scholarly journals The effectiveness of a gender equality course in changing undergraduate midwifery students' attitudes towards domestic violence and gender roles

2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 840-847 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emel Bahadir Yilmaz
Author(s):  
Paola Giuliano

Social attitudes toward women vary significantly across societies. This chapter reviews recent empirical research on various historical determinants of contemporary differences in gender roles and gender gaps across societies, and how these differences are transmitted from parents to children and therefore persist until today. We review work on the historical origin of differences in female labor force participation, fertility, education, marriage arrangements, competitive attitudes, domestic violence, and other forms of difference in gender norms. Most of the research illustrates that differences in cultural norms regarding gender roles emerge in response to specific historical situations but tend to persist even after the historical conditions have changed. We also discuss the conditions under which gender norms either tend to be stable or change more quickly.


2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 115-138
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Joy o Serrano-Quijan

The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study was to give light to the experiences of working women and women leaders who are also victims of domestic violence. This study may inspire women from all walks of life and to give voice to the abused women to stand for their rights in advancing gender equality and development. Five informants from Matanao, Davao del Sur were selected through purposive sampling on February 18, 2017, for an in-depth interview. The research design employed in this study was phenomenology as it explained well the experiences and perspectives of women leaders on domestic violence. The results of the interview were transcribed, translated, and coded to produce themes. Several issues escalated as regards to the narratives of working women leaders who are abused at home, the following were the themes: anxiety and signs of depression, prejudice, low self-esteem, and poor disposition, and resilience. As to their insights that they can share with other women and to the academe: disputing chauvinism, the optimistic outlook in life, faith in God, tenets on leadership, and gender distinctions.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gladys Merma-Molina ◽  
María Alejandra Ávalos-Ramos ◽  
María Ángeles Martínez Ruiz

PurposeThe aims of this study are to identify and analyse prevalent gender roles and the persistence of sexist stereotypes among teachers in training in Spain, to determine the reasons for them and suggest solutions for eradicating sexist prejudices.Design/methodology/approachA gender role questionnaire was administered to 1260 workers from 54 different professions who were enrolled on a postgraduate training course to qualify as secondary education teachers. The instrument contained six variables for both quantitative and qualitative analysis: professional work, family (looking after children), feelings and emotions, household chores, body image and free time.FindingsHousehold chores, looking after children and gender roles linked to body image were those most indicated by both men and women. It is concluded that men participate little in bringing up children and household chores and that women continue to shoulder the responsibility. Both are concerned about their body image, but women have little self-acceptance of and satisfaction with their bodies and a stronger sense of being judged by how they look. Gender stereotypes persist, despite extensive legislation in Spain since 2004.Research limitations/implicationsThe study has limitations deriving from its choice of convenience sampling. Although it includes participants from six Spanish autonomous communities, the number from each region is not very high. Nevertheless, the sample is representative of almost all branches of knowledge (54 professions). Another limitation concerns the images used in the research instrument as a data collection strategy insofar, as they could not be obtained from a data bank specific to the research subject but instead had to be found in databases of general images. It can be inferred that a data collection strategy without any danger of bias would be to encourage each participant to design their own images, reflecting their perceptions and auto-perceptions of gender roles and stereotypes. The fact that there were no pre-existing studies using this type of research instrument in education sciences was a handicap for the investigation. Despite these methodological limitations, the results of the study may serve as a basis for implementing specific future actions originating from any area – but especially from the area of education – aimed at teaching people about equal roles in order to eliminate sexist sterotypes. This research was carried out as part of the Proyecto Diseño y Atención a las Oportunidades de Género en la Educación Superior (Project on Design and Gender Equality of Opportunities in Higher Education) funded by the Vicerrectorado de Cooperación al Desarrollo (Office for University Cooperation for Development) at the University of Alicante (Spain).Practical implicationsSpanish legislation has not been able to promote significant changes in the performance of traditional gender roles or to eliminate sexist stereotypes that perpetuate imbalances between men and women. The ideal and prevalent model of a Spanish woman is still that of a “self-sacrificing mother”, responsible for the household chores and childcare. She must combine this first job with a second profession, and, in addition, she must have a “desirable physical image”. The study puts forward various possible solutions for reducing and/or eradicating sexist attitudes with the participation of different social agents and in particular through education. The investigation could be of use when carrying out specific cross-sectional interventions on the subject of gender equality with students on postgraduate teacher training courses, for the purposes of encouraging the elimination of stereotypes and strengthening the capacity for critical judgement, positive self-concept and self-esteem.Originality/valueThe study may be useful for carrying out specific and transversal university training interventions in postgraduate teacher training on gender equality aimed at promoting the elimination of stereotypes, the strengthening of critical judgement capacity, positive self-concept and self-esteem.


