GEE 300

WEEK 2: Gender and Sexuality as a Social Reality

 •Objectives:
Lesson 1 - •At the end of the lesson, the students are
expected to:
Sex, Gender,
• Differentiate sex, gender, and sexuality
and • Discuss the implication of these
Sexuality difference
• Contemplate about your own sexuality
and on the importance of appreciating
sexual diversity
LET’S DISCUSS!What is the difference between
Gender and Sex?
Definition of Terms

Sex • is the biological aspect of sex; maleness or femaleness

• is the social interpretation of sex; masculinity, femininity,

Gender etc.

• is the totality of our own experience of our sex and

Sexuality gender

• are chromosomal markers that distinguish females (XX)

Sex chromosomes from male (XY) species
• refers to individuals with composite genitals
Intersex (possessing some characteristics of both male and
female genitals.
 Introduction
What does it mean to be a
male or a female, to be
feminine or masculine, or to
be man or woman?

We have to trace our journey

from the moment we were
born, and go back to the
journey we humans have
across the life span.
First thing you need to understand is
the complexities of defining and
differentiating sex, gender and
sexuality. Having a clear grasp of these
concepts is crucial since we will be
using these terms over and over again
in succeeding discussions.
Moreover, as we start our discussion of
gender and sexuality as social realities,
we also want to understand how a
person’s gender is expressed from birth
to adulthood. Our goal is to foster
understanding diversity of how humans
experience and express their sexuality.
 SEX
Sex is the biological dimension of our
gender and sexuality. Other terms are
biological sex or physical sex which
generally pertains to one’s identity
depending on your sexual anatomy and
physiology.

Sex is typically determined by examining

your genitals – organs that are
associated with reproduction (the ability
to create offspring).
 SEX is assigned at
BIRTH
• If at birth a child is observed to have a
penis and testicles, then the child is
categorized as male
• If a child is observed to have a vagina,
then the child is categorized as female
• If the baby’s genitals appear to be a
conglomerate of male and female
organs, the condition is referred to as
hermaphroditism now referred to as
intersexuality (1 in 1,500).
 Other Biological
Markers of Sex
Chromosomes, protein structures
which contain one’s genetic
materials, are also used to
determine sex.

An individual with a set of XY sex

chromosomes is considered male,
while an individual with a set of XX
sex chromosomes is said to be a
female.
 Also used as markers are the level of some hormones –
chemicals in one’s body that are responsible for sustaining
bodily processes.
Other Biological Human males tend to have higher level of testosterones,
Markers of Sex which is associated to sex drive and aggressions.
Human females tend to have higher level of estrogen and
progesterone, which are associated to lactation,
menstruation, and other female reproductive functions
 GENDER
Humans are meaning-making
organisms. They possess the ability for
higher order thinking (HOT), have the
tendency to create social norms which
allow us to attach social and cultural
meanings to things, including sex.

Ex. males are expected to be

masculine, and females are expected to
be feminine.
 GENDER
Parents automatically attach social
and cultural meanings to their child’s
sex during birth and thus set
expectations in terms of the child’s
behavior and how the child should
be treated.

This social dimension of one’s

sexuality is referred to as GENDER.
Ways
Adults manifest their social interpretation of the baby’s sex by the
colors assigned to the baby
wherein
GENDER
Name, toys, and apparels are picked by parents and relatives based
on the interpretation of the baby’s sex.
is
manifested
Through childhood and adolescence, this assignment becomes
more complex as expectations go beyond the kind of clothes worn
but also in terms of how the person must or must not behave.
 Ways wherein
GENDER is manifested
The phenomenon of determining the
normality of a behavior based on
whether it conforms or not to the
expectations relative to one’s
biological sex is – heteronormativity.

Girls are expected to be gentle, caring

and loving
Boys are encouraged to be strong,
rough, and assertive
 GENDER
HOWEVER, not all follow culturally-
accepted standards of masculinity and
femininity. Ex. girls not wanting to wear
dresses and boys not wanting to play rough
sports.

THIS IS A NATURAL VARIATION OF THE

HUMAN GENDER EXPRESSION.
60 years ago, women could not wear pants
without social disapproval
 GENDER
• How we express our gender is largely
based on our social and cultural
setting.
• Most are comfortable with their sex and
gender; men who are masculine and
women who are feminine
• Each culture has different standards on
how to be a man and a woman and
how they should present themselves
according to sex and gender.
 GENDER IDENTITY
Do we see and experience ourselves
as a MAN, a WOMAN, or NEITHER.
This refers to GENDER IDENTITY.

