Module 2.

Gender
Sensitivity
OBJECTIVES:

1. Enlighten the participants on the
difference between sex and gender;

2. Provide an opportunity for the participants to
analyze gender issues and concerns;

3. Encourage the participants to develop a vision
of a gender-fair society; and

4. Require the participants to prepare an action
plan on how to apply their learning from the
Module.



SESSIONS:

Session 1: Sex and Gender

Session 2: Gender as a Social Construct:
Gender Issues and the Role of Social
Institutions

Session 3:Vision of a Gender-Fair Society

Session 4:Action Planning


Basic Assumptions
This is not the
war of the
sexes.
This is not .
Basic Assumptions
Both women
and men are
VICTIMS.
but are more
Basic Assumptions
Both women
and men
have a stake
in the
struggle for
gender
equality.
SESSION 1. DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SEX
AND GENDER
Session Objectives

Differentiate sex from gender

Make women appreciate the difference
between sex and gender

Activity 1:
Word Association Exercise
Processing

Affective level Cognitive Level
While you are answering the
questions/instruction given by
the facilitator, what was your
reaction
Are the ideas you have written on
the board (newsprint) for female
only? For male only? Or can be for
both?

The facilitator will do this as she
examines every word written on the
board (newsprint) and make notes on
what are for female, for male, and
for both.

What is your insights/learning from
the exercise?

Key Learning Points
Sex is a natural distinguishing variable
based on biological characteristics of
being a man or a woman.

Gender refers to the socially
differentiated roles, characteristics and
expectations attributed by culture to
women and men.
SEX GENDER
BIOLOGICAL


Born with
SOCIALLY
CONSTRUCTED

Not born with
CANT BE
CHANGED
Only women
can give birth;
only men can
supply sperm.
CHANGEABLE
Women can do
traditional male jobs
as well as men can
take good care of
children as women
do.
SEX vs. GENDER
What makes one male
or female
What makes one
feminine or masculine
Biologically determine Socially determined
and culturally defined
Refers physical
characteristics
Refers to learned
behaviors
Constant across time Changes across time
Constant across culture Changes across places
and culture
Homosexual
As children, we develop close relationships
with people regardless of their sex. We
feel love and affection for members of the
family and friends.

As we grow older, most of us become
more interested sexually in people of the
opposite sex. Some of us however
continue to feel attracted to people of the
same sex.

Homosexual
There is no clear reason or cause to explain
the attraction of men to men or of women
to women. There are many beliefs on the
causes of homosexuality but none of them
have been proven to be correct.

The homosexual man or woman does not
seem to have control over his sexual
attraction. It is not his or her fault that he
or she is homosexual.


Homosexual
Parents should not blame themselves for
having a homosexual son or daughter.

Since it is not their fault that they are
homosexuals, they should not be physically
abused, criticized, or made fun of.

Homosexuality is not a disease or a
psychological illness. The homosexual
does not need medical treatment.



Homosexual
Adolescents who are becoming aware that they
are attracted to people of the same sex are
undergoing much emotional distress. They need
the love and understanding of their parents,
siblings, and relatives to help them accept their
situation.

Whether a person is heterosexual or homosexual,
it is important that s/he acknowledges that s/he is
responsible for and accountable to himself/herself
and to others.





Application
.
Start to re-assess their
perception of women based
on the concept of sex and
gender.
Synthesis
Sex and gender is very distinct with one another.
Sex is a biological characteristic while gender is
a socially defined characteristic of a man and a
woman translated into roles and behaviors that
are learned through a course of time. A woman
can alter her roles and behaviors towards
fulfillment of her rights. It is also important that
we understand homosexuals, their struggle to be
recognized for who they are, their need to be
loved and accepted



SESSION 2. GENDER AS A SOCIAL
CONSTRUCT
Session Objectives

Understand how the mechanisms of social control
and socialization institutions like the family,
church, school, government, mass media, work, and
community perpetuate, reinforce and discriminate
against women; and

Realize that gender is a social construct.

Family
Church
School
Media
Activity 1: Workshop - The Five Finger Talk
(Usapang Daliri) .
Community
Processing
Affective Level Cognitive Level
While you are answering the
questions about the
institution assigned to your
group, what was your
reaction?

While you are sharing your
own experiences, what was
your reaction? As the one
listening while others are
sharing?
What are your insights from
the activity?

