Gendered Realities Research Articles

Divided by Ideology and United by Gender Stereotypes: Debating Politics of Representation and Tokenism in Student Politics in India

This article attempts to problematise the student activism on university campuses, which has been a prominent political space for the youth. Student movements through their respective organisations have induced multiple levels of political consciousness among students during their stay. By critically looking at student activism on campus, one could not overlook the fact that student activism on campus has long been a masculine domain with a little or almost negligible presence of women student leaders in university politics. Against such lopsided gender realities, this article proposed to examine the nature and praxis of student political organisations with the help of gender perspectives. This article argues that despite being divided on lines of political ideology, these student organisations are, at one level, united by gender stereotypes that are creating permanent political barriers for women student leaders on campus. In doing so, it focuses on unexplored and undocumented internal politics of the student organisations that seem to have established invisible gender structures leading to under-representation and discrimination of women participants in student politics and activism. Analytical concepts of this article have been developed based on ethnographic data collected from women students at a central university located in South India.

Mitigating Gender Stereotypes Toward AI Agents Through an eXplainable AI (XAI) Approach

People often apply gender stereotypes toward computerized agents. Rather than challenging these stereotypes, modern AI technologies controversially use them in creating AI agents that underline stereotypical gendered roles. This approach thus further reinforces the often male-dominated societal gender norms and disenfranchises women and gender non-binary individuals. While this issue has raised concerns in the HCI and CSCW communities, still little is known regarding how to mitigate the negative impacts of embedding gender stereotypes in AI agents. In this paper, we propose an eXplainable AI (XAI) approach to mitigating individuals' gender stereotypes toward AI agents. We conducted an online video vignette experiment with 350 participants randomly assigned to one of the eighteen conditions of a 3 (gender of the agent: woman, man, gender-neutral) x 3 (task gender: feminine, masculine, neutral) x 2 (presence or absence of AI explanation) between-subjects design. Our findings indeed suggest that XAI helped participants avoid applying gender stereotypes toward gendered AI agents, by increasing their understanding of how the agent came to its decision and decreasing their rating of the agent's humanlikeness. We contribute to CSCW research by providing a timely investigation into individuals' gender stereotypes toward the state-of-the-art AI agents and by advancing the empirical understanding of the cognitive processes and mechanisms underlying these gender stereotypes. We also demonstrate how eXplainable AI can effectively suppress the application of social characteristics (i.e., gender stereotypes) toward AI agents by disrupting the said cognitive processes. Insights from this study can inform how future AI technologies should be designed to create a progressive gender reality that will gradually reshape humans' experience and ingrained gender ideologies.

On Testimonial and Hermeneutical (In)justices in the Use of Trans Narratives in Bedrock Gender

ABSTRACT In this article, we consider a recent philosophical attempt to narrate transgender experiences in response to what Miranda Fricker has termed ‘epistemic injustice’, against the background of highly polarized debates concerning trans identities in both academic philosophy and popular culture. We bring out some of the difficulties and challenges involved in doing epistemic justice to trans testimonies via an analysis and critique of Daniele Moyal-Sharrock and Constantine Sandis’ philosophical paper ‘Bedrock Gender’. We consider how the paper raises distinct issues related to testimonial and hermeneutical injustice in its emphasis on trans testimonies of gender certainty. In response, we consider what is at stake in understanding and using the testimony of gendered experiences for furthering a philosophical account of gender. In scrutinizing the epistemology of trans in the paper, we argue that combatting epistemic injustices related to gender requires self-reflexivity and an understanding of the complexity of gendered realities as well as the moral-existential aspects of testimonies of gender. We suggest that rather than speaking of gender in terms of ‘bedrock’ and ‘certainty’, thinking philosophically about gender must involve a critical investigation and ongoing conversation of how gender identification can both confirm and contest our sense of who we are.

Poor, brainwashed and immature: prevalent gender stereotypes in Indonesian preventing violent extremism (PVE) and counterterrorism (CT) efforts

ABSTRACT The root causes, nature and impact of Indonesian women’s involvement in terrorism has yet to influence Indonesian Counter Terrorism (CT) and Preventing Violent Extremism (PVE) policies. Through a feminist discourse analysis of semi-structured interviews with 28 Indonesian government representatives, this article argues that Indonesian CT and PVE policies continue to rely on gender stereotypes rather than addressing the gendered realities of Indonesian women’s relationship with violent extremism. This reflects broader global discourses regarding women and terrorism but are shaped by unique religious, cultural, political and historical influences within the Indonesian context – the Indonesian gender order. This article finds that the stereotypes – depicting female extremists as immature, brainwashed and poor – lead to a generalised applicability of the one-size-fits-all approach of income generation, overlooking female extremists’ culpability, focusing on protection of “women and children”, neglecting the roles diverse actors in CT and PVE efforts, and reinforcing the Indonesian gender order.

