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MODULE I
GENDER AND SEXUALITY AS A SOCIAL
REALITY

Lesson 1 Sex, Gender and Sexuality

Lesson 2 Gender and Sexuality as

Cultural Constructs

Lesson 3 The Gendered Family

Lesson 4 The Gendered Classroom

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MODULE I

GENDER AND SEXUALITY AS A SOCIAL REALITY

 INTRODUCTION

In this Module, it deals with the study of gender as a social

construction, its role in and impact on different facets of societal life. It
also critically examines the way gender informs the social world in which we
live. The course contents shall expose the “common-sense” world of gender
around us; considers how we develop our gendered identities; explores the
workings of the institutions that shape our gendered lives; and leads to an
understanding of the relationship between gender and the social structure.

OBJECTIVES

After studying the module, you should be able to:

1. Define and differentiate between sex, gender, and sexuality.

2. Differentiate between transgendered, transsexual, intersexual, and
homosexual identities.
3. Compare and contrast the historical roots of understanding of gender
and sexuality.
4. Discuss the construction of gender in the family.
5. Explain the construction of gender in the classroom.

 DIRECTIONS/ MODULE ORGANIZER

There are four lessons in the module. Read each lesson carefully then
answer the exercises or activities to find out how much you have benefited
from it. Work on these exercises carefully and submit your output to your
instructor via Google classroom.

In case you encounter difficulty, discuss this with your instructor. You
may post your concerns in your group chats on Messenger or during the post
conference via Google meet and Zoom.

Good luck and happy reading!!!

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LESSON 1

 SEX, GENDER AND SEXUALITY

A. The difference between sex, gender and sexuality

Did you know that sex, gender and sexuality are all separate things!?
Mind blown!? This can get a little confusing, so let's break it down.

Sex refers to physical or physiological differences between males and

females, including both primary sex characteristics (the reproductive
system) and secondary characteristics such as height and muscularity.
However, this is not the full picture. Sex is defined by genitals, including
internal sex organs, chromosomes and hormones. There are three sex
variations:

 Male (penis, XY chromosomes, high levels of testosterone)

 Female (vagina, XX chromosomes, high levels of oestrogen)
 Intersex (a person born with the sexual anatomy or chromosomes
that don't fit the traditional definition of male or female. A
combination of reproductive sex organs, including internal sex organs,
chromosomes. and hormones).

Gender is a term that refers to social or cultural distinctions and roles

associated with being male or female. Gender identity is the extent to
which one identifies as being either masculine or feminine (Diamond, 2002).
Expression describes how someone chooses to present their gender to the
world. You know how society tends to announce a baby boy with the colour
blue or a baby girl with the colour pink? Or how boys are given trucks and
girls are given dolls? And how men are encouraged to play sports and be a
tough 'man' and women are encouraged to paint their nails and do their hair
and where makeup? These are societal constructs of gender. There are three
gender variations:

 Cisgender - a person who identifies with the sex they were assigned
at birth. For example, a person who was assigned as a male at birth,
and identifies as male, or vice versa.
 Transgender - a person whose gender identity does not match the
sex they were assigned at birth. For example, a person who was
assigned as a male at birth, but identifies as female, or vice versa.
 Gender Fluid - a person whose gender identity is not fixed and / or
shifts depending on the situation. These people don't feel the need to
act according to the sex they were assigned at birth and the
associated traditional social roles.

Sexuality refers to a person’s capacity for sexual feelings and their

emotional and sexual attraction to a particular sex (male or female).

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Sexuality or sexual orientation is typically divided into four categories:

heterosexuality, the attraction to individuals of the opposite sex;
homosexuality, the attraction to individuals of one’s own sex; bisexuality,
the attraction to individuals of either sex; and asexuality, no attraction to
either sex.

Your sexual identity is how you choose to describe or label your

sexuality. There are many different labels that a person can choose,
including not choosing a label at all! Similarly to pronouns, it's important to
refer to a person’s sexuality by their chosen label (just ask them if you're
not sure, so you're not assuming). A person’s sexuality can be:

 Heterosexual - A person attracted to people of the opposite sex.

