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I Domestic Violence
TERMS RELATED TO GENDER, SEXUALITY AND HEALTH
Souru. : ~{\{or'1uVV'-

I . Different forms of violence within a household. Usually refers.to men inflicting.

violence on their wives or female partners but there has also been growing concern over
violence inflicted within gay and lesbian relationships. Domestic violence ~nay be_ · .
I physical, emotional (such as constant humiliation) or economic (such as withholding 01
financial support).

Empowerment of Women

The social, economic, political and legal enabling of woq1en to act b~ ~ra•~ting or
rcinlorcins rights. abilitics. .and access to facilities. resources. and equal part1c1pat1on
previously denied or restricted. Differcnt,al access to power and resources by men and
women is a key characteristic underpinning gender-b.:sed division of labor.

Feminization of Poverty

This coni:~pt refers to the fact that women are more negatively atlccted
cc011nmically I han men as a result or cconomi•c globalization and, more spccilicaliy. as
the rcsuli or macroeconomic policies or many developing countries. whid1 olkn indudc
struc1ural adjustment programs imposed by the International Monetary Fund.

Gay

A term most currently used t~ describe a man who is se:x-ually <'-llracted !o other
men.

Gender

The dilkrcnces between males and fen1ales that 11rc socially constructed.
changeable over time, and that have wide variations within and between cultures. A
socio-economic and political variable with which to analyze roles, responsibilities.
constraints and opportunities of people~ it considers both males c1nd lcmalcs.

Gender Awa rcncss

_ A commit1~~cnt to pla_cin~ wo1~1cn's n~cds a1~d p-ioritics at the ccn~cr or_ [ 9f/NJJrf uS r&.,.,_
development pla111.111g and p1og1amm111g and ,malyzmg programs and pro_1ccts lor the
dillcrcntial impacts that they have on women and men .

Gcndcr-b:!sed Violence
.,,..,.,,,,
~\ny act that re~t1:lts in. or _is likdy lo result in. physical. sc:-;ual, psychological_ or
economic harm or sullcrmg basccl on the gender or a person. Usually rcrcrs women
10
 and girls but may also be violence against lesbians. gay men. transl!.enders. lt include.."

I threats. coercion. deprivation of liberty. deprivation of the right lo-work or earn income.
se:rnal or mental rape, stalking or other forms or harassment whether occurring in public
or private life. '

Gender Equity

Fairness and justice in the distribution of benefits and ,esponsibiiitics between

women and men.

Gender Equality

Equal treatment of men and women in laws and policies and equal access lo
resources and services, including education. healthcare, and occupational positions,
within families, communities and society at large. .

Gender Identity

A person's phenomei .ological sense of being mak or female.

Gender Rdations

Exami,.~nion of the relative µositions of men and women in the division or

re~ources a:1d responsibilities, benefits and rights . and power and priviicg.c:;

Gender Roles

Sociaily determi, ~d behaviors, tasks a!~cl r~sponsibilitiP.s for men and women
based on s0cially perce1vecl differences that define how they should think, act. and fed
based on tncir respective sex.

Gender Stereotypes

[3clicfs. whether tactual or otherwise. about the typical characll'ristics of women

and men.

Heterosexual

A person who is sexually attracted to people of the opposite sex.

Hcteroscxism

The assumption that heterosexuality is good and acccplab\c and that other s~:s;ual
identities and attractions a:-c bad and unaccl:ptablc.
 ,,
· I des
. . b. 1 tra11sl!.cnders. It me u .
and girls but may also be vtolcnce agamst lcs ,ans. gay me, : ' - k . c·,rn inco111c .
. · . . .• · · f ti rw.hl to wor 01 ' •
threats. coercion, depnvation of liberty. dcpnvauon
. I .
°
.ic
1· 1 . ·111cnt w 11et 11er
occurrin" in pubhc
o
sexual or mental rape, stalkmg or ol 1cr lonns o iarass ,
or private life.

Gender Equi:y
· .· . d ·esponsibilitics between
Fairness and justice in the dist;ibution ot benet1ts an •
women and men.

Gender Equality
• . . I r . sand equal access 10
Equal treatment ol men and women . 111 laws anc pod,cic. ',patlOna
. 1post.· 11· 011 s•,
resources and services, including cduca11011. healthcare, an occt
within families, co111mu11ities and society at large.

Gender Identity

A person's phenomei.ological sense of being mak or t'crnalc.

Gender Relations
Examinarion of the relative positions of men and women in the division or
re~ources n:1d responsibilities, benefits and rights. and L)Ow~r and µriviic:g.c:;

Gender Roles

Sociaily determ;,~d behaviors, tasks a?~d r<~sponsibilities for men and women

, based on s0cially perce,vec' differences that define how they should think. act. and fed
based on tneir respective sex.

Gender Stereotypes

l3elicts. whether factual or otherwise. about the typical charactt·ristics of w·omcn

and men .

Heterosexual

A person who is sexually attracted to people of the opposite sex.

Hctcroscxism

. , .. -~he assump:'.on that heterosexuality is good ,rnd acceptable and that other sc\\i.i\
1dcnt111cs and attrnct1ons arc bad and unacc~ptablc.
- -- - -·. --· ·· ··· · - · - ...... ·-- ...

Homophobia

Anti-gay prejudice, a "fear" of homosexuals, expressed by discriminato,y f •

attitudes such <lS denying housing or employment to homosexuals, or even ~he_ use O .
our ng· III vro
· Ience agamst
· · d· wit· f1 re1·rgiou.
homosc.xuals. Often associate · s 1>re1ud1ccs
._ · • wh1c 11
will '(iew homosexuality as sinful. In more recent times, homophobia has otlen been
expressed through medicine, with homosexuality labeled as a disease.

