INTRODUCTION:Common misconception, Some questions to ponder

FEMINIST MOVEMENT:Forms or Varieties of Feminism, First wave feminists >>

Gender Issues In Psychology (PSY - 512)

LESSON 01

INTRODUCTION

Common misconception:

Gender psychology or psychology of gender issues pertains to only psychology of women. That is not the case.

There is a difference between psychology of women and psychology of gender.

Focus of a course in gender issues:

What factors are responsible for the distinct masculine and feminine roles?

The factors may be biological. Social, cultural, or psychological!

Today we have loads of research evidence available that explains both masculinity, or male roles, and

femininity, or female roles.

There are two Divisions of APA that directly deal with these issues:

Division 35: Society for the Psychology of Women, established 1973.

Division 51: Society for the Psychological Study of Men and Masculinity, established 1995.

About this course:

· This course will have a multi disciplinary

Main focus:

approach.

· We will borrow and benefit from the

·Female physiology, and reproductive health

knowledge and research evidence

available in psychology as well as other

disciplines.

·Female cognitive skills

· The primary focus of the course will be

gender issues. However psychology of

women will be touched upon more than

issues specific to the psychology of men

·Early socialization into sex roles

alone.

Goals of a course in Gender Issues in Psychology:

·Stereotyping women in media

To develop an understanding of the difference between

gender and sex.

To introduce a new approach to understanding human

·Cultural determinants of sex differences

behavior and mental processes.

To give a flavor of the scope and content of study in other

popular disciplines of the day, like Gender Studies or

Women Studies.

To familiarize the students with the impact of socio-cultural and

·Work issues;

psychological factors on the gender roles and the status of gender

power relationships between men and women

in a given society.

To bring about a healthier and positive change in the students'

· Psychosocial factors in women empowerment

thinking through knowledge of divergent ways of thinking.

To develop an understanding of gender relations in the society.

To create an awareness of abilities, capacities, psychological make

up, and problems of women and research methods employed to

·Physical and mental health issues

study these.

To familiarize students with the social and political background of

gender differences and the gender issues.

·Discrimination and violence prevention

Gender:

The perception of being a male or a female.

·Gender equality and equity

"Gender" versus "Sex":

Gender refers to the psychological aspect whereas sex refers to the

Gender Issues In Psychology (PSY - 512)

physiological/ physical aspect of the same phenomenon.

"Gender" refers to culturally constructed categorization of "maleness" and "femaleness" or masculinity and

femininity.

Biologically based distinctions between males and females are referred to as "Sex" of the person.

Who makes us behave as males or females?

Human-beings are born as male or female babies, BUT they become masculine or feminine as a result of child

rearing practices and socio-cultural variables.

Gender roles:

Expectations of appropriate behavior for males and females set by a society.

Gender role expectations are very similar across societies.

Gender differences:

Actual differences between males and females in terms of average capacity, ability, or typical behavior.

Gender stereotypes:

"Widely held beliefs about females 'and male's abilities, personality traits, and social behavior" (Weiten, 2001).

Some questions to ponder:

· Why are women more conscious about body weight than men?

· Why don't men wear make up as women do?

· Can men become good "mothers"?

· Why are women not hired as guards?

· Why no men sew clothes at home but most professional tailors are men?

· Why most chefs are men but very few men cook at home?

· Why are women considered talkative whereas on average men talk more?

· The answers to these questions pertain to societal role allocation and shaping.

Feminist Movement:

Christine de Pizan:

Generally considered the first feminist writer.

Wrote in the medieval period

In the 1700's women propagated the significance of women's education

Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, Marquis de Condorcet

1785: The first scientific Society for Women established in Middle berg, Dutch, and Republic.

1791: " Declaration of the Rights of Women and the Female Citizen"

The "Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen" (1789) was paraphrased.

It was the French revolution's central document.

1792: Mary Wollstonecraft: "A Vindication of the Rights of Woman".

The modern feminist movement emerged from the west.

A member of men as well as women contributed to the cause of improving women's status in the society, in

the political, economic, and social spheres.

All societies were patriarchal, male dominated, where women were generally oppressed and home bound.

Women were denied the right to franchise, to go for education, and profession. Woman was treated as a

second rate citizen with limited or no ability, little or lower grade intelligence and non trustable skill.

19th century Reform Movement was a landmark in the history of women liberation.

1848: New York: The first Women's Rights Convention

J .S. Mill wrote "The Subjection of Women" in the mid 1800s. He was influenced by his wife Harriet Taylor.

Emmeline Pankhurst formed WSPU/Women's Social & Political Union.

Gender Issues In Psychology (PSY - 512)

Emma Goldman, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Dame Ethel Mary Smyth, and Margaret Sanger

were among the 19th century feminists.

In the East Qasim Amin an Egyptian jurist is known as the Father of Egyptian feminist

movement.

In 1899 he wrote " Women's Liberation" and proved to be a very influential writer (Tahrir ul

Mar'a)

Woman suffrage movement & its ultimate success brought about major changes in terms of

women's status as well as their self- perceptions and vision.

The First World War was also a turning point.

Many women who never worked outside home started working.

But the end of war meant joblessness for many women. In piece time, the jobs were to be left

for the soldiers returning home.

Still many women carried on with nursing, farming, blue collared jobs & other traditional

occupations.

At the same time during the world war many women entered occupations that used to be

restricted to men alone e.g. mechanical work.

In many communist & socialist countries women were bought at par with men in many

regards.

Feminist movement saw tough times and discouragement in countries like Germany or Italy,

in the early 20th country.

WAVES OF THE FEMINIST MOVEMENT

First wave feminists:

The early feminists, who initiated the movement.

Second wave feminists:

By this time, women in most countries had been granted the right to franchise and to contest election for

public office. These feminists were active after 1960.They were working for equality, both economic and social.

They fought for the right to contraception, birth control and sexual liberation. Sexual liberation became a much

debated issue and was criticized by many feminists.

Third wave feminists:

Third wave movement emerged in the 1990's.The earlier feminists failed to see and deal with variations within

women. Third wave feminists try to see how different groups of women may be having different needs, and

circumstances, and requiring different solutions. Womanism, Queer theory, and Post Modern Feminism are a

part of this wave.

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