Fundamentals of Gender Equality

Are you someone who has wondered why there is so much of gender injustice in every society? Why women are raped and sexually assaulted? Why men, who do not conform to the societal standards of “masculinity” are teased and harassed? Why the society tries to restraint freedom of choice of an individual?

As a woman, have you wondered why restrictions are placed on your mobility? Why you are always advised to look “good” as per some standards given to you? Why your male colleagues earn more than you for the same job that you both do? Why you were pushed into home science subjects when you wanted to study engineering? Why you have little or no control over your income? Why you have little or no ownership of family property?

As a man, do you feel stifled when you are rebuked for showing emotions of love and compassion? Do you always feel it a pressure to protect your sister or get tired of being dropped last after a workplace dinner? Do you find it unfair that you are expected to pay the bill when you go out with a woman friend, or when you and not your sister is forced to become breadearners?

Are you someone who has wondered whether patriarchy always existed or whether human beings created patriarchy? Why is “power” used only to dominate and control? Can power be used to empower?

If one or more of these questions have struck you, then this course will help you find the answers. It will also answer many, many more questions and together you will will be able to construct an empowering and liberating new reality.

So, what will you get from this course?

This 5-hour long course is power-packed with a new vision of the world, which we have endeavored to convey through information sharing, and by encouraging reflection and introspection. It is instructed by well-known gender expert, Ms. Kamla Bhasin, who has extensive experience of working with the UN as well as the grassroots on issues of gender and human rights.

You get introduced to the basic concepts of how genderization occurs from the time we are born, how this genderization becomes the basis for gender inequality, and how gender inequality in turn becomes the basis for gender-based violence. The course explores patriarchy as the mindset and as a “system” that is the root cause of gender inequality and gender-based violence. The course also explores how the patriarchal mindset subverts positive humanly qualities, and controls the larger world of states, governments, policies, frameworks, and laws through the doctrine of coercion and greed.

Throughout the course, the instructor encourages reflection and suggests that the current paradigm CAN change if we each become the torch bearers of change.

What will you get in terms of how the course is taught?

The course is taught in lecture-mode with lots of examples and case studies, questions for reflection, interactive quizzes, and activities to help you connect. All activities are available as a separate download for those of you who conduct gender workshops yourselves.

Furthermore, each lesson begins with a statement of what you will cover in that lesson and ends with a reinforcement of what you have learned. There is text on screen to summarize the main points along with graphics and short videos as support media.

What else do you get?

The instructor uses an impersonalized method in her lecture delivery exuding sympathy, warmth, and understanding with a dash of humour. She has endeavoured to make concepts like gender, patriarchy, and masculinity connect to our personal lives and daily experiences, bringing them out from the realm of “somebody else’s” problem. At best, this is a life skill course.

However, please remember, this is a basic course on gender and patriarchy; hence each component discussed in this course needs further in-depth inquiry and learning. Therefore, it is likely you will have clarifications and questions. Please do not hesitate to post your questions.

If all this sounds like it will benefit your understanding of the world, your life, and your relationships, then get ready to add this course to your cart and make it a part of your life journey.

Content and Overview

This course is divided into five lessons:

Lesson 1: Understanding Gender – In this lesson, you will understand the concept of gender, how genderization takes place in society, how it creates inequalities, and how these inequalities become the basis for gender-based violence. This lesson also covers an important thought – that gender norms can and do change with time and provides an outline of how gender norms can be altered for better human relationships In society.

Lesson 2: Patriarchy – In this lesson, you will understand the patriarchal system that accompanies gender and how they together create inequalities between the male and the female. You will get to understand the social realities and experiences of patriarchy with numerous examples such that you can relate it to your real-life circumstances. Interesting questions such as whether all men benefit from patriarchy and why some women support patriarchy will also get addressed.

Lesson 3: Masculinity – In this lesson, you will deep dive into the understanding of “masculinity,” particularly “hegemonic” masculinity as the mindset responsible for fuelling all sorts of violence in the world today – from domestic violence and rape to wars and environmental destruction. You will also learn what it takes to bring about the paradigm shift as parents, as partners, as a friend to someone, as a colleague to someone else, as a citizen, etc.

Lesson 4: Feminism – In this lesson, you will learn about an “ism,” which at its core envisages a gender equal-world. In this process, you will see many myths around it get dispelled with sound logic. The lesson also contains a case study for you to assess the struggles of men and women against patriarchy in your part of the world. This is available to download.

Lesson 5: Equality & Empowerment – In the concluding lesson, you will learn about the goals of equality and empowerment in the world and why most countries today consider gender equality and women’s empowerment to be essential for the development and well being of families, communities, and nations. You will realize that no nation, society, and family can flourish and be happy if fifty percent of their population, that is, women and girls, are not respected, free, and happy.