Gender Stereotypes

Men are insensitive

Women are bad drivers
All men love sports and sex
All women love shopping and gossiping
How often have we heard these comments in our culture? Some people may feel angry when
gender based comments are made, while others may agree to these comments as genuine
differences between the sexes or some others may just crackle up seeing the lighter side of this
battle between the sexes.

Difference between sex and gender

How then do we understand the important issue of sex and gender? Womens and mens gender
identities follow from their specific female or male bodies. We need the distinction between sex
as a biological category genes, hormones, external and internal genitalia and gender as a
socio-cultural word learned characteristics, cultural expectations and behavioural patterns. This
helps account for differences in the notion of masculinity and femininity in different cultures over
time and space. The different views of how men and women behave in different cultures show that
gender difference and identity is given not only by our biology but also from the views of our
society. Gender views may change, while being male or female doesnt.

Common gender stereotypes in our culture

Lets examine what acting like a man and being ladylike means in our society and what might be
some gender stereotypes in the Indian culture:
Its a boy!, says the nurse and from then on, subtle stereotyping begins. Conscious and
unconscious motives of having the family race continue through him bring joy. Guns and cars are
bought for him, preferably blue and never pink! While growing up, if he cries he will be told dont
cry like a girl! He perhaps learns to suppress his emotions as he thinks it is girlish to express
them. Its likely that hed be encouraged to act strong, to act brave, to be tough etc. Developing
the right male interests like sports, taking care of the outside work, managing money, learning to
ride/drive, fixing the bulb etc. will most likely be encour aged in him. He would perhaps be
discouraged from cooking and serving. He is likely to have fewer restrictions while going out.
While choosing a career, he would be encouraged to be ambitious. He is likely to be discouraged
from choosing careers like teaching, counselling etc. as they are seen to be softer career options
meant for girls. The question of balancing home & family could may not arise for him as it is
assumed that his gender defines his primary role as bread winner.
On the other hand, if the nurse says Its a girl!, the equations tend to change from that minute.
Her room is perhaps decorated with the supposed feminine colour pink and dolls are bought for
her. In many communities in India, she could be considered inferior to a boy child. Cons cious and

unconscious motives of some day giving her away and saving for her dowry/marriage expenses
may bring despair. While growing up, she will be allowed to cry and express herself emotionally.
Good manners like talking & laughing gently and not loudly, being delicate, being submissive to
elders, not fighting like boys, being sacrificial, caring etc. is most likely to be taught to her.
Developing the right interests like cooking, dancing, singing, tiding up the house, serving etc. will
most likely be encouraged in her. She may not be encouraged to go out as often as her brother
and is likely to have many more restrictions. While choosing a career, she is likely to be
discouraged from choosing careers such as civil services or defence services a s she will not be
able to balance family & home later on. It is most often assumed that her gender would define
her role & function at home as primarily home maker and mother.

Research on gender stereotypes

Perhaps gender stereotypes are a result of nur ture more than nature, as suggested by
many research studies on this subject. A recent research study suggests that differences between
individual girls or between individual boys are much greater than those between the average girl
and the average boy. Yet we tend to generalize from the average girl or boy to individual s.
In our culture, the ideal male is perhaps seen as competent, stable, tough, confident, strong,
accomplished, non-conforming, aggressive and is the leader. The ideal female is perhaps seen
as warm, emotional, kind, polite, sensitive, friendly, fashionabl e, gentle, soft and is the follower. In
urban contexts, these gender expectations and stereotypes could be more subtle and indirect.
Research also shows that these stereotypes create dangerous consequences that limit a persons
full potential and well being. Men and women, because of these stereotypes, are forced to ignore
their personality traits, temperament and unique characteristics that make t hem who they are.
Instead there is always a tendency to conform to the cultural notions of masculinity and
femininity.
There may be several men who are soft & gentle in their temperament, who love to cook and are
often bombarded by our society for not being charismatic and extroverted. On the other hand,
there may be several women who are naturally extroverted, brave and tough and they are
bombarded by our society for not being gentle & submissive.
Also, the tendency to over generalize that all men are from mars and all women are from venus
is all too common. Exaggerated differences between men & women, most of which
are researched to be individual differences, are glorified and ge neralized as gender differences.
The nature-nurture debate still continues as to the definitions of masculinity and femininity.
In his book, Men are from earth and women are from earth, G Soh challenges stereotypes and
proves that there are more similarities than differences between men & women, even
anatomically. Men & women have the same desires, wants, dreams and fears.
What are Gender Roles?
Gender roles are collections of factors which answer the question, how do I need to function so that
society perceives me as belonging or not belonging to a specific gender? some people would include

