GENDER AND SOCIETY

UNIT 1: THE NATURE OF GENDER STUDIES

LESSON 1: GENDER, SEX AND SEXUALITY

Biologically speaking, there are actually many gradations running from female to male. In nature, we find a
spectrum of people, a range, not an either-or.

● Intersex – used as a catch all phrase for this spectrum

● Herms (hermaphrodites) – possess one ovary and one testis
● Merms (male pseudohermaphrodites) – possess testes and some aspects of the female genitalia but
not ovaries
● Ferms (female pseudohermaphrodites) – possess ovaries and some aspects of the male genitalia but
lack testes. All pseudohermaphrodites possess two gonads of the same kind (all ovaries or all testes) and
they also possess the usual chromosomes for their sex (XY male, XX female), but their external genitalia
and their secondary sex characteristics do not match the chromosomes.

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SEX, GENDER, AND SEXUALITY

DISTINGUISH THE FOLLOWING:

SEX
➔ Sex refers to the biological attributes that distinguish male and female bodies.
➔ These include reproductive organs, chromosomes, and secondary sexual characteristics like
breast development or facial hair.

GENDER
➔ Gender is a complex social and cultural construct that encompasses the roles. behaviors,
expectations, and identities associated with being male or female in a given society.

SEXUALITY
➔ Sexuality refers to an individual's sexual orientation, attraction, and preferences in terms of
romantic, emotional, and/or sexual relationships.
➔ Sexuality refers to a person's capacity for sexual feelings and their emotional and sexual
attraction to a particular sex (male or female).

● 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.
● Gender - a term that refers to social or cultural distinctions and roles associated with being male or
female. Gender is such a primary dimension of identity, socialization, institutional participation, and life
chances. It's more about how individuals perceive and express their sense of being masculine, feminine,
or something else, and it's not strictly tied to biological differences.
● In short, sex is about the physical and biological aspects, while gender is about the social and cultural
aspects.

THE GENDER UNICORN

● Sexually Attracted To:

Sexual Orientation. It is important to note that sexual and romantic/emotional attraction can be from a
variety of factors including but not limited to gender identity, gender expression/presentation. and sex
assigned at birth.
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GENDERBREAD PERSON
 GENDER AND SOCIETY

Gender is one of those things everyone thinks they under- stand, but most people don't. Gender isn't binary.
It's not either/or. In many cases it's both/and. A bit of this, a dash of that. This tasty little guide is meant to
be an appetizer for gender understanding. It's okay if you're hungry for more after reading it. In fact, that's
the idea.
● Identity - is how you, in your head, experience and define your gender, based on how much you align
(or don't align) with what you understand the options for gender to be.
● Attraction - is how you find yourself feeling drawn (or not drawn) to some other people, in sexual,
romantic, and/or other ways (often categorized within gender).
● Expression - is how you present gender (through your actions, clothing, and demeanor, to name a few),
and how those presentations are viewed based on social expectations.
● Sex - is the physical traits you're born with or develop that we think of as "sex characteristics," as well as
the sex you are assigned at birth.
● We can think about all these things as existing on continuums, where a lot of people might see
themselves as existing somewhere between 0 and 100 on each.

TYPES OF SEXUALITY:

● Androsexuality, the attraction towards males, masculinity, or men.

● Asexuality, no attraction to either sex.
● Bisexuality, the attraction to individuals of either sex
● Heterosexuality, the attraction to individuals of the opposite sex;
● Autosexuality, sexual attraction to oneself, especially a preference for masturbation over sexual
intercourse.
● Homosexuality, the attraction to individuals of one‘s own sex;
● Placiosexuality, an orientation on the asexual spectrum defined as someone who enjoys
performing sexual acts for other people but does not want them reciprocated. Placiosexual
people may be sex neutral or sex repulsed when it comes to having sexual acts performed on
them.
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● Demisexuality, a sexual orientation where people only experience sexual attraction to folks that
they have close emotional connections with.
● Lithosexual, the sexual orientation of a person who experiences sexual attraction to another
person but does not want it to be reciprocated.
● Polyamory, the practice of, or desire for, intimate relationships with more than one partner, with
the informed consent of all partners involved. It has been described as "consensual, ethical, and
responsible non-monogamy.

★ Heterosexuals and homosexuals may also be referred to informally as ―straight and―gay,

respectively. North America is a heteronormative society, meaning it supports heterosexuality as the
norm, (referred to as heteronormativity).

LESSON 2 : GENDER IDENTITY, GENDER EXPRESSION AND GENDER ORIENTATION

Gender identity refers to an individual's deeply felt internal sense of their own gender, which may or may
not align with the sex assigned to them at birth. It is a personal and subjective experience of one's own
gender, and it may include identifying as a man, woman, both, neither, or somewhere along the gender
spectrum.

Gender expression involves the external manifestation of one's gender identity, offen through clothing,
hairstyle, behavior, voice, or other means of presentation. It encompasses the way individuals
communicate their gender to others and may conform to or challenge societal expectations.

Sexual orientation refers to an individual's emotional, romantic, or sexual attraction to people of the
same and/or different gender. It is distinct from gender identity and expression, as it pertains specifically
to the nature of one's attractions and relationships.

Key Points

GENDER IDENTITY
● Gender identity is intrinsic and self-defined.
● It can be different from the sex assigned at birth.
● Transgender individuals may have a gender identity that differs from their assigned sex.

GENDER EXPRESSION
● Gender expression is a form of self-presentation.
● It can vary across cultures and individuals.
● Not everyone's gender expression aligns with traditional stereotypes.
● One‘s gender expression (e.g. masculine, feminine, androgynous, etc.) is how one embodies
gender attributes, presentations, roles, and more.

SEXUAL ORIENTATION
● Sexual orientation is about who someone is attracted to.
● It exists on a spectrum and includes categories like heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual,
pansexual, etc.
● It is unrelated to an individual's gender identity or expression.

DIFFERENCES
CORE CONCEPT:
 GENDER AND SOCIETY

● Gender identity is about who you are internally.

● Gender expression is how you present yourself externally.
● Sexual orientation is about whom you are attracted to romantically or sexually.

INFLUENCE ON EACH OTHER:

● Gender identity may influence gender expression but is distinct from it.
● Gender expression may or may not align with societal expectations related to gender identity.
● Sexual orientation is independent of both gender identity and expression.

INTERNAL VS. EXTERNAL:

● Gender identity is internal and deeply personal.
● Gender expression is the external manifestation of gender identity.
● Sexual orientation involves the nature of one's attractions.
FLUIDITY:
● Gender identity can be stable or fluid.
● Gender expression may change based on personal choices or cultural influences.
● Sexual orientation can be consistent or change over time.

