Redefine Women

Why gender discrimination exists? When and where it started?

Patriarchy has deep-seated roots in human history. Prejudices of male supremacy are ingrained in the man-made world. The discrimination may arise from distinctions regarding biology, psychology, or cultural norms prevalent in communities. Some of these differences are empirically grounded, while others appear to be socially constructed. Gender inequality is experienced differently across different societies. 

Biological Factors:

• Natural differences exist between genders based on biological factors, mostly differing reproductive roles. Physical differences include chromosomes and hormonal differences. 
• The crystal-clear difference between men and women is physical strength. There is difference of strength in the lower body and more pronouncedly in the upper body, this does not mean that any man is more potent than any woman. 
• Men, on average, are taller, which has both advantages and disadvantages. On average, women live notably longer than men. However, it is not clear to what extent this is a biological difference. 

Psychological Factors:

• Traditional feminine or masculine behavior is influenced by prenatal hormone exposure.
• Negligible differences in general intelligence exists between males and females.
• Men are significantly more aggressive and very likely to take risks than women.
• The crystal-clear difference between men and women is physical strength. Being stronger and faster was a key advantage, one that’s very difficult to overcome or overlook.
• On average, women are more empathetic than men, though this does not mean that woman is more empathetic than any given man.

Cultural Factors:

• From birth, females and males are raised differently and experience different cultural environments throughout their lives. 
• In the eyes of society, gender has a huge role to play in significant milestones or characteristics in life, like personality.
• Due to the influences of gender role stereotypes and gender role expectations, females and males are led on diverse paths before choosing their own. 
• The norm of blue color for boys and pink for girls. Allocation of toys like cars, trucks, or sports-related things for boys and dolls, dresses, playing house for girls is cultural related. It has not been historically around. These paths set by adult figures or parents in the child's life mainly place them on specific paths. This gives to a difference in personality, relationships, or career paths.
• Females and males are seen as two very different species with very different personalities. They should stay on separate paths throughout life. According to the gender similarities hypothesis, it is found that men and women are more alike than different. 
• Across the board, several industries are stratified across the genders. This is the result of various factors like education choices, preferred job and industry, work experience, number of hours worked, and breaks in employment such as for bearing and raising children. Men also typically go into higher-paid and higher-risk jobs when compared to women. Depending on the source, these factors result in a 60% to 75% difference between men's and women's average aggregate salaries and wages.
• Despite the increase in women in the labor force since the mid-1900s, traditional gender roles are still prevalent in American society. Many women are expected to hold their educational and career goals to raise a family while their husbands become primary breadwinners. However, some women choose to work and fulfill a perceived gender role of cleaning the house and caring for children. Women bear a disproportionate burden when it comes to unpaid work. In the Asia and Pacific region, women spend 4.1 times more time doing unpaid work than men.
• Gender equality in relationships has been growing very slowly over the years. Still, for the majority of relationships, the power lies with the male. A study done by Szymanowicz and Furnham looked at the cultural stereotypes of intelligence in men and women, showing the gender inequality in self-presentation. This study showed that females thought if they revealed their intelligence to a potential partner, it would diminish their chance with him. Men, however, would much more readily discuss their own intelligence with a potential partner. Also, women are aware of people's adverse reactions to IQ, so they limit its disclosure to only trusted friends. For example, Londa Schiebinger, in her book, Has Feminism Changed Science? claims that "married men with families earn more money, progress faster in their careers, live longer and happier." In contrast, a working woman, a family is a liability, extra baggage threatening to drag down her career."

          In a study done at Queen’s college in New York, it is found that during the Neolithic age, females were probably contributing more to the farming community, and male and females were dependent on each other for survival. In another study, archaeologists at the University of Seville in Spain have studied prehistoric societies in the Neolithic Period in the Iberian Peninsula from the perspective of gender. They looked at two types of evidence: biological and funerary.

          They found that at the start of the Neolithic, there was no significant difference between men and women with respect to biology and funerary, suggesting a generally equal society. However, as things progressed, it started to change. A key indicator is the growing association of men with violence. Male bodies started exhibiting more arrow wounds, their tombs featured more weapons or projectiles, and men were increasingly depicted in fighting scenes in cave paintings, whereas women were not. Hunting and warfare were a masculine business. Conversely, women’s’ burial sites were more likely to contain ceramic pots, indicating a separation of gender roles. Although, the social complexity involved in these processes is not really known, this indicates that gender roles subsequently, gave rise to gender inequality in the Neolithic period.

          During the Neolithic, there don’t seem to be any signs of widespread or acute gender inequality in Neolithic society. However, there are some signs of an increasing predominance of men over women, leading researchers to believe that these are the origins of gender inequality.

