What is gender. Difference dictates mass consciousness

WHAT IS GENDER?

Gender is the definition of women and men based on their social role... This is not the same as gender (the biological characteristics of women and men), and not the same as a woman. Gender is defined by the concept of tasks, functions and roles assigned by society to women and men in their public and private life.

[Gender aspects: application practice.
Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation]

Gender approach differs in that it is directed at women and men, and not at women separately. A gender approach highlights:

• differences between the interests of men and women, even within the same household how they interact and express;
• traditions and hierarchies that determine the position of women and men in the family, community and society as a whole, through which men usually dominate women;
• differences between women and men based on age, wealth, ethnicity and other factors;
• direction of change in gender roles and relationships, which is often quite rapid as a result of social, economic and technological trends.

Gender equality implies equal possession by women and men of socially valuable goods, opportunities, resources and rewards. Gender equality does not mean that men and women become the same, but that their opportunities and life chances are equal.

Gender analysis takes into account the social and economic differences between women and men at every stage of policy development in order to:

• identifying the potentially different impacts of policies, programs and legislation on women and men;
• ensuring equal results for women and men, boys and girls, in the implementation and planning of measures.

[Canadian International Development Agency]

Make gender an integral part in relation to water, as defined by the World Water Vision is as follows:

“A gender approach includes addressing both practical and gender needs, such as improving conditions for women through the provision of water and sanitation near the home, as well as strategic gender needs: improving the position of women in society by raising her awareness of the situation and the ability to accept decisions and influence change. The gender perspective also seeks to prevent further burdens on women and emphasizes the importance of not automatically reinforcing and perpetuating traditional roles. This implies the need to consider both men and women, as men need to change their attitudes and behavior in order to support this process. ”

[World Water Vision, 1999]

The word "gender" was borrowed from grammar and introduced into behavioral sciences by sexologist John Money, who in 1955, when studying intersexuality and transsexuality, needed to distinguish between, so to speak, general sex properties, gender as a phenotype, from sexual-genital, sexual-erotic and sex-procreative qualities. Then it became widely used by sociologists, lawyers and American feminists. At the same time, it has always been and remains ambiguous.

In the social sciences, and especially in feminism, "gender" has acquired a narrower meaning, denoting "social gender", that is, socially determined roles, identities and spheres of activity of men and women that depend not on biological sex differences, but on social organization society. The central place in gender studies is occupied by the problem of social inequality between men and women.

The word gender in English language denotes the distinguished masculinity or femininity of a person, a characteristic, or a non-human organism. The division into male and female is similar to the division into male and female in biology.

In countries where documentary proof of identity is developed, the social gender usually coincides with the sex assigned in the documents, that is, with the passport gender, excluding cases of transgender

Gender (social gender) in a broad sense does not necessarily coincide with the biological sex of an individual, with his or her parenting gender, or with his / her passport sex.

Usually, two genders can be distinguished in a society - male and female, but the set of genders is much wider, there are communities with four or more genders. The social gender of witches, for example, did not coincide with the social gender of ordinary women and was closer in social role to the male social sex.

V modern world who is in step with the times and is in a race for human equality, expressions and grievances related to gender often slip through. Grievances are also associated with discrimination on this basis. Let's understand these concepts and find out where the roots come from.

Congenital and acquired qualities

Seems, what is the concept of gender and gender- they are one and the same, there is no difference in them. However, this is not the case, the differences are still significant. Let's try to find out what gender is and the definition of "sex".

You were born a man or a woman - this is determined already at birth. The differences and divisions are obvious. This factor is biological. In this case, this position does not change and does not depend on the will of the person.

However, medicine has stepped forward a long time ago. Now development, innovation, plastic surgery have stepped to more high level... Medicine is capable of gender reassignment.

In some cases, it may not even be possible to accurately determine it. There are incidents when there are signs of both male and female hormones, sex characteristics, so it complicates judgment.

As Wikipedia says, gender is associated with biological and anatomical characteristics of the body, but gender is associated with:

• society
• social life
• education

Simply put, boys and girls are born, but men and women become in the process of life. This applies not only to upbringing, but in general how people are influenced by life in society, culture, and self-awareness.