DIFFERENT TYPES OF GENDER IDENTITIES:

● Agender- Not having a gender or identifying with a gender. They may describe themselves as
being gender neutral or genderless.
● Androgyny - The mixing of masculine and feminine gender expression or the lack of gender
identification. The terms androgyne, agender, and neutrois are sometimes used by people who
identify as genderless, non-gendered, beyond or between genders, or some combination thereof.
● Bigender - A person who fluctuates between traditionally male and female gender-based
behaviors and identities.
● Cisgender - A gender identity that society considers to match the biological sex assigned at birth.
The prefix cis- means on this side of or not across from. A term used to call attention to the
privilege of people who are not transgender.
● Crossdresser - Cross-dressing refers to occasionally wearing clothing of the opposite gender,
and someone who considers this an integral part of their identity may identify as a crossdresser
(note: the term crossdresser is preferable to transvestite and neither may ever be used to
describe a transsexual person). Cross-dressing is not necessarily tied to erotic activity or sexual
orientation.
● Gender Expression - The external display of one‘s gender, through a combination of how they
dress, how they act and other factors, generally meas ured on scales of masculinity and
femininity.
● Gender Fluid - A mix of boy and girl. A person who is gender fluid may always feel like a mix of
the two traditional genders, but may feel more man some days, and more woman other days.
● Genderqueer - A gender identity label often used by people who do not identify with being a man
or a woman, or as an umbrella term for many gender nonconforming or non-binary identities.
● Intersex - A person born with a reproductive or sexual anatomy that doesn‘t seem to fit the
typical definitions of female or male. For example, a person might be born appearing to be female
on the outside, but having mostly male-typical anatomy on the inside.
● Mx. - Is a title (e.g. Mr., Ms., etc.) that is gender neutral. Pronounced miks, (similar to Ms)it is
often the option of choice for folks who do not identify as cisgender.
● Transgender - First coined to distinguish gender benders with no desire for surgery or hormones
from transsexuals, those who desired to legally and medically change their sex, more recently
transgender and/or trans has become an umbrella term popularly used to refer to all people who
transgress dominant conceptions of gender, or at least all who identify themselves as doing so.
The definition continues to evolve.
 GENDER AND SOCIETY

● Transsexual - The term transsexual has historically been used to refer to individuals who have
medically and legally changed their sex, or who wish to do so. Most transsexual people feel a
conflict between their gender identity and the sex they were assigned at birth. Other labels used
within this group are MtF (male-tofemale) or trans woman, and FtM (female-to-male) or trans man.
● Ze / Hir - Alternate pronouns that are gender neutral. Pronounced /zee/ and /here/ they replace
he and she and his and hers respectively. Alternatively some people who are not comfortable/do
not embrace he/she use the plural pronoun they/their as a gender neutral singular pronoun.

LESSON 4 : GENDER ROLES

GENDER ROLE THEORIES

Gender role theories face common challenges, and different theorists hold varying views. Social learning
theorists believe that we mainly learn gender roles from our surroundings, while cognitive development
theorists argue that children go through stages shaping their gender beliefs.

HOW CAN YOU TELL THEM APART?

Differences: General differences on sex, age, ability, expectations, lived experiences
Expectations: Gender roles & cultural expectations based on assigned sex
Stereotypes: Widely accepted bias that is often oversimplified and not accurate

★ When babies come into the world, they start with little knowledge and a handful of instincts. However,
by the age of 3 or 4, they can talk, feed themselves, interact with adults, describe things, and use
proper facial expressions and body language. This transformation from a knowing-nothing infant to a
preschooler equipped with essential social skills is what we call socialization.
★ Socialization occurs at every age and level of development, and the same is true of gender role
socialization. Most boys dress and act like other boys and play with traditionally male toys (guns,
trucks), whereas most girls insist on wearing dresses and express a desire to do traditional "female
things‖, such as playing with dolls and toy kitchens.

1. EVOLUTIONARY THEORY: ADAPTING TO OUR ENVIRONMENT

● Evolutionary Theory, within the context of gender, suggests that certain gender-related
behaviors and characteristics have evolved over time due to their adaptive value. It posits that
behaviors and traits related to gender have been shaped by natural selection because they
enhance the survival and reproduction of individuals and their offspring.
● The primary goal of evolutionary processes is to ensure the survival and reproduction of genes.
Behaviors that enhance an individual's ability to attract mates, reproduce successfully, and care
for offspring are considered advantageous from an evolutionary standpoint.

EXAMPLE: A man with several partners is viewed as a "player' whereas a woman with several partners
is viewed as a "slut'. A man can impregnate several women at any given time, but a woman, once
pregnant, cannot become pregnant again until she gives birth. . If evolutionary success is determined by
how many offspring we have, the men win hands down.

Men = competitive and aggressive → attract a partner and provide for of fspring
Women = nurturing → attract a partner and take care of offspring

2. SOCIAL LEARNING THEORY: LEARNING FROM OUR ENVIRONMENT

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● In the context of gender roles, Social Learning Theory explains that individuals learn what is
considered appropriate or expected behavior for their gender by observing and imitating those
around them, particularly influential figures like parents, peers, and media personalities.
● For instance, studies indicate that parents often reinforce gender-appropriate behavior while
discouraging gender-inappropriate actions. Simple acts like admonishing a boy not to cry "like a
girl," praising a girl's use of makeup, or assigning different toys and tasks based on gender
contribute to the formation of impactful messages about gender roles in everyday life.
● Observation - Individuals learn by observing the behaviors of others, especially those they
consider role models or significant figures in their lives. This learning can occur through direct
experiences or media representations.

● Imitation - After observing a behavior, individuals may imitate it, especially if they perceive the
model as influential, competent, or rewarding. Imitation is a crucial mechanism through which
gender roles are acquired.
● Reinforcement and Behavior - If a behavior is followed by a positive outcome (reinforcement), it
is more likely to be repeated. Conversely, if a behavior is followed by a negative outcome
(punishment), it is less likely to be repeated.
● Models - Individuals whose behavior is observed, play a key role in the learning process. The
more a model is seen as attractive, competent, and similar to the observer, the more likely the
observer is to imitate their behavior.

3. COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT THEORY: AGE-STAGE LEARNING

● This theory, influenced by Piaget, emphasizes that social attitudes in children are linked to their
cognitive development processes. In essence, children can process only certain types and
amounts of information at each developmental stage, shaping their comprehension of gender.
● Men are often perceived as larger and stronger, occupying roles associated with aggression,
such as policemen and superheroes. On the other hand, women tend to be linked to motherhood
through physical attributes (e.g., breastfeeding) and societal roles emphasizing nurturing and
emotional expression. These "physicalistic" thought patterns are prevalent in young children
and revolve around gender-related ideas.

1. Gender Labelling/Identity 2 - 3.5 years Label gender but only based on

appearance.

2. Gender Stability 3.5 - 4.5 years Gender is consistent over time

but cant generalise this to
others. Appearance is still a
factor

3.Gender Constancy/Consistency 6 years Gender is constant across time

and situations. Gender
appropriate behaviour.

