Module Title: Gender and Society

Module 1:
Course Title: GE 102 – Gender and Society
Course Number: GE 102
Course Description: CHED Memo No. 20, S. 2013 stated Gender and
Society should focus on a “Gender as a social construction and its role in
and impact on different facets of societal” (P.8). This course will examine
theoretical perspectives on gender, sexuality, masculinity, femininity,
ethnicity, race and class. It aims to explore variations of the division
between male and female across time and space on order to better
understand the functioning of gender in our own society.

I. TOTAL LEARNING TIME: 54 Hours in a Semester

II. OVERVIEW: Anthropologists are fond of pointing out that much of what we
take for granted as “natural” in our lives is actually cultural—it is not grounded in the
natural world or in biology but invented by humans. Because culture is invented, it
takes different forms in different places and changes over time in those places. Living
in the twenty-first century, we have witnessed how rapidly and dramatically culture
can change, from ways of communicating to the emergence of same-sex marriage.
Similarly, many of us live in culturally diverse settings and experience how varied
human cultural inventions can be.

We readily accept that clothing, language, and music are cultural—invented,

created, and alterable—but often find it difficult to accept that gender and sexuality
are not natural but deeply embedded in and shaped by culture. We struggle with the
idea that the division of humans into two and only two categories, “male” and
“female,” is not universal, that “male” and “female” are cultural concepts that take
different forms and have different meanings cross-culturally. Similarly, human
sexuality, rather than being simply natural is one of the most culturally significant,
shaped, regulated, and symbolic of all human capacities. The concept of humans as
either “heterosexual” or “homosexual” is a culturally and historically specific
invention that is increasingly being challenged in the United States and elsewhere
(https://courses.lumenlearning.com/sunyculturalanthropology/chapter/
gender_and_sexuality/).

III. LEARNING OUTCOMES:

At the end of the Semester, the students’ should be able to:

1. To develop an understanding of gender as something that is

socially constructed.
2. To examine how gender relations are fundamentally relations of
inequality.
 3. To draw attention to how gender inequality remains structurally
embedded in a systematic patriarchy.
4. To explore how gender inequality intersects with other basis of
inequality such as: race, ethnicity, class, sexuality, disability, age,
etc.
5. To describe how gendered inequalities as social exclusions are
differently expressed across different institutional domains.

IV. INDICATIVE CONTENT:

Week 2-4
Unit I: Gender and Sexuality as a Social Reality

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Definition of Terms:
 Sex – the biological aspect of sex; maleness or femaleness
 Gender – the social interpretation of sex; masculinity, femininity, etc.
 Sexuality – the totality of our own experience of our sex and gender.
 Sex chromosomes – chromosomal makers that distinguish females (XX) from
male (XY) species.
 Intersex – individuals with composite genitals (possessing some
characteristics of both male and female genitals)

Introduction

What does it mean to be a male or a female, to be feminine or masculine, or to

be man or woman? The human mind and body are so complex such that to answer this
question, we have to trace our journey from the moment we were born, and go back to
the journey we humans have across the life span.

First thing you need to understand is the complexities of defining and

differentiating sex, gender, and sexuality. Having a clear grasp of these concepts is
crucial since we will be using these terms over and over again in succeeding
discussions. Likewise, there are nUances in the meanings of these terms, which have
an implication on at which context we can appropriately use them.
 Moreover, as we start our discussion ofgender and sexuality as social realities,
we also want to understand how a person's gender is expressed from birth to
adulthood. Our Ultimate goal is to foster understanding of the diversity of how
humans experience and express their sexuality.

SEX

Sex is the biological dimension of your gender and sexuality. Also referred to as
biological sex or physical sex, the term generally pertains to your identity depending
on your sexual anatomy and physiology—the parts of your body that are relevant to
reproduction and the function of these parts: Sex is typically determined by examining
your genitals— these are external organs that are associated with reproduction—the
process or the ability to create offspring.