Challenging the gender binary in occupation-based research: A feminist critical discourse analysis of sex differences

ABSTRACT Gender is a constitutive element of an oppressive system based on sexual differentiation. Making difference between the female and male sexes is an accepted practice that is particularly widespread in scientific research. Yet, this research practice can contribute to the construction of gender as an oppressive system with consequences for people’s occupations and health. The aim of the present study is to address the potential contribution of occupation-based scientific articles in the construction of a gendered social order through the taken-for-granted use of sex categories. A literature review resulted in the selection of 22 articles published in occupational therapy and occupational science journals that differentiate individuals based on female/male sex characteristics. A feminist critical discourse analysis was used to make visible how these texts contribute to the construction of gender and their occupational and health consequences. Three specific mechanisms were identified in the analysis: naturalization, banalization, and sacralization. Together, they show the specific process of naturalization of care work as ‘women’s work’ and how it further constitutes a basis towards indifference and banalization of women’s health and occupational issues. Sacralization illustrates how full authority is conferred to numbers within science to justify research based on sex categories and how this contributes to reproducing one gendered reality over another. In conclusion, this study aligns with feminist and critical occupational science theories and contributes to epistemological disruption of the scientific construction of binary sexes within occupation-based scholarship.

Making Sense of the Gendered Realities in Science: An Exploration of the Indian Situation

The field of ‘women in science’ in India is evolving with policies that could support ending gender discrimination in the practice and culture of science. Gender inclusivity in science is a complex phenomenon, and it differs in forms and scale across institutions. This complexity has invoked feminist scholars, governments, and organisations to critically engage with issues of gender inequities in science. This article, based on a sample study, seeks to understand the idea of gender inclusivity in science, and the discrimination and marginalisation women scientists face, while exploring how they negotiate institutional spaces and address specific and unique challenges in their everyday reality.

Wartime, Flight, and Resettlement Realities of Unaccompanied Eritrean Girls in Israel

Abstract We conducted a qualitative study among Eritrean refugees residing in Israel to explore the impact of armed conflict and displacement on adolescent girls’ transition to adulthood. We conducted 19 interviews with young Eritrean refugee women who, as girls and young women, escaped conflict-affected Eritrea and made their way on foot, through Sudan, the Sinai desert, and Egypt to Israel. Our findings reveal how structural and symbolic violence shaped the gendered realities of these Eritrean girls throughout their migration journey. In Israel, while such violence in the forms of precarious immigration status and intimate partner violence were embedded in their everyday lives, participants also drew actively on creative strategies to resist and contest violence.

Fenomena Tubuh Perempuan dalam Anime Kimi no Na Wa

Indonesia, with its multicultural society, has many traditions/ Kimi no Na Wa (Your Name) is an anime displaying the reality of gender and women in a complex way. This complexity can be seen in the narrative displayed, namely the exchange of bodies between female and male characters. This article questions the phenomenon of women and their bodies in this anime. The analysis used phenomenological theory of perception with a descriptive analysis method. The result shows that the phenomenon of body exchange between men and women confirms gender issues that are not tied to sex. The exchange of bodies also indicates women's endeavor to change them from what were previously associated with rural and traditional into modern ones. In addition, the phenomenon of body exchange also emphasizes that the body is an essential element of human existence.

Perspective of Gender Roles in Margaret Atwood’s The Penelopiad

The most actively and purposefully practiced agenda for ages has been based on mythical patterns and beliefs, which are useful in encapsulating and hiding the reality of gender. Likewise, feminist writers and philosophers have investigated the causes, methods, and effects of the longstanding systemic oppression of women through myths. This project concentrates on how modern female writers have reconstructed gender identities to benefit women. The Penelopiad, a 2005 novella by Margaret Atwood defies the conventional ideas of femininity by depicting a variety of strong female characters. The patriarchal dominance that accuses this sensitive gender of passivity and the pervasive misrepresentation of women in mythologies served as the main sources of inspiration for this work. Therefore, this project shows how Atwood reconstructs gender identities in The Penelopiad. This work is examined in this research to see what gender roles the patriarchal Greek culture has assigned to both men and women.

