• DEFINING SEX AND GENDER AND

GENDER CONCEPTS
Instructor: Kristel L. del Castillo
NDDU

SEX
• refers to categories that people are assigned to
at birth based on reproductive characteristics
(Little et.al; Stevenson& Whaite, 2011)
• genetic factors largely determine the sex of an
 organism
• X and Y –sex chromosomes
– X chromosomes- carried by all human female egg
cells
– X and Y chromosomes-carried by human male’s
sperm

Intersex •
Physiological condition where an
organism has different variations of the
physical characteristics compared to a
true male or a true female of its kind.
(Encyclopedia Britannica, 2019)
GENDER
• as socially constructed
characteristics of a male
person and female person
(WHO, 2019)
• From Latin term “genus”-
meaning kind or type, or sort
• It is the legal status and social
characteristics attributed to a
given culture to women and
men. (Eviota, 1994)US President Franklin D.
Roosevel, 1884
• The social difference and relation between men and
women which are learned, vary widely among societies
and cultures, and change over time. The term gender
does not replace the term sex, which refers exclusively
to biological differences between men and women. • For
 example, statistical data are broken down by sex. • The
term gender is used to analyse the roles,
responsibilities, constraints, opportunities and needs of
women and men in all areas in any given social context
(Pavlic&Sam-Vargas, 2000)
A summary review of UNESCO’s Accomplishment since the Fourth World Conferences
on Women (Beijing 1995)
 SEX
• relatively fixed/constant
• Primarily refers to physical through time and across
attributes-body cultures
characteristics notably sex GENDER
organ which are distinct in • composite of attitude and
majority of individuals behavior of men and women
• Is biologically determined-by (masculinity and feminity)
genes and hormones
 identity
• is learned and perpetuated
primarily through: the family, • Because it is socialized, it
education, religion(where may be variable through time
dominant) and is an acquired and across cultures.

THEORETICAL
PERSPECTIVES ON
GENDER AND FAMILY
• FUNCTIONALIST
– traditional nuclear family is a natural unit and exists to maintain
social order and is mutually beneficial to all
• MARXIST
– Nuclear family is valued over the typical working-class extended
 family to encourage material aspirations.
– family unit is organized to reinforce passive acceptance of
authority, hierarchy, and inequality
• MARXIST FEMINIST
– Nuclear family benefits the powerful at the expense of the
working class and women’s domestic labor enables the future
workforce to be raised at little cost to the patriarchal capitalist
community

SEXUAL DIVISION OF LABOR

• Work task is an allocated sexual
division of labor
• It is a specific expression of the
division of labor where workers are
divided according to certain
assumptions about “men’s work”
and “women’s work”
• It is based upon on gender divisions
which although socially constructed
,are frequently believed to be the
outcome of the “natural” attributes and
aptitudes of the sexes
GENDER CONCEPTS
• Gender Roles
• Gender Role in the Society
• Sex Roles
• Gender Equality and Equity
• Gender Mainstreaming
• Gender Violence
• Gender Stereotypes
• Gender Discrimiation
 As a child growing up, how
did you come to understand
that you were a boy or a girl?
How did you know how to act
as a boy or as a girl?
GENDER ROLES

• Gender roles are learned behaviors in a

given society, community or other social
group.
• They condition activities, tasks and
responsibilities are perceived as male or
female. • Gender roles are affected by age,
class, race, ethnicity and religion, and by the
geographical, economic and political
environment (Pavlic & Sam Varags, 2000)

GENDER ROLES

• are social expectations comprising a range

of behaviors and attitudes considered
acceptable and appropriate based on the
assigned sex (Levesque, 2011)
• It was coined by psychologist and author
John William Money in his research on how
intersex people expressed their being male or
female (Carey, 2006)

• All
cultures have expectations on what adult
men and adult women should and
should not do (Basow, 1992; Levesque, 2011)
• 2 factors for this division of sexes: – 1.
acquiring the basic needs to stay alive – 2. the
biological reality that only women give birth
GENDER ROLE IN THE
SOCIETY
• Five Categories of Human
Activities
– 1. Reproductive Role
– 2. Productive Role
 – 3. Community
Management
Role
– 4. Community Politics
Role
– 5. Multiple Roles
GENDER ROLE IN THE SOCIETY

