Equality
The first step is the legal equality of women, men and non-binary persons, i.e. equality written in laws.
But gender equality is more than just equality before the law, because it means equal opportunities and options for women, men and non-binary people, in addition to legal equality. So legal, social, political, economic and social equality.
Gender equality does NOT mean that all genders are the same. Gender equality embraces differences and diversity, and stands for true partnership, equality, equal worth, equal opportunities, equal rights and equal dignity.
Sex and gender
When we are born, we are assigned a biological sex based on our outward physical characteristics. We are categorised as either female or male. The gender system that divides people into women and men is called gender binary.
Gender is a social category that is not based on the binary gender system, but rather on the individual’s right to self-identification, i.e. to (re)shape and (un)define one’s own gender identity.
Sexual orientation and gender identity
Sexual orientation tells us who we feel physically and/or romantically attracted to, have intimate and sexual relationships with, either of a different, same or more than one gender.
Gender identity is a reflection of our internal experience of our own gender. It may or may not match our biological sex.
If understanding of gender is based on society, what is the thing that influences how we look at it? Gender norms that influence gender roles and gender stereotypes, among other things, contribute to our understanding of women, men and non-binary persons. These understandings can be harmful for all genders:
• Gender norms are the unwritten rules in society and the ideas and expectations that dictate how people should behave in society according to their biological sex.
• Gender stereotypes are generalised ideas, assumptions about the characteristics,
abilities and interests of people based on their biological sex. Gender stereotypes create an unrealistic idea of what all people should be like based on their biological sex.
Let’s look at some examples of societal norms around ‘femininity’ and ‘masculinity’.
The man is the breadwinner, bringing in the money. He is active in the community and outside the home. He makes major decisions both at home and in the community. His decisions are rational.
Women take care of the family and its members. They make sure the household runs smoothly on a daily basis. This means they are in charge of tasks such as cooking, washing, ironing, helping children with school-work and so on. They also take care of the emotional support of the family.
Gender roles
Gender roles are linked to gender stereotypes and norms and are based on expectations of what is ‘feminine’ and what is ‘masculine’.
Gender roles have both visible and invisible influences on our lives, affecting how we see the world. Due to the perception of gender roles, traditionally women do not choose certain careers.
Women, men and non-binary people do not have equal power in society. This creates and perpetuates gender inequalities.
Write down which professions are traditionally "female" and which are traditionally "male". Do you think it is right that women do not choose certain professions?