 Homosexual - A person attracted to people of the same sex.
 Bisexual - The word 'bi', meaning 'two', refers to a person’s attraction
to both genders (male and female).
 Asexual - Asexuality is the absence of sexual attraction. For example,
some asexual people are in romantic relationships where they never
desire sex, and some are not in romantic relationships at all.
 Pansexual - 'Pan', meaning 'all-inclusive', refers to a person's
attraction to multiple genders. Some pansexual people describe their
attraction as being based on chemistry rather than gender, but
everyone is different.
 Questioning - Some people may be unsure about their sexuality and /
or are exploring it, so might identify as 'questioning'.
 + many more variations of sexuality!

Three of the most common aspects used to describe sexuality are:

 Feelings and fantasies: who we fall in love with, who we are

attracted to, who we think about when we are aroused, and who we
intimately connect with.
 Behaviours: include any form of sexual contact (kissing, touching,
oral sex, vaginal sex, anal sex etc.), flirting, who we date, and have
relationships with.
 Identity: is the label or description of our sexuality.

According to current scientific understanding, individuals are usually

aware of their sexual orientation between middle childhood and early
adolescence (American Psychological Association, 2008). They do not have
to participate in sexual activity to be aware of these emotional, romantic,
and physical attractions; people can be celibate and still recognize their
sexual orientation. Homosexual women (also referred to as lesbians),
homosexual men (also referred to as gays), and bisexuals of both genders
may have very different experiences of discovering and accepting their
sexual orientation. At the point of puberty, some may be able to claim their
sexual orientations while others may be unready or unwilling to make their
homosexuality or bisexuality known (APA, 2008).

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B. What is gender roles?

The term gender role refers to society’s concept of how men and
women are expected to act and how they should behave. These roles are
based on norms, or standards, created by society.

In Canadian culture, masculine roles are usually associated with

strength, aggression, and dominance, while feminine roles are usually
associated with passivity, nurturing, and subordination. Role learning
starts with socialization at birth. Even today, our society is quick to
outfit male infants in blue and girls in pink, even applying these
colour-coded gender labels while a baby is in the womb.

How do girls and boys learn different gender roles?

Gender differences in the ways boys and girls play and interact
develop from a very early age, sometimes despite the efforts of parents to
raise them in a gender neutral way. Little boys seem inevitably to enjoy
running around playing with guns and projectiles, while little girls like to
study the effects of different costumes on toy dolls.

From a very early age children develop a gender schema, a

rudimentary image of gender differences that enables them to make
decisions about appropriate styles of play and behaviour (Fagot & Leinbach,
1989). As they integrate their sense of self into this developing schema,
they gradually adopt consistent and stable gender roles. Consistency and
stability do not mean that the gender roles that are learned are permanent,
however, as would be suggested by a biological or hard-wired model of
gender.

C. What is gender identity?

Gender identity is an individual’s self-conception of being male or

female based on his or her association with masculine or feminine gender
roles.

As opposed to cisgendered individuals, who identify their gender

with the gender and sex they were assigned at birth, individuals who
identify with the gender that is the opposite of their biological sex are
transgendered. Transgendered males, for example, although assigned the
sex ‘female’ at birth, have such a strong emotional and psychological
connection to the forms of masculinity in society that they identify their
gender as male. The parallel connection to femininity exists for
transgendered females. It is difficult to determine the prevalence of
transgenderism in society.

Statistics Canada states that they have neither the definitive number
of people whose sexual orientation is lesbian, gay, or bisexual, nor
the number of people who are transgendered (Statistics Canada,

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2011). However, it is estimated that 2 to 5% of the U.S. population is

transgendered (Transgender Law and Policy Institute, 2007).

Transgendered individuals who wish to alter their bodies through

medical interventions such as surgery and hormonal therapy — so that their
physical being is better aligned with their gender identity — are called
transsexuals. They may also be known as male-to-female (MTF) or female-
to-male (FTM) transsexuals. Not all transgendered individuals choose to
alter their bodies: many will maintain their original anatomy but may
present themselves to society as the opposite gender. This is typically done
by adopting the dress, hairstyle, mannerisms, or other characteristic
typically assigned to the opposite gender. It is important to note that people
who cross-dress, or wear clothing that is traditionally assigned to the
opposite gender, are not necessarily transgendered. Cross-dressing is
typically a form of self-expression, entertainment, or personal style, not
necessarily an expression of gender identity (APA, 2008).