Generally, males are comfortable

identifying as a man and females are
comfortable identifying as a woman.

However, there are cases wherein a

person’s biological sex does not align
with one’s gender identity. These
people are referred to as transgenders.
 GENDER IDENTITY
A male who does not feel comfortable
identifying as a man is a transgender woman; a
female who is not comfortable identifying as a
woman is a transgender man.

Transgender people may undergo gender

reassignment surgery to align their physical
characteristics to their gender identity.

However, due to our belief systems, culture,

economics, etc., some do not opt for surgery.
SEXUAL
ORIENTATION
Sexual Orientation refers to our emotional
and sexual attraction to a person.

At ages 6 or 8 we experience or develop

attraction to other people. By adolescence
we already know who we are attracted to
and would experiment through dating and
relationships.

Individual sexuality is deeply personal,

diverse and complex
 SEXUAL
ORIENTATION
‘heterosexuals or’ ‘straight’ are people
who are attracted to the opposite sex.
‘homosexual’, ‘gay’ or ‘lesbian’ are
people who are attracted to people of
the same sex.
‘bisexual’ or ‘bi’ are people who are
attracted to both sexes, male or
female.
LGBT refers to the lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender community.
COMMUNICATE. On your own, reflect on
the following questions. Find a friend whom
you are comfortable to discuss your
thoughts. Share your ideas with them.

• How can you describe your discovery of your

sexuality, your sense of being male or female.

• How does your being a female or male

influence your family’s and peers’ expectations
from you?
 APPRECIATING
DIVERSITY
Nature and nurture play a complex role
in shaping our sexual orientation (APA)
Homosexuality and heterosexuality are
part of the human sexuality and is a
large part of the human experience.
Identifying as LGBT+ is a deeply
personal process
“we can only truly tell if the person is
LGBT+ if the person shares with us his
experiences, and feelings of attraction
towards them”.
 What is needed?
For everyone to feel safe as they
share their sexuality since it is
personal and sensitive topic
An environment wherein we do
not feel judged and
discriminated upon
Work towards an inclusive
environment where everyone
feels safe
Summary

Adolescence is when we
A baby is born and is given
We need to look at our own discover our emotional and
an assigned sex based on
experience on our journey sexual attraction towards
its genitals. In toddler years,
of discovering our sense of other people. For most, it is
they are raised to be a
being a man and a woman easy to identify who they
“man” or a “woman” based
for us to understand others. are attracted to, but for
on accepted social and
We need to engage in others, it can be a long and
cultural standards. We know
conversations with others difficult process. Fostering
that these standards
for us to appreciate the an inclusive environment
change through time, what
many different faces of wherein everyone feels safe
is not acceptable now may
human sexuality. is very important at this
be acceptable in the future.
stage.
Reference:
• Peralta, E. et. al. (2019). Gender and Society: A Human Ecological
Approach. Rex Bookstore, Inc. Sampaloc, Manila, Philippines
 Lesson 2 - Gender and
Sexuality Across Time

Objectives:
At the end of the lesson, the
students are expected to:
1. Discuss the historical roots of
our understanding of gender
and sexuality; and
2. Show appreciation of how
their understanding evolved
through time affected various
aspect of human life
“I want every girl to
know that her voice can
change the world.” –
Malala Fund

What is your
understanding about
this quote?
Definition of Terms
• Patriarchy is a social system where
men primarily holds power in the
political and the private spheres

• Feminism is the continuing series of

social movement that aim to challenge
the patriarchal society that creates
these oppressive political structures,
beliefs, and practices against women.
Introduction
Society has progressed so much in a way
that information and knowledge is available
to everyone. This gives us opportunity to
examine our social and political conditions
in more detail than when information was
scarce and limited to only a few individuals

The Concept of the Divine Feminine has

prevailed and thus women are treated
equally with men. This make societies
egalitarian
However, humans’ discovery of
paternity, presumably during the
Agricultural era, when societies
began to establish communities
and tame rear cattle and stocks,
have also changed how
societies have viewed women
and men.
For the longest time thereafter, societies
have privileged men over other genders,
mainly because of the preferential given
to them in the productive sphere. Women
who have been revered due to their ability
to conceive have been viewed as solely
capable only of reproductive affairs.

