Gender and Society

Sexual Harassment includes 14 different specific actions, categorized into verbal sexual harassment, cyber sexual harassment, and physically aggressive sexual harassment.

Sexual Assault involves a sexual act that someone was forced to do against their will and without their consent.

Some forms of sexual harassment include:

·         Verbal – catcalling

·         Physical

What is the difference between sexual harassment and sexual assault? What about sexual misconduct?

Sexual harassment is a broad term, including many types of unwelcome verbal and physical sexual attention. Sexual assault refers to sexual contact or behavior, often physical, that occurs without the consent of the victim. Sexual harassment generally violates civil laws—you have a right to work or learn without being harassed—but in many cases is not a criminal act, while sexual assault usually refers to acts that are criminal. Some forms of sexual assault include:

·         Penetration of the victim’s body, also known as rape.

·         Attempted rape.

·         Forcing a victim to perform sexual acts, such as oral sex or penetration of the perpetrator’s body.

·         Fondling or unwanted sexual touching.

Sexual misconduct is a non-legal term used informally to describe a broad range of behaviors, which may or may not involve harassment. For example, some companies prohibit sexual relationships between coworkers, or between an employee and their boss, even if the relationship is consensual.
Across their lifetime, 1 in 3 women, around 736 million, are subjected to physical or sexual violence by an intimate partner or sexual violence from a non-partner.
This violence starts early: 1 in 4 young women (aged 15-24 years) who have been in a relationship will have already experienced violence by an intimate partner by the time they reach their mid-twenties.
About 3% of American men—or 1 in 33— have experienced an attempted or completed rape in their lifetime. 1 out of every 10 rape victims are male.

Republic Act No. 9710 The Magna Carta of Women (Republic Act No. 9710) defines Gender and Development Program (GAD) as the development perspective and process that is participatory and empowering, equitable, sustainable, free from violence, respectful of human rights, supportive of self-determination and actualization of human potentials. It seeks to achieve gender equality as a fundamental value that should be reflected in development choices and contends that women are active agents of development, not just passive recipients of development. GAD focuses on Gender Mainstreaming or a strategy for:

• Making women’s as well as men’s concerns and experiences an integral dimension of the design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of policies, programs and projects in all social, political, civil, and economic spheres so that women and men benefit equally.

• Assessing the implications for women and men of any planned action, including legislation, policies or programs in all areas and at all levels.

Republic Act No. 1131

SAFE SPACE ACT – An act defining Gender-Based Sexual Harassment in Streets, Public spaces, online, workplaces and educational or training institutions, providing protective measures and prescribing penalties therefore.

SOCIETY It is simply defined as a grouping of individuals, which is characterized by common interest and may have distinctive culture and institutions. Sociologists have defined society with two angles:

  • In abstract terms, as a network of relationships between people or between groups.

  • In concrete terms, as a collection of people or an organization of persons.

    Society means likeness Is an essential pre-requisite of society. The sense of likeness was focused in early society on kinships that is real or supposed blood relationships.

    Society also implies difference Society also implies differences, and it depends on the latter as much as on likeness of all people were exactly alike, their social relationships would become very much limited.

    Interdependence Family, the first society with which we all are closely associated, is based on the biological interdependence of the sexes.

    Cooperation Without co-operation no society can exist. Unless, people cooperate with each other, they cannot live a happy life.

    Origins of Society

  • Historical Evidence

  • Divine right theory

  • Social contract theory

  • Organic theory

  • Group mind theory

  • Evolutionary theory

  • Force theory

  • Patriarchal and Matriarchal theories
    Origins of Society

    Historical Evidence Former sociologists appreciate the process of socialization to survive in the society

    Divine right theory makes society the creation of God. Just as God created all the animals and inanimate objects of this world, so he created the society as well. This theory in course of time, particularly in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries took the form of Divine Right Theory

    Social contract theory The social contract theory views society as a contrivance deliberately set up by men for certain ends. According to this theory, all men were born free and equal. Individual precedes society. Individuals made a mutual agreement and created society

    Organic theory Individual is a living organism; the various system must coordinate to maintain his living functions.

    Group mind theory Group mind facilitates collective thinking, collective acting each group exhibits their own goals.