Among humans, sex is often assigned at birth. If at birth, a child is observed to

have a penis and testicles, then the child is categorized as male. If on the other hand,
a child is observed to have a vagina, then the child is categorized as female. However,
there are cases when the baby's genitals appear to be a conglomerate of male ' and
female organs such that it may be difficult to classify the baby's sex without further
examination. In the past, this condition is referred to as hermaphroditism (from
Hermes, a male Greek god, and Aphrodite, a female Greek goddess). In modern
times, the term intersexuality is used to refer to this phenomenon. Hermaphroditism or
intersexuality is a naturally occurring variation in humans and animals (1 in 1,500
births) according to the American Psychological Association (APA) (2006).

Since it may be difficult to distinguish biological sex by merely examining the

genitals, there are other biological markers used. For instance; your chromosomes—
protein structures which contain your genetic materials—are also used to determine
sex. There are specific chromosomeS referred to as sex chromosomes, which marks a
person's biological sex. An individual with a set of XY sex chromosomes is said to be
a male, while an individual with a set of XX sex chromosomes is said to be a female.
The level of some hormones— chemicals in our body that are responsible for
sustaining bodily processes—are also used as markers. For example, human males
tend to have higher levels of testosterone, which is associated to sex drive and
aggressions. On the other hand, human females tend to have higher levels ofestrogen
and progesterone, which are associated to lactation, menstruation, and other female
reproductive functions.

GENDER
https://courses.lumenlearning.com/suny-culturalanthropology/chapter/gender_and_sexuality/

However, humans are meaning-making organisms. Our ability for higher order
thinking and our tendency to create social norms, allow us to attach social and cultural
meanings to things, including our sex. For example, males are typically expected be
masculine and females are
expected to be feminine. Once parents are aware of their child's sex (male or female)
during birth or through prenatal procedures such as ultrasound, they automatically
attach social and cultural meanings to their child's sex and in doing so, they already
set an expectation in terms of how their child should behave and how they should
treat their child. This social dimension of one's sexuality is referred to as gender.

There are many ways through which gender is manifested. As soon as a new baby
arrives in the family, adults surrounding the baby manifests their social interpretation
of the baby's sex by the colors assigned to the baby. For example, it is common for
families to buy blue apparels and toys when the baby is a male, as the color blue is
associated with boyhood. Conversely, female babies are often assigned the color pink,
such that families would buy clothes and toys that are color pink because the color is
associated with girlhood. Remarkably, the moment a baby is born, the name, toys, and
apparels are picked by parents and relatives based on their interpretation of the baby's
sex.

Throughout childhood and adolescence, this assignment becomes more complex

as the expectations go beyond the kind of clothes worn, but also in terms of how the
person must or must not behave. There are set of behaviors that all female individuals
must follow and so with the male individuals, and all are expected to stick to these
behaviors that are aligned with their biological sex. This phenomenon of determining
the normality of a behavior based on whether it conforms or not to the expectations
relative to one's biological sex is referred to as heteronormativity. In the Filipino
culture; girls are expected to have certain characteristics of being gentle, caring, and
loving while boys are encouraged to be strong, rough, and assertive. These
expectations also extend to how men and women are expected to behave, the college
courses they take, and the jobs they apply to.

However, there are people who do not follow culturally-accepted standards of

masculinity and femininity like girls not wanting to wear dresses and boys not
wanting to play rough sports. This is a natural variation ofthe human gender
expression. Social and cultural practices change through time. Just 60 years ago,
women could not wear pants without social disapproval, and now wearing pants is
already an accepted fashion trend among people of different genders.

How we express our gender is largely based on our social and cultural setting.
Most are comfortable with their sex and gender; men who are masculine and women
who are feminine. Each culture also has different standards on how to be a man and a
woman and how they should present themselves according to their sex and gender

Gender Identity
 https://kidshelpline.com.au/teens/issues/gender-identity

One important aspect of our gender is our senseofwho we are: Do we see and
ourselves as a man, a woman, or neither. This refers to our gender identity.
Typically, experiencemales are comfortable identifying as a man and females are
comfortable identifying as a woman.