There is no single, conclusive explanation for why people are

transgendered. Transgendered expressions and experiences are so diverse
that it is difficult to identify their origin. Some hypotheses suggest biological
factors such as genetics, or prenatal hormone levels, as well as social and
cultural factors, such as childhood and adulthood experiences. Most experts
believe that all of these factors contribute to a person’s gender identity
(APA, 2008).

D. Moral Development

Moral development is an important part of the socialization process. The

term refers to the way people learn what society considers to be “good” and
“bad,” which is important for a smoothly functioning society. Moral
development prevents people from acting on unchecked urges, instead
considering what is right for society and good for others. Lawrence Kohlberg
(1927–1987) was interested in how people learn to decide what is right and
what is wrong. To understand this topic, he developed a theory of moral
development that includes three levels: preconventional, conventional, and
postconventional.

In the preconventional stage, young children, who lack a higher level of

cognitive ability, experience the world around them only through their
senses. It is not until the teen years that the conventional theory develops,
when youngsters become increasingly aware of others’ feelings and take
those into consideration when determining what’s good and bad. The final
stage, called postconventional, is when people begin to think of morality in
abstract terms, for example North Americans believing that everyone has
equal rights and freedoms. At this stage, people also recognize that legality
and morality do not always match up evenly (Kohlberg, 1981).

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THINK!

How do Filipino youth learn different gender roles?

 LEARNING ACTIVITY
Download the PDF copy of a dissertation from the internet. Read chapter II,
pages 15-29 only and take note of its main points. While reading, write a
brief summary, determine the article’s core statement, and state also your
conclusion as you relate it to what you have learned from your module
lesson.

“Pagkababe at Pagkalalake (Feminity and Masculinity) Developing A

Filipino Gender Trait Inventory and Predicting Self-esteem and Sexism”
A dissertation by Vivienne Velez Valledor-Lukey of Syracuse University, N.Y.
United States

https://surface.syr.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1065&context=cfs_etd

References:

Peralta, E. P., et. al., (2019) Gender and Society: A Human Ecological
Approach. Rex Book Store, Inc.

Mallon, G.P (2018) Social work practice with lesbian, gay, bisexual, and
transgender people. Routledge Publication, London

Newman, T. (2021, May 11) Sex and gender: What is the difference?
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/232363

Robertson, S. (2020) Social Identities: sex, Gender and Sexuality

https://openpress.usask.ca/soc112/chapter/identity-sex-gender-and-
sexuality/

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LESSON 2

 GENDER AND SEXUALITY AS CULTURAL

CONSTRUCTS

A. Identifying Patriarchal Culture

Sociological approaches to culture began from analyses of normative or

dominant value systems, how “norms” or social expectations of correct
behaviour derived from these and how they shaped the meanings available
to us as individuals through language, symbols and ideologies. Culture was
then seen as mediating between social structures and individual conduct
and identity

What Is the Patriarchy?

The concept of patriarchy has been central to many feminist

theories. It is an attempt to explain the stratification of power and privilege
by gender that can be observed by many objective measures.

A patriarchy, from the ancient Greek patriarches, was a society

where power was held by and passed down through the elder males. When
modern historians and sociologists describe a "patriarchal society," they
mean that men hold the positions of power and have more privilege: head of
the family unit, leaders of social groups, boss in the workplace, and heads
of government.

In patriarchy, there is also a hierarchy among the men. In traditional

patriarchy, the elder men had power over the younger generations of men.
In modern patriarchy, some men hold more power (and privilege) by virtue
of the position of authority, and this hierarchy of power (and privilege) is
considered acceptable.

The term comes from pater or father. Father or father-figures hold

the authority in a patriarchy. Traditional patriarchal societies are, usually,
also patrilineal — titles and property are inherited through male lines.