    Evolutionary theory The evolutionary theory offers a generally correct explanation of the origin of society. According to it society is not a make but a growth. It is the result of a gradual evolution. It is continuous development from unorganized to organized, from less perfect to more perfect and various factors helped in its development from time to time. Kinship and family were the earliest bonds uniting man with man.

    Force theory The Force theory makes society the result of superior physical force. According to this theory, the society originated in the subjugation of the weaker by the stronger.

    Patriarchal and Matriarchal theories Originally, the family consisted of a man, his wife and children. The father was the head of the family and his control and authority was complete in all respects over all its members.

    COMMON TYPES OF SOCIETY:

  • BAND

  • CLAN

  • TRIBE

  • ETHNIC GROUP

  • CHIEFDON

  • STATE

    BAND The simplest form of human society. Consist of a small kinship group, often no longer than an extended family or small clan.

    CLAN A group of people united by kinship and descent, which is defined by perceived descent from a common ancestor. Clans can be most easily described as sub-groups of tribes and usually constitute groups of seven to ten thousand people.

    TRIBE Consists of a social group existing before the development of, or outside of, states, though some modern theorists hold that “contemporary” tribes can only be understood in terms of their relationship to state.

    ETHNIC GROUP Is a human population whose members identify with each other, usually on the basis of a presumed common genealogy or lineage

    CHIEFDOM Chiefdom is any community led by an individual known as a chief. Characterized by pervasive inequality of peoples and centralization of authority.

    STATE A state is a political association with effective dominion over a geographic area.

    Hunters and Gatherers societies relies heavily on hunting wild animals and gathering food for its survival.

    Pastoral societies Herding society refers to any form of society whose main subsistence comes from tending flocks and herds of domesticated animals.

    Horticultural societies is a social system based on horticulture, a mode of production in which digging sticks are used to cultivate small gardens

    Agricultural societies focuses on mode of production primarily on agriculture and production of large fields.

    Industrial societies is a system in which large number of labor and machinery is involved in production of goods and services.

    Post-industrial societies is the stage of society's development when the service sector generates more wealth than the manufacturing sector of the economy.

    GENDER is more fluid .It may or may not depend upon biological traits. More specifically, it is a concept that describes how societies determine and manage sex categories; the cultural meanings attached to men and women‘s roles; and how individuals understand their identities including, but not limited to, being a man, woman, transgender, intersex, gender queer and other gender positions. Gender is also determined by what an individual feels and does.

    SEX is the biological traits that societies use to assign people into the category of either male or female, whether it be through a focus on chromosomes, genitalia or some other physical ascription. When people talk about the differences between men and women they are often drawing on sex . On rigid ideas of biology, rather than gender, which is an understanding of how society shapes our understanding of those biological categories.

    SOCIOLOGY OF GENDER examines how society influences our understandings and perception of differences between masculinity (what society deems appropriate behavior for a “man”) and femininity (what society deems appropriate behavior for a “woman”). We examine how this, in turn, influences identity and social practices.

    Sexuality is different again; it is about sexual attraction, sexual practices and identity. Just as sex and gender don‘t always align, neither does gender and sexuality. People can identify along a wide spectrum of sexualities from heterosexual, to gay or lesbian, to bisexual, to queer, and so on. Asexuality is a term used when individuals do not feel sexual attraction. Some asexual people might still form romantic relationships without sexual contact.

    SEX Is the biological traits that society associates with being male or female

    GENDER Cultural meanings attached to being masculine and feminine, which influence persona identities (ex. Man, woman, transgender, intersex, gender, queer, among others)

    SEXUALITY Sexual attraction, practices and identity which may or may not align with sex and gender (ex. Heterosexual, homosexual (gay or lesbian) , bisexual, queer, among others)

    THE GENDER UNICORN is designed to help us understand gender, sex and attraction (sometimes referred to as ‘sexuality’). You can see that some of the concepts have arrows next to them, and others just have dots. This is because some concepts are on a spectrum or range, while others are more fixed.

    GENDER IDENTITY is inside us; it‘s how we feel about our own gender.

    GENDER EXPRESSION is what‘s visible about your gender to other people.

    GENDER STEREOTYPES

    Stereotype is the generalized view or preconception about attributes or characteristics that are ought to be possessed by members of a particular social group or the roles that are or should be performed by, members of a particular group.

