Changing Perspectives on Gender

This article explores various feminist theories on gender and their impact on gender equality. The theories discussed include gender performativity, gender trouble, feminist perspective of science, and more. The article also highlights the challenges faced by women due to discrimination based on race, color, and ethnicity.

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CHANGING PERSPECTIVES ON GENDER
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CHANGING PERSPERCTIVE ON GENDER
Introduction
Women rights have been the major issue under concern in the globe today. Advocates,
politicians and sociologist have been working to promote gender equality whereby men and
women, girls and boys will have equal rights, power and opportunities in our everyday life.
Unequal treatment of men and women in the society has raised an alarm and has led to negative
consequence in the community. Women being the victims of the inequality, the traditional
treatment of women has led to evolution of feminism. The frequent medicalization of women
due mental problems that arise from domestic violence, the inequality in power in the work
places, lack of voting rights, properties ownership right, right to education, discriminations due
to gender, race and color are major factors that has influenced the social workers to advocate for
women rights. As stated by Butler and Scott (2013), Feminists believe in social, political and
economical equality of the sexes. Such experiences stirred the feminists to form strong bonds of
solidarity which eventually led to feminism movement (Rowbotham, Segal and Wainwright
2013). The campaigns against women mistreatment has been successful in fighting women
suffrage in Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan and other countries where women had no right to vote or
via for leadership positions (Fawcett 2018). However, there has been a shift of the feminist
discourse since the era of liberal and radical feminism. Liberal feminism discourse suggests that
women must think and behave in ways that are traditionally perceived to be for men for them to
achieve equal status. This encourages women to be independent and to support themselves
financially. While the radical feminism discourse tends to promote women segregation by
pointing out that women are different and the differences they bring in the society should be

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celebrated. These different thoughts on gender and feminism have led to development of various
feminism theories.
In Butler (2010) gender performativity theory, she describes gender as a stylized repeated
act. That is, continuous performance of an act in a certain manner dictates our gender. That is,
our everyday action, behavior, speech and dressing code describe our masculinity or femininity
identity. Butler does not accept the gender identity that is formulated by the society. The society
attaches gender to our biological sex, and it constructs gender roles that are to be performed by a
man or woman. The gender roles are taught to children and they grow knowing them.The society
expects a woman to dress, walk or behave in a feminine manner. Laws are set to makes people
conform to gender norms.However, Butler claim that gender is real to the extent it is performed.
In her work in From Performativity to Precarity, she indicates that when one does not conform
to the constructed gender roles by the society one is prone to being exposed to precarities such as
violence, discrimination, displacement which can eventually lead to malnutrition or death. The
theory therefore views objectification of women as the major cause of gender inequality. As
according to Heflick and Goldenberg (2009), the perception of women as objects and as less
humans has exposed them to sexual assaults and discrimination in places of work (p. 599). For
instance, in Afghanistan, women had no freedom of movement out of their house or freedom to
seek medical attention incase of disease. They were to move out of the house in company of a
male gender due to the perception that they were objects and had no freedom to make decisions
of their own (Kapoor 2008).
Gender trouble theory by Butler (2011), seek to deconstruct the essential gender identity
that is socially constructed and to criticize the domination of women by men which she felt led to
oppression of people who are homosexual and transgender. As asserted by Ferfolia (2013),