Gerda Lerner's Analysis of Patriarchy

Gerda Lerner's 1986 history classic, The Creation of Patriarchy, traces

the development of the patriarchy to the second millennium B.C.E. in the
middle east, putting gender relations at the center of the story of
civilization's history. She argues that before this development, male
dominance was not a feature of human society in general. Women were key
to the maintenance of human society and community, but with a few
exceptions, social and legal power was wielded by men. Women could gain

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some status and privilege in patriarchy by limiting her child-bearing capacity

to just one man so that he could depend on her children being his children.

By rooting patriarchy — a social organization where men rule over

women — in historical developments, rather than in nature, human nature
or biology, she also opens the door for change. If patriarchy was created by
culture, it can be overturned by a new culture.

Feminist Analysis

Feminist theorists have expanded the definition of patriarchal society

to describe a systemic bias against women. As second-wave feminists
examined society during the 1960s, they did observe households headed by
women and female leaders. They were, of course, concerned with whether
this was uncommon. More significant, however, was the way society
perceived women in power as an exception to a collectively held view of
women's "role" in society. Rather than saying that individual men oppressed
women, most feminists saw that oppression of women came from the
underlying bias of a patriarchal society.

B. Religion, Culture and the Sexual

Religion makes an important contribution to contemporary cultural

debates around issues of gender and sexuality where religious “values”
feature prominently in opposition to gay rights and abortion (Rayside and
Wilcox, 2010).

Given that Christianity often shares a conservative view point on gender

and sexuality with other world religions, it is not surprising that social
conflict arises when the rights of women and homosexuals are promoted by
the state.

Notably, there has been a major emphasis on the war on the rights of
women as a justification for challenging Islamic civilizations, and even
invading specific countries (Razack, 2008), but all major world religions
have at times had an oppressive influence on women and homosexuals.

The function of religion has been a substantive focus of sociology

since its inception as an academic discipline, particularly in relation to the
transformation from industrial to modern societies with the advent of
capitalism, urbanization, industrialization and science.

Durkheim emphasized the social cohesion provided by religion,

whereas Marx argued that religion served a bourgeois ideology that
legitimized class inequalities as part of “God’s plan” and Weber saw the
value system of ascetic Protestantism as contributing to the successful rise
of the capitalist class. What these views have in common is that they
suggest that organized religion provides a system of values that served to
legitimize certain social structures and relations by providing an

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authoritative framework of meaning that guides individual conduct. Given

that all the majors global religions-Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism,
Sikhism, Buddhism-have plenty to say about the proper roles of men, women
and sexuality, it is important to question the ideological purpose of religious
pronouncements on and beliefs about sexuality and gender.

C. The Advent of Scientific Essentialism

Social scientists have long theorized about the dangers of essentialist

reasoning. One major criticism of essentialist explanations for group
differences is that they can be used to justify or naturalize inequities in
social power between groups (Brewis, 2001; Gould, 1981; Landrine, 1998;
Mahalingam & Rodriguez, 2003). For example, if a high-status individual
feels that his or her privilege results from natural ability, he or she may
take this as evidence that the status quo is just, and that consideration of
social inequity need not be taken seriously.

A related concern is that essentialist reasoning can effectively limit

human potential. Gould (1981, p. 28) argued that biological determinism, a
form of essentialist reasoning, is “a theory of limits” that “takes the current
status of groups as a measure of where they should and must be.” Moreover,
essentialist reasoning can influence the range of choices people consider for
themselves. For example, when individuals think that gender roles reflect
natural tendencies, they are unlikely to consider possibilities outside these
roles; such effortful examination of possibilities is a critical component of
identity formation (Marcia, 1966), in large part because it plays an
important role in education- and occupation-relevant decisions (Eccles,
1994).

Others have raised the concern that essentialism is associated with

faulty patterns of reasoning (Bohan, 1993; Tavris, 1999). For example,
Tavris (1999) argued that essentialist reasoning is associated with the
tendency to conflate sex with social circumstance. Gjerde (2004) argued
that essentialist arguments made by social psychologists promote a
disregard for heterogeneity, agency, and individuality.