KEY LEARNING POINTS

Society tends to assign roles, attitudes,
behaviors, characteristics and expectations to
individuals based on biological differences.

Gender roles are the product of societys
culture, beliefs, and values and are taught
and reinforced by societys structure and
institutions.

SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS THAT PROMOTE
GENDER STEREOTYPING
FAMILY - Gendering starts
at the time the baby is born.
Gender Socialization
The family promotes gender stereotyping through the following
processes:
Manipulation
Canalization
Verbal Appellation
Activity Exposure
Processes of Gender Socialization in the Family
Manipulation

Canalization

Verbal
Appellation

Activity
Exposures

Its the way
babies or children
are handled.





Baby girls are
handled gently

Boys are allowed
to climb trees
People direct
childrens
attention to
gender
appropriate
objects


Boys are given
toys like cars,
guns, ball

Girls are given
dolls, kitchen
utensils, play
house
These are the
words that tell
children what
they should be,
phrases



Brave boys
Boys dont cry

Pretty Girls
Girls dont climb
trees
These ensure that
children are
familiarized with
gender-
appropriate
tasks.


Boys are expected
to play or work
outside the house
while girls are
encouraged to
help their mothers
in household and
children tasks.
KEY LEARNING POINTS

The learning of gender roles begin in early childhood
Girls Boys
Are taught to be feminine
(being modest, submissive
and nurturing)

Expected to be good
homemakers and nurturers of
family members.
Are taught to be masculine
(being domineering and
aggressive)

Are expected to be the family
provider and to be
responsible for its survival
Manifestations of Gender Bias
MARGINALIZATION
Where womens participation in development
is limited to traditional programs and projects,
especially those, particular related to maternal
and child care, day care centers and nutrition.

It results in failure to recognize womens
concerns in other areas, particularly within the
economic sectors.

Hence, women are unable to develop their
potential to the fullest.

SUBORDINATION
SUBORDINATION
The secondary status of women
in society.

Because of this, women have
less access to and control over
development resources and
benefits.
MULTIPLE BURDEN
MULTIPLE BURDEN
- The condition in which
women perform several
tasks and responsibilities
despite their limited time
and energy.

- This multiple burden refers
to doing unpaid work in the
home, paid work as a
member of the workforce,
and volunteer work in the
community.
GENDER
STEREOTYPES
Gender Stereotyping
The tendency to assign fixed
unquestioned and unexamined
beliefs and perceptions about
women and men.
VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN
VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN
Verbal
Psychological
Emotional
Physical
Economic
Sexual
THE WOMAN AND HER CROSS
Three Categories of Work
Productive

The production of goods and services
for income, trade, or subsistence.

Tasks that contribute economically to
the household and community.

I ncludes wage-earning, crop and
livestock production, marketing,
fishing, manufacturing, and
construction.
Three Categories of Work
Reproductive

The care and maintenance
of human life within the
household. I ncludes
childcare, food preparation,
collection of water and
firewood, cleaning, washing,
building and maintaining
shelter, and health care.
Three Categories of Work
Community Management &
Constituency-Based Politics

Maintenance and improvement
of the community as a whole.
I ncludes building schools or
clinics, planning celebrations,
judging disputes, making laws,
and advocating for community
needs, such as access to water.
Application

Change their behaviors and attitudes towards
gender concerns.

Continue to reflect and to slowly take actions
in preventing the discrimination of women
inside the home, particularly in line with
gender socialization of children, if they have
children, and in the prevention and addressing
domestic violence.

Find ways on how to develop their full
potentials as women.

Synthesis
Gender is socially established and the roles,
attitudes, behaviors and characteristics and
expectations attributed to women was passed on by
societys culture, beliefs and values

the gender roles ascribed by the society resulted to
gender bias which makes more women prone to
abuse and violence.

Gender though can be unlearned and a new
perspective in women can evolve if women learned
to value their self-worth and personhood.



SESSION 3. VISION OF A GENDER-
FAIR SOCIETY


Session Objective

At the end of the session, the participants
should be able to:

Create a vision of a gender-fair society.


Groups
Among Women
Among Families
In the Socio-Cultural Sphere
Economic Sphere
In the Political Sphere
In the legal sphere
Processing
Affective Level Cognitive Level
While you are
undergoing the
activity, what was
your reaction?