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lesbians and gay men are usually derided, harassed, silenced and made invisible in Australia.
This discrimination is reinforced through social, cultural and political institutions (p. 169). Butler
viewed the definition of gender in the societal way as a limitation since she did not view gender
as natural. The gender roles from the society perspective limited these lesbians and gays freedom
to enjoy their sexual right. In her theory, she argues that gender and sex have binary association
and gender identity is complex in relation to sex. She pointed out that gender identity has caused
inequality in politics due to the notion of man dominance and this affects productivity. In this
theory, she reflects on the value of trouble and how to live in it. She further noted that it is
important to identify what is expected of us when one is in trouble. Here she challenged that
feminism politics should be embraced regardless of male dominance by creating political trouble
through feminism politics. She viewed trouble making as the appropriate intervention for gender
discrimination.
In feminist perspective of science theory, Crasnow et al (2009) affirm that
underrepresentation of women in the field of science has been a practice for a long time. As
asserted by Gunnarsson (2007), this has affected the reliability and production of knowledge in
science (p.351). feminists have identified women discrimination in science inquiry. The theory
therefore view gender as relating to norms where a woman is viewed as inferior and whose
opinions cannot be put into consideration especially in critical matters. The knowledge knower
has been considered to be the male scholars. However, research has indicated that the entry of
female scholars into science has led to development of more questions which are relevant to
science research. This has enhanced the reliability of results and has motivated more research.
This theory stated that there is biasness against women in the science field. As stated by Pollack
(2013), physicists, chemists and biologists prefer a young male scientist for hire than a female

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with similar qualifications. This has discouraged women from engaging in science due to
marginalization.
Simians, Cyborgs and women theory developed by Haraway (2013), indicates the
importance of gender, science and technology. This theory evaluates the claims about women
innate nature in immunology, socio-biology and primatology. Animals for example primates
have been used for research to explain the human nature. While cyborgs which are cybernetic
energy, as implied by Haraway, humans are cyborgs and the relationship between the Simians,
cyborgs and women elaborate the behavior of female gender when exposed to certain conditions.
Abuse of women in businesses, technology and entertainment has been highly contributed by
their innate nature of inferiority. However, Haraway suggests that men should examine how they
benefit from a system that oppress women. This will help to develop methods of fighting
discrimination. And promote the gender equality. Research has indicated that women are
different. Therefore, these differences needto be appreciated and they should be allowed to use
utilize these differences for their benefits rather than discriminating them.
The cyborgs manifesto by Haraway (1991), where she views gender as having
boundaries. In her theory she gives account of the international feminist movement with an aim
of homogenizing women experiences. Though the experiences cut along the border, all women
who are exposed to gender inequality mostly have similar experiences. For instance, women
oppression contributed by color differences suffers similar treatments all over the globe. The
feminist therefore through technology, feel they can create an environment with gender
boundaries such that there are no aspects of feminism or masculinity. As Haraway use cyborg in
this theory, she defines it as a cybernetic energy. This is due to technology development. She
states that humans have become more connected to technology and this tend to change our

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experiences. Consequently, it leads to development of a world free of gender and hence no
discrimination. In this theory human are related to cyborgs. She indicates that humansare not
different from animals and that they evolved from the animal
Kimmels theory (2005) as seen in his work in the Handbook of studies on men and
masculinities,men superiority to women has been a key player in gender inequality. As he states
that the society tend to favour men over women due to their status in the community. However,
feminists strongly oppose this and claim that women are equal to men and hence they should be
given equal chances of employment, expression and leadership. This tend to promote women
independence and promote financial stability by engaging in activities the society claims to be
for men. This theory has raised a lot of questions in finding to determine whether women are
capable of performing as men in a specific field especially technical field. In his work he points
out that masculinity is equated with human rationality of men and women were marked by
sexuality, emotions, and their bodies. This made women more inferior to men. In contrary as
asserted by Pettifor, Macphai, Anderson and Maman (2012), in relationship where there is love,
financial independence follows and this increases productivity in a family (p. 485). That is, if a
woman is given equal chance as a man in terms of employment, there is high possibility of
financial stability and this provides equal chance of making decision. However, superiority of
man has been evidenced in various disciplines in our daily lives. For example, man dominate in
the research field, technology field and executive jobs. This has always given men an upper hand
in the society as compared to women who the society views as week and volatile objects. This
exposes the women to violence, discrimination and oppression.
Moraga’s andAnzaldua (2015),indicated that gender was a core factor in the
discrimination of “women of color” in America. In their bookThis bridge called back: Writings