4. GENDER SCHEMA THEORY: OUR CULTURAL MAPS

● Sandra Bem's (1974, 1977, 1981) theory stands out as an attempt to address the challenges
posed by other theories. It suggests that children, and humans in general, think based on
schemas—cognitive mechanisms that organize our understanding of the world.
 GENDER AND SOCIETY

● Schema:
You're a girl = be with girls
You're a girl = don't identify with boys
Doll = for GIRLS
Cars = for BOYS
Gender role identity = label as girl/boy

● Bern suggests that one schema we all have is a gender schema, which organizes our thinking
about gender.

● Bem proposes that we all possess a gender schema, shaping our thoughts about gender. From
birth, we continuously receive information about gender from various sources-parents, relatives,
teachers, peers, media, etc. We absorb explicit details about sexual anatomy, gender roles in
work and activities, and associated personality traits.
● Ex: beverages: champagne is considered more feminine, while beer is viewed as more masculine
● This refers to a cognitive framework or mental structure that organizes an individual's
understanding and expectations related to gender.
● Gender schemas contribute to the formation of gender stereotypes. Stereotypical beliefs about
what is considered "typical" behavior for men and women are often rooted in the societal norms
perpetuated by gender schemas.

MASCULINITY AND FEMININITY

MASCULINITY - Qualities that are perceived to be traditionally for men.

● MALE - meaning they are strong, stable, aggressive, competitive, self-reliant, and emotionally
undemonstrative

FEMININITY - Qualities that are perceived to be traditionally for women.

● FEMALE - meaning they are intuitive, loving, nurturing, emotionally expressive, and gentle

STEREOTYPING

Stereotypes about gender that can cause unequal and unfair treatment because of a person's gender.
This is called sexism.
 GENDER AND SOCIETY

● Personality Traits - women are often expected to be accommodating and emotional, while men
are usually expected to be self-confident and aggressive.
● Domestic Behaviors - some people expect that women will take care of the children, cook, and
clean the home, while men take care of finances, work on the car, and do the home repairs
● Occupations - Some people are quick to assume that teachers and nurses are women, and that
pilots, doctors, and engineers are men. (LGBTQ people don't get employed at all)
● Physical Appearance - women are expected to be the current standard of beauty, while men are
expected to be tall and muscular. Men can't wear makeup. Women can't be bald.

Despite evolving beliefs and attitudes, many of our actions are still tethered to long-standing
misconceptions about men and women handed down through generations. Even with professed values
of equality, a notable number of individuals today still engage in interactions and relationships influenced
by gender stereotypes.

SUMMARY: society → gender roles

● Evolutionary - The value of a woman is their children. It is more focused on parental investment.
● Social Learning Theory - We learn through our environment through observation, imitation, and
socialization.
● Cognitive Development Theory - All children go through a pre-set pattern that parents have no
control over. The children themselves decide.
● Gender Schema Theory - We think in schemas. It is made of stereotypes about men and
women.
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Theoretical Perspectives on Gender

1. Structural Functionalism

Structural functionalism stands out as a pivotal framework in 20th-century sociological research, exerting
significant influence on the social sciences, notably in the realm of gender studies. This perspective,
which perceives the family as a fundamental societal unit, places a considerable emphasis on the
assumptions surrounding gender roles within marital relationships.

2. Feminism

Feminism is a socio-political movement and ideology that advocates for the equality of the sexes and
works to address and rectify the historical and ongoing imbalances in power, opportunities, and rights
between men and women. It seeks to challenge and dismantle gender-based inequalities and
discrimination while promoting the empowerment and liberation of all individuals, irrespective of their
gender.

3. Critical Sociology

Social structures are inherently shaped by power dynamics and the domination of certain groups over
others. This perspective asserts that access to limited resources is not distributed evenly and is, instead,
determined by the power relations among social groups. Gender, being a significant dimension of social
life, is often analyzed through this lens, with men typically perceived as the dominant group and women
as the subordinate group.

First Wave of Feminism

 "Focus on legal rights, particularly suffrage.

 Challenging the notion of women as property.
 Initial emphasis on gaining basic rights and equality.
 GENDER AND SOCIETY

Second Wave of Feminism

 Broadened focus to social and cultural issues.

 Advocacy for reproductive rights, workplace equality, and dismantling gender stereotypes.
 More inclusive, addressing issues beyond legal rights.

Third Wave of Feminism

 Emphasis on individual empowerment.
 Intersectionality, addressing issues beyond gender, including race, sexuality, and identity.
 Celebrating diverse expressions of femininity.

WHAT IS PATRIARCHY ANYWAY?

POLITICAL
The internet: Social system where men holds the power
 Outward sexism
 Wage gaps
 Why the CEOs of fashion and beauty brands are men?

PSYCHOLOGICAL
"The dynamic between those qualities deemed "masculine" and "feminine" in which had of our
human traits are exalted while the other half is devalued.
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IN THE PHILIPPINES
The 1987 Constitution states two prominent provisions. The first was in the Declaration of
Principles Article II Section 14 which asserted that "The State recognizes the role of women in
nation-building and shall ensure the fundamental equality before the law of women and men."

Additionally, the Article XIII-Labor: Section 14 provided that "The state shall protect working
women by providing safe and healthful working conditions taking into account their maternal
functions, and such facilities and opportunities that will enhance their welfare and enable them
to realize their full potential in the service of the nation".

INCLUSIVE REPRESENTATION
Gender equality promotes inclusive representation in political leadership and governance. It
ensures that both men and women have equal opportunities to participate in decision-making
processes and contribute their perspectives and experiences.

GENDER PERSPECTIVES
Gender equality ensures that gender perspectives are taken into account in policy-making and
governance. Women's unique experiences and challenges can provide valuable insights and
solutions to societal issues, leading to more comprehensive and effective policies
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GENDER: LABOR
Gender and labor is a multidimensional topic that explores the relationship between gender
identity and participation in the workforce. It encompasses issues such as the gender pay gap.

GENDER DISCRIMINATION THE WORKPLACE

Pay Inequality - Women are often paid less than men for performing the some job.
- Gender pay gap persists across industries and job levels.

Glass Ceiling - Women face barriers in advancing to top leadership positions.

- Limited representation in executive roles

Stereotyping and Bias - Women experience stereotypes and biases that affect their career
opportunities.
- Assumptions about competence, commitment. and leadership abilities.

Sexual Harassment - Women are victim of sexual harassment in the workplace

- Unwanted advances, comments, or actions that create a hostile work
environment.

FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE GENDER PAY GAP

•Occupational segregation: Women are often concentrated in lower-paying industries and
professions.
•Gender discrimination: Women are often paid less than men for performing the same or similar
work.
•Lack of work-life balance: Women may face challenges balancing work and family
responsibilities. leading to reduced opportunities for career advancement.
•Unconscious bias: Stereotypes and biases can influence hiring, promotion, and compensation
decisions.
• For workplace gender discrimination to be considered illegal, it must involve treatment that
negatively affects the terms or conditions of your employment. Terms or conditions of
employment are all the responsibilities, rules, and benefits of a job. Most of the time, they are
set by an employer or negotiated by a worker and the employer at the time of hire. In unionized
workplaces, they are negotiated and agreed on as part of the - collective bargaining process.