• 1. Reproductive Role- child bearing/rearing

responsibilities and domestic tasks done by women
– a. Human or biological reproduction
• not only bearing children but also reproducing the
relationship of marriage, kinship, fertility, and sexuality
– b. Reproduction of labor
• care and socialization of children and the maintenance
 of adult individuals who will fit into the social structure
of society
– c. Social reproduction
• activities include caring of children, adults, and
old
through activities of feeding the children,
cooking food
for adult and old, washing, cleaning, nursing,
and
many household activities.
• 2. Productive Role
– This refers to social production or production
of commodities in which goods and services
are for exchange rather than for immediate
consumption.
• 3. Community Management Role
– This activity is related to the governance of
community life, the organization of cultural
 and social activities

• 4. Community Politics Role

– This activity is undertaken by men at the
community level, organizing at the formal
political often within the framework of national
politics.
• 5. Multiple Roles
– both men and women play multiple roles
– Difference:
• Men are typically playing roles sequentially,
focusing on a single productive role.
• However, women usually play their roles
simultaneously, balancing the demands of each
within their limited time constraints.

SEX ROLES
• refer to the rules and behavior and practices
often related to a person’s reproductive
 capacity. • It is a function or role that a male or
a female assumes for the simple fact
• Physiological difference between sexes – Eg.
Child-bearing is a woman’s sex role while ovum
fertilization is a man’s sex role (Boudreau,

1986;Encylodpedia.com, 2016)
Differences Between Sex Roles and Gender Roles
GENDER ROLES SEX ROLES
May differ from society to society Same in all societies.
They are universal.
Eg. It is only women who give birth
to children all over the world
 Can change history Never change with history
Can be performed by both sexes. Can be performed by only one of
the sexes.
They are socially, culturally They are biological determined
determined

GENDER EQUALITY AND

EQUITY
• Gender equality
– equality between men and women

– both men and women are free to develop their personal

abilities and make choices without the limitations set by
stereotypes, rigid gender roles and prejudices

– the different behavior, aspirations and need of women

and men are considered, valued and favored equally
– does not mean that women and men have to become the
same, but that their rights, responsibilities, and
opportunities will not depend on whether they are born
male or female
• Gender equity
– fairness and treatment for women and men
according to their respective needs
– includes equal treatment or treatment that is
different but which is considered equivalent
in terms of rights, benefits, obligations and
opportunities.
• The global commitment to gender
equality and equity is founded on
the principle that sustainable
development can only be
ensured if the two sexes (male
and female) are seen as
“complimentary biological entities”
(Pavlic& San Vargas, 2000) and that the
equality and equity of the social roles
that male and female assume in life
are fully respected.
GENDER MAINSTREAMING
• first proposed in 1985 at the Third World Conference
on Women but was only formally featured a decade
later

• Mainstreaming a gender perspective is the process

of assessing the implications for women and men of
any planned action, including legislation, policies or
programmes, in all areas and at all levels.
GENDER MAINSTREAMING
• It is a strategy for making women’s as well as men’s
concerns and experiences an integral dimension of
the design implementation, monitoring and evaluation
of polices and programmes in all
political, economic and societal
spheres so that women and men
benefit equally and inequality is not
perpetuated.
 Three principles of gender
mainstreaming Management System Handbook, 1999

• Having control over

issues and decisions that affect your life • To for specific goals achieved or a less
be given a voice in decision-making bodies positive motivations such as
and control over the distribution of resources boundary systems that define
acceptable/unacceptable behaviors
with corresponding sanctions for
those who cross the boundaries

• a high degree of coordination to ensure that

gender mainstreaming is a holistic approach to
transforming structure
Integration of that create or perpetuate gender
effort inequality, rather than just making a
“band-aid solution.
• either be a positive means of
motivation such as reward systems

GENDER VIOLENCE
• also known as gender-based violence or gendered
violence
• refers to harm done unto a person or groups of
people due to their gender (Bloom, 2008)
• a violence directed against a person because of that
person’s gender (incldg. gender identity/expression)or
as violence that affects persons of a particular gender
disproportionately.
Forms of Violence
Physical Violence-any act or use of force to cause
physical harm. Eg.battering, assault, female genital
mutilation, “honor crimes, and/or manslaughter

Sexual Violence- any sexual act performed

without consent. Eg. rape, sexual assault, sexual
trafficking, and/ or sexual exploitation

Psychological violence- any act that causes harm to the mind

and emotions of a person or groups of people. Eg. verbal
assault, insults, harassment, defamation, coercion, and/ or illegal
detentions

