Challenging Gender Stereotypes: Empowering Women for Equality

1. Dr. Vasantha Kandasamy Mathematics Department Indian Institute of Technology Chennai – 36, India. Chief Guest Address delivered at the inauguration of the Forum of Women Students at the Loyola College, Chennai.

2. Oversimplified belief that men and women possess different personality traits that lead them to different experiences and behaviours • Stereotype of a gender is based on the stereotype of the opposite gender definition & understanding

3. Imposition of expected norms of behaviour • Justification of Gender Inequality • Subjugation, subordination • Institutionalization of stereotypes – even women accept patriarchy consequent effects

4. Sugar and spice and everything nice,That's what little girls are made of.Snips and snails and puppydog tails,That's what little boys are made of. childhood • Toys, Cartoons, Storybooks • Dressing, Attire and Colour • Behaviour – girls must be polite, boys should be playful

5. “Daddy in the office, mommy in the kitchen” • Syllabus • Co-curricular activities --- Music, Dance, Sports • Less intelligent, more social • Lack of women heroic characters • Teachers attitude – marking schemes – co-ed schools schooling

6. Science subjects • Education only for being a ‘suitable bride’ • “Job after marriage” remains a “?” • Pink collar jobs • Parental attitude: Plan careers for the son, Marriage for the daughter. • Career vs. Family --- situation of women vs. men college and careers

7. Rampant discrimination • Less chances of promotion • Recognition of women’s merit • Harassment • Disrespect and scant regard • Salary – cinema, labour • “Typical Women” vs. women not conforming to expected norms • Mediocrity • “ADJUSTMENT” workplace

8. workplace examples

9. workplace workplace examples 2

10. workplace workplace examples 3

11. Women's and Men's Bodies are Represented Differently If you glance through magazine advertisements, you'll notice that women are much more likely than men to serve a decorative function. Women recline in seductive clothing, caressing a liquor bottle, or they drape themselves coyly on the nearest male. They bend their bodies at a ludicrous angle, or they look as helpless as 6-year-olds. They also may be painfully thin. In contrast, men stand up, they look competent, and they look purposeful (Jones, 1991). media & advertising

12. SITA – Chastity Test • NALAYINI – Will any man do? • KANNAGI – Accepting the improper conduct of men • CURRENT DAY “ROLE-MODELS” manMADE LANGUAGE Words of Abuse – prostitute, also in regional languages: pativratawomen. Vs. patnivrata men JUSTICE, LIBERTY representations of, but practice “role-models” “traditions”

13. AIDS Campaigns – advertisements “When you have a wife, why do you need the prostitutes?” • Women’s health – Childbirth and Pregnancy • Body image – consciousness • “Blaming the victim” • Attitude of men – why they continue so --“masculinity” health awareness

14. CHALLENGE GENDER STEREOTYPES • EDUCATE, AGITATE, ORGANIZE – Babasaheb Dr. Ambedkar • EMPOWER YOURSELF – higher education, employment, business what CAN be done

15. FIGHT FOR OUR RIGHTS – Being a feminist – equal rights, 50% representative reservation • BE COURAGEOUS • TRANSFORM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE what CAN be done

16. Workplace Issues and Trends, http://www.assureconsulting.com/workplace/gender.shtml Bimbos and Rambos: How gender stereotypes influence our cognitive processes http://www.psichi.org/pubs/articles/article_112.asp References