RIGHT TO WORK AND RIGHT AT WORK

• The right to work is a fundamental human right that ensures individuals can engage in gainful
employment and earn a living. It encompasses the freedom to choose one's profession, the
right to equal pay for equal work, and protection against discrimination in the workplace.

• The right at work refers to the rights and protections that individuals are entitled to in their work
environment. This includes the right to a safe and healthy workplace, the right to fair treatment
and equal opportunities, and the right to freedom of association and collective bargaining.
 GENDER AND SOCIETY

STEREOTYPICAL PORTRAYALS OF MEN

Common Stereotypes

The Tough Guy: Men are often portrayed as physically strong. aggressive, and dominant.

The Provider: Men are expected to be the primary breadwinners and take on the role of financial
provider.

The Player Men are often depicted as being interested only in casual relationships and pursuing
multiple partners.

FEEDING THE STEREOTYPES

 Action movies often feature male protagonists who use violence as a means to solve
problems.
 Commercials often depict men as clueless or incompetent when it comes to household
chores or parenting.
 TV shows often portray men as emotionally detached and unable to express their feelings.
 It is important to challenge these stereotypes and promote more diverse and realistic
representations of men in media.

It is in this misunderstanding that many stereotypical and one-dimensional characters and

tropes arise. This includes the representation of single, career-driven women as cold, obsessive,
and mean, the representation of attractive women as lazy and uneducated, women shown in
control of their sexuality are often also associated with unintelligence, while women shown
outside of romantic experiences are shown as awkward and juvenile.

STEREOTYPICAL IMAGES OF RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN MEN AND WOMEN

 The media often portrays stereotypical images of relationships between men and women.

 Common stereotypes include the submissive woman and dominant man, the damsel in
distress, and the overly aggressive man.

 These representations can perpetuate harmful gender norms and reinforce unequal power
dynamics
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Lesson 6 : Theoretical Perspectives on Gender

Structural Functionalism
Structural functionalism provided one of the most important perspectives of sociological
research in the 20th century and has been a major influence on research in the social sciences,
including gender studies. Viewing the family as the most integral component of society,
assumptions about gender roles within marriage assume a prominent place in this perspective.

Functionalists argue that gender roles were established well before the Pre industrial era when
men typically took care of responsibilities outside of the home, such as hunting, and women
typically took care of the domestic responsibilities in or around the home. These roles were
considered functional because women were often limited by the physical restraints of pregnancy
and nursing and unable to leave the home for long periods of time. Once established, these
roles were passed on to subsequent generations since they served as an effective means of
keeping the family system functioning properly.

Critical Sociology
According to critical sociology, society is structured by relations of power and domination among
social groups (e.g., women versus men) that determine access to scarce resources. When
sociologists examine gender from this perspective, we can view men as the dominant group and
women as the subordinate group.

According to critical sociology, social problems and contradictions are created when dominant
groups exploit or oppress subordinate groups. Consider the women‘s suffrage movement or the
debate over women‘s ―right to choose‖ their reproductive futures. It is difficult for women to rise
above men, as dominant group members create the rules for success and opportunity in society
(Farrington and Chertok 1993).

Feminist Theory
Feminist theory is a type of critical sociology that examines inequalities in gender-related issues.
It uses the critical approach to examine the maintenance of gender roles and inequalities.
Radical feminism, in particular, considers the role of the family in perpetuating male dominance.

In patriarchal societies, men‘s contributions are seen as more valuable than those of women.
Additionally, women often perceive a disconnect between their personal experiences and the
way the world is represented by society as a whole.

The first wave (1830’s – early 1900’s): Women’s fight for equal contract and property rights.
Often taken for granted, women in the late 19th to early 20th centuries, realized that they must
first gain political power (including the right to vote) to bring about change was how to fuel the
fire.

Their political agenda expanded to issues concerning sexual, reproductive and economic
matters. The seed was planted that women have the potential to contribute just as much if not
more than men.
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The second wave (1960’s-1980’s): Broadening the debate The second wave of feminism
focused on the workplace, sexuality, family and reproductive rights. During a time when the
United States was already trying to restructure itself, it was perceived that women had met their
equality goals with the exception of the failure of the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment
(which has still yet to be passed).

This time is often dismissed as offensive, outdated and obsessed with middle class white
women‘s problems. Conversely, many women during the second wave were initially part of the
Black Civil Rights Movement, Anti Vietnam Movement, Chicano Rights Movement, Asian-
American Civil Rights Movement, Gay and Lesbian Movement and many other groups fighting
for equality. Women cared so much about these civil issues that they wanted to strengthen their
voices by first fighting for gender equality to ensure they would be heard.

The third wave (1990’s – early 2000’s): The “micropolitics” of gender equality Unlike the former
movements, the term ‗feminist‘ becomes less critically received by the female population due to
the varying feminist outlooks. There are the ego-cultural feminists, the radicals, the
liberal/reforms, the electoral, academic, ecofeminists. The main issues were prefaced by the
work done by the previous waves of women. The fight continued to vanquish the disparities in
male and female pay and the reproductive rights of women. Work continues to end violence
against women in our nation as well as abroad. This wave was about acceptance and a true
understanding of the term ‗feminism‘.

Symbolic Interactionism
Symbolic interactionism aims to understand human behavior by analyzing the critical role of
symbols in human interaction. This is certainly relevant to the discussion of masculinity and
femininity.

Imagine that you walk into a bank, hoping to get a small loan for school, a home, or a small
business venture. If you meet with a male loan officer, you may state your case logically by
listing all of the hard numbers that make you a qualified applicant as a means of appealing to
the analytical characteristics associated with masculinity. If you meet with a female loan officer,
you may make an emotional appeal by stating your good intentions as a means of appealing to
the caring characteristics associated with femininity.

Because the meanings attached to symbols are socially created and not natural, and fluid, not
static, we act and react to symbols based on the current assigned meaning. The word gay, for
example, once meant ―cheerful,‖ but by the 1960s it carried the primary meaning
of ―homosexual.‖ In transition, it was even known to mean ―careless‖ or ―bright and
showing‖ (Oxford American Dictionary 2010). Furthermore, the word gay (as it refers to a
homosexual) carried a somewhat negative and unfavourable meaning 50 years ago, but has
since gained more neutral and even positive connotations.
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GENDER AND POLITICS

Introduction
The relationship between gender and governance is often neglected in both conceptual and
empirical work. Much influential political thought is still based on perceptions of the separation
between the ‗public‘ realms of politics, military affairs and administration and the ‗private‘ realm
of domestic and family life. This book is a collection of papers focusing on gender and
governance – in the context of the United Nations Development Programme‘s (UNDP‘s) efforts
to promote development, and women‘s role in it. While it focuses on the lives of women, it is
very much framed as a study of ‗gender and governance‘ rather than ‗women and governance‘.