Time does not stand still, therefore the concept of "gender" is changing. When it was the 19th century, men and women were distinguished as follows: the ladies had long braids, they wore dresses. And the men were short-haired and wore trousers. However, now this is not a definition of gender.

In past centuries, the female sex could not hold high-ranking positions in politics, engage in business projects. It was considered something immoral and impossible, however, over time and progress it became commonplace. And now you will not surprise anyone with this. However, gender is still judged and divided between men and women.

Difference dictates mass consciousness

Many factors depend on the level of culture and development of society. Social behavior can only be imposed on those individuals who think incorrectly and are not sufficiently enlightened.

For example, a man owes something and a woman owes something. The difference and separation between men and women is related to their responsibilities. For example, a man must:

• be the head of the family
• get more money
• have a whole set of characteristics - masculinity, toughness, aggressiveness
• choose professions of a male character
• love sports
• be a fisherman
• strive to climb the career ladder

There is exactly the same list for the female sex. For example, a woman should be, as they say, "real", get married, have children, be soft and compliant and choose a profession of a woman's orientation. And the rest of the time, which should be a lot, to devote to the family.

Of course, these stereotypes cause violent and emotional reactions among rebels. After all, now everything is mixed up: many couples do not want to burden themselves with relationships, marriage, and even more so with children. And all the energy is directed for career advancement, for work and life for pleasure.

Gender problems are born out of this kind of thinking. Often, nursing women have to support the whole family, earn money for bread and food, while a man may not work, but, on the contrary, go to maternity leave... Either another option: sacrifices for the sake of a career, or men who feel like a woman at heart. They are fond of embroidery. It turns out that neither this nor the other case corresponds to their gender.

All people are equal

So what is the gender feature - is it a stereotype? V different countries this problem is interpreted in its own way.

For example, in Spanish society, that representative of the stronger sex who cooks well is equated with a "real macho". But for the Slavs, this is a woman's work and is not at all a man's work. From here, problems develop, women feel such discrimination, they try to prove their equality, defend their rights and declare themselves as individuals. And leadership positions are most often assigned to the stronger sex.

To address this problem, some countries are pursuing gender policies. This means:

• the state is responsible for the establishment of equality between the sexes and the elimination of differences
• legal norms are created
• an equal society without prohibitions is created

All these actions are aimed at eliminating gender stereotypes.

Gender: definition

Concept "Gender" means social gender. It determines how a person will behave in a certain role as a man or a woman. This includes prohibitions on certain behavior.

Gender significance in society indicates which profession a person should choose based on his biological gender.

For example, there are obvious differences between Orthodox and Muslim women. From the anatomical position, they are equal, however, by gender they will occupy different niche in society.

So, the concept of "gender" appeared for the following reasons:

• as part of the exploration of a new identity
• studied in the years of the activation of feminist sentiments

All these concepts, one way or another, divide people by gender.

Even 60 years ago, a famous physician of that time studied gender differences. He called this kind of differentiation gender. Then studies were provoked by the emergence of new types of people - transsexuals and intersex people. However, then this term remained just a scientific concept.

But after, 10 years later, feminists appeared. They defended their equality and rights. They had their own charter and ideology. Supporters and participants actively maneuvered the concept of gender.

Medicine is based on the same principle

, differences in gender characteristics also exist in medical practice. Even exists whole view science "Gender medicine". This means that a certain disease will be treated differently in men and women. This applies even if the representatives are in the same age categories. This difference is due to the fact that organisms are arranged differently.

The male and female half have a difference not only in gender, sex, but also in physiology:

• men have a pronounced testosterone - this is a purely inherent hormone
• in women - estrogen and progesterone

Therefore on different situations there are various reactions, including emotional ones.

And some diseases are more inherent in men, others - in women. The same difference exists in stressful situations and during the onset of pain. For example, if a woman complains about something, she must first be tested for hormones, because they affect the entire body as a whole.

This gender trait can also manifest itself in morale and emotional health. Let's say women feel great if they speak at least 20 thousand words a day, and men only need 8 thousand.

