Individual Choices and Harmful Systemic Impact of Gender

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Introduction

Gender is the socially constructed characteristics of women, men, girls, and boys such as norms, behaviors, and roles associated with being a woman, man, girl, or boy, as well as relationships with one another. It is different from sex (the biological and physiological characteristics of females, males, and intersex people including reproductive organs and hormones). A person’s gender identity refers to their internal and individual experience that may not necessarily correspond to their designated sex or physiology at birth (“World Health Organization,” n.d.). Diversity is reflected in how personalities and groups understand, exploit, and communicate their gender. The concept of gender identity is due to a combination of inherent and extrinsic or environmental factors (Ghosh, 2020). It manifests within society through observable factors such as behavior and appearance (Ghosh, 2020). Therefore, it is true that without critical scrutiny of individual choices, society will never be able to fully address the harmful systemic impact of gender.

Many cultures have stereotypes about gender; in most cases, people confuse gender with the biological sex of an individual. In contrast, it is how people identify internally and express that interior distinction externally (Zambon, 2020). Gender is shaped by individual choice, self-perception, social interactions with other people, and the environment (Zambon, 2020). Some may opt not to associate with any gender while others could relate with several genders. This means, that only individuals themselves can decide what their gender is. This essay, thus, affirms the question that “Without critical scrutiny of individual choices, we will never be able to fully address the harmful systemic impact of gender.” The paper will focus on the harmful systematic impact of gender due lack of understanding of individual choices. It will discuss negative societal norms, gender roles, inequalities, and health issues and their effects on gender.

Societal Norms

Globally, many societies are guided by gender ethics that classify what is considered appropriate as responsibilities for females on one hand, and males on the other. Several societies have gender stereotypes that oftentimes value girls and women less compared to boys and men (“Plan International,” 2022). This is because many societies still view gender in terms of one being either a man or a woman without allowing people to make their choices. The consequence is the negative effect of inflexible traditions and roles, which limits the freedom and expression of girls and women. It further escalates the level of violence and harassment of women with limited opportunities how to live freely.

On the other hand, boys and men are affected because ideas about what some societies mean to be a man push them to behave in a constrained manner that could harm their well-being. Behavioral norms that associates males with masculinity inspire the negative habit of boys to continue intolerance and inequality against girls (“Plan International,” 2022). This has continuously led to circumstances in which individuals are handled differently because they are either males or females rather than their capabilities.

Harmful Gender Norms

Girls and women in some societies around the world do not get opportunities to independently decide for themselves what is good. Instead, they are confined at home to carry out their traditional societal-defined roles in household chores and other positions of girls in society (“Save the Children,” 2022). Their voices are undermined and they are denied the opportunity to choose the kind of life they would like to live. The women are not allowed to be independent and are forced to conform to what society allows as the norm.

Further, many people in the world have not come to terms with and accepted the idea of having transgender individuals among them. There is cultural stereotype and discrimination against transgender people in many parts of the world (Alston, 2018). The prejudices about gays for instance lead people to fear being around those who have chosen to go public about changes in their gender identities. For example, females fear trans women in their spaces places because they feel vulnerable but there is no evidence that they are harmful (Alston, 2018). Transgender communities have been facing hate because of their gender identity (Alston, 2018). This should change to allow individuals who want to self-declare the gender in which they choose to live, without the need for medical evidence or proof. Humanity should allow transgender persons to select how they want to reveal themselves to others and how they want the world to view them. This may include their mannerisms, clothing styles, names, and pronoun choices, to name a few.

Gender Roles

The conventional gender roles in many communities expect males and females to behave, talk, wear clothes, and express themselves according to their biological sex. For example, females are generally required to dress in classical feminine ways and be respectful, accommodating, and caring. These are deeply rooted thinking that explains what defines males and females (“Cliffs Notes,” n.d.). Over the years parents, teachers, peers, movies, television, music, books, and religious teachers have been used to explain the roles throughout individuals’ lives (“Cliffs Notes,” n.d.). These agents are influential and they impact people’s gender roles right from their infancy stages because they view and treat female and male children differently (“Cliffs Notes,” n.d.). For example, parents, do so because they too passed through the same process when they were children (“Cliffs Notes,” n.d.). Traditionally, fathers teach boys how to be strong, and build things; and mothers teach girls how to cook, sew, and do other house chores (“Cliffs Notes,” n.d.). The children are then expected to adopt culturally accepted traditional roles and this is passed from parents to their children and future generations.

