Activity 3
Identifying gender
o
Paste two flipcharts on which the two words “Female” and “Male” are written on the back of a
white board.
o
Prepare two groups of ten participants each. Give instructions to write characteristics of males and
females under the two terms male and female (As they think fit).
o
After that display the two flip charts and read what is written on them to the participants. Charac
teristics such as beauty, immaturity, prettiness, honesty, kindness, sensitivity may be presented
under the term female and while characteristics such as bravery strength, aggressiveness, cruelty,
selfishness, ill humour may be presented under the term male.
o
Replace the two terms male and female in each flipchart and explain that there are brave, aggres
sive, ill humoured and selfish females and kind, patient and sensitive males in the world. Show that
these traits may be found in both males and females in a mixed way and their presence in them
changes from person to person. Explain that these cannot be generalized as being common to males
or females. However, explain that the society has allocated these traits to males and females.
o
Explain that these traits which have been attributed to females and males by society are not
common or universal and are changeable from culture to culture, time to time and race to race.
o
Explain that male and female sex is a natural biological creation and gender is a social and cultural
creation. (Use slides 3 and 4)
Slide 3
Gender: Males and females have different traits, roles and behaviour patterns which have been created by the
society and the culture. These are not biologically created things. When one is socialized there are socially created
things named ethics, beliefs and attitudes to be adopted. The position that males and females are entitled to in any
society is a creation of the society.
Slide 3
Sex
Universal
Gender
Not universal
Natural creation
Not a natural creation
Biological
A social, cultural creation
Common to all different human races,
Changes according toethnicity,
ethnicities, castes and nationalities
nationality and class
Do not change/ are firm / static
Change over time andfrom place to
place
The differences carrya similar value
22
The differences acrry differentvalues