1997 ◽  
Vol 40 (2) ◽  
pp. 199-225 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diane N. Lye ◽  
Ingrid Waldron

This study investigates four hypotheses concerning relationships between values or beliefs and attitudes toward cohabitation, family and gender roles. These are the Social Concerns Hypothesis, the Political Ideology Hypothesis, the Higher Order Needs Hypothesis, and the Consumerism Hypothesis. Each hypothesis has been tested, using data from several nationally representative subsamples of white high school seniors. As predicted by the Social Concerns Hypothesis, students with more social concerns had more favorable attitudes toward gender equality and nontraditional gender roles, particularly among males. This finding suggests that, for males, concern for fairness and the well-being of others may be an important motive for support for gender equality and acceptance of nontraditional gender roles. As predicted by the Political Ideology Hypothesis, conservative political beliefs were associated with traditional attitudes toward cohabitation, family, and gender roles. In contrast, our findings provide only weak support for the Higher Order Needs Hypothesis, and our findings suggest that the Consumerism Hypothesis should be reformulated.


Author(s):  
Karen Sjørup ◽  
Charlotte Kirkegaard

The article is based on a survey concerning gender equality among artists in Denmark, conducted in 2007. It particularly focuses on the situation of actresses as modern, well-educated and gender equality conscious women, placed in a dilemma between their own desire to deconstruct and reconstruct images of gender in their work and the traditional, gender-stereotypical roles offered to them. They moreover are the victims of late working hours and low salaries, making it very difficult to maintain themselves financially and to live a life as independent working mothers. Ageing is also a very difficult bodily experience for the actresses, who will often be excluded and replaced by younger actresses. There is however a battle going on between the gender equality oriented actresses and the primarily male directors and instructors, in charge of allowing modernisation of gender roles in films and theatre. In sum, the article explores how gender is constructed culturally and how femininity might be reformulated to challenge heteronormative gender stereotypes.


2017 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 678 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zafer Uzun ◽  
Sezgin Erdem ◽  
Kadir Güç ◽  
Ayşenur Merve Şafak Uzun ◽  
Elif Erdem