    Gender Stereotypes It is a generalized view or preconception about attributes, or characteristics that are ought to be possessed by women and men or the roles that are or should be performed by men and women. Gender stereotypes can be both positive and negative. For example, “women are nurturing” or “women are weak”

    Gender Stereotyping Is the practice of ascribing to an individual woman or man specific attributes, characteristics, or roles by reason only of her or his membership in the social group of women or men. A gender stereotype is, at its core, a belief and that belief may cause its holder to make assumptions about members of the subject group, women and/or men. In contrast, gender stereotyping is the practice of applying that stereotypical belief to a person.

    Social construction how people ssee"reality" or how they react to it or response to any social situation attributed if not entirely by one's gender.

    Social norms are the repetitious performance of "male" and "female"

    Social interactions gender is interactional rather than individual

Gender is a process, stratification system, and structure.

Process is a day-to-day interaction reinforce gender as opposites.

Stratification men as group have more status and power than women as a group.

Structure gender divides work in the home and economic production. It legitimates those in authority and organizes sexuality and emotional life.

GENDER ROLES expectations regarding proper behavior, attitudes, and activities of male and female.

Gender roles evident in work and in how we react to others o Gender roles are cultural and personal. They determine how male and female should think, speak, dress, and interact within the context of society.

A gender role is a set of social and behavioral norms that are generally considered appropriate for either a man or a woman in a social or interpersonal relationship. Gender roles adopted during childhood normally continue into adulthood.

GENDER BIAS is the construction of socialization process and it is the extension of patriarchal ideology.

Gender bias is commonly considered to be discrimination and/or hatred towards people based on their gender rather than their individual merits, but can also refer to any and all systematic differentiations based on the gender of the individuals.

FUNCTIONALISM Gender exist in societywhich is expected to promote social stability and shared public values

SYMBOLIC INTERACTION THEORY Focuses on micro-level everyday interactions that produce and challenge gender as we know it.

CONFLICT THEORY Society is a struggle for dominance among social groups that compare for scarce resources. Feminist theory examines inequalities in gender-related issues

GAD – GENDER AND DEVELOPMENT

Gender and Development was developed in the 1980’s as an alternative to the Women in Development (WID) approach.

  • Unlike WID, the GAD approach is not concerned specifically with women, but with the way in which a society assigns roles, responsibilities, and expectations to both men and women.

  • GAD applies gender analysis to uncover the ways in which men and women work together, presenting results in neutral terms of economics and competence.

  • GAD focus primarily on two major frameworks, Gender Roles and Social Relations Analysis.

    Philippine Plan for Gender and Development, 1995-2025 is a National Plan that addresses, provides and pursues full equality and development for men and women.

  • GAD was approved and adopted by former President Fidel V. Ramos as Executive No. 273, on September 8, 1995, it is the successor of the Philippine Development Plan for Women, 1989-1992 adopted by Executive No. 348 of February 17, 1989.

    Republic Act No. 9710, otherwise known as the Magna Carta of Women was approved on August 14, 2009

    Memorandum Circular No. 2011 – 01 dated October 21, 2011 was released addressing to all Government Departments including their attached agencies, offices, bureaus, State Universalities and Colleges (SUCs), Government-Owned and Controlled Corporations (GOCCs) and all other government instrumentalities as their guidelines and procedures for the establishment, strengthening and institutionalization of the GAD Focal Point System (GFPS).

    Gender in the Family It was assumed that family life was inherently different for women and men. Nature and Notion of Family. Most important universal institution .It is the core of the social structure and fundamental unit of society because it is from which all other pertinent institutions to make society works. Birth to death, the family exerts a constant influence on the child generally gender-based. Fulfill the needs of oneself. Needs to form a family:

  1. Reproductive urge - to have sexual relationship to have a family of our own.
  2. Biological needs - sexual urge varies according to age.
  3. Economic provision - Child is dependent of the family

Universality - family is everywhere

Emotional basis - love, affection, sympathy and co-operation

Formative influence - orientation and procreations

Limited in size - husband, wife, children

Nuclear position in the society - society is an aggregation of families.

Sense of responsibility - provide needs of the children

Social control - family is a mechanism of social control

Permanent and temporary in nature - family is an institution as well as association

FUNCTIONALISM Traditional family as a natural unit exists to maintain social order and is mutually beneficial to all.

MARXIST FEMINIST Nuclear family is believed to benefit the powerful at the expense of the working class while women's domestic labor enables the future workforce to be reared at little cost to the patriarchal capitalist state.