Economic Violence-any act that cause

harm to an individual’s productivity.
 Technology-facilitated violence- the use of technology to
cause harm to an individual because of their gender. Eg.
Anything related to internet, esp. social media

Sites of Gender-based Violence

 If fails to pass and enact laws that
protect its citizens from any and all
forms of gender violence
GENDER STEREOTYPES

• Stereotype is a widely accepted judgment or

bias about a person or group.
• Stereotypes about gender can cause unfair
treatment because of a person’s gender
• Gender stereotypes are beliefs about the
characteristics and qualities attributed to men
and women in society. (Eagly&Mladinic, 1989)

Four Basic Kinds of Gender

Stereotypes
 are men
Domestic Behaviors
-Some people presume that women
Personality Traits will cook, clean at home, and take
-Women are expected to be care of their children, while men take
accommodating and emotional, care of
while men are usually assumed finances, work on the car and do the
to be self-confident and home repairs
aggressive

Physical Appearance
Occupations
- Women are expected to be thin and
- Some people are quick to graceful, while men are supposed to
assume that teachers and be tall and muscular.
nurses are women, and that
pilot, doctors and engineers
Hyperfemininity and Hypermasculinity
Stereotype
• two-gender-specific personality dimensions • represent
adherence to extremely gender-role ideologies •
Hyperfemininity-
– is an exaggerated adherence to a feminine gender role as it
relates to heterosexual relationships
• Hypermasculinity-
– is a psychological term for the exaggeration of stereotypical male
behavior such as the importance on physical aggression,
strength and sexuality while exhibiting emotional self-control as
an indication of durability well as composure and impassiveness
in times of high stress
Influences on Gender Identity and
Stereotypes
 Common Terms in Gender Stereotypes
• 1. Gender Role
 – refers to the socially constructed and culturally specific behavior and
expectations for women.
• 2. Gender Division of Labor
– socially health ideas and practices which define what roles and activities
are believed to be appropriate for women and men.
• 3. Gender Identity
– refers to one’s psychological sense of oneself as a male, female, gender
transgressive, etc.
• 4. Gender Dysphoria
– applies to the discontent with the physical or social aspects of a person’s
sex
• 5. Gender Schema
– Applies to the organized set of beliefs and expectations that guides a
person’s understanding of gender or sex
Common Terms in Gender Stereotypes
• 6. Gender Consistency
– Understanding that your own and other people’s sex is fixed across
situations regardless of superficial changes in appearances or activities. • 7.
Gender Script
 – a temporarily organized gender-related sequence of events. – A female
gender script can be laundry, cooking and male gender script can be
building, mowing etc.
• 8. Gender Assignment/Typing
– applied for the classification of an infant as birth as either male or female
• 9. Gender Expression
– the behavior and physical appearance that a person utilizes to express
their gender
• 10. Gender Discrimination
– systematic, unfavorable treatment of individuals by their gender, which
denies those rights, opportunities or resources

GENDER DISCRIMINATION

• is a subtle or overt display of unequal treatment

in opportunities, benefits, privileges,
expectations and etc. due to attitudes toward a
particular sex (US Legal Inc. 1997-2019)
• affects all people, but studies show that women and
people who DO NOT CONFORM to society’s traditional
gender expectations are affected the most.
Sexism

• looking down on sex (usually the female) as

INFERIOR (Kendall, 2004)
• the belief that females are INFERIOR to males
(Andersen& Taylor, 2012)

-root cause of gender

discrimination
GENDER SENSITIVITY

• recognizing the issues and problems in how

society perceives gender
• it is to help reduce barriers to personal and
economic development created by gender
related problems (European Institute for Gender Equality,
2015)
 GENDER- SENSITIVE LANGUAGE

• Gender inclusive language mean speaking in a

manner that does not discriminate against sex,
gender, identity, and perpetuate gender
stereotypes
 Best Practices (Gender Inclusive UN)
pronouns to explicitly make both
men and women visible in the
1. using non message. Eg. Each student has
discriminatory language - Use pronouns his or her own learning style
that the person identifies with - Use
Ms.to address a woman when the
preference is not
3. Do not make gender visible when it is
known, more inclusive regardless of
not relevant for communication
marital status
-use gender neutral words
2. Make gender visible only when it is
relevant for communication Eg. Forefathers-ancestors
(gender-neutral noun)
-use the feminine and masculine
Source: Gender and Society (Tolibas, et al,
2020)