Gender and Gender Discrimination in Workplace

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University
Assignment #7: Gender and Gender Discrimination in Workplace
Student Name:
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Table of Contents
Gender and Gender Roles 3
Gender Discrimination 3
Gender Stratification in Workplace 4
Works Cited 6

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Gender and Gender Roles
As opposed to common understanding the term ‘gender’ is used to signify the social function of
sex. It refers to the social construction of the sexed identities. Feminism and queer theory sees
gender as a cultural phenomenon rather than a biological one. Therefore, gender is not an
inherent aspect of the body (Lindsey 15). It is established through assigning different social roles
and functions to males and females. Gender roles have been used to marginalize women and
deprive them of certain rights and privileges that men can enjoy. Gender roles operate through
the creation of binaries. It constructs a rigid system that does not accommodate anything outside
the male/female dualistic framework. One of the primary methods of maintaining this rigid
system is to seek physiological explanations for existing discriminatory practices. In Western
society had been predominantly patriarchal and heteronormative. However, from the twentieth
century women started voicing out their interests and eventually there have been various
legislations to safeguard the rights of women and include the queer community.
Gender Stratification as part of social structure
The family is perhaps the most common site for gender discrimination where women are
traditionally seen as homemakers, and this is how and where gender stratification starts (Oakley
16). The number of women in politics and education can be seen to be very less. However, the
scenario has been seen to be better in US as compared to others. In US, women in politics
reached to 14.3% in 2002 and 20% by 2017. In US, 80% of the women are literate (high school
passed). While, in Uganda, Rwanda and Mozambique, the percentage of women educated as of
2017 was seen to be just 41%, 68% and 29% (Verniers and Vala 20).