appearance, sexual orientation, and methods of communication under the term, but I think it makes more
sense to think in terms of things like jobs, economic roles, chores, hobbies, in other words, positions and
actions specific to a given gender as defined by a culture. Gender roles, when followed, send signals of
membership in a given gender (Bornstein 26). Because of the presence of Gender Roles, a stereotype has
been created. This stereotype meaning that men and women need to follow their specific gender roles in
order to be socially excepted. Gender Roles have forced society to form a stereotype of what the perfect
woman and perfect man should be. People base this perfect woman and man off of what they see in
magazines, television shows, advertisements, music, and art. Bornstein, author ofNaming All the

Parts touches base to this idea by saying Gender roles when followed, send signals of membership to a
specific gender (Bornstein 26). The qualities for the perfect woman include, femininity, beauty,
respectful, in shape, nurturing, motherly, housewife, dependent, caretaker, and loving. For men, the
perfect man is considered to be masculine, strong, a provider, in shape, strong and independent. If Men
and Women do not follow these certain characteristics, they are often shunned and do not feel socially
accepted. These roles have also forced the society to either embrace the outcome or reject it. Many have
gone against the grain and have created their own individual identities but often are victim to being made
fun of or being a social outcast. Jameson Green, the author of Art and Gender in Nature agrees with this
by saying Appearance has a lot to do with how we perceive gender and the kind of attributes we assign to
people upon first meeting them (Green 63).
In order to fulfill the gender role for women they must be feminine. To be feminine means having
qualities and or appearances traditionally associated with women. These qualities and appearances have
been listed above. For generations, there has been a stereotype that women need to be perfect. This
perfect notion has come from the media. If a beautiful woman in a magazine or television show is always
thin, with perfect skin and a flawless complexion, then the typical female viewer who is most likely not all
of these things, will find herself alienated by the very image with which she is supposed to identify. Gill
Perry, author of Gender In Art states that woman are often objectified in visual representations as a
decorative or beautiful spectacle (Perry 18).The need to be feminine is important for women in order to
feel socially accepted. John Berger, author of Ways of Seeing, states that She has to survey everything she
is and everything she does because how she appears to others and ultimately how she appears to men, is
of crucial importance for what is normally thought of as the success of her life (Berger 2). Along with
women, men will witness this media and begin to feel that women need to be this way in order to be liked.
Despite the fact that the perfect body is manufactured meaning that most often women in magazines
have been photoshopped to the extreme, there is still a gender role that women need to be feminine and
fulfill their roles in order to be socially excepted by others around them. (Example of Advertisement
showing a beautiful woman selling the product to make the product seem more desirable) Men and
Women see these advertisements and create stereotypes

Social issues with Gender

Not being socially accepted if a man or woman does not follow their gender roles.

If a man or woman does not feel socially accepted, confidence will decrease and can lead to problems such
as eating disorders, depression, or suicide

Third Party genders have still not received recognition beyond having their own checked marked box on
applications.

In the Muslim culture, women have to cover their body and not show skin. This goes against what we
precieve as feminine here in the United States but to their own culture, wearing head scarves and long
dresses represents feminism.

In Africa, women often go through Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). In an FGM society, a girl can not be
considered to be an adult until she has undergone this procedure. As well as in most cultures a women
can not marry with out FGM. In Africa, this is based off of a female gender role which is to be pure.

In the Churchs latest statement on the matter of having females as priests, Pope John Paul II, using his full
authority as the successor of Peter, states categorically that the Church cannot not will not,
but cannot ordain women, now or in the future. In many churches, they feel that it is still not a gender
role for women to be in the priesthood.

In India the brides hands and feet are decorated with henna to ensure her good fortune in marriage.

Economical Issues with Gender

Economically, women still have trouble finding jobs because of their gender.

Often times men will make more money than women in the workforce.

It is rare to find females with higher wages in the same occupation.