The gender disparity was intensified by

the Industrial era where factories were
built and men were preferred because
they did not have to bear children for 9
months and because of their perceived
physical strength.
 PATRIARCHY
• Patriarchy is a system based on the control and
oppression of women wherein they are perceived to
be the weaker sex. It is a structure that upholds male
supremacy in the law, at home, in the workplace, and
in society.
• Patriarchy or Patriarkhes (Greek word) means “the
rule of the father”. It is a social system where men
primarily holds power in the political and the private
spheres.
• A patrilineal society often follows a patriarchal
society where only men can inherit property and the
family name.
• Patriarchy is viewed as a social construct and not as a
biological phenomenon
 Historical Tidbits

• In the prehistoric hunter-gatherer tribes

and civilization, they prioritized equality
of all members, male or female
• History suggests an egalitarian system
rather than a patriarchal system
• Friedrich Engels, a German philosopher
and sociologist avers that patriarchy
came about when people started having
private property instead of a communal
living.
 • Greek: Aristotle, Plato and other Greek
philosophers viewed women as the inferior
sex and are properties of men whose only job
was to obey their husbands, bear children,
and take care of the household
Historical • Egypt: According to Herodotus, Greek
historian, Egyptian women enjoyed higher
Views on social status than Greek women because they
Gender can inherit property and engage in trade and
politics.
• China: Confucianism had “Three Obedience’s
and Four Virtues that state that a woman
should obey her father, obey her husband
when married, obey her son when widowed.
 • Gender biases in ancient patriarchal
societies were very strict, heavily
enforced and often violent.
With the Feminist Movement, women
have come a long way, however
patriarchy has taken on subtle forms of
Historical oppression such as:
Views on • Sexism – prejudice, stereotypes, and
Gender discrimination based on sex
• Gender pay gap – men earn more than
women
• Underrepresentation in politics, military,
executive positions etc.
• Rape of women and the stigma making
Historical Views on
Gender
• Very conservative expectations on
women and how they behave
• Unrealistic depictions of women in
fiction, often very sexualized
• Women do more housework and
childcare
• Boys are trained to be leaders while
girls are trained to do house chores.
CONTEMPLATE. Find a friend
whom you are comfortable to
discuss your thoughts. On your
own, reflect on the following
question. Share ideas with
them.

• Think about the phrases

babae kase, lalake kase, haligi
ng tahanan, ilaw ng tahanan,
and pakipot.
• How do these words
communicate patriarchy?
 • Women’s liberation movement, women’s
movement, or feminism is a continuing series
of social movements that aim to challenge the
patriarchal society that creates oppressive
political structures, beliefs and practices
WOMEN against women.
EMPOWERME
NT • Feminism gained women
Access to education
Right to vote
Right to work
Take control of their reproduction
The right to say no instead of just obeying
WOMEN
EMPOWERMENT
Women who wrote on and spoke for feminism
were:
• Simone de Beauvoir (The Second Sex, 1949)
• Betty Friedan (The Feminine Mystique, 1963)
• Kate Millet (Sexual Politics, 1969)
• Germaine Greer (The Female Eunuch, 1970)
who was instrumental in awakening their
plight as the “wife-servant” to their husbands
in her famous quote “one is not born, but
rather becomes, a woman”
 WOMEN
EMPOWERMENT
According to a UN report:
Women do more work than men because even when they work at
the office, they are still expected to do household tasks
Women perform 66 percent of the world’s work
Women produce 50 percent of the world’s food
BUT, women only earn 10 percent of the
income and own 1 percent of the property
FEMINISM DEMANDS
• Women suffrage (no longer irrational or temperamental)
• Equality in politics and society
• Reproductive rights – means the woman is control of her body and she can
decide for herself on what she sees is best for her
• Domestic violence (our culture still dismisses such incidents as “away mag-
asawa”)
• Sexual harassment and sexual violence (in the Philippines, one woman or
child is raped every hour mostly by someone they know)
• Other rights include the right to divorces their husbands, the right to make
decisions of her pregnancy, equitable wages and equal employment
opportunity
 Summary
Feminism gained women access to education, right to vote, right to work, take
control of their reproduction, and right to say no instead of just obeying.