What are your
insights about the
visioning
workshop?


Among women

Appreciation of ones self-worth, dignity and
capacity to improve oneself and ones
situation.

Active participation in collective action to help
other women and their families and
communities.

Sufficient support mechanism, such as gender-
sensitive child care support systems, to free
women for personal pursuits and enable men to
share in parenting duties.

Among Women
Programs to enhance womens capacity to
develop their potentials to the fullest.

Role models or women and men whose
lives and achievements mirror gender
equality; and other concrete manifestations
that gender equality goals are being
achieved.

Among Families

Sharing of responsibilities in the home,
from parenting to being breadwinners to
domestic work.

Non-sexist child rearing, in which daughters
and sons are treated the same way and are
trained for the same tasks.

Institutional support and facilities, such as
counseling, to strengthen the family or see it
through a crisis and resolve problems.

Among Families

Measures and programs to address violence
against women and children in the family.

A culture that empowers women, in
particular the recognition of and supportive
attitude toward womens quest for full
development.

In the socio-cultural sphere

Non-sexist education and training

Health programs for women that address all
stages of their life cycle, including services
on nutrition, reproductive health and family
planning.

More positive and realistic portrayal of
women and men in media and advertising.

In the socio-cultural sphere

Addressing gender discrimination in
religious institutions and tenets.

Support systems, such as day care
services, that promote gender equality

Economic Sphere

Mechanisms to ensure equal opportunities
for education, on-the-job training and
training in non-traditional skills.

Training program for women who want to
rejoin the labor force after fulfilling their
childrearing and child rearing
responsibilities.

Economic Sphere

Equal pay for work of equal value.

Affirmative action to change the pattern of
gender discrimination in hiring and
promotion.

Understanding and recognition of womens
biological functions so that their special
needs for maternity and other such benefits
are addressed.

Economic Sphere

Support mechanisms and programs to
promote womens participation in
production and distribution.

Women-friendly technologies and
infrastructure and womens participation in
environmental protection.

Womens participation in decision making
with regards to consumer concerns,
including determining the prices of prime
commodities.

In the political sphere

Empowered women who participate fully in
political processes and structures,
formulation of laws and policies that
address nontraditional concerns of women.

Critical mass of gender-sensitive women
and men in decision making positions.

In the political sphere

Affirmative action programs to increase the
number of women representatives in the
three branches of government, particularly
in decision making positions.

Strong womens groups and organizations.
A womens vote that can influence policy
making and legislation toward gender
equality.

In the Legal Sphere

Sanctions to promote and protect equal
employment opportunities for women.

Protective legislation addressing womens
childbearing functions, such as those
concerning maternity benefits and non-
exposure to toxic chemicals.

Legal literacy for both women and men.

In the Legal Sphere

A gender-sensitive judicial system,
including gender-sensitive lawyers, police
officers and other professionals in the
judiciary.

Protective legislation for a gender-sensitive
court proceedings and hearing of cases
related to violence against women,
including shifting the burden of proof from
the women victims and survivors of
violence to the alleged perpetrators.

Synthesis
Gender-fairness is manifested at the
individual, family, socio cultural, economic,
political and legal spheres of the society.

At the individual level, women should strive
to gain or regain ones personal worth and
pursue self-improvement and be a model to
other members of the society.
Synthesis
Sharing of responsibilities according to ones skills,
knowledge and interest, and respect and rights of
women are accorded to them in the socio-cultural,
economic, political and legal spheres of a society.

Equal opportunities are provided, non-discrimination
and positive portrayal of both women and men and
active participation of women in decision-making
and gender sensitive policies, programs and plans for
women.

SESSION 4. ACTION PLANNING

Session Objectives

Formulate an action plan that will address
gender issues in their lives.

Identify specific activities that will help
promote and achieve gender sensitive
environment in the home and community in
general

Content of Action Action
Critical gender issues or needs concerning them
personally and in their respective families; and

Steps to be taken to address these issues or needs,
specifically concrete gender-focused activities to
be undertaken by the participants upon their return
to their families, the resources required to carry
these out, the time frame for implementation, and
a mechanism for assessing progress.

Action Plan Template
Gender
Issues
Steps to
Address
the
Issues*
Resourc
es
Needed
Time
Frame
Indicator
s of
Success








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