One common finding is that people who reason in essentialist ways often
appear to be judgmental and punitive than others. Giles (2005) found that
essentialist beliefs about crime are associated with a tendency to support
punitive legal sanctions, and to view criminal rehabilitation as ineffective.
Consistent with these findings, in research specifically related to gender,
Haslam and Levy (in press) found that the belief that lesbianism is a
universal and reified category predicts anti-gay attitudes. The link between
essentialist reasoning and increased punitiveness has also been found among
children: Graham and Hoehn (1995) found that children who viewed
aggression as internally driven and stable over time recommended more
punishment for transgressions than did other children (see Giles & Heyman,
2003, for related findings).

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Essentialist beliefs have also been tied to an increased tendency to make

quick judgments of other people (Chiu, Hong, & Dweck, 1997; Erdley &
Dweck, 1993; Levy & Dweck, 1999). Among late elementary school age
children, the belief that one cannot change one’s traits in a fundamental
way is associated with a tendency to make global negative judgments of
others who commit even minor transgressions (Chiu, Hong, & Dweck, 1997;
Erdley & Dweck, 1993) and with the tendency to form stereotypes (Levy &
Dweck, 1999). In sum, there is substantial evidence that individuals who
view traits as fixed or stable over time and across situations show a greater
concern with potentially unfavorable behaviors and outcomes, and are more
inclined to make negative evaluations of the general characteristics of
others.

These negative implications of essentialist beliefs highlight the

importance of understanding the contexts in which such beliefs develop. In
order to understand the development of essentialist beliefs about gender,
we now turn to the question of whether young children tend to exhibit such
reasoning. By looking at this age group, it is possible to gain insight into
whether essentialist beliefs require extensive enculturation (see Gelman &
Taylor, 2000).

THINK!

Do you see any continuing influence of religion on sexuality in your culture?

Think about issues such as sex education, abortion rights and the rights of
sexual minorities.

 LEARNING ACTIVITY

Download the article from the internet. Read the article and take note of its
main points. While reading, write a brief summary, determine the article’s
core statement, and state also your conclusion as you relate it to what you
have learned from your module lesson.

The Body and theRelationship of Sexuality and Gender in Middle Eastern

History: An External Critical Review of Recent Scholarship
by Natalie Charette of Trinity College, Hartford Connecticut

https://digitalrepository.trincoll.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1061&con
text=trinitypapers

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References:

Colander, D.C. (2020) Theories of Culture. Routledge Publication, London.

Peralta, E. P., et. al., (2019) Gender and Society: A Human Ecological
Approach. Rex Book Store, Inc.

Napikosko, L. (2020, January 24) Patriarchal Society According to Feminism

https://www.thoughtco.com/patriarchal-society-feminism-definition-
3528978

Heyman, G.D., & Giles, J.W. (2020, April 11) Gender and Psychological
Essentialism
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3082140/

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LESSON 3

 THE GENDERED FAMILY

A. Roles in the Family

Family is a group living together and functioning as a single

household, usually consisting of parents, their children parents and their
children. The family, being the foundation of the nation, is a basic societal
institution which public policy cherishes and protects (Art.49 of the Family
Code).

Gender role is a set of social and behavioral norms that are generally
considered appropriate for either a man or a woman in a social
interpersonal relationship.

Multiple Burden refers to the increasing duties and responsibilities

that women are expected to take on without similar expected effort from
men. Women are expected to perform reproductive (domestic) tasks than
productive (paid) work, more than that of men.

B. Gender theory

It is the idea that social relationships are based on socially perceived

differences between males and females that justify unequal power
relationships. It focuses how specific behaviors or roles are defined as male
or female, how labor is divided into man’s work and woman’s work, both at
home and in the workplace and for the different institutions bestow
advantages on men.

Social Learning Theory

Emphasizes learning behaviors from others through rewards and

punishments and modeling. This approach has been modified to include
cognitive processes, such as the use of language, the anticipation of
consequences, and observation.