           During the Bronze Age, a period that followed the Neolithic age, this trend became much clearer. In China, gender inequality may have its seeds in more than 2,500 years ago. But in this age, inequalities became obvious: Males were buried with more riches, and female skeletons became significantly shorter, likely because of childhood malnourishment. The study observed that the girls were the first to be deprived of food when the family or community is short on food. When your body doesn’t get enough food, it has to sacrifice something, so the females were shorter. 

           Scientists aren’t exactly sure how the inequality rose or whether this evidence can speak for the rest of the world. But finding a historical turning point inevitably gets us closer to understanding ourselves as people — and where our social issues were born.

          Suken-Huberty Emmaline, in her article in Human rights career, stated seven reasons why gender equality is good for each of us on this planet. 

i.  Gender equality is good for men

Gender equality doesn’t only benefit girls and women; it benefits men, as well. There are a few key reasons. A man perceived as “feminine” is not a “real man” when gender inequality exists. This leads to toxic masculinity, which is destructive and harmful to everyone. When there’s gender equality, men have more freedom about how they express themselves. This extends into the career field, as well, since no job is considered “for women only.” Men receive parental leave and family time without discrimination. Increased freedom of expression and flexible work choices leads to happiness. With gender equality, men don’t face as much pressure to fit a stereotype.

ii.  Gender equality is good for business and the economy

When girls and women get equal education and job opportunities with men, all of the social benefits. Studies reveal that a diverse workplace is a more productive workplace. That diversity includes gender diversity. Research shows that businesses that put some women in the top leadership roles do better businesses with only men in leadership. That success translates into the economy as a whole. Closing up gender pay gaps saves the country money. Equal education and jobs also significantly reduce poverty rates, lifting an entire nation and improving its GDP.

iii.  Gender equality gives everyone equal opportunities

Education is the key to equal opportunities. In today’s world, more boys than girls are educated. According to UNICEF, around 1 in 4 girls between 15-19 years old don’t have a job and are not getting an education or training. For boys, that ratio is 1 in 10. Right from the beginning, this gives boys better opportunities than girls. Without many options, girls are often forced into marriages or human trafficking. It is also much harder to leave dangerous relationships and situations without education to fall back on. When gender equality starts with education, everyone has the opportunity to improve their lives.

iv.  Gender equality is good for children

Reproductive rights are a crucial part of gender equality. When women make their own reproductive choices, their lives improve. They are then able to better care for the children they do choose to have. Having equal pay with men, women can provide better healthcare, better food, and better opportunities for their kids. Even if a mother chooses to stay at home with her children, the effects of gender equality (like equal pay and education) provide a safety net if she needs to go to work. Studies also show that infant mortality rates decrease as a woman’s education level increases. In a world with gender equality, children are set up for success and happiness.

v.  Gender equality is good for marginalized racial groups 

Gender-based discrimination has a close relationship with racial discrimination. In most places, women belonging to marginalized racial groups are treated less equal than other women. The gender pay gap is a prime example. In the United States, Asian and Caucasian women earn more than Hispanic, black, and native women. White women are also more likely to get better healthcare and better job opportunities. That’s why gender equality must be intersectional. This requires an acknowledgment of different experiences, identities, and the unique discriminations women face. Striving for intersectional gender equality can help reduce racial discrimination and inequality wherever it’s found.

vi.  Gender equality fosters peace

Violence disrupts society at every level. Gender inequality is the source of violence, including human trafficking and a lack of legal protections for abused women. Improving equality for girls and women can reduce the amount of violence and provide security for vulnerable people. Research also shows that gender equality is a better indicator of a country’s likelihood to deploy military force than its GDP. As gender equality improves, a country’s peace improves. In turn, this is important for gender equality because war disproportionately affects women.

vii.  Gender equality: it’s good for everyone 

Men, women, and children benefit from gender equality. It also addresses racial discrimination and improves business and the economy. While it will be some time before gender equality is a reality around the world, we’ve made enough progress to see its benefits in action. The goal now is to promote gender equality while replacing old systems based on discrimination and outdated mindsets.

         Gender inequality is ubiquitous and is a very challenging issue to address. Deep gender prejudice has colored most public policy - social, economic, political including foreign policy making. There is a denial and discrimination in their rightful entitlements of life, education and training for a scientific technical world, health and social security in gross violation of human rights to women. 

         Every Human Rights treaty prohibits gender discrimination. Many countries have provided the needed support for women through the legislative system and policies that advocate women’s rights. There are many laws and systems in place that supports gender inequality. These laws hold institutions and organizations accountable. Governments, legislators, and activists all play a part in this process. There is a convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women - considered the international bill of rights for women. In the United States, federal, state and local laws protect individuals from gender discrimination. They have recognized that policies promoting gender equality is critical to achieve foreign policy objectives for a more peaceful and prosperous world. 