Sex has been the most important criteria when categorizing and differentiating individuals. While the concept of sex is used to describe the biological side of being a man or woman, the concept of gender refers to the expectations and meanings formed by the society and culture. In this respect, passive roles are thought suitable for women in the social life while men have more active roles. Socialization agents, such as family, media, peer groups and education are playing an active role in transferring the codes related to gender roles. The aim of this research is to test the effectiveness of gender education on the attitudes towards gender perception and gender roles. In accordance with this purpose, an experimental study was designed as a part of the protocol called “Providing Gender Equality, Strengthening Institutional Capacity while Fighting with Violence Against Women, Enhancing Cooperation and Coordination” which was conducted between the Ministry of Turkish National Defense and the Ministry of Family and Social Policies. And an education (Gender Equality and Fighting with Violence Against Women) was given to the research group consisting of 23 participants. In order to collect data, we used Gender Perception Scale and Gender Role Attitude Scale. As a result of the study, firstly the education given to the participants raised their score of gender perceptions and attitudes towards gender roles significantly. It also increased the mean score of men much more than that of women. And after the training, the initial difference between the mean scores of men and women almost disappeared. It was seen that the training increased the final test mean scores of married individuals significantly. After the training, the mean scores of both women and men increased. ÖzetBireyleri, kategorilere ayırmak ve farklılaştırmak için kullanılan ölçütlerden en önemlisi cinsiyet olmuştur. Cinsiyet (sex) kavramı, kadın ya da erkek olmanın biyolojik yönünü ifade etmekte iken, toplumsal cinsiyet (gender) terimi, toplumun ve kültürün yüklediği anlamlara ve beklentilere atıfta bulunmaktadır. Toplumsal hayatta kadınlara pasif, edilgen roller uygun görülürken; erkeklere aktif, etken roller atfedilmektedir. Aile, medya, arkadaş grubu ve eğitim gibi toplumsallaşma ajanları ise toplumsal cinsiyet rollerine ilişkin kodların aktarılmasında etkin bir rol almaktadır. Bu araştırma ile her geçen gün artan toplumsal cinsiyet eşitsizliği ve ayrımcılığını önleme yönünde politikalara öncü olmak için verilen eğitimlerin, toplumsal cinsiyet algısına ve toplumsal cinsiyet rollerine ilişkin tutumlar üzerindeki etkinliğinin sınanması amaçlanmıştır. Bu amaç doğrultusunda Millî Savunma Bakanlığı ile Aile ve Sosyal Politikalar Bakanlığı arasında yapılan “Toplumsal Cinsiyet Eşitliğinin Sağlanması ve Kadına Yönelik Şiddetle Mücadelede Kurumsal Kapasitenin Güçlendirilmesi, İşbirliği ve Eşgüdümün Artırılmasına Dair Protokol” kapsamında verilen “Toplumsal Cinsiyet Eşitliği ve Kadına Yönelik Şiddetle Mücadele Eğitici Eğitimi ”ne katılan 23 katılımcı araştırma grubuna dâhil edilerek deneysel bir çalışma yürütülmüştür. Verilerin toplanmasında Toplumsal Cinsiyet Algısı (TCA) ve Toplumsal Cinsiyet Rolleri Tutum (TCRT) ölçekleri kullanılmıştır. Araştırmanın sonucunda ilk olarak çalışma grubuna verilen eğitimin katılımcıların toplumsal cinsiyet algılarında ve toplumsal cinsiyet rollerine ilişkin tutumların ortalamalarında anlamlı derecede yükseltmiştir. İkinci olarak, çalışma grubuna verilen eğitim, erkeklerin ortalamalarını çok daha fazla arttırmış ve eğitim sonucunda kadın ve erkeklerin ortalamaları birbirine son derece yaklaşmıştır. Bunun yanı sıra verilen eğitim evli bireylerin son test ortalamalarını çok daha fazla arttırdığı görülmüştür. Son olarak verilen eğitim sonrasında hem kadınların hem de erkeklerin ortalamaları yükselmiştir.


2016 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 1285 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kübra Küçükşen

AbstractIntroduction : Social gender is a concept that is used to describe the roles to be fulfilled, behavioral patterns and duties and responsibilities expected from males and females in socialization process according to the culture of the society where they live in different from biological gender. Media is a significant tool for determination and internalization of social gender roles. In parallel with social change and transformation, the change had in mass communication tools become effective in every field. New communication aspect called as new media provide opportunity for individuals to express themselves and present their opinions on every issue freely different from other mass communication tools.Methods : In this study, it was aimed to investigate the comments made on the concepts of "gender equality" and "gender inequality" on the social sharing sites named Ekşi Sözlük and Uludağ Sözlük. The comments made over the concepts of “social gender equality” and “social gender inequality” in web site called “Ekşi Sözlük” and “Uludağ Sözlük” were reviewed during to 1 June- 15 September 2015 in this study and it was targeted to research the perception of social gender. For analyzing data, content analyzis was applied to comments.  Results :In the study, 105 comments made on Ekşi Sözlük and 39 comments made on Uludağ Sözlük in regard to the subject matter were categorized and analyzed as "gender equality/inequality" and "gender roles". According to the data attained from analysis of the study, as opposed to conventional media, it is seen that the comments made on gender are quite varied. Besides such comments which reduce women merely to a body, insult them, assert that they lack the knowledge, skills and competence for existing in the public sphere, comments exceeding the equalitarian viewpoint on the subject, grounding on justice and equity have been identified.Discussion : Reflections of the conventional patriarchal mentality are evidently seen in the comments on Ekşi Sözlük and Uludağ Sözlük. Being an environment where an issue is discussed by people in several numbers and having quite different opinions in different perspectives, social networking sites provide an important source of knowledge to the forms of peoples’ understanding and interpretation of social life. According to the data obtained in the research, the perception of social gender has still been produced in new media. However, it can be said that social gender perception is directed through the course where the understanding of “difference is not inequality” with an upper point of view exceeding the concepts of equality and inequality is grounded on in new media despite adopting an opponent discourse on the contrary to mainstream media.


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