Globally, things are changing very fast, traditional gender roles are no longer making sense to so many people. From susceptibility to metrosexuality, the understanding of gender is progressing (Landsberg, 2020). People must normalize using gender-neutral terms when referring to other diverse individuals (Landsberg, 2020). Societies must embrace these changes and allow flexibility and acceptance when it comes to individuals choosing their lifestyles, how they want to appear in public and their mode of dressing.

Gender Inequalities

Gender inequality is prejudice based on gender or sexual orientation and it could cause some individuals routinely privilege other others. The unequal treatment of individuals who have chosen to identify with a particular gender normally is a result of biological, psychological, or cultural norms prevalent in society (Fahy, 2022). Women and girls most likely are the ones who experience the worst negative gender discrimination. In some instances they do not get access to education, are treated lowly in society, and have restricted freedom to make decisions about their personal life (Fahy, 2022). Additionally, females receive low wages for the work they do, they experience high levels of violence and harassment. Globally, gender-related inequality negatively impacts the economy, education, health, and life expectancy of individuals, and these realities are discussed below.

Poverty

In several countries women represent the majority of the population, however, cultural norms of many societies in the world do not allow women for example to own property. These make women in the world’s largest demography who are poor. Females are the biggest agricultural labor in the globe and they produce between 60% and 80% of food (Fahy, 2022). In contrast, they have limited access to the materials they need and even the food they generate (Fahy, 2022). Inequality and discrimination have pushed many women into extreme poverty despite them being their real drivers of production. The entire world, families, institutions, organizations, and governments must change their views about the female gender to boost their stakes as important stakeholders.

Gender Discrimination at the Workplace

There is still a big gap in terms of gender inequality in employment or workplaces despite attempts by several organizations to bridge the difference. For example, females constitute about 65% of the world’s working hours but they only earn 10% of global income per year (Fahy, 2022). They continuously render services as unpaid domestic and care workers which limit their capacities to participate in meaningful paid jobs (Fahy, 2022). In addition, data available reveals that in 2020, only 47 females of working age were active in the labor market against 74% of males (Fahy, 2022). This gender gap has been relatively low and consistent since 1995 (Fahy, 2022). Another case example of why people should start viewing social constructs about gender without prejudice.

Gender-Based Violence

Gender-Based Violence is harmful acts directed at an individual based on their gender identity. It is rooted in gender inequality, the abuse of power, and harmful norms. This violation of human rights could happen in the forms such as physical, sexual, mental, or economic harm inflicted on a person because of their gender (UNICEF, 2022). It may also include a risk of violence, intimidation, and denial of independence, both in public and private (UNICEF, 2022). In many cultures, females have less control over their bodies, decisions, and resources (UNICEF, 2022). Across the globe, some traditions condone violence by men as a way of controlling women and this enhances gender inequality and sustains gender-based violence (UNICEF, 2022). It can occur through an abusive relationship, early marriage, female genital mutilation, commercial sex exploitation, and prejudice due to someone’s sexual orientation.

Violence can affect everybody regardless of their locality, social and economic background, ethnicity, beliefs, sexuality, or personhood. At the face value, females are at the most risk, however, males and transgender minorities also experience gender-based violence (Ott, 2021). This vice is prevalent in the world because of systematic gender inequalities that have disempowered women, transgender, and other minorities (Ott, 2021). Due to the discrimination, their voices have been stifled to the extent that their stories and plights are not heard leading to the violation of their human rights. This vice is also prolonged because of a lack of justice, inadequacy of resources, or a lack of remunerative opportunities (Ott, 2021). The violence can happen in private, by roadsides, in markets, and even in transit camps. Additionally, it could involve street harassment such as groping, whistling, unwarranted attention in public, and rape.

Effect of Gender Prejudice on Individuals’ Health

Gender discrimination is aided by sexism, prejudice based on sex, or gender identity. In some countries, sexism devalues and makes women look like lesser humans compared to men (Villines, 2021). For this reason, that gender is more about how an individual feels, than their biological traits. Those genders such as women, gays, homosexuals, lesbians, trans, and other gender-expansive people who the social norms deem less valuable are discriminated against.