         There are numerous non-profit organizations that work round the clock to advocate women’s and children’s right. They are working on providing the resources to fight the battle of poverty, violence, and social injustices. They empower women with the needed support and guidance to fight for their fundamental rights of equal education, pay-parity and equal opportunity and respect in every field.  

         Despite the awareness and implementation of programs to support women locally and nationally, the struggle persists. We agree that the discrimination is rooted way back in the bronze age; this movement of women's rights started only a century ago. Hence it is not realistic to expect a quick change. However, though we partially agree that women are making progress, we also see men are struggling to accept this change.

Can we ask ourselves why it is so hard for a man to respect women's fundamental rights? 

         The studies revealed that at the beginning of the Neolithic era, there was no gender discrimination. However, it started in the Bronze age, which signifies mutual respect for the physical protection they received from men. Women in appreciation supported them by cooking and making families. Over the period, this turned out to be an abuse, where women were precepted as weak, unintelligent and submissive souls. Marginalized conditions prevailed; until a century ago few women stood up for their rights. Now that we are in the 21st century, the need for physical power diminished. We know both men and women possess equal IQs. This is an era of intelligence and mind power. Technological advancements have greatly reduced the need for physical strength. 

        From the above understanding, our answer to the question is, "It is not about man; it is all about our upbringing." B.F. Skinner stated, every child is born with a clean slate. The personality they develop in adulthood is rooted in their childhood. The girls are encouraged to study, compete equally with boys and fight for their rights. How about boys? Are they encouraged to accept that girls as equal counterpart? NO. Our society always infuses boys with a perception that they are strong, intelligent, powerful, and superior to girls. When these boys grew up learning about themselves with these negative perceptions of masculinity, do you think they will change their values in adulthood? Ideally, they are confused about this new competition, they come across in adulthood. Their response to this competition is narcissism (an inward behavior that is all about them). 

        To address the current issue, we not only have to support women but also focus on men. We need to bring an awareness among communities and societies to address the root cause. Cultivate a culture where boys are educated, to accept girls as their equal. Biological differences are only for the spread of our communities. Just because a woman can give birth does not make her less competent than a man. The truth is we all possess equal IQs to a varying degree.  

        At Redefine Women, we are taking a different approach to address this global issue of gender discrimination by focusing on the 'root cause,' i.e., the upbringing of our boys and girls. We are determined to support women through SISTERHOOD and converge on children's upbringing. Sisterhood encourages women to see the best of who they are in the eyes of another woman. Provide the needed validation and affirmation, which could help them be that strong women who can start from her family to bring a change in society. Whether it's a boy or a girl, a strong attachment figure in their life will be a woman. We want to build a strong armament of women who can change their family culture, irrespective of race or religion. As stated by James Baldwin, "There is never a time in the future in which we will work out our salvation. The challenge is in the moment; the time is always now". So, we want to start working now at the foundation level by investing in our future generation who no longer complain about gender discrimination. Build a safe, peaceful, and prosperous world where everyone enjoys equality.

References: 

Emmaline Soken-Huberty. “10 Causes of Gender Inequality.” Human Rights Careers.https://www.humanrightscareers.com/issues/causes-gender-inequality/

Emmaline Soken-Huberty. “7 Reasons Why Gender Equality Is Good for Everyone.” Human Rights Careers.https://www.humanrightscareers.com/issues/why-gender-equality-is-good-for-everyone/

“Gender Justice and Women’s Rights.” Oxfam International. https://www.oxfam.org/en/what-we-do/issues/gender-justice-and-womens-rights

“Gender Discrimination: Inequality Starts in Childhood.” Save the Children. https://www.savethechildren.org/us/charity-stories/how-gender-discrimination-impacts-boys-and-girls

Kwema. “If Gender Equality Really Existed.” Empower Women. 04 October 2016. https://www.empowerwomen.org/en/community/stories/2016/10/if-gender-equality-really-existed. 

Kelly Kasulis. “The 2,500 Roots of Gender Inequality.” Boston Globe. 04 March 2017. https://www.bostonglobe.com/ideas/2017/03/04/the-year-old-roots-gender-inequality/7zE60rjYuOAHjFB8hEBq1N/story.html

Lakshmi, G. “GENDER PREJUDICE, POLICY AND LAW - AN ETIOLOGY.” The Indian Journal of Political Science, vol. 67, no. 3, Indian Political Science Association, 2006, pp. 573–78, http://www.jstor.org/stable/41856243.

Mihai Andrei. “Gender Inequality emerged during the Neolithic; new study finds.” ZME Science. 26 June 2019. https://www.zmescience.com/science/gender-inequality-neolithic-emergence-22062019/

https://www.unwomen.org/en/news/in-focus/commission-on-the-status-of-women-2012/facts-and-figures

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gender_inequality