However, there are cases wherein a person's biological sex does not align with
gender identity. People with this experience are referred to as transgenders, such as a
male who does not feel comfortable identifying as a man (transgender woman) or a
female who is not comfortable identifying as a woman (transgender man).
Transgender people may undergo gender reassignment surgery to align their physical
characteristics to their gender identity. However, due to many factors such as belief
systems, culture, and economics, some do not opt for surgery.

Class Activity:

Men Women Homosexuals

     

What are your thoughts about men, women and homosexual?

Describe it by stating in a matrix style like what you see on the sample table form
above.
______________________________________________________

SEXUAL ORIENTATION
https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Library/
FlagPost/2018/November/ABS-data-sexual-orientation

Another aspect of our gender pertains to our emotional and sexual attraction to a
person. This aspect refers to our sexual orientation. According to the Psychological
Association of the Philippines, typically at ages 6 or 8, we experience or develop
attraction to other people. By adolescence, we already know who we are attracted to
and would experiment through dating and relåtionships.

Everyone's sexuality is different and deeply personal. Our capacity for emotional
and sexual attraction is diverse and complex, but there are a few common terms or
labels for us to use.
 People who are attracted to the opposite sex are called 'heterosexuals' or
"straight."
 People who are attracted to people of the same sex are called "homosexual,"
"gay" or "lesbian."
 "Bisexual" or "bi" people are attracted to both sexes, male or female.
 LGBT refers to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community

Class Activity:

COMMUNICATE. On your own, reflect on the following questions.

1. How can you describe your discovery of your sexuality, your sense of being male
or female?
2. How does your being a female or male influence your family and peers'
expectations from you?

APPRECIATING DIVERSITY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kiPgnOwTppo

According to the American Psychological Association nature and nurture play a

complex role in shaping our sexual orientation. Homosexuality and heterosexuality
are part of the human sexuality and is a large part of the human experience.

Identifying as a heterosexual, lesbian, bi, gay, or transgender is a deeply personal

process, so it may be more difficult for others to 'come out' or for them to become
comfortable enough with their sexuality that they feel safe to share it with other
people. For others, it comes early in adolescence while for some, it may take time to
understand and discover themselves.

According the Psychological Association of the Philippines, "we can only truly
tell if the person is gay, lesbian, or bisexual if the person shares with us his or her
experiences and feelings ofattraction towards them." That is why it is important for
everyone to feel safe as they share their sexuality since it is a personal and sensitive
topic. We can do that in an environment wherein we do not feel judged and
discriminated upon. People who experience prejudice and discrimination suffer
negative psychological effects (APA), so we must work towards an inclusive
environment where everyone feels safe.

Class Activity:

REFLECT.

Pick three concepts you learned from the class.

Discuss the concepts you picked and why you choose them.
Label whether the concepts you picked evoke a "positive" or "negative"
feelings.

Summary
 The complexities of the human sexuality can be quite overwhelming. We need
to look at our own experience on our journey ofdiscovering our sense of being a man
and a woman for us to understand others. We also need to engage in conversations
with others for us to appreciate the many different faces ofhuman sexuality.

A baby is born and is given an assigned sex based on its genitals. In toddler
years, they are raised to be a 'man' or a 'woman' based on accepted social and cultural
standards. We know that these standards change through time, what is not acceptable
now may be acceptable in the future.

Adolescence is when we discover our emotional and sexual attraction towards

other people. For most, it is easy to identify who they are attracted to, but for others, it
can be a long and difficult process. Fostering an inclusive environment wherein
everyone feels safe is very important at this stage.

Class Activity:

1. Distinguish sex, gender, and sexuality and provide examples on how each is
manifested in real life situations.
2. Look for books or articles dedicating their discussion on human sexuality. Write
down an essay comparing how these materials define sex, gender, and sexuality
include the cited author/s and title of the book or article in your answer

LESSON 2 – GENDER AND SEXUALITY ACROSS TIME

https://discoversociety.org/2016/12/06/focus-critical-perspectives-in-gender-and-
sexuality/

Definition of Terms:

Patriarchy- social system where men primarily holdspower in the political

and the private spheres.
Feminism - continuing series of social movements that aim to challenge the
patriarchal society that creates these oppressive political structures, beliefs, and
practices against women.
Introduction:

Society has progressed so much in a way that information and knowledge is

available to everyone. This gives us an opportunity to examine our social and political
conditions in more detail than when information was scarce and limited to only a few
individuals.