It's not a secret for anyone that the difference between sexes and gender lies in the reaction to this or that circumstance. Women are mainly guided by feelings and emotionality, but men behave in a more restrained manner and are guided mainly by logic.

Therefore, even psychologists different approaches to people by gender, because people are different inside.

Manifestation of gender in modern society

So, the concept of "gender" was discussed above, now let's look at specific examples in order to better understand what is at stake.

Why is it said that gender judgments are stereotypes? Probably because there are women who are such only externally. And there are no special differences between others. However, under all the external tinsel - makeup, wig, clothes and heels, a man is hiding. The only difference is that, on a biological basis, he is male, but morally he feels like a woman.

Another example -... This term was actively mentioned in the 2000s. Now this concept is absolutely not surprising to anyone. This has become the norm. There are a lot of metrosexuals: in magazines, movies, music videos, in nightclubs. Under this description specific example is a man who is very attentive to himself, takes care of his appearance, corresponds fashion trends... You can oppose such a personality to the so-called "real man" who does not bother much about his appearance and has more strong-willed and solid character traits.

How to identify a metrosexual from the crowd:

• he loves to shop
• the whole closet is full of fashionable things
• wears a variety of clothing accessories - scarf, glasses, watches, bracelets, rings, badges, jewelry
• does not hesitate to paint nails, hair, remove hair from hairy areas of the skin

Therefore, there is such a division, it all depends on preferences and self-awareness. At the same time, a metrosexual can be both gay and a normal man. You can't guess here.

Be that as it may, even such a trait as metrosexuality leaves a man a man. After all, this trait does not affect gender. For example, in the 18th century there was such a fashion. Men wore makeup, heels, wigs, and adorned themselves abundantly with accessories.

Another example is the men of Scotland. According to their culture, they wear skirts, and the Arabs wear dresses at all. There were also references to the love of samurai for each other in history, the Greeks conveyed their unconventional sexual inclination in works of art. At the same time, men fought, participated in wars, started families and left offspring.

For example, the difference in gender is also in logic. Men make fun of women, and women laugh at men. All this also applies to gender stereotypes imposed by society and culture.

Is androgyny a progress in consciousness?

More and more society is interested in such a concept as "Androgyny"... Simply put, it is a duality of gender. It manifests itself both externally and internally. Not only spiritual practices, but also religions speak about 2-cavity or asexuality. For example, the Bible says that angels are sexless creatures, just like our souls do not have a sexual characteristic.

In a person, androgyny manifests itself when there is:

• feeling of two sexes inside
• addition of one personality to another
• existence in one body of two persons

This was discussed even in the period of antiquity. Even the ancient Greek scriptures have discussed this phenomenon.

Now androgyny is part of psychological state person. It turns out that with androgyny, a person has both male and female characteristics. And this applies to appearance, including. However, it all starts with the spiritual: how a person thinks, how he behaves, what habits and manners he has. Sometimes boys are very similar to girls, even the voice speaks of female field... Anrogyny does not mean that a person has problems with orientation.

It's hard for a person to be androgynous in the modern world. Because you have to choose who you are. Therefore, you always need to maintain a balance in your states. As practice shows, gender does not play a role here at all. And the choice may not be made in his favor. All this can cause ridicule and reproaches from the society. In extreme cases, condemnation and violence against this person.

Androgynes tend to choose a certain style for themselves in which they are comfortable. It is not necessary to do an operation for this, you can choose clothes, hairstyle, demeanor that is as close to the person as possible.

For example, in America, freedom in this regard is obvious. There are over 30 types of gender personality that a person can choose. And all this is enshrined in law.

Is there equality

In the world, in many countries, even among Muslims, where women are in a niche below men, they also talk about gender equality. These disputes have changed many laws and expanded human rights. What does equality mean?

The idea is that people have the same opportunities in different areas of life. This applies to the systems of education and science, medicine and health care, law and order. This means:

• free choice of a particular job, regardless of gender
• access to government activities
• starting a family
• parenting

Talking about inequality, then a lot of problems arise here, including violence. Because in the modern world they are already abandoning the stereotypes that existed in the past. For example, the fact that a man is an aggressive male, and a woman is an obedient and patient female. Such characteristics and "echoes of the past" allow men to have promiscuous sexual relations, and as for the female sex here, on the contrary, complete submission. This gives rise to a slavish attitude.