Impact of Gender Discrimination on Mental Health

This prejudice results in stress which has a direct impact on the mental health of the victims. Likewise, it could cause anxiety and psychological trauma to individuals facing such kinds of discrimination. A study reported by Zawn Villines (2021) indicates that women who encountered gender discrimination in the past year had higher scores on depression screening tools. Further, females suffered higher rates of mental illnesses including anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and eating disorders, and were 1-5 times more likely to attempt suicide compared to males (Villines, 2021). In contrast, the article reports that some researchers have found a reduction in gender variations in the rates of mental disorders in cultures where there are equalities in terms of gender identity (Villines, 2021). This demonstrates the fact that gender inequality and prejudices necessitate mental issues among the victims.

There is also evidence that gender imbalance is a risk element for gender-based violence. It was reported in the article 30% of females in the world, have experienced either physical or sexual or both violence at some point in their lives (Villines, 2021). The estimates of gender-based violence are even higher at 47% among trans persons and greater among transgender ethnic minorities (Villines, 2021). These experiences can lead to mental health conditions and other complications that are traumatic.

Impact of Gender Prejudice on Physical Health

Gender prejudice has a direct and incidental impact on physical health including illnesses, disorders, poor living conditions, and injuries and death. There is proof that females who normally encounter discrimination like sexual intimidation at work mostly report poor physical health (Villines, 2021). Stress as a result of gender prejudice could contribute to several chronic diseases such as pain, high blood pressure, and diabetes. Victims could develop poor living conditions and have little or no access to the essentials they need to survive. For instance, in the United States, the gender gap in pay confines women to earn less compared to men, and it is even lesser for females of color doing the same job (Villines, 2021). This reduces the victims’ capabilities to afford food, safe housing, and health insurance leading them to stress (Villines, 20121). Discrimination sometimes has a direct impact on female genital mutilation for younger girls below the age of 15 years oftentimes leads to deaths (Villines, 2021). Girls who survive the practice usually experience extreme pain, bleeding, diseases, and prolonged sexual health problems.

Conclusion

Gender is the socially constructed characteristics of individuals such as norms, behaviors, roles, and relationships with one another. The gender identity of a person is usually revealed internally and may not match their biological sex at birth. However, many societies oftentimes have stereotypes about gender and confuse it with the biological sex of a male or a female. It should not be so because gender is shaped by individual choice, self-perception, and social interactions. Some persons may choose not to identify with any gender while others could identify as transgender, thus, only individuals themselves can decide what their gender is.

Globally, many cultures are influenced by traditional beliefs that categorize what society deems appropriate for girls, boys, women, and men. This over the years has led to a harmful systemic impact on the victims because their choices are suppressed and prejudiced by cultural norms. The traditions in several societies do not accord women the opportunity to independently decide for themselves what is good. Their voices are undermined, they are denied control over their lives, and are forced to conform to what society considers suitable.

Further, conventional cultures still do not accept transgender individuals who have been facing hate, discrimination, and profiling because they decided to go public about their gender choices. This is because the typical gender roles in society expect men and women to act, speak, dress, groom, and conduct themselves based on their biological sex distinctions at birth. It has led to inequalities based on gender or sexual orientation leading to poverty, gender-based violence, employment discrimination, physical and mental health problems for the victims; injuries, and even deaths. This should change to allow individuals who want to self-declare the gender with which they choose to identify with, and to express themselves externally, to do so freely without fear.

References

Alston, K. (2018). The transgender arguments dividing society. BBC News.

Cliffs Notes. (n.d.). Gender roles.

Fahy, A. (2022). How gender discrimination affects women across the globe. Concern Worldwide.

Ghosh, S. (2020). Gender Identity.Medscape.

Landsberg, T. (2020). Masculinity and gender roles undergoing change. DW.

Ott, M. (2021). Series: What does that mean? Gender-based violence. Women for Women International.

Plan international. (2022). Challenging gender discrimination: a how-to guide.

UNICEF. (2022). Gender-based violence in emergencies.

Villines, Z. (2021). Effects of gender discrimination on health. Medical News Today.

World Health Organization. (n.d.). Gender and health.

Zambon, V. (2020). What are some different types of gender identity? Medical News Today.

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