In the 2008 Presidential Elections, it was the first time ever a woman has made it to the primary elections.

Women streotyp and mediaTake

a walk through any bookstore, grocery store, or pharmacy,

and stop at the magazine rack. What do you see? The last time I looked, I saw fifteen
half naked women and two men in suits on the covers of the magazines. Women were
airbrushed and portrayed as perfect, while the men were portrayed as being highly
successful financially.
How does this impact one's view of the normal dynamics between women and men? It
perpetuates the situation we all get stuck in: men are judged by possessions,
occupation and income; while women are judged by what they look like, not by what
they do. Our society is allowing the media to promote stereotyping of the perfect
woman and the perfect man.
We allow the information to be plastered it all over the nation to see. Consumers are so
desensitized to this environment, that they assume that it is the normal way that things
are. Our children are seeing this too, further perpetuating the problem. The next

generation will be plagued by many of the same gender stereotyping problems we are
facing now.
Women are viewed as objects to be looked upon, and men are expected to provide for
them. This places us all in a very precarious situation. This means that in a relationship
the man has to work hard and the woman is simply an object to be looked at. How on
Earth can this work in the modern United States where fifty one percent of the work
force is made up of women? It is an unrealistic expectation for both women and men to
comply with this stereotype.
Our belief systems shape our attitudes, which furthermore shape the thoughts that go
through our heads, the verbiage that comes out in our speech and the behaviors we
exhibit. Our belief systems are shaped by the exposure of the things we see in our
own culture. To put it simply; media exposure shapes the way people think, act and talk
to each other. The gender stereotypes that our media is promoting are very archaic;
and if we want healthy relationships...We need balance.
So, how does this impact relationships? Many women I have spoken to tell me the
constant barrage of half naked perfect bodies makes them feel insecure and
inadequate. Many men I have spoken to feel a sense of bravado in regards to their
income; but will admit they feel inadequate as providers. The media is creating a
society of women and men that do not feel that they measure up.
Empowering Women
Despite many international agreements affirming their human rights, women are still much more likely
than men to be poor and illiterate. They usually have less access than men to medical care, property
ownership, credit, training and employment. They are far less likely than men to be politically active
and far more likely to be victims of domestic violence.
The ability of women to control their own fertility is absolutely fundamental to womens empowerment
and equality. When a woman can plan her family, she can plan the rest of her life. When she is
healthy, she can be more productive. And when her reproductive rightsincluding the right to decide
the number, timing and spacing of her children, and to make decisions regarding reproduction free of
discrimination, coercion and violenceare promoted and protected, she has freedom to participate
more fully and equally in society.

Understanding gender equality and women's empowerment

Gender equality implies a society in which women and men enjoy the same opportunities, outcomes, rights
and obligations in all spheres of life. Equality between men and women exists when both sexes are able to
share equally in the distribution of power and influence; have equal opportunities for financial independence
through work or through setting up businesses; enjoy equal access to education and the opportunity to
develop personal ambitions. A critical aspect of promoting gender equality is the empowerment of women,
with a focus on identifying and redressing power imbalances and giving women more autonomy to manage
their own lives. Women's empowerment is vital to sustainable development and the realization of human
rights for all.

Economic empowerment: More women than men live in poverty. Economic disparities persist
partly because much of the unpaid work within families and communities falls on the shoulders
of women and because they face discrimination in the economic sphere.

Educational empowerment: About two thirds of the illiterate adults in the world are female.
Higher levels of women's education are strongly associated with both lower infant mortality
and lower fertility, as well as with higher levels of education and economic opportunity for
their children.

Political empowerment: Social and legal institutions still do not guarantee women equality in
basic legal and human rights, in access to or control of land or other resources, in employment
and earning, and social and political participation. Laws against domestic violence are often
not enforced on behalf of women.