Nobody says that it is necessary to fight for equality, to create conflicts, however, society has already changed radically. For example, more and more women are occupying positions that are inherent in men - they join the ranks of police officers, rescuers, drivers, officials. On the other hand, men can be dancers, cultural figures. And there is nothing to be ashamed of here.

In addition, more and more often there are situations when a woman cannot afford to be a housewife and deal exclusively with everyday life and household. She works on a par with a man, while raising children and looking after the house. Although gender stereotypes are contrary to this routine.

However, in the countries of Saudi Arabia, there is still a certain hierarchy in the relationship between a man and a woman. This is due to mentality, religion and centuries-old traditions... For example, there a man still stands head and shoulders above a woman and can control her. This is considered the norm, accustomed to such a situation from childhood.

If we talk about the differences between men and women, there is an opinion that women value more family values, and men - independence and success. Nowadays, everything is mixed up and we see that everyone has different values. And it does not depend on gender.

Another gender issue is dual standards... It can manifest itself equally in any area or area of ​​life, even in personal relationships. For example, sexual behavior.

Men are characterized by a variety of sexual life. And the more partners there were before the wedding, the better. Gaining experience is useful and necessary for future relationships.

As for the females, they must marry innocent, otherwise it is considered bad form. Actually, earlier this was paid more attention than now. As more and more couples live in civil marriage, that is, according to the law, they are nobody to each other. It turns out that a man's connections are not condemned as vehemently as a woman's betrayal.

By the double standard, a man can dominate the sex life at will, while a woman can play the role of a follower.

Therefore, when it comes to education, it's up to you to decide. If you strive for gender equality, your child needs to show appropriate examples of behavior and communication with each other. And not discriminate against people based on gender. When it comes to professions, it is not necessary to emphasize what is purely for men and what is purely for women. You can show that dad can also do household chores, cook food, and mom can work and love football, go fishing with dad. And don't encourage violence. Emphasize that it is bad when a boy offends a girl, and when a girl responds and hurts after the boy, this is also insulting and wrong.

Gender equality does not change history, gender or character traits, it just helps you find your way of life, without relying on stereotypes - who can do what and who can not.

Gender issues in the modern world are attracting more and more attention, but the term “gender” itself has a rather vague definition, and in order to understand the origins and prospects of gender studies, it is worth recalling its etymology and history.

The term "gender" appeared in Russian as a transliteration of the Middle English gendre, and it was borrowed from the French in the era of the Norman conquests (the words "gender" and "genre" are actually the same root). And the French, in turn, used the Greek root "gen-", which means "to create" and is familiar to us by words such as "genesis" and "gene".

This word has been used for several centuries, but in its usual meaning it began to be used only in the second half of the twentieth century - before that it mostly meant grammatical gender. True, in the King James Bible, published in 1611, the verb "gender" was mentioned, which meant "to reproduce."

But people have been trying to figure out the conceptual difference between masculinity and femininity for a long time. At the same time, in many cultures, "masculine" has historically been identified with spirit, strength and rationality, and "feminine" - with matter, softness, chaos and emotionality. Carl Jung later became interested in the manifestations of the collective unconscious in mythology and culture - and singled out the archetypal images of the male and feminine- Animus and Animu. Jung associated the image of the Animus with categoricalness, criticality and outward activity, and the Anima with mood swings, sensuality and introversion. But interestingly, the psychologist believed that both principles are present in different proportions in every person, regardless of his biological sex and sexual orientation.

A number of gender nuances are really determined only by culture - for example, "female" and "male" colors of clothing

Sex-related features of the psyche, behavior and self-identification received a separate name in 1955, when sexologist John Money used the concept of "gender role", because he needed to distinguish general properties sex from directly sexual and reproductive. Mani not only created a new term, but immediately brought it beyond the simple opposition of masculinity / femininity. In Mani's interpretation, the concept of "gender" defined many characteristics - from physical and behavioral characteristics to self-identification and social role.