Historical accounts show that across time, humans' conception ofgender and
sexuality has also changed. Archeological artifacts reveal' that in the distant past,
during the dawn of civilizations, human societies have high regard for women. The
concept of the divine feminine (the sacredness of the woman due to her ability to
conceive children) has prevailed, and thus, women are treated equally with men. This
make society’s egalitarian (men and women have equitable power and roles).

However, humans' discovery of paternity (fatherhood/ role of the father in

conception), presumably during the Agricultural era, when societies began to establish
communities and tame rear cattle and stocks, have also changed how societies have
viewed women and men therefrom.

For the longest time thereafter, societies have privileged men over other
genders, mainly because of the preferential given to them in the productive sphere
(world of public work). Women who have been revered due to their ability' to
conceive have been viewed as solely capable only of reproductive affairs (world of
the home and related tasks such as suckling the young, child rearing, and home
management). The gender disparity was intensified by the Industrial era where factors
were built and men were preferred because they did not have to bear children for nine
months and because of their perceived physical strength. But how did really the
conceptualization of gender and sexuality changed? This lesson tackles movements in
history which shows how men, women, and people of other genders are viewed in
human societies.

PATRIARCHY

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/19/us/what-is-patriarchy.html

A close examination of our society can lead us to see the invisible layers of
oppression in our society like patriarchy—a system based on the control and
oppression ofwomen wherein they are perceived to be the weaker sex. It is a structure
that upholds male supremacy in the law, at home, in the work place; and in society.

Patriarchy is from the Greek word Patriarkhes which means the rule of the father".
It is a social system where men primarily holds power in the political and the private
spheres. This means that in this social system, society is organized and maintained in
a way that men rule over women and their children. In the social, legal, political, and
economic spheres, men are expected to lead while women are expected to obey and
are relegated to house chores, bearing children, and child care.

A patrilineal society often follows a patriarchal society, this means only men can
inherit property and the family name. Women were left with no inheritance and are
expected to marry a man who can support her economically. In fact, women were not
allowed to go to schools, or even vote, because they are viewed as a weaker sex and
should not concern themselves in learning science or politics. Women had to fight for
the right to vote, to go to school, to go to work, and even participate in politics.

Patriarchy is viewed by most sociologists as a social construct and not as a

biological phenomenon. This is because history proves that in the prehistoric hunter-
gatherer tribes and civilization, they prioritized equality of all members, male and
female. History suggests an egalitarian system rather than a patriarchal system. Men
and women contribute to society, and they enjoy the same social status.

Friedrich Engels, a German philosopher and sociologist, argues that patriarchy

came about when people started having private property instead of a communal
living. The development in agriculture and domestication of animals led to creating
product surplus which allows people to have private property. As a way to control the
excess wealth generated by these advancements, male dominance was asserted over
women so only the male heir can inherit family wealth.

HISTORICAL VIEWS ON GENDER

 Greek

https://arthistoryteachingresources.org/lessons/gender-in-nineteenth-century-art/
Aristotle, Plato, and other Greek philosophers viewed women as the inferior sex
and are properties of men whose only job was to obey their husbands, bear
children, and take care ofthe household. They were forbidden to learn philosophy,
politics, and science.

 Egypt

Herodotus, a Greek historian, observed the Egyptian civilization citing that

Egyptian women enjoyed higher social status than Greek women because they can
inherit property and engage in trade and politics. However, Greek influence
quickly spread in Egypt through the conquests of Alexander the Great across Asia
and Africa.

