GENDER JUSTICE

 

 INTRODUCTION

Robeyns has argued that gender is a social category, with two modes, man and woman. Observations or imaginations pf sexual characteristics serve as markers to classify individuals in different social positions. the social category ‘gender’ becomes protected on the biological category ‘sex’. The point about the concept of gender is that women and men are treated according to their social positions (gender) for reasons that have nothing, or only tangentially, to do with their biological position(sex). According to that, gender refers to the characteristics of men, women, boys, and girls that are the socially constructed aspects. This also consist of norms, behaviors and roles associated with being a man, women, man, girl, or boy and also the relationship among each other. As socially construct, gender can be differing from society to society and could be changed time to time. A ‘gender-equal society’ is a society in which both men and women, as equal members, have the opportunity to participate in all kinds of social activities at will, equally enjoy political, economical and cultural benefits, and share responsibilities. In such a society, the human rights of men and women are equally respected. If the gender is a social constructed phenomenon, isn’t have a justice in the current societies? Though the justice and equality has improved in the society, I feel that still the difference is there. Still the inequality is there. Most laws have been made gender neutral over the past decades, but jurisprudence is still gendered. Not only in character, but also norms, stereotypes, identities, and social institutions. 

SOCIAL NORMS

The gender norms impose codes of masculinity and femininity and notions of what the appropriate and normal behavior for a man or a woman is. For example, it is less socially accepted that mothers leave their children in the care of another person when going a trip away from home than fathers. Gender norms also affect the distribution of wealth and power, because norms are norms for success in position of authority collide with norms of femininity. Many social norms create and reinforce gender inequalities as well as gender norms create and reinforce power imbalances between the two genders. The femininity norms make it much harder for women than for men to gain power.

If someone go beyond the norms, that person would be criticized by the society, especially women. Empirical studies show that both men and women are socially punished if they violate their respective gender norms, conforming to there norms leads to gendered behavior that puts women in a structurally weaker position than men.

STERIOTYPES

Gender stereotyping is referred to the practice of impose to an individual (woman or man) specific attributes, characteristics, or roles by reason only of her or his membership in the social group of women or men. Most common stereotypes in the society are girls should play with dolls and boys should play with trucks, boys should be implied with blue and girls toward pink.

Robeyns has explained that the stereotypes are cognitive devices that operate at the non-conscious level, and help us to make sense of the staggering amount of information that our brain constantly has to process. They play a central role in shaping women’s and men’s professional achievements. The main problem is that people are judged not only on their own performance and abilities, but in part of over-simplified stereotypes attributed to their gender. The effect of these stereotypes is that behavior associated with being a good professional is typically valued negatively for women and positively for men.

CONCLUSION

So, it seems that gender is a complex multilayered phenomenon which refers to the learnt roles, norms and expectations on the basis of one’s sex. It is a sociocultural norm of woman and man, girl or boy as well.