GENDER SENSITIZATION &

AWARENESS

DR. MEGHA GUPTA (SHE / HER)

NITIE, MUMBAI

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 What is inclusion?
• Inclusion means that all people, regardless of their gender, race, religion,
ethnicity, sexual orientation, abilities, disabilities, ideas, thoughts or opinions,
have the right to be respected and appreciated as valuable members of their
communities.

•In an organization, employees feel included when they feel they can bring
their authentic self at work and experience a sense of equality and
belongingness at the workplace.

•When a workplace is inclusive, it encourages individuals to celebrate their

uniqueness.

• An inclusive workplace ensures there is zero tolerance for discrimination &

harassment.

•Organizations must create an experience wherein each individual is nurtured.

•When we hire people from diverse cohorts, is it just a check in the box of
are we ensuring they experience inclusiveness to thrive at the workplace?
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Unconscious bias
➜ “Unconscious bias” or implicit bias, refers to a bias that we are unaware of,
and which happens outside of our control.
➜ It is a bias that happens automatically and is triggered by our brain making
quick judgments and assessments of people and situations, resulting from
subtle cognitive processes, influenced by our background, cultural
environment and personal experiences.
➜ It’s a “mental shortcut” that fills in gaps in our knowledge with similar data
from past experiences and cultural norms.
➜ These shortcuts create prejudices that over time create the lenses through
which we process information and make decisions.
➜ If we are serious about promoting diversity in business, we need to ask
ourselves about biases.
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What is Bias?
A strong feeling of favor towards
or against one group of people, or
on one side in an argument, often
not based on fair judgment or
facts.
REASONS FOR UNCONSCIOUS BIASES

Brain attention

Social conditioning

Mental shortcut

What can I do to check my biases?
➜ Start with self-awareness
➜Be mindful & conscious about
your unconscious biases and
constantly check yourself
➜Think of instance you
experienced bias from another
individual and how you would
do things differently
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➜Once we accept that we all
naturally use subconscious
mental shortcuts, then we can
take time to reflect on whether
such implicit thought processes
are inappropriately affecting the
objectivity of our decision-
making
➜Being aware of our biases helps
us change our behaviour &
helps us become more inclusive
 sex vs gender?
Sex is a label that you’re assigned by a doctor at birth based
on the genitals you’re born with and the chromosomes you
have.

Gender refers to the socially constructed roles, behaviours,

expressions and identities of people. Gender is NON-BINARY.

Gender identity is one's innermost deeply felt psychological

concept of self and how one understands self - as male, female,
a blend of both or neither.

It is how individuals perceive themselves, feel and behave; and

what they psychologically are in their mind. This may or may
not correspond with the sex assigned at birth.
 sex vs gender?
Gender expression refers to all external characteristics &
behaviors such as mannerisms, dressing, & social
interactions through which one expresses about one’s
gender.

Gender stereotype is inaccurate overly simplistic

generalizations of characteristics, roles & attributes of an
individual based on their gender.

•Gender roles are learned or conditioned by socialization

process through various socializing agents.

•Gender roles are not static and vary with culture, society
and historical periods.
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sexual orientation
➜ Sexual orientation is the emotional, romantic, or sexual attraction
that a person feels toward another person.

➜ Heterosexual refers to being romantically and physically attracted

to people of the opposite sex.

➜ Homosexual refers to being romantically and physically attracted to

people of the same sex.

➜ LGB – (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual) are associated with sexual

orientation and T – (Transgender) is associated with gender
identity.
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sexual orientation
➜ Bisexual refers to an attraction to more than one gender.

➜ Pansexual means one is attracted to people regardless of their

gender.

➜ Sexual orientation is to do with the physical or emotional attraction

to others while gender identity is about how you identify yourself
which could be different than your sex assigned at birth. Two
different things.
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gender orientation
➜ Cisgender are individuals whose gender identification is aligned with the sex
assigned to them at birth.

➜ A Transgender is a person whose gender identity differs from the sex assigned
at birth.

➜ Queer denoting or relating to a person who does not subscribe to conventional

binary sexual and gender distinctions but identifies with neither, both, or a
combination of male and female. It represents an inclusive umbrella.