 China

https://www.cambridge.org/ph/academic/subjects/history/east-asian-history/gender-and-
sexuality-modern-chinese-history?format=HB&isbn=9780521865142

Confucianism has stringent written rules that dictate how women should
conduct themselves. The written documents titled "Three obedience's and four
virtues" and "Precepts of women" states that women should obey their father,
 when married she is to obey her husband, and when widowed she is to obey her
son.
Gendered biases in ancient patriarchal societies were very strict, heavily
enforced, and often violent. Imagine not being able to go to school just because
you are a woman, not being able to express your opinion on important matters
even when it concerns your future, and not being able to say no to any man.

Women have come a long way since the ancient times through the feminist
movement, however, patriarchy has taken on subtle forms ofoppression that often go
unnoticed such as:

 Sexism — prejudice, stereotypes, and discrimination based on sex;

 Gender pay gap — men earn more that women;
 underrepresentation in politics, military, executive positions, etc;
 rape on women and the stigma making women ashamed to report the crime;
 very conservative expectations on women on how they behave;
 unrealistic depictions ofwomen in fiction, often very sexualized;
 women do more housework and childcare;
 Boys were trained to be leaders while women were trained to do house chores.

Class Activity:

ON YOUR OWN. Reflect on the following question. Share ideas with them.
Think about the phrases babae kase, Ialake kase, haligi ng tahanan, ilaw ng
tahanan and pakipot.

How do these words communicate patriarchy?

_______________________________

WOMEN EMPOWERMENT

https://www.momspresso.com/parenting/a-storyteller-mom/article/women-empowerment-starts-at-
home
 Women's liberation movement, women's movement, or feminism is a
continuing series of social movements that aim to challenge the patriarchal society
that creates these oppressive political structures, beliefs and practices against women.
It started at different decades in different countries, some are far more advance in
their struggle while others are still starting a movement. During the 19th and early
20th century, first-wave feminism spread across the western countries as women
demanded for their right to vote or participate in elections and to be able to legally
own property.

In France, Simone de Beauvoir wrote book titled "The Second Sex" in 1949. It
outlined how the patriarchal society disadvantaged women by slowly raising her into
submission and hindering their productivity and happiness by relegating them to
housecleaning. This inspired many women to write and speak their truthS, such as
Betty Friedan (The Feminine Mystique, 2963), Kate Millet (Sexual Politics, 1969),
and Germaine Greer (The Female Eunuch, 1970). Beauvoir's book was instrumental
in awakening women about their plight as the "wife-servant" to their husbands in her
famous quote "one is not born, but rather becomes, a woman".

Le Moüvement de Liberation des Femmes or the women's liberation

movement was formed in Europe and they sought the right to education, right to
work, and right to vote in the 1940s. Later, they also won women's right to decide on
their own bodies and their sexualities. This liberation movement views the
intersectionality of economic status or class to patriarchy.

Inspired by Beauvoir's book, second-wave feminism in 1960's through the

80's, women drew attention to various social and cultural inequalities such as
domestic violence especially marital rape, reproductive rights, wage inequality, and
etc. The 90's gave birth to the 3rd wave and 2012 started the forth wave. These
movements only show that there is still much to be done for women's rights.

The United Nations reports that women do more work than men because even
when they work at the office, they are still expected to do household tasks. Another
report from UN Women states that "women perform 66 percent of the worlds work,
produce 50 percent of the food, but earn 10 ofthe income and own 1 percent of the
property". This is because in agricultural countries, women participate in making the
produce, but only the father or the male head of the family controls the income.

To put simply, feminism demands equality. Here are a few salient points that
feminism demands.

1. Women suffrage — women were not allowed to vote before because they
were viewed as irrational and temperamental and therefore, not able to make
rational decisions. This changed after World War I (1914 to 1918) wherein
women were uprooted from the household. They took on jobs and made
significant contributions to their country. Many countries soon started letting
 women vote since they can no longer argue that women are "irrational and
temperamental".

https://www.britannica.com/topic/woman-suffrage

2. Equality in politics and society— for hundreds of years, women's voices

were silenced, so society must make an effort to restore their rights.
Representation is very important for women, so that their genuine concerns are
heard in politics and in society. Feminist have always criticized that old,
privileged men always make the decisions for women at home and in politics.

