GENDER SENSITIVITY

By: ANGEL C. DEOCAMPO,RSW

MSWDO
 MAIN PREMISES
• 1. That, this is not a WAR OF THE SEXES;
• 2. That, we are not ANTI-MALE;
• 3. That, both WOMEN and MEN are
victims, although WOMEN are
usually/oftentimes the victims than
MEN;
• 4. That, both MEN and WOMEN have a
stake in the struggle from Gender
Equality.
WHAT IS SEX?
• Any Discussion On GAD
Starts With The Difference Between
SEX And GENDER

• SEX Is a natural distinguishing variables based

on biological characteristics of being a woman
or man. It refers to physical attributes
pertaining to a persons body contours,
chromosomes and reproductive organs.
WHAT IS GENDER?
• GENDER - Refers to the socially differentiated
roles, characteristics and expectations
attributed by culture to women and men. It is
set of characteristics that identifies the social
behavior of women and men and the
relationships between them.
• Gender roles, expectations and
perceptions both women and men into situations
that constrain their capacity to do and capacity
to be, hindering, in turn, their potentials to
attain a full and satisfying life.
GENDER
• Gender definitions may be based on
stereotypes,i.e preconceived and oversimplified
assumptions and ideas that arbitrarily assign
males and females a set of of traits and roles
based on their sex.
• it is dynamic and can be changed
• it can be taught or learned
BUILDING BLOCKS OF GENDER
•GENDER NORMS
- Ideas about how men and women
should look, be and act.
BUILDING BLOCKS OF GENDER
• Gender Relations:
-are the relations between women and men,
including how power, access to and control over
resources are distributed between the sexes.
BUILDING BLOCKS OF GENDER
• GENDER ROLES
- refer to the differently ascribed attitudes,
behaviors, work or responsibilities assigned to
men and women, boys and girls, and third gender
or transgender persons.
- Draw the first image (s) that come
to
your mind when you hear the word
“Woman”;

- When you hear the word “Man”

Differentiate the male
and female?
 WHY do so many men and
women seem to conform to
society's definitions of what is
masculine and what is
feminine?
• INSTITUTIONS OF SOCIALIZATION
• A. FAMILY/PARENTS IMPLICATIONS
- Boys should be While boys should
aggressive, go out; have the privilege
trained to be decision- to go to school since
makers and leaders they will be future
breadwinners.
• Girls are trained in house When there are limited
work. resources, girls should
stay at home.
 B. FAMILY/HUSBAND IMPLICATIONS
AND WIFE
- Husband who consults his “Under de saya”;
wife for decision; husband Ridiculed by pals
who goes home early; and relatives;
husband who does not Restrictions affect
go out on “nights out” w/ men’s self esteem
friends; no vices
C. SCHOOL IMPLICATIONS
Courses for boys: Not an opportunity
Engineering; Medicine to choose but an
Architecture imposition.
Courses for girls:
Nursing, Social Work;
Secretarial; Education.
On out-of-wedlock A girl who gets pregnant
Pregnancy while studying, gets
kicked out, but a boy
who
gets a girl pregnant does
not receive any sanction
D. CHURCH IMPLICATIONS
Wedding rites Misinterpretation of rite:
WIFE, submit to your husband
MAN, love your wife (forgets
the line. . As you love GOD)
> used by some to justify why
women should stay with a
batterer.
E. GOVERNMENT IMPLICATIONS

- Men in general get Less opportunities for

higher pay at work women to take leader-
ship positions
 A COMPARISON (CSC 2008)

- Senate:
Male - 20
Female - 3
- Congress:
Male - 214
Female - 54
- Supreme Court Justices (2010)

Male - 12
Female - 3
 -Governors
Male - 52
Female - 15
- -Mayors
Male - 1,083
Female - 258
F. WORKPLACE IMPLICATIONS

- Women in general, “TRABAHO NA,

work in service BAHAY PA”
industries (an
extension of their
expected role at home)
 G. MEDIA IMPLICATIONS
-Women in Advertisements: Women should always
Cosmetic ads- Convey that be YOUNG and BEAU
for a woman to be loved, TIFUL (a self-worth
dapat maganda, makinis based on men’s
sexy perceptions)
-Other product ads: WOMEN ARE
SEX OBJECTS