GENDER-ROLE STANDARDS AND STEREOTYPES

Parents have a role in socializing gender: Dress boys and girls
differently, select toys based on gender, and often react
negatively if they behave in ways they think are gender
inappropriate.
As the chapter notes, the field continues to be very
controversial. This is a prime example of a politically sensitive
area'i.e., one where the attitudes of the scientists have to be
scrutinized.
Gender Stereotypes:
Males: controlling and manipulating the environment;
independent, assertive, dominant,
competitive.
Females: relatively passive, , loving, sensitive, and supportive
in social relationships,
especially in their family roles as wife and mother. Warmth in
personal relationships, the
display of anxiety under pressure, and the suppression of overt
aggression and sexuality
as more appropriate for women than men.
These stereotypes are true cross-culturally as well. This
implies that the origins of these stereotypes does not lie in
local cultures. But there are some variations. For example,
African-American families encourage girls to be aggressive and
assertive. On the other hand, the sex stereotypes that men are
more aggressive than women and women more interpersonally
sensitive than men are very robust, even among more
educated people, both sexes, all social classes. (Probably
because they are true!)

Age differences: Young children are especially rigid in gender

stereotyping; children between ages 3-6 are more gender
stereotypes than adults. This reflects a general tendency for
young children to have rigid, absolutist sense of rules. (This is
also the case in moral reasoning where young children allow
no exceptions to rules like "stealing is bad.")
Education differences: In the US, females and collegeeducated women age 18-35 are more likely than older or less
educated women to perceive female role as more assertive,
independent, and achievement-striving.
Sex differences: Men are more likely to have traditional gender
stereotypes than women, especially if they are the sole wage
earner in the family. Fathers are more concerned that their
children maintain behaviors appropriate to their gender;
fathers play a more important role than mothers in children's
gender stereotyping.
COGNITIVE FACTORS IN GENDER TYPING
1.) KOHLBERG'S COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENTAL THEORY
a.) Child notices physical and behavioral clues, and classifies
herself as a girl;
b.) the child then finds it rewarding to behave in genderappropriate manner and imitate same-gender models.
EXAMPLE: A girl says, "I am a girl because I am more like my
mother and other girls than like boys; therefore I want to
dress like a girl, play girl games, and feel and think like a girl."
THREE STAGES:
A.) Gender identity: Recognizing that you are a boy or a girl;
this then organizes incoming information. This occurs between
age 2 and 3. Recent research: Even in early infancy, babies
male and female faces as being in different categories; but
they don't think of themselves as being in one category or the
other. By age 2, they identify traits as being male or female
(men wear ties), but they do not see themselves as a
belonging to a gender category until about age 3.
B.) Gender stability: Child accepts the idea that males remain
male and females remain female; e.g., a girl will no longer
think she will grow up to be like her father or Batman. This
occurs between ages 4 and 5. Children of this age still have
some gaps in their understanding. Two 4-year-olds:

Jeremy wears a barrette to nursery school. Another boy

accuses him of being a girl because "only girls wear barrettes."
Jeremy pulls down his pants to show that he really is a boy.
The other boy replies, "Everyone has a penis; only girls wear
barrettes."
C.) Gender constancy: Recognizing that superficial changes in
appearance or in activities will not change a person's gender. A
boy who wears a dress is still a boy; a girl who plays football is
still a girl. A child who understands gender constancy would
not suppose that wearing a barrette makes one a girl.
This theory has been empirically confirmed cross-culturally.
2.) GENDER-SCHEMA THEORY: AN INFORMATIONPROCESSING APPROACH
Children develop schemas or naive theories that help them
organize gender differences and gender roles. They tell
children what kinds of information to look for in the
environment and how to interpret this information.
EXAMPLE: 5- and 6-year-old children shown gender-consistent
(boy playing with train) or gender-inconsistent (girl sawing
wood). A week later, children distorted the information from
the gender inconsistent pictures: They said that they had seen
a boy sawing wood. Memory for gender consistent pictures
was better, and children were more sure that they
remembered it correctly. Boys who have gender constancy pay
more attention to TV characters of the same sex.
Gender schemas are more important for younger children
because their schemas are more rigid. Some people are more
"gendered" in their thinking than others.

Psychological and social influences on gender identity

Gender identity is ultimately derived from chromosomal makeup and physical
appearance, but this derivation of gender identity does not mean that psychosocial
influences are missing. Gender socialization, or the process whereby a child learns
the norms and roles that society has created for his or her gender, plays a significant
role in the establishment of her or his sense of femaleness or maleness. If a child learns
she is a female and is raised as a female, the child believes she is a female; if a child is
told he is a male and is raised as a male, the child believes he is male.
Beginning at birth, most parents treat their children according to the appearance of
their genitals. Parents even handle their baby girls less aggressively than their baby

boys. Children quickly develop a clear understanding that they are either female or
male, as well as a strong desire to adopt genderappropriate mannerisms and
behaviors. This understanding normally occurs within 2 years of age, according to many
authorities. In short, biology sets the stage, but children's interactions with social
environments actually determine the nature of gender identity.