https://www.socialsciences.manchester.ac.uk/politics/research/impact/gender-equality/

3. Reproductive rights means the woman is in control of her body, and she can
decide for herself on what she sees is best for her. Contraception, abortion, and
other reproductive options should be available to women because it is their
body.
 https://www.21global.ucsb.edu/global-e/june-2020/women-s-rights-philippines-era-authoritarianism

4. Domestic violence — such as marital rape and physical abuse are often
dismissed by society as part of a "marriage". Although we have RA 9262 or
Anti Violence Against Women and their Children, our culture still dismiss
such incidents as "away mag-asawa".

https://www.lifeandexperiences.com/4-types-of-domestic-violence-and-how-to-get-help/

5. Sexual harassment and sexual violence — The Center for Women's

Resources in the Philippines estimates that one woman or child is raped every
hour mostly by someone they know.

https://azbigmedia.com/business/workforce/sexual-harassment-vs-sexual-assault-do-you-know-the-
difference/

6. Other rights include the right to divorce their husbands, the right to make
decisions on her pregnancy, equitable wages, and equal employment
opportunity.

Summary

Recognizing patriarchy in the simple things we do is very important for us to

identify these instances so we can change it. Even the simplest acts that are seemingly
harmless can be analyzed and seen as a way to force women into submission and
compliance. That is the power of putting labels on oppressive acts, and you can call it
out and stop it.
 Feminism gained women access to education, right to vote, right to work, take
control of their reproduction, and the right to say no instead of just obeying. However,
there is still much to be done for gender equality.

You can help in making the world a better place for women by learning to
respect and recognizing that women deserve the same rights as men-that women are
not to be treated as the weaker sex or the submissive sex, but rather as an equal.

Also, use gender neutral language that is not sexist: humanity instead of
mankind, the unsteady of he, to emphasize inclusion. You can also counter gendered
metaphors by vocally criticizing its oppressive nature such as: the aggressive sperm
and the passive e.g., babae kase, lalake kase, etc. You can also advocate for laws and
policies that would empower women.

You do not have to be a woman to understand that everyone must be treated

with the same respect and that everyone is free and equal in dignity and in rights.

Class Activity:

1. Create a collage or combination showing the

progression of human understanding and attitude of
gender and sexuality in modern societies, such as in school, workplace, politics,
voting rights, family.
2. Search and send a copy of Philippine Laws showing gender equality and
protection (title of laws only such as Republic Act No. _____).

LESSON 3 – GENDER AND SEXUALITY AS A SUBJECT OF INQUIRY

http://www.ruelpositive.com/sexuality-as-a-subject-of-inquiry

Definition of Terms:

 Gender studies – a field of study concerned about how reproductive roles are
interpreted and negotiated in the society through gehder
 Social research - the process of investigating social realities.
  Research approach - the orientation in understöJhding social realities. This
can be qualitative (interpretive), quantitative (deductive), or both.
 Ethics in research - these are cönsiderationSinconåucting research to make
sure that the well-being of the participånts are ensured, and that the outcome
of the study is sound without undue harm to people involved.

Introduction

Gender seems so obvious and so simple, many would ask why we have to
study it. Well, gender studies as an area of knowledge, is about looking into,
analyzing, and examining society so that we notice power relations in the seemingly
"simple things". It helps us see the issues in our everyday lives through a different
lens.

The goal of this lesson is to define and appreciate gender studies. Gender is a
big part of our individuality and society; it is a form of social organization, and it is
often unnoticed. In different cultures and different times in our history, gender roles
played a big part ofsocial organization.

Gender studies emerged from the need to analyze how gender, sex, and
sexuality impact our lives, especially how it creates gender inequality. It came about
in the mid 1970's after the second wave of feminism as a way to challenge the male-
defined and male-centered knowledge.