Homosexual

A person who is sexually attracted to people of the same sex.

lntersex

A person born with sex chromosomes, external genitalia, or an internal

reproductive system that is not considered "standard" for either male or fomalc.
Lesbi;in

A female who is sexually aliracrcd ro other womcn .

MSM/M2M

In many culwres. men may have sex with other men but do not th;nk of
rhcmsdvcs as /iomo.sexua/s. The ca1ego1y ··men who have .sex with men" is usl.'.d a:; a
neutral ten;: to refer to such individuals.

Patriarchy

A system where men dominate in econo111ic. political and cultural spheres of life.

Reproductive Health

Stale of co'llplete physical, mental and social weli-being and not merely absence
of disease or infirmity in matters relating to the reproductive system and its !unctions and
processes The ability to enjoy sexual relations without lcar or infection, 10 avoid
unwanted pregnancy or coercion. to regulate fertility \vithout risk. lo go safely through
pregnancy and childbirth. and to bear ,md raise healthy children.

Reproductive Rigllls

The basic rights of all cc:,ples and individuals to decide freely and responsibly on
the 11t11111>cr. spacing, and liming of1hcir children. 10 have access lo allain 1hc highest
slilndards ~>f reproductive health. and lo make ckcisions concl·rning rcproducrio11 free or
disG:-rtirli11a1io11. cocrcionor violence
 Sex
. genetic,
The biological characteristics . including . anatonu·cal • and biochemical.
which define humans as males or females.

Sexuality
. human throughout i·t·
The central aspect of bemg .
I e encom
passing
- .sex. ...~ender
. ~d
.1dent1t1es
. . and roles sexual onentat1on
. . . .
pleasure, mttmacy, an re , d production, . experience
·and expressect. m
. thoughts.
' . desires,
fantasies, • . - t·s,· at t·t
be11e I u des
. , values
. • behaviors,,-
practices, roles and relationships, and influenced by sociaf, b1olog~~I, psycho 1ogica 1• ·
cultural, economic, political, legal, historical, and religious and spmtual factors.

Sexual Identity

I-low one thinks of oneself in tcrn~s or attraction to the same sex or members of
/ the other sex based on one's own experiences. thoughts. and reactions. rather than
defining oncsdf based 011 the gender or sex of e,nc's sexual p;irtncr.

Sexual Orientation

Rcfors to who one is sexually attracted to. In western psychology and p~~ychiatry.
the standard di·1ision is ..heterosexual" for someone who is mainly attracted to s,)mconc
of the «opposite" sex while a "homosexual" is someone atiractcd to somc0nc of the same
sex. A bisexual, on the other hand, i!> someone who is altractcd lo both sexes. We used
quotation marks around the terms "opposite·' and "same" bccaus~ in(':rcasingly, there has
been a questioning of these concepts as dichotomous, based only on two bioiogical sexes
of male and fe1rnlle. Cross-cul.t~iral resea1ch suggests that different societies will have
different definitions of"se.xes" and ··attraction" which may not fit the western categories.
For example. in Thailand. Indonesia and the Philippines, there ar~ ..third sex.. or
vansgender categories of men who are sometimes called ~·homosexuar• but who w:!l
claim lhey are not attracted to other homosexuals. Instead. they are attracted to urea!
men". ..Real men", on the other hand. will have sex with these "third sex" categories but
will say they arc net homosexuals. The term ··sexual orientation" has connotat~)n:; that a
pcr:c;on 's choice oi' scx:ual partners is biologically determined, i.e .. that one is horn alrc~idy
"oncnted~' toward a particular sex. The term "sexual prclcrcncc" suggests the choices a~c
mor~ tlcx1blc.

Sexual Rights

_, A pc1:so~1'!: ~-i~h_t to_hav~ cont_:ol an~ decide freely and responsibly in matters
,elated lo he, 01 111s sc~uahty. free ol cocr--1011 in tile J)r·,-,. 1· 1· I ·. I ·
. . · " • c:>1.:1 va 1011 o t 1cir p 1ys 1c·1t
mental and moral mtc~ntv.
... . - •·
 Sexual Scripts
,I,
Behavior considered appropriate by members of a culture for sexual interactions..
for example, during courtship there may be ·•mies,, on what can or can ·t be said. what
body parts can be touched. etc. I
I
I

Transgcndcr

. _ A t~rm used in recent years to refer to ..third sex" categories found in many
soc1et1es, examples being the kathoey in Thailand, the bakla in the Philippines and the
waria in Indonesia. They are usually men who wiil behave like women, in the clothes
they w~ar. body gestures, etc .• but who also remain. distinct as a '"third sex" catcgoiy
Western terms such as ..gay" and ·•homosexual" arc otlen applied to transgcndcrs but
may not be accurate since there ins 111orc than sexual oricntatio)1 involved here.
Transgcnders have an entirely distinct lifestyle. neither male nor tcmalc, which has been
accepted to some ~xtent by society.

Transvestite
Men who enjoy wearing women ·s clothing on occasion or frequently for pka~t1tL·.
ur le.Jr sexual. emotional or spiri:ual gratilica1ion. Transvestites arc ot1cn hct:.;rosc).:u.11
identified men who enjoy dressing in women's cloihing in privat~ or cpeniy.

Trntlicking of Women
Trading or women for a vari•·ty or purpo:sl'.. cg .. domcs!ic labor. arr,?ngeci
marriages and prostitution .