Thus, it recognises the host of social norms and expectations that condition women‘s lives and
that, therefore, any useful study of gender and governance must understand governance in the
broadest way – to include the ways in which social and administrative structures affect society
members‘ capabilities and access to opportunities. (Demetriades, 2009)

Governance and Gender

‘Governance‘ is a slippery term with many definitions, depending on who is talking about it, and
on the context in which it is used. Put simply, governance refers to decision-making by a range
of interested people (or ‗stakeholders‘) including those in positions of power and
‗ordinary‘ citizens. These decisions have a huge impact on the ways in which men and women
lead their lives, the rules they are expected to abide by, and the structures that determine where
and how they work and live.

Political Gender Inequality

Even in democratic societies in which gender equality is legally mandated, gender
discrimination occurs in politics, both in regards to presumptions about political allegiances that
fall along gender lines, and disparate gender representation within representative democracies.
Historically, this was even more true when women were neither considered full citizens nor
could not vote.

Intersections of Gender and Politics:

A. Voting Rights for Women
Before 1920, women did not have a national right to vote in the United States. Women‘s
suffrage, the movement to achieve the female vote, was won gradually at state and local levels
during the end of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

Women‘s suffrage took a back seat to the Civil War and Reconstruction, but America‘s entry
into World War I re-initiated a vigorous push. When President Woodrow Wilson announced that
America needed to enter the European battlefield in order to protect democracy, women were
up in arms. The National Women‘s Party became the first cause to picket outside of the White
House, with banners comparing President Wilson to his German adversary, Kaiser Wilhelm.
The Nineteenth Amendment was passed the year following the Treaty of Paris, which ended
World War I.
 GENDER AND SOCIETY

B. Women in Recent Politics

Since gaining the fundamental right to vote in 1920, women have worked in many levels of
government in the United States. In 1981, President Ronald Reagan named Sandra Day
O‘Connor as the first female Supreme Court justice. She was later joined by Ruth Bader
Ginsburg and has been succeeded by Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan. Currently, three of
the nine sitting justices are women. In 1996, President Bill Clinton appointed Madeline Albright
to be the first female Secretary of State, a post later given to Condoleezza Rice by President
George W. Bush in 2005. Hillary Clinton is the current Secretary of State.

Women in politics took center stage in the 2008 election. In the primary season, New York
Senator Hillary Clinton ran against future President Barack Obama for the Democratic
nomination. Although Clinton was the twenty-fifth woman to run for U.S. President, she was the
first female candidate to have a significant chance of winning the nomination of a major party
and the general election.

Despite the increasing presence of women in American politics, gender stereotypes still exist.
Data from the 2006 American National Election Studies Pilot Study confirmed that both male
and female voters, regardless of their political persuasions, expected men to perform better as
politicians than women. The only deviation in this data had to do with competency in areas such
as education that are typically perceived as women‘s domains and voters, therefore, trusted
women politicians more.

Because gender is considered to be a master status or a primary trait around which individuals
identify, ―women are considered to be a political demographic. In other words, ―women are
supposed to have certain political priorities (usually those having to do with children and
education) that unite all women as a voting bloc or a group of individuals who tend to vote in the
same way.

For this reason, political strategists see the ―female vote as one to be won. As such, one will
see organizations uniting the female demographic and political priorities, such as ―Women for
Obama‖ or ―Women for Romney.

Gender Politics in the Philippines

The gender situation in the Philippines is characterized by sharp contradictions. It graphically
showcases samples of women‘s advancement in politics, academic and professional excellence,
and even legislation. But this is contrasted by images of prostituted women, battered wives,
economically disadvantaged women and exploited migrant workers.

The socio-cultural traditions are clashing with the MTV and cyberspace generation. The long
history of colonialism has embedded a patriarchal culture among Filipinos. The conception of
women as full-time homemakers, as subordinated to men, violence against them is private, as
reserve labor force, and as sexual objects is now being eroded by modern women asserting
themselves in many aspects of life. But on the other hand, some are either marginalized,
discriminated, or even exploited by the harsh realities of global economy and consumerism.
 GENDER AND SOCIETY

This puts the gender equality issues at the forefront of national discourse and precludes further
downslide of women status in the modern Philippine society. Indeed, there are many handles for
the changes to happen. These legal and policy gains resulted from the strong voice of women
that started even during the anti-dictatorship struggle that culminated with the ascension of
Corazon Aquino as the first woman president of the country. The 1987 Constitution states two
prominent provisions. The first in the Declaration of Principles Article II Section 14 which
asserted that "The State recognizes the role of women in nation-building and shall ensure the
fundamental equality before the law of women and men."

Additionally, the Article XIII-Labor: Section 14 provided that "The state shall protect working
women by providing safe and healthful working conditions taking into account their maternal
functions, and such facilities and opportunities that will enhance their welfare and enable them
to realize their full potential in the service of the nation".

Following from constitutional provisions and the subsequent efforts to broaden the its principles,
numerous legislation were enacted that relates to the various aspects of women and gender
concerns, the list include:
 Gender and Development Law (5% of government agencies' budget is for gender
concerns)
 Party-List Law (women as a particular sector for representation in the legislature through
party-list elections)
 Women in Nation-Building Law (allocation of budget for women from development funds
from foreign governments and multilateral institutions)
 Anti Mail-Order-Bride Law (making the practice unlawful)
 Repatriation Law (repatriation of Filipinas who lost citizenship by marriage in case of
need)
 Non-Discrimination Law in Labor Code (women protection in hiring and pay)
 Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law (equal rights for women to be recipients of land)
 Military Training equality (women can enter the military and police schools and providing
facilities for them)

While the legal framework is there, the actual situation mirrors the deep gender divide. In the
aspect of women in politics, the notable success of several women is overshadowed by the
actual ground level statistics. The lady Vice President is up to now a shoo-in in the next
presidential elections in 2004. But the big picture shows that of all the elective positions
occupied through the 1998 elections, only 15% are women.

In the two-chamber Congress, the Senate (Upper House) has 17.4% women membership (4 out
of 23 seats) which the House of Representatives (Lower House) has 12.4% (27 out of 217
seats). The first party-list elections in 1998-- wherein sectoral groups like women competed to
get a maximum of 3 seats per party in the House of Representatives--resulted in the winning of
one (1) seat for a single women's party. Five (5) other women's party did not make the minimum
votes required.
 GENDER AND SOCIETY

At the local government level, women Provincial Governors constitute 17% while Vice-
Governors are at 11.5% level. Among the City and Town Mayors, 14.5% of them are women
while the ranks of the Vice-Mayors are at low of 10.8%. In response to problems that continue to
face the Filipina, numerous civil society groups were organized and pioneering projects were
initiated. The vocal women‘s movement was instrumental in the enactment of the laws that seek
to protect women and broaden their role in the society. Sub-sectoral groupings of women
guaranteed the articulation of specific interests and agendas while issue-based networks and
coalitions advocated and lobbied to policy-makers and legislators. The campaign for the sexual
harassment and the anti-rape laws saw the synergy of the different organizational forms within
the women‘s movement. Their current engagement deals with the law that deals with domestic
violence, abortion and divorce.