What is gender-based violence?

Gender-based violence (GBV) is violence that is directed against a person on the basis of gender. It constitutes a breach of the
fundamental right to life, liberty, security, dignity, equality between women and men, non-discrimination and physical and
mental integrity.
Gender-based violence reflects and reinforces inequalities between men and women.
Gender-based violence and violence against women are often used interchangeably as most gender-based violence is inflicted by
men on women and girls. It is estimated that 20 to 25% of women in Europe have suffered physical violence[1]. The number of
women who have suffered from other forms of gender-based violence is much higher.
The Council of Europe defines violence against women as all acts of gender-based violence that result in, or are likely to
result in, physical, sexual, psychological or economic harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion
or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life.[2]
Although it is difficult to distinguish between different types of violence since they are not mutually exclusive, gender-based
violence includes:

domestic violence, sexual harassment, rape, sexual violence during conflict and harmful customary or traditional practices

such as female genital mutilation, forced marriages and honour crimes; [3]
trafficking in women, forced prostitution and violations of human rights in armed conflict (in particular murder, systematic

rape, sexual slavery and forced pregnancy);[4]

forced sterilisation, forced abortion, coercive use of contraceptives, female infanticide and prenatal sex selection. [5]
While the EU does not have a common policy to deal with gender-based violence, it does have a mandate[6] to take action
against one of the most severe forms of gender inequality. In fact, gender-based violence cannot be understood outside the social
structures, gender norms and roles that support and justify it as normal or tolerable. According to a 2009 Eurobarometer on
Gender Equality, 62% of Europeans think that gender-based violence should be a priority action in the area of gender inequality,
and 92% believe that there is an urgent need to tackle it.

Gender and women's mental health

Gender disparities and mental health: The Facts
Mental illness is associated with a significant burden of morbidity and disability.
Lifetime prevalence rates for any kind of psychological disorder are higher than previously thought, are
increasing in recent cohorts and affect nearly half the population.

Despite being common, mental illness is underdiagnosed by doctors. Less than half of those who meet
diagnostic criteria for psychological disorders are identified by doctors.
Patients, too, appear reluctant to seek professional help. Only 2 in every 5 people experiencing a mood, anxiety
or substance use disorder seeking assistance in the year of the onset of the disorder.
Overall rates of psychiatric disorder are almost identical for men and women but striking gender differences are
found in the patterns of mental illness.
Why gender?

Gender is a critical determinant of mental health and mental illness. The morbidity associated with mental illness
has received substantially more attention than the gender specific determinants and mechanisms that promote
and protect mental health and foster resilience to stress and adversity.
Gender determines the differential power and control men and women have over the socioeconomic
determinants of their mental health and lives, their social position, status and treatment in society and their
susceptibility and exposure to specific mental health risks.
Gender differences occur particularly in the rates of common mental disorders - depression, anxiety and somatic
complaints. These disorders, in which women predominate, affect approximately 1 in 3 people in the community
and constitute a serious public health problem.
Unipolar depression, predicted to be the second leading cause of global disability burden by 2020, is twice as
common in women.
Depression is not only the most common women's mental health problem but may be more persistent in women
than men. More research is needed.
Reducing the overrepresentation of women who are depressed would contribute significantly to lessening the
global burden of disability caused by psychological disorders.
The lifetime prevalence rate for alcohol dependence, another common disorder, is more than twice as high in
men than women. In developed countries, approximately 1 in 5 men and 1 in 12 women develop alcohol
dependence during their lives.
Men are also more than three times more likely to be diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder than women.
There are no marked gender differences in the rates of severe mental disorders like schizophrenia and bipolar
disorder that affect less than 2% of the population.
Gender differences have been reported in age of onset of symptoms, frequency of psychotic symptoms, course of
these disorders, social adjustment and long term outcome.
The disability associated with mental illness falls most heavily on those who experience three or more comorbid
disorders. Again, women predominate.
Gender specific risk factors