FEMINIST Men and women are socialized into gender specific roles that exist to confirm and uphold male power and superiority in the family.

EUROPE Men in the family especially with those with better financial gain for family sustenance are most likely to dominate women socially, financially and physically. Recent evidence however suggests that men are more vulnerable to mental and physical illness in response to isolation and separation after marital/relationship breakdown:

• Women do labor and childcare regardless of work outside home, although men's contribution is increasing

• Women's health deteriorates though marriage, men's improves

• Married women are even poorer than single women and lone parents are poorer still • Men's role as parent is viewed as inferior

• Women are still subjected to an increased rate of domestic violence through marriage despite recent legislation Gender role in the family therefore is a set of norms that compel family members.

Gender inequality in the Family

• Families are not democracies

• Parents=leader; children=follow the leadership

• Men over women Gender and the Filipino Family

The basic units of the Philippine society are the nuclear families usually composed of mother, father and child/children, and in some instances extended to kinship that includes either relatives of the father or the mother.

Just like any culture, gender stereotypes in family are prominent in the Philippines. Women are to work in gardens, care for the house, care in the children. Men are into dominating roles in the society. The state play in shaping family life.

The primary function of the family is to perpetuate society, both biologically through procreation, and socially through socialization.

The traditional family structure consists of two married individuals providing care for their offspring, but this is becoming more uncommon.

Functions of the Family

  1. Addition of New Members Families have children through birth, adoption, and may also use the help of fertility clinics, etc.
  2. Physical Care of Members Bathing children, feeding family, taking older parents to appointments, etc.
  3. Socialization of Children Teaching children language, taking them to school, helping with homework, taking children to cultural activities, church, etc. Social Control of Members. Teaching children right from wrong, discipline, etc.
  4. Affective Nurturance Maintaining Morale of Members Family members comfort children when crying, support them in making decisions, etc.
  5. Producing and Consuming Goods and Services Parents or guardians earn money through work/careers, perform household chores, pay bills,buy food and clothing, provide shelter, pay for activities, etc.

Gender equality is considered a critical element in achieving Decent Work for All Women and Men, in order to effect social and institutional change that leads to sustainable development with equity and growth.

Regardless of whether a person is born male or female, gender equality at work refers to the equal rights, duties, and opportunities that every individual should have.

Gender Gap at Work In the work place, men and women are often expected to perform different tasks and occupy different role based on their sex.

Women are more likely to work as secretaries while men are expected to hold managerial and executive positions. Some kinds of gender bias that might be encountered in the workplace:

Unequal Pay Make sure that you base your pay not on gender, but on performance and experience

Interview Question Ask yourself one simple question: Do you interview men and women differently? Questions about family and family life should be out of bonds, and in some cases, they are illegal

Diminished responsibilities If you have equally qualified administrators, one male and one female, give them equal responsibilities.4. Glass Ceiling - All things being equal, men and women should be able to reach as high as possible, given their skills and performance

Positional bias Don't fall into the stereotype nightmare; otherwise, you might miss out on hiring the best-suited applicant for the job.

Terminations Rules and policies should apply both genders --- across the board

Outdated views Women can be professional without dresses just as men can be professional without a tie

Sexual Harassment There are no circumstances where sexual harassment should be permitted

Gender Pay Gap The disparity between the average salaries earned by men and women in the workforce is known as the gender pay gap. An internationally recognized indicator of women's economic status in relation to males is the gender pay gap. The social and economic elements that work together to lower women's lifetime earning potential lead to the gender pay gap. What drives the gender pay gap? Earnings inequality between men and women is a sign of a larger social issue in the workplace. It illustrates how historically and structurally undervalued women's contributions to the workplace have been, as well as the major obstacles that prevent more women from holding senior executive and managerial positions. The gender pay gap is influenced by a number of factors, including:

  • Conscious and unconscious discrimination and bias in hiring and pay decisions
  • Women and men working in different industries and different jobs, with female-dominated industries and jobs attracting lower wages
  • Lack of workplace flexibility to accommodate caring and other responsibilities, especially in senior roles • High rates of part-time work for women
  • Women’s greater time out of the workforce for caring responsibilities impacting career progression and opportunities.
  • Women’s disproportionate share of unpaid caring and domestic work