The gender situation in the Philippines can be described in sum as:

1. The legal framework has provided basic frameworks and processes for women
empowerment and gender fairness but the dynamics of political and social institutions reinforced
by the cultural standpoints continue to provide a push-pull effect on gender equality.
2. Women have made significant advances in politics. Though there may be several factors that
tends to lessen its importance --like belonging to a political dynasty, the role of women in
national and local decision-making can no longer be ignored and their competence, in some
cases, suits up or even exceeds that of male politicians.
3. The women's voice in the society is very strong due the vibrant women's movement.
Recognized for their work in the international and national levels, the movement has been
instrumental in pushing for many changes in the various facets of the Philippine society.
Additionally, the various organizations have worked on --with pioneering educational
approaches and service-specific projects-- the "culture shift" of both men and women.
4. The statistics on women remain indicative of the deep-rooted and widespread problems
they encounter in their daily lives. The labor market has stereotyped women, disadvantaged
them in jobs and incomes, and even forced them into prostitutions and slave-like work. The
social image of a Filipina is still that of a weak person, poster girl of domestic help, expert in
double burden, and a sexual object. While the mainframe of gender politics is changing, the
struggle of women to escape from the traditional mold everyday life continues. (Anonuevo,
2000)
 GENDER AND SOCIETY

Gender and Labor

When men leave their villages for better-paid jobs in cities or abroad, women get saddled with
the farm work as well as their domestic chores. When bloated state enterprises “rationalise”
their workforces, women get laid off before male ―heads of household.‖ When sweatshops
seek underpaid casual labour, women are the first to be recruited.

When newly rich men dabble in vice, village girls get dragooned into prostitution and middle-
aged matrons wind up divorced. Yet when fast-changing lifestyles provoke a traditionalist
backlash, patriarchy reasserts itself with a vengeance. When inflation bids up dowries and
social pressures depress birth rates, girl babies get aborted or murdered in their cribs to make
way for male heirs. When the resulting skew in the sex ratio makes for a shortage of
marriageable women, a black market arises for kidnapped brides.

This excerpt from the magazine Far Eastern Economic Review graphically captures the
multifaceted discrimination and exploitation faced by women. Processes of political and
economic transformation that have changed the face of the world over the past decades have
had a profound impact on the lives of women. Many of these changes have been positive.
Some, however, have strengthened the bonds of subordination and discrimination against
women, restricting them from enjoyment of their economic and social rights. Internal conflicts
and wars have led to displacement and destruction of property and livelihoods, which place
women in an ever more vulnerable position. Military conflict also results in an increase in
violence and crime, and women and girls become particular targets. Extremism and religious
fundamentalism deny women‘s autonomy and subject them to the most cruel and inhuman of
punishments for ―transgression‖ of norms laid out by those in power within the hierarchies that
rule these movements.

The rapid globalization of the world‘s economies has brought in its wake not only structural
adjustment programs that weaken national economies and nation-states, but also promotion of
forms of industrialization and agriculture that are more exploitative of both human and natural
resources. Statistics show that the female labor force is the most affected. In addition, as the
poor of the world become poorer, women become the poorest of them all; the “feminization” of
poverty is a reality in the contemporary world. A decrease in social spending— for example, on
public health, education, transport, food and fertilizer subsidies— has been a critical part of the
“structural adjustment programs” imposed on many countries by the international financial
institutions. This decrease has had a disastrous impact on the quality of life of populations in
general, and on disadvantaged communities, such as women, in particular.

The labor force statistics show also a mixed picture (based on available data). Since there was
a notable feminization of the workforce in the past years, July 2000 figures showed that there
are 1.942 million unemployed women while there are 2.631 million unemployed men. However,
more women are taken in for labor flexibility arrangements especially in the big services sector
like in retail trade. This leaves them exposed to employment insecurity and unfair compensation
schemes.
 GENDER AND SOCIETY

Women still accounts for 53% of the unpaid family workers while they constitute only 37.7% of
the wage and salary earners. Though this shows that the regular income possibilities for women
are still limited, the average household annual income of female-headed families is higher. The
situation also pushes them to seek employment overseas. Increasing numbers of domestic
helpers and entertainers are also being deployed both legally and illegally.

Within organizations, the gender balance is under overhaul. Trade union leadership is still male-
dominated but women committees and affirmative actions have changed the complexion of
decision-making. The public sector unions have made great inroads as four (4) of the major
federations are under the strong leadership of women.

Gender Discrimination in the Workplace

Workplace gender discrimination comes in many different forms, but generally it means that an
employee or a job applicant is treated differently or less favorably because of their sex or
gender, or because the person is affiliated with an organization or group that is associated with
a particular sex or gender. Even though the words ―sex‖ and ―gender‖ have different
meanings, laws against discrimination at work often use them interchangeably. Sometimes
workers experience discrimination because of their gender and something else, like their race or
ethnicity. For example, a woman of color may experience discrimination in the workplace
differently from a white female co-worker. She may be harassed, paid less, evaluated more
harshly, or passed over for promotion because of the combination of her sex and her race.

The Gender Pay Gap

The gender wage gap is a measure of what women are paid relative to men. It is commonly
calculated by dividing women‘s wages by men‘s wages, and this ratio is often expressed as a
percent, or in dollar terms. This tells us how much a woman is paid for each dollar paid to a man.
The difference in earnings between men and women is also sometimes described in terms of
how much less women make than men. To calculate this gap from the ratio as defined above,
simply subtract the ratio from 1. So, if the gender pay ratio is about 80 percent (or 80 cents on
the dollar), this means that women are paid 20 percent less (or 20 cents less per dollar) than
men. A larger difference between men‘s and women‘s earnings translates into a lower ratio but
a larger gap in their earnings. (Gould, Schieder, & Geier, 2016)

Some examples of treatment that can be classified as gender discrimination include:

a. not being hired, or being given a lower-paying position because of your sex (for example,
when an employer refuses to hire women, or only hires women for certain jobs);
b. being held to different or higher standards, or being evaluated more harshly, because of your
sex, or because you don‘t act or present yourself in a way that conforms to traditional ideas of
femininity or masculinity;

Note: For example, if a worker who identifies as a woman receives a negative performance
evaluation that criticizes her for being too “aggressive” (while men who behave the same way
are praised for showing “leadership”), or if she wears her hair short and is told she needs to be
more “presentable,” she may be experiencing discrimination based on sex stereotypes, which is
a form of gender discrimination.
 GENDER AND SOCIETY

c. being paid less than a person of a different sex who is similarly or less qualified than you, or
who has similar (or fewer) job duties than you;
d. being denied a promotion, pay raise, or training opportunity that is given to people of another
sex who are equally or less qualified or eligible as you;
e. being written up or disciplined for something that other employees of a different sex do all the
time but never get punished for;
f. being insulted, called derogatory names or slurs because of your sex, or hearing hostile
remarks about people of a certain sex, gender, or gender identity;
g. being intentionally or repeatedly called by a name or referred to as a different gender that you
don‘t identify with – as when a transgender man is called by his former (female-associated)
name or referred to as “Miss”;
h. being subject to unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or other verbal or
physical harassment of a sexual nature;
i. being rejected for a job, forced out on leave, or given fewer assignments because you‘re
pregnant.