➜ Queer encompasses any non-cisgender, non-heterosexual identity, relationship,

behavior, or desire. The thing that makes Queer so unique is that it is different
for everyone. Not everyone that uses this identity will feel the same way and
express themselves the same way.
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➜ A person is gender-fluid when they don't identify solely as male or female,

and their gender identity changes over time. Thus, the term refers to a
change in a person's gender expression (the way they look or behave),
identity or both.

➜ Intersex people are individuals born with any of several variations in sex
traits including chromosomes, gonads, sex hormones or genitals that do not
fit the traditional markers of male & female anatomy.

➜ Asexual individuals may experience low or no sexual attraction towards

others. However, while they may not be interested in sex, they may feel
emotional/ romantic attraction. It is different from Celibacy.
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Terms to be mindful of..

➜ Homophobia, biphobia and transphobia refer to fear or hatred against homosexual,
bisexual or transgender people.

➜ Gender Dysphoria- The experience of significant distress & psychological discomfort due
to marked difference between one’s expressed/ experienced gender and the gender assigned
at birth.

➜ Transitioning is the process that some transgender people go through to begin living as
the gender they identify with. This may include change of appearance, preferred
pronouns etc. This may also include hormone therapy, gender confirmation surgery.

➜ Gender Confirmation Surgery is a surgical procedure (or procedures) by which a

transgender person's physical appearance and function of their existing sexual
characteristics are altered to resemble those socially associated with their identified gender.
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Terms to be mindful of..

➜ Coming out is the process by which one accepts their gender identity/ sexual
orientation and shares their identity willingly with others. People may be out in
some space and not in others. It is not a one-time event. For most, it happens
daily as they navigate every new setting/ meet new person.

➜ Decision to coming out is one of safety, trust, comfort and inclusion.

 CURRENT SITUATION OF INDIA
On 6th September 2018, the Supreme Court of India decriminalized Section 377
(an act that criminalizes homosexuality and was introduced in the year 1861
during the British rule of India. referred to 'unnatural offences’).

Other court judgements, including NALSA 2014 (recognizing third gender

persons) and The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill’ in 2019
were passed in India.

However, same sex marriage and adoption are still considered lawfully illegal
in India.
 CURRENT SITUATION OF INDIA
Most individuals belonging to LGBTQ+ cohort, have to hide their sexual/ gender identities because of the fear of
potential discrimination or losing their jobs. ​

In INDIA, more than 40% of LGBTQ+ cohort in India have faced harassment (LGBT workplace survey, 2016)​.

A 2018 National Human Rights Commission study showed 92% of Indian transpeople are denied participation
in any economic activity. Around 50-60% of the respondents never attended schools. Those who did faced
extreme discrimination. Only 6% at the time were employed by NGOs or the private sector, a majority earning
between ₹10,000-15,000.

As per a 2022 survey by Indeed, 44% employees reported that biases linked to gender and sexual orientation
dominate Indian workplaces.

As per a 2022 study by McKinsey & Company , 45% workers who identify as LGBTQ+ said they felt they had to
be careful about discussing their personal lives in the workplace.

Usage of pronouns!
➜Usage of pronouns such as
he/him (male); she/her (female);
them/they (third gender)
➜Correct usage of pronouns
makes one feel valued &
respected
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➜Pronouns helps in avoiding
misgendering individuals
➜Cultivates awareness
➜Creates culture of openness
and acceptance
➜Encourages sensitivity
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Gender neutral words

• If young children are exposed to job titles in family discussions,
school, society and media; that specify gender, they might be more
likely to internalize that type of gender-marking and think certain jobs
aren’t attainable for people because of their gender.
• Folks, people, friends, colleagues, students, team or everybody instead
of guys/ girls
• Humankind instead of mankind
• Chairperson instead of Chairman
• Police officer instead of policeman/ policewoman
• Salesperson instead of salesman/ saleswoman
• Firefighter instead of fireman/firewoman
• Businessperson instead of businessman/ businesswoman
• Partner instead of husband/ wife
• Delivery-person instead of delivery boy/ delivery girl

https://www.inhersight.com/blog/diversity/gender-neutral-terms#_=_
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if someone comes out to you…

DON’T..

Comment or say, I knew it or

1. DO..
downplay their sharing

Respect their trust Ask probing intrusive questions

Check confidentiality Start advocating and speaking for

them without their consent
Have active interest and intent
to know more

Ask how you can support,

champion and / or advocate