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by radical women of color, Intersectional aspects such as age, race, sex orientation and color
contributed to the oppression they experienced. As they elaborated through their testimonies and
interviews, they had been discriminated and oppressed to a large extent to a point of some of the
feminists losing their lives. White women were oppressed due to their gender but had an
advantage of the race. However, the black women had both disadvantages of gender and color.
As according to bell hooks notion of on marginal position experienced by black women and
double burden of race and gender hadworsen their conditions in America. This theory therefore
claim that gender is a tool of discrimination and oppression. Feminist identified deprivation of
equal treatment with men of the same qualifications and economic status which provoked them
to form feminism movement to fight for women rights. The deprivation of equal treatment was
vividly evident in the process of seeking employment. Men had ease in finding jobs as compared
to women regardless of their color. Furthermore, women who were lucky in securing jobs were
paid low salaries compared to their counterparts. However, these oppressions were more
severefor black women.
Moreton- Robinson (2000), in his book Duggabaibah or place of whiteness: Australian
feminist and race, similarly argues on intersectionality of race, gender, sex and whiteness. He
points out that racism has occupied a big margin in Australia where non-white women are
discriminated against. He points out that the case become worse when gender comes to play. As
according to bell hooks notion of white supremacy, the white enjoys more advantages than the
non- whites. For instance, the middle class white women had privileges over the non-whites even
in the feminism group, the white feminists could not hide their racial privileges. It was evident
that they could not appreciated fellow non-white feminists. In this theory, Morten confirms that
racial factor highly contributed to non-white women discrimination and oppression. As stated by

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Sharma a physiologist, non-white women have struggled to overcome social, cultural and
institutional barriers in their attempt to gain equality. This indicates that Australia is far from
achieving gender equality. Cases of sexual harassment in place of work have been reported by
these women though no action is taken against the perpetrators who are mostly whites. The
marginalized, oppressed women suffer risks of losing their jobs, sexual harassments, domestic
violence and lack of opportunity to express oneself.
These feminists’ thoughts that indicates discrepancies each having a different view on
gender has facilitated development of various theories that support the gender equality. Though it
is a dilemma to the globe, the theories help in policies making and also in implementation of
interventions necessary for gender equality. However, these theories have been criticized and
others have been positively recommended for their intensive role in demolishing gender
inequality.
Conclusively, gender equality is achieved when both men and women enjoy equal rights,
opportunities and ease access to resources. Gender equality being the third Millennium goal,
research indicates that the goal is far from being attained (Kabeer 2005, p. 479). As shown by the
various feminists discussed above, gender has been described differently. It is viewed as
performativity where a stylized act or behavior in a day to day life is termed as gender. This
aspect of gender that sometimes tend to cause gender trouble due to men being seen as superior
than woman and denying them the opportunity to access executive job or running for top seats in
the government. The feminist comes out strong and suggest that trouble should be created to
enhance achievement of gender equality. Science has also shown some degree of discrimination
to female scientist. Gender has also been compared to masculinity of men. This aspect gives man
the superiority over woman which has highly contributed to inequality. This gives man the

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power to dictate on women. Racial and color factor which has been in large extent the major
aspects to discrimination has also defined gender as inferiority. It is shocking to realize that
racial factor is still a challenge in this 21st century. discrimination due to color or ethnicity all the
above gender perspectives prompted the feminist to join feminist and fights for women liberation
and equality.
From the discussed theories, it can be forecasted that feminism debates will continue
changing as time goes by. The evidence that the feminists are working day and night and
observing trends on gender to promote equality. However, from the suggested interventions by
the discussed feminists, the social, political and other relevant institutions ought to be
incorporated into these movements to enhance achievement. Significantly, it has been noted that
major risk factors to gender inequality is lack of knowledge or awareness, women inferiority,
poverty, low educational level and poor parenting. Therefore, these institutions are to conduct
trainings to the public to pass information. Workshops and advertisements on this issue will be a
step to achieving gender equality. Protection for the feminists is fundamental since they are
prone to torture or murder due to their initiatives, consistency and patience to waiting for the
results. This therefore implies that the government has a bigger role to play to ensure that the
women are protected from violence, sexual harassment, mental disorders, displacement and
helped to evade maternal and premature deaths. This will stir global development and work
towards boosting the living standards of the people while achieving the vision 2030.

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References
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