Note:
Not all gender discrimination is intentional or explicit. It could still count as discrimination if
your employer does something that ends up excluding or harming workers of a particular sex
without intending to. Oftentimes, a certain practice or policy — say, a hiring test or requirement
— does not say anything about gender, and may not have been put in place for the purpose of
keeping women out of certain jobs, but ends up having that effect. This kind of practice or policy
could still be considered “discriminatory,” and if you‘ve been denied a job-related opportunity,
paid less, or lost your job (were fired) as a result of it, you might have a discrimination claim.

For workplace gender discrimination to be considered illegal, it has to involve treatment

that negatively affects the “terms or conditions” of your employment. Terms or conditions of
employment are all the responsibilities, rules, and benefits of a job. Most of the time, they are
set by an employer or negotiated by a worker and the employer at the time of hire. In unionized
workplaces, they are negotiated and agreed on as part of the “collective bargaining” process.
“Terms and conditions” include but are not limited to things like your job responsibilities, work
hours, dress code, vacation and sick days, starting salary, and performance evaluation
standards. (Gender Discrimination at Work, 2019)

Right to Work and Rights at Work

From a gender perspective, the meaning of work would be changed to include unpaid work at
home, on the family farm, and elsewhere, work that is currently not valued by society. A
redefinition of work would recognize women‘s productive labor and enable women to profitably
engage in home-based work. Women are currently relegated to low-paid and low-skilled jobs;
this needs to be rectified.

A fresh perspective would help ensure that women have flexible working hours and that they
are reintegrated into the labor force after time off for marriage and childbirth without penalization
for absence. Rights at work would include protection from sexual harassment in the work place,
trade unions and labor organizations.
 GENDER AND SOCIETY

They would also include provision of nursing breaks for breast-feeding mothers, and
establishment of daycare centers; separate toilet facilities and free access to them; provision of
dayrooms for rest and recognition of menstruation-related health problems as the basis of rest
breaks; and ensuring participation of women in trade unions by holding meetings at times that
are convenient to women. (University of Minnesota Human Rights Resouce Center).

Gender and Media

Introduction:
Of the many influences on how we view men and women, media are the most pervasive and
one of the most powerful. Woven throughout our daily lives, media insinuate their messages into
our consciousness at every turn. All forms of media communicate images of the sexes, many of
which perpetuate unrealistic, stereotypical, and limiting perceptions. Three themes describe how
media represent gender.

First, women are underrepresented which falsely implies that men are the cultural standard and
women are unimportant or invisible. Second, men and women are portrayed in stereotypical
ways that reflect and sustain socially endorsed views of gender. Third, depictions of
relationships between men and women emphasize traditional roles and normalize violence
against women. (Wood, 1994)

Stereotypical Portrayals of Women and Men

In general, media continue to present both women and men in stereotyped ways that limit our
perceptions of human possibilities. Typically men are portrayed as active, adventurous, powerful,
sexually aggressive and largely uninvolved in human relationships. Just as' consistent with
cultural views of gender are depictions of women as sex objects who are usually young, thin
beautiful, passive, dependent, and often incompetent and dumb. Female characters devote their
primary energies to improving their appearances and taking care of homes and people.
Because media pervade our lives, the ways they misrepresent genders may distort how we see
ourselves and what we perceive as normal and desirable for men and women.
GENDER AND SOCIETY
 GENDER AND SOCIETY

Stereotypical Images of Relationships Between Men and Women

Given media's stereotypical portrayals of women and men, we shouldn't be surprised to find that
relationships between women and men are similarly depicted in ways that reinforce stereotypes.

Four themes demonstrate how media reflect and promote traditional arrangements between the
sexes.

1. Women's dependence/men's independence. Walt Disney's award-winning animated film The

Little Mermaid vividly embodies females' dependence on males for identity. In this feature film,
the mermaid quite literally gives up her identity as a mermaid in order to become acceptable to
her human lover. In this children's story, we see a particularly obvious illustration of the
asymmetrical relationship between women and men that is more subtly conveyed in other
media productions. Even the Smurfs, formless little beings who have no obvious sex, reflect the
male-female, dominant-submissive roles.

The female smurf, unlike her male companion,' who have names, is called only Smurfette,
making her sole identity a diminutive relation to male smurfs. The male dominance/female
subservience pattern that permeates mediated representations of relationships is no accident.
Beginning in 1991, television executives deliberately and consciously adopted a policy of having
dominant male characters in all Saturday morning children's programming (Carter, 1991).

2. Men's authority/women's incompetence. A second recurrent theme in media representations

of relationships is that men are the competent authorities who save women from their
incompetence. Children's literature vividly implements this motif by casting females as helpless
and males as coming to their rescue. Sleeping Beauty's resurrection depends on Prince
Charming's kiss, a theme that appears in the increasingly popular gothic romance novels for
adults.

One of the most pervasive ways in which media define males as authorities is in commercials.
Women are routinely shown anguishing over dirty floors and bathroom fixtures only to be
relieved of their distress when Mr. Clean shows up to tell them how to keep their homes
spotless. Even when commercials are aimed at selling products intended for them, up to 90% of
the time a man's voice is used to explain the value of what is being sold. Using male voice-
overs reinforces the cultural view that men are authorities and women depend on men to tell
them what to do.

Television further communicates the message that men are authorities and women are not. One
means of doing this is sheer numbers. As we have seen, men vastly outnumber women in
television programming. In addition, the dominance of men as news anchors who inform us of
happenings in the world underlines their authority. Prime-time television contributes to this
image by showing women who need to be rescued by men and by presenting women as
incompetent more than twice as often as men.

3. Women as primary caregivers/men as breadwinners. A third perennial theme in media is that

women are caregivers and men are providers. Once again, as in the 1950s, we see women
devoting themselves to getting rings off of collars, gray out of their hair, and meats on the table.
 GENDER AND SOCIETY

Corresponding to this is the restatement of men's inability in domestic and nurturing roles. When
media portray women who work outside of the home, their career lives typically receive little or
no attention. Although these characters have titles such as lawyer or doctor, they are shown
predominantly in their roles as homemakers, mothers, and wives. We see them involved in
caring conversations with family and friends and doing things for others, all of which never seem
to conflict with their professional responsibilities. This has the potential to cultivate unrealistic
expectations of being "superwoman," who does it all without her getting a hair out of place or
being late to a conference.