You can help in making the world a better place for women by learning to
respect and recognizing that women deserve the same rights as men

Use gender neutral language that is not sexist: humanity instead of mankind, that
unsteady of he, to emphasize inclusion.

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

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

•Peralta, E. et. al. (2019). Gender and Society: A Human

Ecological Approach. Rex Bookstore, Inc. Sampaloc, Manila,
Philippines
Lesson 3 - Gender and Sexuality as a
Subject of Inquiry

Objectives:
At the end of the lesson, the students are expected to:
1. Define gender studies
2. Define its historical origins
3. Explain its importance in society
What is the purpose of gender
studies?
Definition of Terms
Gender studies
• a field of study concerned about how reproductive roles are interpreted and
negotiated in the society through gender

Social research
• the process of investigating social realities

Research approach
• the orientation in understanding social realities. This can be qualitative or
quantitative

Ethics in Research
• these are considerations in conducting research to make sure that the well-
being of the participants is ensured and that the outcome of the study is
sound without undue harm to people involved.
Gender studies as an area of knowledge, is about looking into,
analyzing, and examining society so that we notice power
relations in the seemingly “simple things”.

The goal of this lesson is to define and appreciate gender studies.

Gender studies emerged from the need to analyze how gender,

sex, and sexuality impact our lives.
It came about in the mid 1970’s after the second wave
of feminism as a way to challenge the male-defined and
male-centered knowledge.

Gender studies is not just for women or all about

women, it is about everyone.
Gender Studies

• As an area of knowledge, gender studies attempt to look into, analyze and

examine how society enforces gender roles on everyone so as to further
understand how power relations in gender roles can limit an individual’s
freedom and promote inequality.
• Gender studies emerged from a need to analyze how gender, sex, and
sexuality impact our lives especially how it creates gender inequality.
• Gender studies came about in the mid-70”s after the second wave of
feminism as a way to challenge the male-defined and male-centered
knowledge
 Gender Role of Sex Role
• Gender role or sex role are ‘sets of culturally defined behaviors such as
masculinity and femininity
• These roles are not fixed such that the “culturally defined behaviors” for men
and women may be different 50 years ago or very different for people from
other countries or tribe
• In the binary system of viewing gender roles, we see the male and the
female where men are expected to be masculine (matipuno) while women
are expected to be feminine (mahinhin).
• In gender studies, we disrupt and question these kinds of social
expectations, gender roles, and gender norms.
• Gender studies is not just for women or all about women, it is about
everyone
 Diversity and
Inclusion
• Gender roles are socially constructed and are not something that we are
“born with”
• Society, though a lifelong process of normalization, encourages or
reprimands behavior to make a child adapt to these social expectations
• Gender studies allow us to analyze the creation and maintenance of these
gender norms so that it does not create inequalities in our social, political,
and economic spheres.
COMMUNICATE. The following are common statements we hear from
people. Reflect why you think people agree or disagree with the
statement. Reflect about your own thoughts:
Do you agree or disagree with each statement? Why or why not?

Would you be willing to befriend someone who…

Is a native of a different country?

Does not have the same religious belief as you do?

Has a physical or mental disability?

Does not speak your language?
 Gender Studies and Research
Approaches in Research
a. Qualitative which focuses on the meanings created and
interpretations made by people about their own personal or
vicarious (observed) experiences
• Phenomenology
• Hermeneutics
• Ethnography and ethnomethodology
b. Quantitative which focuses more on characterizing a
population or a sample, etc.
• Survey
• Experiment
c. Mixed methods
Ethics in Gender
and Sexuality • Informed consent
Research • Confidentiality and Anonymity
• Non-maleficence and beneficence
• Distributive justice. Benefits of the study
should be for all
 Summary

Gender, being male or female, has socially constructed meanings,

and it is different in every culture and change with time.

It is important to analyze how society enforce gender roles on

everyone so we can further understand how power relations in
gender roles can limit an individual’s freedom and promote inequality

To help us have a holistic view, we need to use frameworks and

methods from different disciplines-psychology, sociology, medicine,
and law-among others.
 Reference:

Peralta, E. et. al. (2019). Gender and Society: A Human Ecological Approach. Rex
Bookstore, Inc. Sampaloc, Manila, Philippines