Modeling Playing “dress up” is one way children model the

characteristics and behaviors of adults. It is part of the process of learning
what is appropriate for someone of their gender

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Cognitive Development Theory

Cognitive Development Theory Asserts that once children learn

gender is permanent, they independently strive to act like “proper” boys or
girls because of an internal need for congruence.

 Gender Role Socialization- Parents, teachers, and peers are

important agents of socialization during childhood and adolescence.
Ethnicity and social class also influence gender roles.

• Traditional Male Roles - Emphasis is on dominance and work,

whether for whites, African Americans, Latinos, or Asian Americans. A
man’s central family role has been viewed as being the provider. For
women, there is greater role diversity according to ethnicity.

• Contemporary Male Gender Roles - As contemporary male gender

roles allow increasing expressiveness, men are encouraged to nurture
their children.

• Traditional Female Roles- Among middle-class whited the emphasis

is on being a wife and mother. Among African Americans, women are
expected to be instrumental; there is no conflict between work and
motherhood. Among Latinos, women are deferential to men generally
from respect rather than subservience; elders, regardless of gender, are
afforded respect.

• Changes Affecting Contemporary Gender Roles

- Acceptance of women as workers and professionals.

- Increased questioning of motherhood as a core female identity.
- Greater equality in marital power.
- Breakdown of the instrumental/ expressive dichotomy

 Limitations of Contemporary Gender Roles of Women

- Diminished self-confidence and mental health.

- Association of femininity with youth and beauty creates a
disadvantages as women age.
- Ethnic women may suffer both racial discrimination and
gender-role stereotyping, which compound each other.

 Difficulties in Changing Gender Role Behavior - Each sex reinforces

the traditional roles of its own and the other sex. We evaluate
ourselves in terms of fulfilling gender-role concepts. Gender roles
have become an intrinsic part of ourselves and our roles. The social
structure reinforces traditional roles.

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THINK!

What is the role of family in gender stereotyping?

 LEARNING ACTIVITY

Download the article from the internet. Read the article and take note of its
main points. While reading, write a brief summary, determine the article’s
core statement, and state also your conclusion as you relate it to what you
have learned from your module lesson.

An Overview of the Gender Situation in the Philippines

by Carlos Antonio Q. Anonuevo of Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Philippine Office

https://library.fes.de/pdf-files/bueros/philippinen/50069.pdf

References:

Peralta, E. P., et. al., (2019) Gender and Society: A Human Ecological
Approach. Rex Book Store, Inc.

Hanks, M.E. (2020, November 27) Structures and Meanings in a Gendered

Family History
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/9781119535812.ch3

Forste R. & Fox, K. (2020, Agusut) Household Labor, Gender Roles, and
Family Satisfaction: A Cross National Comparison
https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=4865&context
=facpub

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LESSON 4

 THE GENDERED CLASSROOM

A. Gender differences in the classroom

Gender roles are the patterns of behaviors, attitudes, and expectations

associated with a particular sex—with being either male or female. For
clarity, psychologists sometimes distinguish gender differences, which are
related to social roles, from sex differences, which are related only to
physiology and anatomy. Using this terminology, gender matters in teaching
more than sex (in spite of any jokes told about the latter!).

Although there are many exceptions, boys and girls do differ on average
in ways that parallel conventional gender stereotypes and that affect how
the sexes behave at school and in class. The differences have to do with
physical behaviors, styles of social interaction, academic motivations,
behaviors, and choices. They have a variety of sources—primarily parents,
peers, and the media. Teachers are certainly not the primary cause of
gender role differences, but sometimes teachers influence them by their
responses to and choices made on behalf of students.

B. Social differences in gender roles

When relaxing socially, boys more often gravitate to large groups.

Whether on the playground, in a school hallway, or on the street, boys’
social groups tend literally to fill up a lot of space, and often include
significant amounts of roughhousing as well as organized and “semi-
organized” competitive games or sports (Maccoby, 2002). Girls, for their
part, are more likely to seek and maintain one or two close friends and to
share more intimate information and feelings with these individuals. To the
extent that these gender differences occur, they can make girls less visible
or noticeable than boys, at least in leisure play situations where children or
youth choose their companions freely. As with physical differences,
however, keep in mind that differences in social interactions do not occur
uniformly for all boys and girls. There are boys with close friends,
contradicting the general trend, and girls who play primarily in large groups.