4. Women as victims and sex objects/men as aggressors. A final theme in mediated

representations of relation-ships between women and men is representation of women as
subject to men's sexual desires. The irony of this representation is that the very qualities women
are encouraged to develop (beauty, sexiness, passivity, and powerlessness) in order to meet
cultural ideals of femininity contribute to their victimization.

Also, the qualities that men are urged to exemplify (aggressiveness, dominance, sexuality, and
strength) are identical to those linked to abuse of women. Women are portrayed alternatively
either as decorative objects, who must attract a man to be valuable, or as victims of men's
sexual impulses. Either way, women are defined by their bodies and how men treat them. Their
independent identities and endeavors are irrelevant to how they are represented in media, and
their abilities to resist exploitation by others are obscured. Advertising in magazines also
communicates the message that women are sexual objects.

While men are seldom pictured nude or even partially unclothed, women habitually are.
Advertisements for makeup, colognes, and hair products often show women attracting men
because they got the right products and made themselves irresistible.

SOGIE BILL
There are so many controversies, arguments as well as debates pertaining to gender in general,
and all its undercurrents and underlying forces in particular. We tried to resolve these issues,
came up with consensus via laws legislated convincing each of us that gender issues have long
been unravelled. However, we have to accept the fact that gender issues will remain to by
dynamic, evermoving and self-motivated so long as societies exist and people act out in
accordance with changing times.

Philippine society has long emerged to be adept in keeping up with changes and trend, as
Filipinos respond overwhelmingly with challenges in gender concerns, indeed, there are several
if not numerous that are worth deliberating.
 GENDER AND SOCIETY

LESBIANS, GAYS, BISEXUAL, TRANSGENDER, QUEER (LGBTQ)

The Philippines is known to be one of the more tolerant countries in the world to the LGBTQ+
(lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer) community, but it has yet to pass a bill
prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity or expression.

Who would not forget the much talked about the “restroom” incident between a transgender
woman who was prevented by the Janitress from using the said woman‘s restroom in a Cubao
mall in Quezon City on August 13, 2019. The transgender woman. Gretchen Custodio Diez, was
arrested for going live on Facebook while inside the female restroom. Diez claimed that she is a
proud trans woman who expresses herself as a woman and she always goes to the female
restroom every single day. So she got offended by this act. Later on, the janitress apologized
and decided not to pursue the case against her for unjust vexation. The incident, however, did
not end there as it earned supporters of Diez her cause for better treatment for transgender
people. (Talabong 2019)

SOGIE - stands for Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression.

Sexual Orientation is about to whom you have sexual or romantic feelings. You can be
heterosexual (attracted to the opposite gender); homosexual (attracted to the same gender);
bisexual (attracted to both genders); or pansexual (attracted to all genders).

You can even be asexual or ace (you have romantic feelings towards people but not sexual
attraction), or aromantic (you can be sexually attracted to people but you don't have romantic
feelings).

Gender Identity is about how you identify yourself, regardless of you sexual orientation. You can
be male or female, and if you feel that the gender assigned to you at birth is true to who you are,
you are cisgender. Or you can be transgender, meaning you feel that your real identity is
different from the one assigned to you at birth (think Caitlyn Jenner, BB Gandanghari, Angelina
Mead King).

Gender Expression is how you express or show your gender, by the way you dress, act, move,
talk.

What is the SOGIE Bill?

The SOGIE Bill is basically an anti-discrimination bill. It recognizes that many people, whether
they're LGBTQIA+ or cisgender, experience discrimination based on their SOGIE. The bill seeks
to protect all people from this kind of discrimination. There are currently three versions of the
SOGIE Bill filed in the Senate, by Sen. Risa Hontiveros, Sen. Imee Marcos, and Sen. Francis
“Kiko” Pangilinan.

Who will the SOGIE Bill affect?

Everybody, every person has SOGIE, "the bill applies to all. Even cis heteros have sexual
orientation and gender identity or expression. The SOGIE Equality Bill does not provide
LGBTIQAs with special rights."
 GENDER AND SOCIETY

Some people have said that there isn't really a need for a SOGIE Bill, since there are many
members of the LGBTQIA community who are accepted and successful in different industries.
But there are also members who live their lives deprived of basic rights, such as the right to
work, the right to education, the right to access to health services, facilities, and establishments,
and others, simply because of their sexual orientation and gender identity or expression.

Discrimination has been a reality in the lives of LGBTIQAs. While some might not have been
discriminated against, or might not have felt stigmatized, it does not negate the lived
experiences of others who have."

Basically, just because you haven't experienced it or seen it happening, that doesn't mean it
doesn't happen at all! Maybe you should ask the different LGBTQIA people you know if they've
ever experienced any discrimination. And don't forget, discrimination has happened—and still
happens!—to cisgender women, too.

What is covered by the SOGIE Bill?

With the SOGIE Bill, certain activities can now be declared discriminatory, and a person can
actually file charges if any person, corporation, or organization commits these acts. These
activities include the promotion of stigma (like if you say HIV cases are increasing because of
gay men having sex), and denial of access to public service, with special mention of military
service.

It will also be a violation if there's "differential treatment of an employee, a job applicant, or any
one engaged by virtue of a contract of service" because "companies should hire based on merit
and not based on anyone's SOGIE. To deny the right to work based on SOGIE is a clear case
of discrimination and is penalized by the bill when it becomes a law."

What else is a violation?

"Denial of admission to, expulsion from, or discipline of a student by an educational institution,"
meaning "exclusive boys schools should accept trans men and exclusive girls schools should
accept trans women."

If the SOGIE Bill were already a law, the case of Gretchen Diez would be a clear violation
already, since this a discriminatory act: "Denial of access to establishments, facilities, utilities, or
services." This means "trans women should be allowed to use female bathrooms because they
are women. The same goes with trans men and male bathrooms."
 GENDER AND SOCIETY

Other examples of violations include:

 Refusal or revocation of accreditation, formal recognition, or registration of any
organization, political party, or institution
 Denial of access to medical and health services
 Denial of application or revocation of professional license
 Forced medical or psychological examination to determine and/or alter a person‘s
SOGIE without his or her consent (This bill requires the approval of the appropriate Family
Court for minors)
 Harassment by the police or military

The bill also has provisions for administrative sanctions for government officials who refuse to
investigate, prosecute, or act on complaints for violations.

The SOGIE Bill also mentions programs to promote non-discrimination and diversity; Social
Protection Programs to protect those who are vulnerable to stigma and discrimination on the
basis of their SOGIE; and diversity programs and policies. It also mandates all government
agencies to develop and implement SOGIE-specific gender sensitivity education and
information dissemination. (Rosero, 2019)