Meaning of Gender

Barsita Sarkar

Gender refers to the psychological and cultural attributes of masculinity and feminity that are based on the previous biological distinctions. Gender generally pertains to the socially learned patterns of behaviour and psychological or emotional expressions of attitude that distinguish males from females. Gender usually refers to the socially constructed roles and relationships, personality traits, attitudes, behaviours, values, relative power and influence that society ascribes to sexes. Gender, as a result, refers not simply to women or men but to the relationships between them.   Definitions of Gender: According to the Oxford English Dictionary: Gender is the distinction of sex. There are three genders: masculine, feminine, and neutral. L. Murray, English Grammar 24.1857. According to the World Health Organization: Gender refers to the characteristics of women, men, girls and boys that are socially constructed. This includes norms, behaviour and roles associated with being a woman, man, girl or boy, as well as relationships with each other. As a social construct, gender varies from society to society and can change over time.   Meaning of Sex :   Sex means one has either of the two major forms of individuals that usually occur in many species and are distinguished respectively as female or male, especially based on their reproductive organs and structures. Sex can also be defined as the sum of organisms' structural, functional and sometimes behavioural characteristics that distinguish males and females. Sex is usually categorised as male or female, but variations in the so-called biological attributes are expressed. Thus it can be said that gender refers to the socially constructed roles, behaviours, expressions and identities of girls, women, boys, men and gender-diverse people.   Definitions of Sex: According to Wikipedia: Sex is a type of reproduction common among living things. Sex is used by plants and animals, as well as by fungi and various single-celled organisms. It usually needs two individuals who are of different sexes from the same species. It works by combining genes people from more than one source. According to the World Health Organization: Sex refers to the biological differences between males and females(e.g. gonads, sexual organs, chromosomes, hormones.) Sex is usually assigned at birth. (there are examples. When it is assigned later, when sex characteristics do not clearly indicate the sex of the baby e.g., in the case of "intersex' ).   Role of Education In Gender Sensitization:   The concept of Gender Sensitization aims to make students, parents and teachers aware of this field. It even helps people examine their personal attitudes and beliefs and question the realities they thought they knew. So, to achieve equity, it is stressed that there should be gender sensitization of people. Gender sensitization is considered to be the process of creating awareness regarding gender equality issues and modifying the behaviour and views that people hold about themselves and other genders. This process helps examine people's "personal attitudes and beliefs and question the realities they thought they knew ".Gender can be sensitised in the following ways: ●     Talk to women and girls. ●     Educate girl child. ●     Stop child marriage and sexual harassment. ●     Make education gender sensitive. ●     Raise the aspirations of girls and their parents. ●     Empower mothers. ●     Give proper value to women's work ●     Get women into power.   Teachers play a major role in gender sensitization. A teacher is an agent of change who promotes gender equality in the classroom and redresses societal stereotypical thinking. He/She can change the mindset of the younger generation. To construct gender-equal attitudes among the students, a teacher must be able to motivate them by educating them and creating a gender-unbiased environment. The main purpose of gender sensitization must be: ●     To work for behaviour modifications by raising awareness of gender equality concerns. ●     To be able to create a liberal society. ●     To familiarize them with the respective constitutional rights and its safeguards ●     To enable proper guidance.   So, it can be summarised that gender sensitivity is a behaviour that avoids discrimination by comprehending and accepting the differences between men and women. Moreover, it is a way of thinking that fosters respect and compassion for others regardless of their differences.

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