Gender role or sex role are "sets of culturally defined behaviors such as
masculinity and femininity" according to the Encyclopedia of Sex and Gender (2019).
These roles are not fixed such that the "culturally defined behaviors" for men and
women may be very different 50 years ago or very different for people from other
countries or tribe. In a binary system of viewing gender roles, we only see the male
and the female where men are expected to be masculine while women are expected to
be feminine. This is the norm or the accepted standards of how to behave like a
woman (mahinhin) or how to behave like a man (matipuno/ matapang). In gender
studies, we are asked to disrupt and question these kinds of social expectations,
gender roles, and gender norms.

Class Activity:

CONTEMPLATE. The following are common statements heard, why you

think people agree or disagree with the statement. Reflect about your own
thoughts: Do you agree or disagree with each statement? Why or why not?
STATEMENT WHY PEOPLE WHY PEOPLE
AGREE? DISAGREE?
 Boys shou
Girls are b
boys are su
Boys shou
allowed to
Women sh
and proper
men to be
men anywa

Gender studies is not just for women or all about women, it is about
everyone. It explores how our gender roles have changed throughout our history and
how it created inequalities. One hundred years ago, women were not allowed to study
at universities since their role was only restricted to domestic or the household. This
repressed women's potential in shaping the social and political landscape in the past,
but it also placed the burden on the men to provide for the whole family.

Our society has changed so much since then; the jobs available for everyone is
not so much dependent on physical strength, making these jobs accessible to women
as well. Most mothers also have a job now, so they also provide for the family.
Gender studies would ask us to question, is it still right to say that the men are the
providers of the family when both mothers and fathers now work and earn money.

Diversity and Inclusion

https://www.cio.com/article/3262704/diversity-and-inclusion-8-best-practices-for-changing-your-
culture.html

Gender roles are socially constructed and are not something that we are “born
with”. Society, through a lifelong process ofnormalization, encourages or reprimands
behaviors to make a child adapt to these social expectations.

A young boy is always encouraged to be brave, to play rough, to be loud, and to

not show signs of weakness such as a young girl is discouraged from playing rough
and being loud, instead they are told to be gentle and soft. If a child does not follow
these gender roles, they are reprimanded by parents, relatives, friends, or anybody that
they interact with. That is how gender norm is forced upon an individual, a lifelong
process of normalization.
 Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people often do not fit in the traditional
bin gender roles so they are often reprimanded, bullied, and discriminated. They are
often subjected to violence and hate just because they do not fit in what society calls
“normal”.

Gender studies let us analyze the creation and maintenance of these gender
norms so that it does not create inequalities in our social, political, and economic
spheres.

Class Activity:

COMMUNICATE. The following are common statements we hear from

people. Reflect why you think people agree or disagree with the statement-
Reflect about your own thoughts: Do you agree or disagree with each
statement? Why or why not?
Would you be willing to befriend someone who...
 Is a native of a different country?
 Does not have the same religious belief as you do?
 Has a physical or mental disability?
 Does not speak your language?

GENDER STUDIES AND RESEARCH

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/
334679881_INTERNATIONAL_JOURNAL_OF_GENDER_STUDIES_AND_RESEARCH
 As a subject of inquiry, Gender Studies utilizes a systematic approach in
identifying problems, making hypotheses and assumptions, gathering data, and
making conclusions. This systematic process is referred to as the research process.

Approaches in Research

Since Gender and Sexuality cuts across a variety of issues that could be
biomedical, psychosocial, or political-legal, there is no singular way in conducting the
research process. There are however a variety ofapproaches which can be used.

Qualitative approach focuses more on the meanings created and interpretations

made by people about their own personal or vicarious (observed) experiences. For
example, ifyou want to know how women, men, or LGBTQ+ live their lives on a
daily basis and how they make sense of their lived experiences, then the qualitative
approach is fitting. Some of the methods used in the qualitative approach are as
follows:

 Phenomenology — conducting intensive interviews with individuals who

have experienced a particular event and understanding their "lived
experience";

https://literariness.org/2017/11/05/phenomenology-a-brief-note-a-brief-note/

 Hermeneutics — understanding the meaning of texts (literary works, art

works) and what they convey about human realities; and

https://hermeneutichouse.com/hermeneutics-primer-part-3/
  Ethnography and Ethnomethodology — immersing in a community and
taking note oftheir experiences, beliefs, attitudes, and practices.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRl41v7c7ps

