● Gender

The term gender role was coined by John Money in a seminal 1955 paper where he defined it as "all those
things that a person says or does to disclose himself or herself as having the status of boy or man, girl or
woman.

According to American gender theorist Judith Butler, a person's gender is complex, encompassing
countless characteristics of appearance, speech, movement and other factors not solely limited to
biological sex.[4] Societies tend to have binary gender systems in which everyone is categorized as male
or female. Some societies include a third gender role; for instance, the Native American Two-Spirit
people and the Hijras of India.
Gender, is a social classification based on one's identity, presentation of self, behavior, and interaction
with others. Sociologists view gender as learned behavior and a culturally produced identity, and as such,
it is a social category.
Gender is how society thinks we should look, think, and act as girls and women and boys and men. Each
culture has beliefs and informal rules about how people should act based on their gender. For example,
many cultures expect and encourage men to be more aggressive than women.

Gender identity is how you feel inside and how you show your gender through clothing, behavior, and
personal appearance. It’s a feeling that begins early in life.
Gender is a multi-faceted social system. Gender is largely based on society and culture. There are some
consistencies, but it can be concluded that gender is not predetermined based on sex.
Gender is a multifaceted reality that is culturally constructed and socially determined by the society. In
other words, gender portrays culturally and socially constructed roles, responsibilities, privileges,
relations and expectations of women and men. Because these are socially constructed, they can change
over time and differ from one place to another. Gender refers to behavioural differences between males
and females that are culturally based and socially learned.

Some theorists suggest that the biological differences between men and women also result in their mental
and physical differences. They argue that biologically, men are physically and mentally superior to
women. Other theorists suggest that the biological difference between men and women are exaggerated.
The differences are socially constructed by the patriarchal system of society by which men are described
as superior to women. Therefore women become subordinate to men in the society.

Biological and physical characteristics of men and women are different. Society also determines some of
the different characteristics of men and women at the social and cultural level. It is mainly about women
being cowardly, men being brave, women being weak, men being strong, women being tolerant, men
being aggressive, women being emotional, men being capable, women being submissive, men being
dominant and ambitious. Societies are not created by nature. This gives rise to the term gender. Society
expects men and women to behave differently. In general, the society has stated certain things about what
a woman should do, how she should behave, mainly housework, cooking, child rearing are related to
women, while men are expected to do hard work outside the family.
 ● Nature of gender
a) Gender is socio-cultural and it is manmade.
b) Gender refers to masculine and feminine qualities, behavior patterns,roles and responsibilities.
c) Gender is variable. It changes from time to time,culture to culture and family to family.

● Difference between Sex and Gender

[Link] is a social and cultural construct of images and expectations of both males and females.
Whereas, sex is biological differences between men and women such as reproductive function and
secondary characteristics like body hair and breast development.
[Link] is made where as sex is born. A child is born as a baby or baby girl,but develops
into a man or a woman when assigned a particular role in the society.
3.‘Masculine’ and ‘Feminine’ are gender categories whereas ‘Male’ and ‘Female’ are sex categories.
[Link] reflects nurture where as sex reflects nature. In other words, gender develops as a
result of nurture while the development of sex is the result of nature.
[Link] discrimination is a social discrimination whereas sexual inequality is an inborn phenomenon.
6. The task of feminism is to abolish gender inequality and not of the sexual [Link] ideology
of feminism advocates gender equality within the framework of sexual inequalities.

● Patriarchy
Meaning:
"Patriarchy" originally meant the rule of the father or patriarch, describing families where men held
power over women, children, and servants. Now, it's used to talk about how men dominate women in
society. It includes the idea that men are better than women and should control them. This belief
influences many aspects of life, like religion and how women are treated at home and in public. So,
patriarchy is a system that keeps women down both at home and in society.
Some examples to clarify how patriarchy is evident in daily life.
1. When a man loudly argues and insists on his opinion, not letting others, especially women, speak,
it's often called "aggressively patriarchal."
2. If a woman complains about sexual harassment at her job and all the men in her office deny it
could happen, their thinking can be called "typically patriarchal.”
Patriarchy is not just about women being controlled. It's been noted that not all men hold power in a
patriarchal setup. For instance, younger men in families have less authority until they grow older. Also,
men from lower classes, like Dalits in India, have less or no authority compared to upper-class men.
These oppressed men often lack access to society's resources and struggle with their own masculine
identity. Despite this, men generally find it easier to access resources and power than women in their
families or communities. In lower-caste families, boys usually get better food, schooling, and healthcare
than girls. Another example is eunuchs in India who reject traditional masculinity and are often ridiculed,
especially those from lower castes and classes.
Worldwide, patriarchal, hierarchical gender structures still dominate today. One example is the use of the
family name of the man after marriage. Another is the gender pay gap: in the labour market, women are
generally paid less than men. Raising children and unpaid care work are mostly performed by women.
Furthermore, around the world there are many more women and girls who have no access to education.
 ● Patriarchy in Indian society
The word 'patriarchy' means 'father's rule' and goes back to the 17th century. It's about households where
men have power over everyone else. Nowadays, it's used to talk about how men dominate women and
keep them under control. Feminists often use this word to talk about these power imbalances. In India,
there are discussions about how patriarchy keeps women subservient to men, denying them their rights
and opportunities. This belief that men are better than women means men have all the power and rights at
home, in the community, and in the government. Women have less access to resources and
decision-making because of this. When we talk about capitalism and women's subordination, we're
looking at how the modern state and patriarchy play a role. Women are often left out of discussions about
development because policies don't consider their needs.

