Economic order or Mode in capitalist/feudal or communist Egalitarian_ Egalitarian system that people have the rights Matriarchal_ system that women dominates the family/group/state Patriarchy_ system older male lead the family/group/state

Gendered / Gendering
Is a way to describe _when the character is either masculine or feminine (it is not something
that already made or fixed but all about something that has h l d d fi d b ll b hi h h assumed by the society [sexuality, social class, race])

i. e i e.

Blue d Pi k Bl and Pink are gendered d d Paid Work (part time for women/ fulltime for men) Nurse is female s job/ Engineer is man females

Gender Stereotype
The portrayal of women and men in roles based on the traditional gender division of labor. Such stereotyping reinforces a social norm and makes it difficult to change: for example the portrayal of men as decision maker within the family or society, or women as house keeper.

Pre-History of Gender Development

Feminist Activists Stage of Feminism g
1st wave Faminism1860's to 1920's g 1899-chicago and New York 1919- world submission (in Copenhagen 17 countries)
- Seek for rights to vote/ seek for property right -Seek for 12hs working per day (have limitation of job opportunities) -Seek for equal work = salary -Seek for the rights of re productive health care. Seek re-productive - No self confidence

Pre-History of Gender Development

Feminist Activists
2nd wave faminism1960's
1945- United N ti 1945 U it d Nations commitments to the advancement it t t th d t of women began 1946-birth of the Commission on Status of Women 1947-1962 Securing the Legal Foundations of Gender Equality: womens rights; Political rights; right to educate and sport; rights against discrimination in d t d t i ht i t di i i ti i marriage; women in development; birth control and right to make abortion. 1975- 1st World Conference on womens day in Mixico city

Pre-History of Gender Development

Feminist A ti i t F i i t Activists
3rd wave faminism1980s today Extension of second wave feminism feminism. Specific critique on religion/race/ ethnicity. Race in Politics. Development of CEDAW- Convention on the Elimination of all form of Discrimination Against Women. Women on the global Agenda/ gender as global issue. Gender Mainstreaming. More f M focus on E t t i Entertainment/ music/ pornography/ sex/ t/ i / h / / transsexual.

History of Gender Studies

d Late 1960s inspired by 2nd wave of feminism. 1970s social science increased attention to Gender Kate Millett (1971)_sexual Politics which critique on Sigmund Freud and Karl Marx perspectives Introduce to Academic programs in USA (late 1960s), UK (mid- to late 1970s) Ann Oakley 1972_ A O kl 1972 Sex, gender and society

What is Feminism?
refers to an approach of activities which try to define the equal rights of the women in society (be allowed the same rights, power and opportunities Economics or Political aspect as men and be treated in the same way).

Stage of Feminism
1st 1860's to 1920's 2nd 1960's 3rd 1980s today

In short Feminism refers to such campaigns g for women's rights

Contract Property Voting