Quantitative approach, on the other hand, focuses more on characterizing a

population (total number of individual in a group) or a sample (a sub-group within the
population), and in some cases, making generalizations about the population based on
the behavior of a sample.
For instance, if you want to know how many Filipino adolescents are engaged in a
romantic relationship or how many of them still believe in marriage, then a
quantitative approach is appropriate. Some of the methods used in the quantitative
approach are as follows:
 Survey — collecting information from a sample; and
 Experiment — creating actual set-ups to observe behavior of people in an
experimental group (a group receiving treatment such as training or a new
experience) and comparing it to the behavior of people in a control group (a
group without any treatment).

In most cases, information from both qualitative and quantitative approaches

provide a holistic view about certain social realities, such that there are researchers
who prefer to use mixed methods (combining qualitative and quantitative methods to
derive data from multiple sources).

Ethics in Gender and Sexuality Research

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93Y0Am1I5_c
 There are some principles to remember in conducting gender and sexuality
researches. These principles are referred to as ethical principles because they make
sure that people involved in the research are protected from harm. Ethics is a
prerequisite to a properly conducted study. The following are the principles to
remember:
 Informed consent — Researchers should make sure that the participants in
the study are aware of the purpose and processes ofthe study they are
participating in. They should also ensure that only those participants who
agree (in writing) will be included, and that they shall not force any
participant to join.
 Confidentiality and anonymity — Researchers should not reveal any
information provided by the participants, much so, their identity to anyone
who are not concerned with the study. All data gathered from surveys or
interviews should also be placed in a secure location or filing system.
 Non-maleficence and beneficence — A study should do no harm
(nonmaleficence) to anyone. Especially in researches involving humans, a
study should be beneficial (beneficence) for it to be worth implementing.
 Distributive justice — Any study should not disadvantage a particular group,
especially the marginalized and the oppressed (e.g., poor people, women,
LGBTQ+, the elderly). The benefits of a study should be for all.

GENDER, SEXUALITY, AND HUMAN ECOLOGY

https://issuu.com/humec_comm/docs/hemag_fall2018

Human Ecology, as a field, recognizes the interplay among internal and

external environments—physical, socio-economic, cultural (Bronfenbrenner 1994;
Bubolz and Sontag 1983). Hence, to look at realities from an ecological perspective is
to appreciate that human development across lifespan is influenced by these
environments. In the context of gender and sexuality, a human ecological approach
looks at human sexual lives and experiences at various levels and spheres of analysis.

First, it sees gender and sexuality as an organismic and personal experience.

Summary

Gender, being male or female, has socially constructed meanings, and it is

different in every culture and may change with time. It is important to analyze how
society enforce gender roles on everyone so we can further understand how power
relations in gender roles can limit an individual's freedom and promote inequality. To
help us have a holistic view, we need to use frameworks and methods from different
disciplines—psychology, sociology, medicine, and law—among others. This book
will provide you with sufficient theoretical and practical perspectives, so you can
understand gender and sexuality.

Class Activity:

1. Look for books or articles in the internet that have gender and sexuality as its
focus area. Identify possible topics which will fall under gender studies.
Distinguish whether they are quantitative, qualitative, or mixed methods
researches. Make your answer in a matrix form identifying quantitative,
qualitative or mixed researches method

2. List down five questions which you want to be answered related to Gender and
Sexuality. Explain why you want to answer these questions. Identify why you
think these questions are within the scope of gender studies.

REFERENCE
BOOKS
1.Atty. Peralta, Eric D., Botor, Nepthaly Joel B., Dr. Laude, Teri Marie P., Gender
and Society: A Human Ecological Approach, Rex Bookstore, 2019

WEB ARTICLES

1.(https://courses.lumenlearning.com/sunyculturalanthropology/chapter/
gender_and_sexuality/).
Prepared By:

MICHAEL B. ANGELIAS, MAIEd

Course Facilitator

Noted:
GRAZL T. BARIA, EdD
BEED Chaiperson