A woman plays a crucial role in society. She forms a family, which makes a home, and together they build
a community, which shapes a country. For a country to thrive, women need to lead development projects.
In India, discussions about women's roles are ongoing as more women notice the unfair treatment they
face. Women are a valuable asset in fighting poverty and violence worldwide, yet their potential is often
overlooked, especially when things are stable. In the past, Indian culture revered women, considering the
birth of a girl a blessing. However, traditional beliefs and a male-dominated society limited women to
traditional roles like childbearing and caregiving. Even today, women juggle personal and professional
duties, often without support from their husbands. They face challenges like family pressure and sexual
harassment at home and work. Despite these obstacles, women contribute significantly to social and
economic progress. A society that doesn't value women's contributions is missing out on half of its
potential workforce. India needs to recognize and support women in leadership roles more effectively.

Due to Hindu tradition and law, from birth to death, women are raised to be dependent on men. The
implementation of patriarchy begins in the home through the process of socialization. While boys are
given educational opportunities, girls are expected to become homemakers. An overarching consequence
of this is that boys become decision-makers and girls then implement the decisions of their husbands.
After marriage, women are expected to conceive as soon as possible to prove their fertility which means
that adolescent marriage is synonymous with adolescent childbearing. Once married, women are expected
to give birth to sons. Due to society’s preference for boy children—rooted in religious customs and
traditional beliefs—it is important for the wife’s firstborn [sic] child to be a boy. If not, she may have to
give birth to many children waiting for a boy to come’. In Hinduism, sons are valued because they are
expected to look after their parents as they age, and they are the only ones who can perform funeral rites.
Therefore, it is both a practical necessity and a religious duty to have a son. In many communities, this
leads to the devaluation of female offspring. In the Terai, for example, the birth of a daughter is viewed as
a curse and ‘the whole neighbourhood weeps when a daughter is born’. Some ethnic groups do not even
view women as human and will respond to the birth of a female child by saying ‘nothing was born’.

In Indian society, women were worshiped as mothers and gods; while on the other hand, women were
treated as secondary. Today, men often have more power in how families and work are organized. For
instance, when people get married, it's common for the woman to take the man's last name. Also, in many
jobs, women are paid less than men. Women also tend to do most of the work of taking care of kids and
doing unpaid caregiving.
 ● Nature of Patriarchy:
Patriarchy is a system where men have power over women, but how this control is exercised can vary
based on factors like caste, class, religion, race, and cultural practices. For example, Indian women may
experience patriarchy differently from women in the USA, and there are differences between an upper
caste Hindu woman and a tribal woman. Each society and historical period has its own way of operating
under patriarchy, with varying social and cultural practices. However, some common characteristics found
in every patriarchal society include hierarchical power relations and unequal treatment between men and
women.
a)Male Dominance:
In a patriarchal system, men have all the power. They make decisions in both society and their families,
hold all the important jobs, and are seen as better than women in every way.
b) Male Identification :
In a patriarchal system, men often want to be seen as powerful and in control. They value qualities like
strength, being forceful, thinking logically, working hard, and being competitive. These qualities are
important for how men see themselves in such a system.
c) Male Centredness:
In a patriarchal society, everything revolves around men and what they do to progress society. Men are
seen as the ones who lead and create advancements. They are considered the heroes in every situation.
d) Obsession with control:
In a patriarchal society, men are the ones in charge all the time. They want to control everything in both
social and family settings, making all the decisions inside and outside the home. This shows that
patriarchy is about men having power over women.

● Forms of Patriarchy:
Patriarchy is a belief system where men are seen as better than women. It's widespread in society,
controlling many areas of life like politics, culture, and religion. Sylvia Walby explains that it's crucial for
understanding gender inequality. She also talks about two types: private and public patriarchy.
Private patriarchy happens at home, where men control women's lives, including decisions about family
and work. Women often provide unpaid services in the household. This control extends to women's
reproductive rights as well.
Public patriarchy happens outside the home, where men control women's work and mobility. Religion
also plays a role, often portraying women as inferior. Legal systems are usually biased towards men,
especially in matters like marriage and inheritance. Women's contributions to society are undervalued, and
they have less power in politics and education. Patriarchal values are learned early and reinforced
throughout life. Men have more power and are seen as superior, leading to gender discrimination.