In the late 1950s, the idea was developed by psychoanalyst Robert Stoller, who worked at the University of California Los Angeles. In 1963, he spoke at a scientific congress in Stockholm with a report on gender identity, the study of which, in his opinion, should be separated from the natural sciences and transferred to the jurisdiction of psychologists and sociologists.

At that time, the idea did not cause much resonance, but in the 1970s, when liberal ideas and a second wave of feminism began, followed by women's rights activists. True, in their works, the term "gender" referred only to the female experience of experiencing stereotypes and social roles, which was compared with the male in social, cultural and psychological aspects... Such studies raised questions ranging from the fairness of the division of domestic labor to differences in scientific styles male and female scientists. Entire historical eras have been revised - studies have shown that women perceive the passage of time differently and evaluate historical meaning events.

Ten years later, men decided to answer the challenge: the so-called "male studies" appeared, aiming to solve the riddle of masculinity and push the rigid boundaries of the male gender role. We owe them, for example, the concept of "new parenting", according to which both parents take an equal part in the upbringing of the child.

Now the word "gender" refers primarily to the socio-psychological sex, which determines the behavior of a person in society and how this behavior is perceived. Gender studies pose an important question for us: what determines the feeling of being a man, a woman, or some kind of hybrid variant - on the characteristics biological device or the cultural context and demands of society? Should a person meet the criteria for "male" and "female" behavior just because he was born with a certain set of genitals? And what are "masculine" and "feminine" behavior?

There are still no unequivocal answers to these questions, but it is already clear that a number of gender nuances are really determined only by culture - for example, the colors of children's clothes. Back in the early twentieth century, it was believed that pink, as a more energetic color, is suitable for boys, and a more sophisticated blue for girls. The concept changed only in the late thirties. On the other hand, research continues to exist for physical differences between male and female brains, although opponents of "neurosexism" try to prove that these differences are not innate, but acquired.

One way or another, the perception of gender has changed a lot over the past two centuries: from the dichotomy of the sexes and the associated patriarchal attitudes, European civilization first came to the revolutionary idea of ​​equality, and then to a more subtle rethinking gender characteristics and the understanding that gender is not necessarily sex-related. V recent times there is a significant shift in the perception of gender roles: non-traditional sexual orientation, men and women boldly experiment with their inner animus and anima. Facebook recently offered American users 50 options for gender identity - for example, declare yourself intersex or androgynous.

The most radical manifestation of this process is the post-gender movement, whose adherents advocate the voluntary blurring of the boundaries between the sexes with the help of biotechnology. Postgenderists believe that the very existence of psychological and physical differences and gender roles exacerbates conflict in society, and if modern technologies will be able to solve the problem of artificial reproduction, then the need for gender and sex differentiation will disappear by itself.

How to say

Incorrect "I have picked up a kitten, but I can not determine its gender." Correctly - "determine its gender."

That's right "This year, many girls entered Baumanka - another blow to gender stereotypes."

That's right "Andrei Pezhich has not yet decided on his own gender - but this is what made him a popular model."

Quite often you can come across such expressions as "gender discrimination", "gender", "gender". In our time, when the rights of everyone and everything are protected practically in the whole world, when the words "tolerance" and "non-discrimination" sound from almost every receiver, these words appear especially often in the lexicon politicians, well-known human rights defenders, as well as people around them.

Not every person has a clear idea of ​​what this term means and everything associated with it. Most people who hear or use it confuse it with other designations: "gender" and "sex".

This article will describe what "gender" means, what "gender" is, and how "gender" and "sex" differ.

Gender - what is it?

To begin with, it is worth analyzing the very definition of the concept of "gender". Most people have a vague idea of ​​what gender is and how to use it in speech, but very often many simply confuse concepts without knowing their clear definitions.

Gender is a designation of the spectrum of a certain range of characteristics that refer to femininity and masculinity... That is, in fact, this is a list of characteristics that are inherent in representatives of a particular gender. That is why many people confuse this concept with gender and sex characteristics. But it should be remembered that there are significant differences between these two concepts.

