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Topicsaboutgenderhaveheatedalotofdebatesfromthepast.

Variousdisciplinesoffer
arangeofperspectivesonsuchissues.Tounderstandsuchunderpinnings,itisonlyrightto
definewhatgenderisfirst.Genderisasocietaltermoftenusedinterchangeablywiththeword
sex.Sexandgendermaysharesomecommonalitiesbutthesestwotermsarenotidentical.Sexis
appropriately used in the biological context, dictated based on an individuals primary sex
characteristics(David,2004;Richard,1994).Ontheotherhand,Genderreferstothemeanings,
attributes,andvaluesthatpeopleascribetodifferentsexes.Otherdefinitiondescribesgenderas
thebehaviors,actions,androlesascribetodifferentsexesthatarehighlyinfluencedbysocially
constructedideas(WHO,2009).WhilstaccordingtoOakley(1972),gendernotonlymatchesthe
biologicalseparationofsexintomaleandfemalebutalsoincludestheseparationandsocial
valuationofbeingmasculineandfeminine(Oakley,1972).Inessence,thesocialconstructionof
genderhighlydependsonhumaninteractionswithoneanotherandtheirenvironment(Linda,
2010).
Genderrolereferstothesocietalnormsthatmenandwomenareexpectedtoportray
based on their sex (Eagly, 2013). These actual behaviors should parallel as to what it is
consideredacceptable,appropriateordesirableforanindividualbasedontheactualsex.For
instance,beingtoughisthoughtofasmasculinewhilsttendernessasfeminine(Schaeter,2007).
However,despitesocietalopennesstowardsvariousperceptionsongenderroles,thewaythese
divisionsarecommunicatedcreatesstereotypicimages(Orenstein,2011).Traditionally,women
areviewedmorenurturingthanmen.Hence,femininegenderroledictatesthatwomenshould
behaveasthenurturerinthefamilybyalwaysbeingavailableathomeinsteadofconsidering
employmentoutsideofhome.Whistmenaremoreofbeingleaders.Henceitisproposedthat
menshouldstandastheheadsoftheirhouseholdsbyprovidingfinanciallyforthefamilyand
makingimportantfamilydecisions(Wood,2012).
Genderequalityisdefinedasthefairtreatmentofmenandwomenbeforethelawwhich
includesegalitarianismwhenitcomestoconsumptionofresources,servicesandopportunities
withinthecontextoffamilyandsociety(Fulcher&Scott,2007).Genderequalityisahuman
rightfundamentalforthecreationofsustainableandpeacefulsocieties.(UN,1997).Infact,
genderequalityisoneofUNESCOstwoworldwideprioritiesandtheybelievethatnoone
shouldbediscriminatedbasedongender.Albeitexistingpolicies,genderinequalitystillremains
rampantintheworkplace,education,sportsandeveninpolitics(Ridgeway&Cornel,2004).
LGBTrepresentslesbian,gay,bisexual,andtransgender.Theacronymreplacedtheterm
gaysince1980sasmanyfeltthatthetermgayisamisrepresentationofallthosetowhomit
referred(Swain,2007).TheLGBTinitialismisintendedtoemphasizearangeofsexualityand
genderidentitylikethenonheterosexualornoncisgenderinsteadofitsexclusivenesstopeople
whoarelesbian,gay,bisexual,andtransgender(Shankle,2006).However,manypeoplefailto
discernthattheTintheacronymidcompletelyunrelatedtosexualattraction;rather,itdenotes
apersonssenseofgender(genderidentity,Wilcox,2003).

ThedefinitionofLGBTcommunityhasevolvedsincetheancienttimes,includingtheir
rightsinthesociety.Intherenaissanceperiod,homosexualrelationshipswerehighlycondoned
by the church (Boswel, 1980). In France, sodomites were punished by being burned.
Homosexualwomenwhoarecaughtweremutilateandexecutedaswell(Fone,2000).These
oppressionbroughtalotofliberationmovementanduntil1960s,homosexualsreceivedalevel
of acceptance in the society. This became the starting point to seek for their equal rights
including same sex marriage, adoption of children and other antidiscrimation laws (LGBT
AdoptionStats,2014;Beluck,2004;Tatectate,2015).
References:

Belluck,Oam(May17,2004)."WithFestiveMood,GayWeddingsBeginin
Massachusetts".NewYorkTimes.RetrievedJanuary11,2014.
"LGBTAdoptionStatistics".LifelongAdoptions.RetrievedJuly9,2014.
Tatectate,Curtis."EEOC:Federallawbansworkplacebiasagainstgays,lesbians,bisexuals|
MiamiHeraldMiamiHerald".Miamiherald.com.Retrieved20150717.
Swain,KeithW.(2007)."GayPrideNeedsNewDirection".DenverPost.Retrieved20080705.
Wilcox,MelissaM.(2003).ComingOutinChristianity:Religion,Identity,andCommunity.
IndianaUniversityPress.ISBN0253216192.
JohnBoswell,Christianity,SocialTolerance,andHomosexuality(1980)p.293.
Fone,ByrneR.S.(2000).Homophobia:ahistory.NewYork:MetropolitanBooks.ISBN0
805045597.
Shankle,MichaelD.(2006).TheHandbookofLesbian,Gay,Bisexual,andTransgenderPublic
Health:APractitioner'sGuideToService.HaworthPress.ISBN1560234962.
Fulcher,J.andScott,J.(2007)Sociology3rdeds.NewYork:OxfordUniversityPress
MacionisJ.J.andPlummerK.(2005)SociologyAGlobalIntroduction3rdeds.London:Pearson.

Schaefer,R.T.(2007).Sociology10theds.Boston:McGrawHillRidgeway,C.,&Cornell,S.
(2004).Unpackingthegendersystem:Atheoreticalperspectiveongenderbeliefsandsocial
relations.Gender&Society,18,510531.
"Whatdowemeanby"sex"and"gender"?".WorldHealthOrganization.Retrieved29
September2009.
Lindsey,LindaL.(2010)."Ch.1.TheSociologyofgender".GenderRoles:ASociological
Perspective(PDF).Pearson.ISBN0132448300.

Oakley,Ann.(1972).Sex,genderandsociety.London:TempleSmith(revisededition,1985,
Gower).
Eagly,A.H.(2013).Sexdifferencesinsocialbehavior:Asocialroleinterpretation.NewYork,
NY:PsychologyPress.
Wood,J.T.(2012).Genderedlives:Communication,gender,andculture.Independence,KY:
CengageBrain.
Richard,UdryJ.(1994).TheNatureofGender".Demography31(4):561
573.doi:10.2307/2061790.JSTOR2061790.PMID7890091.
David,Haig(2004).TheInexorableRiseofGenderandtheDeclineofSex:SocialChangein
AcademicTitles,19452001.ArchivesofSexualBehavior33(2):87
96.doi:10.1023/B:ASEB.0000014323.56281.0d.PMID15146141.

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