What inequalities do people face as a result of their gender? Gender inequalities Learning objective: All will be able to identify and explain the reasons for greater gender equality. What is gender? What inequalities do people face as a result of their gender?

Connector In pairs, discuss the answers to these questions: 5 Mins In pairs, discuss the answers to these questions: What do you think is the relationship between these two people? What do their poses suggest about the roles of men and women? Now, read the caption beneath the image. How does it suggest that she is less important than him? Possible suggestions students usually say: A boss and his secretary, husband and wife, equal business partners, politicians,... She’s standing behind him which implies she is less important. He is the future King of Jordan (has since succeeded to the throne), while she is nothing more than his wife. In actual fact, she is very well educated and had a career in finance before she married him. Now, in her role as the Queen, she campaigns for universal, global primary education. Crown Prince Abdullah, heir to the Jordanian throne, with his wife Princess Rania Yassin

Sex and gender Sex refers to biological differences between women and men which are based on their physical characteristics, e.g. male and female. Therefore, sex is biologically determined depending on a person’s reproductive organs. Gender refers to different expectations society has of women and men’s behaviour, e.g. in our society we expect people of female sex (women) to be feminine and people of male sex (men) to be masculine. Therefore, gender characteristics are learnt through the process of socialisation. In other words, gender is socially constructed. This means that ideas of how women and men should behave vary from society to society and over time. For example, there are tribes in Africa where men wear make up and try to look pretty, while in Britain in the 19th century pink was seen as a boys’ colour and blue as girls’. Students understand the difference between Sex and Gender

Task 1 – Reasons for greater gender equality Label the cards and match the reason for greater gender equality with a picture. Then, match the reason with its explanation. Glue them into your book. 15 Mins

Reasons for greater gender equality The Suffragette Movement – This was the movement that fought for women’s right to vote at the start of the 20th century. It involved both peaceful and violent protest and some women even died fighting for women’s rights. Women were granted the same voting rights as men in 1928. Since then, women and men have been more equal because now MPs have to consider women’s interests if they are to get our vote. WWI and WWII – During the First and Second World Wars women made a huge contribution to the war effort by taking on jobs in factories and on the land that were previously seen as men’s jobs. Therefore, women showed they were as capable as men which started to change people's attitudes to women. Compulsory education of children and nursery schools – This has reduced the need for women to stay at home in order to take care of pre-school children. Therefore, they are able to go out to paid work which gives them greater financial independence and a greater say in the family.

Reasons for greater gender equality Feminist movement – This was the movement that fought for women’s greater equality with men in aspects of life such as education, employment and the law in the 1960s. It managed to change social attitudes towards women as well as force the government to introduce laws which make discrimination illegal. Reliable contraception – This improved in the 1960s and it enables women to control their fertility by limiting the number of children they have. This then enables them to go out to work. Changes in employment – The service industry has grown in the last 30 years and the types of jobs it offers tend to be seen as more suited to women.

Task 2 – Are women and men really equal? Draw this table We will now look at whether men and women are really equal? Women and men are equal in Britain today Women and men are still not equal in Britain today 20 Mins

Women and men are equal In 1928 women were granted the right to vote in elections so since then women and men have had the same political rights. Women have the same rights to education as men. Women make up half the workforce in Britain and more women are working than ever before. This gives them greater financial independence. Over the last 40 years, many legal changes have happened in our society towards greater gender equality. For example, anti-discrimination laws have been passed to make women and men equal in education and employment, e.g. Equal Pay Act 1970 and Sex Discrimination Act 1975. These laws have therefore made sexism illegal. Sexism is discrimination based on sex. Students take notes

Women are men are not equal Women still experience sex discrimination within the workplace . Despite the Equal Pay Act and Sex Discrimination Act, gender inequalities still exist in employment. For example: Occupations are gendered – seen as predominantly suitable for women, e.g. nursing or men, e.g. fire fighting. Women and men working in the same occupation, women are more likely to be in low or medium level jobs, while men tend to be promoted to the high level, managerial, jobs. It is said that women are held back by the glass ceiling – an invisible barrier to promotion. Many women work in part-time, low status jobs. Even though it is illegal, many firms still pay women less for doing the same job as men. Students take notes

Feminist theory on gender equality Fill in the gaps in the text to sum up the Feminist point of view on gender equality. Feminists argue that, despite __________ changes, society is still organised in a way that benefits __________ more than __________. This is because society is __________ – controlled by men. women men legal patriarchal 5 Mins

Feminist theory on gender equality Feminists argue that, despite legal changes, society is still organised in a way that benefits men more than women. This is because society is patriarchal controlled by men. Answers

Review Work on your own to answer these short mark exam questions: Identify two reasons why women’s average earnings are lower than men’s average earnings. (2 marks) 10 Mins

Women tend to work part-time, men full-time. Women are less likely to be in managerial positions which pay more. Identify two ways in which gender could affect an individual’s life chances. (2 marks) Women are less likely to be promoted at work. Women are more likely to do more domestic labour even if they work full time in paid employment. Identify two ways in which gender differences in society have changed. (2 marks) Women today have an equal right to property to men, e.g. In cases of divorce. Women have an equal right to education.