BUY THIS BEER/LIQUOR (pangkama,

CAR – and this woman will pampagana, pam
be yours pasaya)
 MANIFESTATIONS OF GENDER BIAS

♂ ECONOMIC MARGINALIZATION
- Under or non- violation/recognition of
women’s work
- Unequal pay for work of equal value
- Last to be hired, first to be fired
- Limited opportunities
- Exacting sex favours
• POLITICAL SUBORDINATION
• Position - Women always attend PTA meetings, but
when a man attends one, he even gets elected as
president.
• Status - Women have no identity, when they get
married, they usually carry the names of their
husbands.
• Decision Making - Women cannot make decisions
by themselves. They still have to consult their
husbands.
• Process Of Socialization- Women are accepted as
second class citizen next to men. Even in dancing it is
the man who directs the woman.
 ♂MULTIPLE BURDEN

Parenting or child rearing

Housework

Women work outside their homes but

they are still expected to perform domestic
responsibilities and take care of the
children.
 » GENDER STEREOTYPING

• Child Rearing - Expected To Take Care Of The Children

• Religion - Does not allow women to be free with what they
wear, or are merely subordinates
• Occupation - Nurses, teachers, Maids, Social Workers
• Education - “Pambahay Lang, Hindi Na Pag – Aaralin Sa
High School o College”
• Language - Language used in our culture is a man thing-
humanity, manhole, policeman, postman, utility
man, chairman.
• Behavior - Women Are Weak
• Media - Women are often portrayed as virgin or
“vamp” and as sex object.
KEY POINTS
•Often, men's gender roles and
characteristics, even in stereotypes, are given
more importance and status.
•Gender Stereotypes reflect how males and
females are valued in society.
GENDER SPECTRUM

G BT Q
THE GENDERBREAD PERSON
• GENDER IDENTITY
• GENDER EXPRESSION
• BIOLOGICAL SEX
• SEXUAL ORIENTATION
GENDER IDENTITY

• Refers to one's inner sense of self

Being a girl/woman, boy/man, other
genders,all,or neither.
 SEXUAL ORIENTATION
• refers to romantic and/or sexual
attraction to men, women, both,
or neither.
BIOLOGICAL SEX
• Sex is label-male or female-that you're assigned by a
doctor at birth based on the genitals you're born with and
the chromosomes you have . It goes on your birth
certificate. A person with XX chromosomes usually has
sex and reproductive organs, and therefore usually
assigned biologically female. A person with XY
chromosomes usually has male sex and reproductive
organs, and is therefore usually assigned biologically
male.
GENDER EXPRESSION
•Refers to how an
individual expresses his
or her sense of self.
Nobody is born in the 'acting like a man' or
'acting like a woman ' box- it is the patriarchal
system that keeps men and women in their
boxes so that people can be controlled and
follow social norms'.
THE USE OF GENDER-FAIR LANGUAGE
• Gender-fair language is needed when
language is sexist, devalues members of one
sex, fosters gender inequality and discriminates
women by rendering them invisible, at the
same time, perpetuates notion of male
supremacy.

“The way we speak and the way we write

affects the way we think.”
 Activity
• Eliminate the generic use of HE, HIS or HIM
unless the antecedent is obviously male by:
a. Using plural noun;
b. Deleting he, his & him altogether;
c. Reword if necessary;
d. Using one, we or you
e. Using the passive voice;
f. Eliminate the use of MAN. Instead use
people, person (s).
1. The lawyer uses his brief to guide him.
2. The architect uses his blue print to guide
him.
3. The manager must submit his proposal
today.
4. Ordinary man; the brotherhood of man;
5. The administrator requires every nurse to
sterilize her hands before entering the
intensive care unit.
6. Each supervisor will be at his workstation by
8:00a.m.
LOVE HAS NO
GENDER
BEST QUOTES:
“YOUR BIOLOGICAL OR
ASSIGNED SEX DOES NOT
ALWAYS TELL YOUR
COMPLETE STORY”