What are the differences between gender and gender?

It is worth highlighting the main differences that exist between these two concepts. Basically, their definitions are quite similar... Both gender and gender mean distinctive features a representative of a certain gender. In this case, it is worth clarifying what features are in question:

Gender sign affects gender characteristics concerning the social definition of the individual. In the theory of social constructivism, as well as in gender studies, the concepts of "sex" and "gender" are opposed to each other. This opposition is based on the thesis that the differences between women and men are not of biological origin, but are imposed social structures for whom these gender designations are legitimate.

Gender implies division not by gender, but by such an ephemeral principle as "natural essence". That is, it is not biological gender that is taken as a basis, but one's own awareness of the individual. His own mental identity, his sense of being related to a particular gender, is the definition of his gender.

Social constructivism theory is a theory opposite to biological determinism, which assumes that a person belongs to sex, the characteristics of which were formed in him in the womb. Social constructivism calls into question this theory, which states that gender roles, sexual separation, are not given at birth, but manifest over time. To put it quite roughly, social constructivism asserts that women or men are not born, but become.

Gender and its characteristics are acquired by an individual not at birth, but over time. Each person has the right to decide for himself what gender he belongs to and what gender characteristics are closer to him. The definition of one's gender depends on the feelings of the individual himself, as well as on social relationships.

The history of the concept

It should be said about how in general this concept appeared. For the emergence of the definition of gender and gender characteristics, there was whole line certain prerequisites, which strongly influenced the need for the appearance at this stage of the development of society of such a concept.

• Back in 1955, sexologist John Money was studying sexual differentiation and introduced the concept of gender to define the social role of an individual, different from his biological sex. The need for this kind of research is due to the emergence of transsexual and intersex people. The emergence of individuals with a certain gender identity required the need to define them in society. True, it is worth noting that in those years this term did not really catch on, remaining just a scientific concept - part of the study.
• The widespread development of the term was observed in the early 1970s, when the feminist movement was active. Feminism was based on a certain theory in which social constructivism played a rather serious role. Theorists of the feminist movement used the concept of "gender" to separate sex characteristics given by nature to man from the norms and forms of human behavior, which in society are divided into "masculine" and "feminine".

The proclamation of the separation of the concept of "gender" and "sex" made it possible to question the biological definition of a person as "a manifestation of his destiny." This gave a serious impetus for the development of social and human sciences, since the introduction of such a lengthy concept as "gender" expanded the horizons of the study of human self-determination and social adaptation of each individual.

Use of the term at the present stage

On this moment the term gender is often used instead of gender. There is no clear delineation of situations in which this or that concept should be used. The use of one term instead of another depends on the views of the particular author.

Authors who are not in any way related to feminist theorists and who are not followers of their ideas most often use "gender" as a synonym for the term "sex". If the author of a scientific article simply does not see any special differences in them, he simply will not distinguish and separate them.

At the same time, feminists and followers of their movement have a clear position. The term "sex" is used by them quite rarely, and then only to condemn it. Most often, they use precisely "gender" or "gender characteristic", since they proclaim the freedom of self-determination of a person, regardless of his biological identification.

New industry social psychology- gender, considers the interaction of the sexes, their similarities, certain behavior in society, and some other issues. Anatomical differences between people do not play any role here. This direction helps to better understand the psychology of men and women and the developing relationship between them.

What does gender mean?

The term originated from the English. gender - gender, gender. It was introduced in the 1950s by the American sexologist John Money. The concept of gender in psychology characterizes social ideas about women and men, a set of qualities that a person displays while in society. You can have masculine and feminine gender, but this is not the limit. For example, in Thailand, five gender types are distinguished: heterosexuals, homosexuals, the third gender "katoy" and two types of homosexual women, distinguished by femininity and masculinity. Gender and biological sex may not match.

Gender and gender

These two concepts characterize the division of all people into two groups: male and female. Literally translated, the terms are equal and are sometimes used synonymously. However, initially these concepts are opposed to each other. The differences between sex and gender are as follows: the first refers to the biological, and the second to the social division of people. If the sex of a person is determined even before his birth by anatomical characteristics and does not depend in any way on the environment and culture, then gender - social gender - is associated with a whole system of ideas about behavior in society.