Differences in social interaction styles happen in the classroom as well.

Boys, on average, are more likely to speak up during a class discussion—
sometimes even if not called on, or even if they do not know as much about
the topic as others in the class (Sadker, 2002). When working on a project in
a small co-ed group, furthermore they have a tendency to ignore girls’
comments and contributions to the group. In this respect co-ed student
groups parallel interaction patterns in many parts of society, where men
also have a tendency to ignore women’s comments and contributions
(Tannen, 2001).

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C. Academic and cognitive differences in gender

On average, girls are more motivated than boys to perform well in

school, at least during elementary school. By the time girls reach high
school, however, some may try to down play their own academic ability in
order make themselves more likeable by both sexes (Davies, 2005). Even if
this occurs, though, it does not affect their grades: from kindergarten
through twelfth grade, girls earn slightly higher average grades than boys
(Freeman, 2004). This fact does not lead to similar achievement, however,
because as youngsters move into high school, they tend to choose courses or
subjects conventionally associated with their gender—math and science for
boys, in particular, and literature and the arts for girls. By the end of high
school, this difference in course selection makes a measurable difference in
boys’ and girls’ academic performance in these subjects.

But again, consider my caution about stereotyping: there are individuals

of both sexes whose behaviors and choices run counter to the group trends.
(I have made this point as well in “Preparing for Licensure: Interpreting
Gender-Related Behavior” by deliberately concealing the gender of a
student described.) Differences within each gender group generally are far
larger than any differences between the groups. A good example is the
“difference” in cognitive ability of boys and girls. Many studies have found
none at all. A few others have found small differences, with boys slightly
better at math and girls slightly better at reading and literature. Still other
studies have found the differences not only are small, but have been getting
smaller in recent years compared to earlier studies. Collectively the findings
about cognitive abilities are virtually “non-findings,” and it is worth asking
why gender differences have therefore been studied and discussed so much
for so many years (Hyde, 2005).

 Brains difference between boys and girls.


Male brain is larger, but has fewer connections.
Lest (Girls first) Right (Boys first)
Hippocampus (Girls Memory of Memory of
first) Nouns/details pictures/gists

Amygdala (Boys first) Spelling, reading words, Performance oriented

verbal intellect,
vocabulary

 Verbal differences between boys and girls

- Grammar and vocabulary develops earlier in girls.

- Girls are more fluent than boys

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 Sensory differences between boys and girls

Girls Boys
Hearing More sensitive to sound Less sensitive to sound
Vision See objects close up, better More accurate vision than girls
perceptual speed and see objects in motion
better reading issues/saccades
Touch Tend to be observer Hands-on (for memory)

 Classroom behavior differences

- Boys don’t ask for help, girls ask too soon.
- Girls responsive to the teachers, boys not responsive enough
- Boys believe that ability is all that is needed to achieve and girls
believe that effort is more important than ability.
- Girls learn different study and test taking strategies from others, boys
will persist even if their strategies don’t work.
- Girls are obsessed with their grades.
- Ability is more important than effort, image is the most important
- Boys overestimate their academic competence.

Girls Boys
Planning Natural inquisitiveness
Managing and regulating behavior Need to know how things work
Attention Emphasis on details/facts
Resisting distractions Know lots about subjects they like
Alert to environment Geography bee winners
Successive processing Competitive nature
Accepting, evaluating, and retaining Need to focus on indirect and
information cooperative and not on direct
competition
Self-disciplined Ability to work in groups
Can motivate themselves to Very peer oriented, what one does,
complete material they are not his mates will do
interested in

How single gender classes help.

Girls Boys
Learn to work with peers with whom Become part of school-oriented peer
they may not get along group and identify selves as students
Supportive environment help girls Movement and noise tolerated
cope with need to have the right
answer
Learn to deal with stress Develop verbal skills in supportive
environment
Focus can be on content and not on Focus on acquiring study strategies
appearance aimed at kinesthetic and iconic
learners
Content of coursework can be Class content is more interesting to
tailored for girls’ interest boys

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Three Components of Gender Equality in Education

1. Rights to Education- describes gender parity (measure quantity)

Gender parity means equal participation of boys and girls in different
aspects of education.

