Module-1 GD

MODULE-1 GENDER DISCRIMINATION
Gender Discrimination in the Indian Society

Gender disparity still exists in India. Being born as women in Indian society, one has to face
gender discrimination at all levels. At the household level, females are confined to their
household chores, raising children and looking after families, irrespective of their education
degrees or job profile. At her workplace: women have limited access to job opportunities and are
paid less for the same work.
What is Gender Discrimination?
Gender discrimination is the unequal or disadvantageous treatment inflicted on someone because
they belong to a specific gender. It is usually the women who usually have to face such gender
discrimination.
Education and learning opportunities: gender-wise literacy rates in India showcase the wide gap
between men and women. As per 2011 census data, effective literacy rates (age 7 and above)
were 82.14% for men and 65.46% for women. Parents are unwilling to spend on girls’ education
because educating women is of no value as they will only serve their husbands and the in-laws in
the future.
The Indian constitution provides equal rights and privileges for both men and women, but most
women across India don’t enjoy these rights and opportunities guaranteed to them. This is
because of a number of reasons.
TYPES OF GENDER \
DISCRIMINATION:
 Education Inequality
 Female Foeticide
 Inequality at Workplace /Glass Ceiling
 Inequality at household chores
 Stereotypes
 Body Shaming
 Racial Discrimination
 Male Gaze
Definition of Stereotypes:
Stereotypes have been defined as a false classificatory concept to which as a rule a strong
emotional feeling tone of likes or dislikes, approval or disapproval is attached. According to
Lippmam, stereotypes are individual attitudes so strongly inter conditioned by collective contacts
that they become highly standardized and uniform within the group.
The properties of stereotypes can be summarized in the following manner:

1. Stereotypes are basically fixed mental pictures in one’s head.
2. Stereotypes may have some stimulus value, but they are unscientific generalizations.
3. Stereotypes are mostly false elements.
4. Stereotypes are overgeneralized ideas.
5. Stereotypes are linked with emotional experience.
6. Stereotypes are shared by the group.
7. They are mostly negative in nature.
8. Stereotypes originate and grow like attitudes, prejudices and other social concepts.
9. Stereotypes are quite rigid and not easily amenable to change.
10. Stereotypes arise out of ingroup outgroup relationship and personal and group conflicts into
which a good deal of fantasy is attached.
11. Stereotypes grow out of social interaction and ones past experience.
12. Stereotypes help in solving current problems and adjust with the present situation in a short
time by the already formed readymade ideas.
13. Stereotypes are a type of cognitive framework and to a large degree are self conforming
inducing the individual to bring supporting information to mind.
14. Informations supporting a particular stereotype are readily accepted and remembered while
rejected informations do not go in the line of stereotypes.
15. Through stereotypes unfavourable traits or adjectives are attributed to the outgroup and
favourable traits to the ingroup.
16. The idea of stereotype is based on few facts. It has only stimulus value, but no scientific
value. It is usually based on partial truths. All the Kabuliwalas are not Sylocks. Only a few of
them may be miser and our experience are limited with a few Kabuliwalas. The generalization
about the Kabuliwalas can be found out by making a statistical analysis.
17. Stereotype is a major mechanism in sustaining prejudice and it resists change.
18. Stereotypes influence and colour many of our daily and day to day activities, perceptions and
behaviour at large.
According to Lippmann “We do not first see and than define, we define first and then see. In the
great blooming, budging confusion of the outer world, we pick out what our culture has already
defined for us and we tend to perceive that which we have picked up in the form of stereotypes
for us by our culture.
Examples of Gender Stereotypes

 Girls should play with dolls and boys should play with trucks.
 Boys should be directed to like blue and green; girls toward red and pink.
 Boys should not wear dresses or other clothes typically associated with "girl's clothes
MALE GAZE
The term "male gaze" was first popularized in relation to the depiction of female characters in
film as inactive, often overtly sexualized objects of male desire. However, the influence of the
male gaze is not limited to how women and girls are featured in the movies. Rather, it extends to
the experience of being seen in this way, both for the female figures on screen, the viewers, and
by extension, to all girls and women at large.
Examples of the Male Gaze
The male gaze is far more common and pervasive than you might think. There are so many
examples in media of flat female characters that allow a heterosexual male audience to treat
female characters like eye candy. Some examples of the male gaze in media include:
 Extraneous nudity by female characters
 Slow camera pans of women’s bodies
 Women wearing tight or occasion-inappropriate clothing when male characters are
appropriately dressed
 Framing women, so their cleavage stays in the frame
 Using the female body as a prop
 A male protagonist, with women characters only as sexual objects
Of course, there are feminist films out there that subvert the male gaze and create their own view
of women. Many of these films are created and directed by women.
Causes of gender inequality:

Poverty –
This is the root cause of gender discrimination in the patriarchal Indian society, as the economic
dependence on the male counterpart is itself a cause of gender disparity. A total of 30% of people
live below the poverty line, and out of this 70% are women.
Illiteracy –
Gender discrimination In India had led to educational backwardness for girls. It’s a sad reality
that despite educational reforms in the country, girls in India are still denied a chance at learning.
The mindset needs to be changed, and people need to understand the benefits of educating girls.
An educated, well-read woman ensures that other members, especially the children of the house,
get a quality education.
Patriarchal setup in our Indian society –
Men dominate societal and family life in India. This has been the case in the past ages and
continues to be practised in the majority of households. Though this mindset is changing with
urbanization and education, there is still a long way to permanently change the scenario.
Social Customs, Beliefs and Practices –
To date, a lot of families have a preference for a male child and disfavour towards the daughter.
Sons, especially in the business communities, are considered economic, political, and ritual
assets where daughters are considered liabilities.
Lack of Awareness Among Women –
Most of the women are unaware of their fundamental rights and capabilities. They lack a basic
understanding of how the socio-economic and political forces affect them. They accept all
discriminatory practices that persist in families from generation in the name of tradition and
societal norms primarily due to their ignorance and unawareness.
Gender-based discrimination across India can only be checked when girls are not denied their
chance to learn and grow in life. Girls like boys should get a great start in life in terms of
educational opportunities. This will help them attain economic independence and help them be
rightly equipped to contribute towards their upliftment and that of the society they are part of.
NGOs like Save the Children are doing what it takes to uplift the status of the girl child in
society through several programmes across India. If you care to bring hope in the lives of
thousands of girls in India by ensuring the right environment and opportunities for them,
then support an NGO like Save the Children.

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MODULE-1 GENDER DISCRIMINATION

Gender Discrimination in the Indian Society

The properties of stereotypes can be summarized in the following manner:

3. Stereotypes are mostly false elements.

4. Stereotypes are overgeneralized ideas.

5. Stereotypes are linked with emotional experience.

6. Stereotypes are shared by the group.

7. They are mostly negative in nature.

9. Stereotypes are quite rigid and not easily amenable to change.

Examples of Gender Stereotypes

Causes of gender inequality:

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