Gender identity

As a result of communication with other people and upbringing, a person realizes his belonging to a particular group. Then we can talk about gender identity. Already by the age of two or three, the child realizes whether he is a girl or a boy, begins to behave accordingly, to dress in clothes that are “correct” by his standards, and so on. Realization comes that gender is constant and cannot change over time. Gender is always a choice, right or wrong.

Gender is the conscious meaning of gender and the subsequent development of those behavioral models that are expected of a person in society. It is this concept, and not gender, that determines psychological characteristics, abilities, qualities, activities. All these aspects are regulated through legal and ethical norms, traditions, customs, education system.

Gender development

In gender psychology, two areas are distinguished: the psychology of sex and personality development. This aspect is determined by the gender of the individual. In the development of a person's personality, his immediate environment (parents, relatives, educators, friends) is directly involved. A child tries on gender roles, learns to be more feminine or more masculine, learns from adults how to communicate with people of the opposite sex. In man in varying degrees traits of both sexes may appear.

Gender in psychology is a fundamental dimension that characterizes social relations... But along with stable elements, it also contains changeable ones. For different generations, social strata, religious, ethnic and cultural groups, the perception of the role of men and women may differ. The formal and informal rules and norms that exist in the community change over time.

Psychology of gender relations in the family

Gender psychology pays great attention to the study of the relationship between gender groups and heterosexual subjects. She considers such an important side of life as the institution of marriage and family. The psychology of gender relations in the family identifies patterns of behavior:

1. Partnership, in which all responsibilities in the family do not have a strict separation, the spouses share them equally, and they also make decisions together.
2. Dominant-dependent, in which one of the spouses plays a dominant role, makes decisions in everyday matters. Most often, this role goes to the wife.

Gender issues

Differences in the behavior of people of different sexes can cause contradictions, both intrapersonal, and interpersonal and intergroup. Gender stereotypes are a well-established model of behavior that distorts opinions about both sexes. They drive people into narrow frameworks of rules and impose a certain model of behavior, create grounds for discrimination and are closely associated with it. This is due to certain problems, which include gender:

• inequality (different opportunities in society for different groups);
• gender-role stress (difficulty maintaining a prescribed role);
• stereotypes;
• discrimination.

Gender conflicts

People have different perceptions of gender values ​​and roles. When personal interests collide with accepted norms, a serious disagreement arises. A person does not want or cannot correspond to those attitudes that society and gender behavior dictates to him. In a general sense, psychology considers gender conflicts as social. They are based on the struggle for their own interests. From the point of view of narrower interpersonal relationships conflicts are clashes between people. The most common of these occur in the family and the professional field.

Gender discrimination

One of the most pressing problems of gender relations is known as sexism. In this case, one sex is preferred over the other. Gender inequality is emerging. Representatives of both sexes can be subject to discrimination in labor, legal, family and other spheres, although most often they talk about the infringement of women's rights. An attempt to achieve equality with the "stronger sex" gave rise to such a thing as feminism.

This form of sexism is open, but most often it is veiled, since its explicit manifestation is fraught with consequences both in the political and public spheres. The latent form can be:

• neglect;
• humiliation;
• bias;
• various negative manifestations in relation to people of the opposite sex.

Gender-based violence

Gender inequality and discrimination become the basis of conflict when a person acts violently against a member of the opposite sex. Gender-based violence is an attempt to demonstrate one's sexual superiority. Four types of such violence are recognized: physical, psychological, sexual and economic. One - a gender usurper - is trying to seize power by force. Most often, a man acts as a despot, since in modern society the dominance of women is not proclaimed.

Gender psychology is a young field scientific knowledge. Psychological research in this area, the emphasis is on the study of the personal characteristics of both sexes. The main achievements of this science are the study of behavior tactics and strategies in overcoming. So, for example, a woman can and should be successful in business, and a man in the family arena. Not anatomical features, but adherence to prescribed gender roles and successful overcoming of emerging problems and conflicts make it possible to be called a man or a woman.