Indicators of gender parity in education

• The numbers of boys and girls enrolled in education

• The numbers of boys and girls who survived up
• Regularity of attendance of boys and girls
• The numbers of girls and boys who repeat years of schooling
• The average years of schooling attained for boys and girls
• The transitions of boys and girls between levels of education
• The number of female and male teachers
• Literacy levels of boys and girls, men and women

2. Rights within education-refers to the right of men and women to non-

discrimination in educational opportunities.

• Educational institutions should function in ways that do not impose or

maintain gender stereotypes or promote institutional barriers to the range
of possibilities that boys and girls, men and women can enjoy in relation
to the education on offer.

3. Rights through education-gender equality within education is shaped

by, and in turn shapes, rights and gender equality in other dimensions of
life.

• The importance of focusing on ‘rights through education becomes

significant particularly when we review evidence of the inequalities which
continue to face women in the world of employment, work and political
representation.

-The public arena.

THINK!

Is there gender inequality in education in the Philippines?

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 LEARNING ACTIVITY

Download the PDF copy of the article from the internet. Read pages 2 to 7
only and take note of its main points. While reading, write a brief summary,
determine the article’s core statement, and state also your conclusion as
you relate it to what you have learned from your module lesson.

Gender Equity in Education: Helping the Boys Catch Up

by Vicente B. Paqueo and Aniceto C. Orbeta Jr. of the Research Information
Department, Philippine Institute for Development Studies, Quezon City
Philippines

https://pidswebs.pids.gov.ph/CDN/PUBLICATIONS/pidsdps1901.pdf

References:

Peralta, E. P., et. al., (2019) Gender and Society: A Human Ecological
Approach. Rex Book Store, Inc.

Aguillon, M., et.al. (2020, Jun 19) Gender Differences in Student

Participation in an Active-Learning Classroom
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32453677/

Ochanda, A.A. (2020, March 06) Gender Equality in Education: The Key to
Sustainable Development
http://www.guninetwork.org/files/alice_ochanda_-
_gender_equality_in_education._the_key_to_sustainable_development.pdf

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 MODULE SUMMARY

In Module I, you have learned about the following:

There are different terms regularly used in theories of sexuality and

gender, for example sex, gender, gender identity, gender expressions,
gender roles, and sexual orientation.

Sex and gender are not the same. In general terms, sex refers to a
person's physical characteristics at birth, and gender encompasses a person's
identities, expressions, and societal roles.

The social construction of gender is a theory in feminism and

sociology about the manifestation of cultural origins, mechanisms, and
corollaries of gender perception and expression in the context of
interpersonal and group social interaction.

The significant cognitive learning differences between gender and

different roles in the family. There is also a focus on gender roles in society
on how we're expected to act, speak, and conduct ourselves based upon our
assigned sex.

Congratulations!

You have just studied Module I. Now you are ready to evaluate how
much you have benefited from your reading by answering the summative
test.

Good Luck!!!

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 SUMMATIVE TEST

Your test will be posted in any of the following online

application/software such as testmoz.com, quizizz.com or edmodo.com.

Testmoz is an excellent web tool auto graded tests and quizzes. The
strength of this application lies in its simplicity and user-friendliness.
Testmoz supports four types of questions: True/false, multiple choice,
multiple response, and fill in the blank. Each test has a unique URL
which the teacher can use to edit and save your scores.

Quizizz is a creativity software company used in class, group works,

pre-test review, exams, unit test, and impromptu tests. It allows
students and teachers to be online at the same time.

Edmodo is a free learning management platform that merges

classroom content, safe communication, and assessment with social
media savvy. Students and parents can get quick answers to questions as
well as stay current on class assignments and happenings via the student
planner and discussion threads.

Here are the links:

 https://testmoz.com/

 https://quizizz.com/

 https://edmodo.com/

Note: The test schedule should be verified from your instructor.

GEEC 111 – Gender and Society Module I