Domestic violence against men: unmuting the reality of the forgotten gender

Domestic violence against men: unmuting the reality of the forgotten gender

Umwana w'umugore: The gendered realities of girls born of conflict-related sexual violence and their mothers in post-genocide Rwanda.

This article explores the challenges, needs and capacities of girls born of conflict-related sexual violence during the 1994 Rwandan genocide against the Tutsi. Twenty-nine interviews and 11 focus groups were conducted with girls born of genocidal rape, alongside 44 interviews with mothers of children born of genocidal rape. In a society where Umwana w'umugore - being 'the child of a woman' - is considered an insult for children born of rape, gendered realities profoundly shape girls' experiences. Data reveal that girls born of genocidal rape face challenges related to identity and belonging, multiple forms of violence and economic challenges. Moreover, girls sustain the indirect consequences of gender-based injustices committed against their mothers, making stigma and social exclusion shared and intergenerational experiences, alongside mutual care and support. Policy development must take into account the unique needs of girls born of rape, the precarious situation of their mothers and broader gender inequalities.

Incorporating the Realities of Gender and Power into U.S. Asylum Law Jurisprudence

Incorporating the Realities of Gender and Power into U.S. Asylum Law Jurisprudence

Critism of Toxic Masculinity in The Power Of The Dog Movie Based on Social Context

The mass media is often able to raise and reveal portraits of reality and gender realities that develop in society. Film is one of the mass media that usually uses discourses related to gender reality to be used as a medium to influence society and convey criticism of social practices within it. The Power Of The Dog movie seems to use the discourse of Toxic Masculinity which is used to convey criticism of masculinity in men. This study aims to find out and dismantle further texts regarding criticisms of toxic masculinity developed in the movie and their relationship to the current social context. This study uses a qualitative approach with critical discourse analysis by Norman Fairclough through its three-dimensional analysis stages.
 The results of this study indicate The Power Of The Dog movie has presented and developed criticism of various aspects, contexts and social phenomena regarding toxic masculinity. First, there are still many cases of gender-based violence in society. Second, the increasingly massive movements/actions to fight for gender equality in global society. Third, the dominance of the patriarchal system is still strong, which negatively shackles and harms society. Fourth, many people or communities are starting to realize the importance of understanding gender equality in the system of people’s lives. Fifth, the intuitive context related to the media economy (financial) and institutional characterizations in the movie, basically have represented what is called a typology of autocratic leadership.
 Keywords : Toxic Masculinity, Patriarchal Domination, Gender, Social Context

Status foe: a psychobiographical investigation of Ida B. Wells

Ida B. Wells (1862-1931) led an extraordinary life as a journalist, educator, and activist while navigating the intersecting social realities of race, gender, and class. She embodied courage, advocating for the civil rights of Black Americans in an uncompromising fashion. Building on decades of research in social psychology, sociologist Cecilia L. Ridgeway presents (2019) a cultural schema theory of status. She contends that issues of status in interpersonal contexts are an unavoidable aspect of the human condition. Despite the ubiquity of status as a sociocultural force, Ridgeway believes that status hierarchies may be undermined. The present study is a psychobiographical exploration of Wells through the lens of Ridgeway’s status theory. It explores: the development of Wells’ cultural schemas; how Wells navigated her own status; the inter-relationship between Wells and her sociocultural context; and how Wells undermined and overcame status hierarchies.

Stuck between the ideal worker and the bread winner: experiences of motherhood and work during the COVID-19 pandemic in India

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to study the experiences of middle-class working mothers from the ITES (Information Technology Enabled Service) sector in India during the COVID-19 pandemic. Their experiences of work from home are studied in the backdrop of the ideal worker model at work and the adult worker model at home. Further, the study aims to identify the need for sustainable, inclusive practices for working mothers in Indian organizations to break the male breadwinner model in middle-class households.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative approach to collect data from 39 middle-class mothers working in MNCs in four metro cities in India. The semi-structured, in-depth interviews focused on their experiences of motherhood, care and work before, during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.FindingsThe pandemic made it evident that the ideal worker model in organizations and the adult worker model at home were illusions for working mothers. The results indicate a continued obligation of the “ideal worker culture” at organizations, even during the health crisis. It made the working mothers realize that they were chasing both the (ideal worker and adult worker) norms but could never achieve them. Subsequently, the male breadwinner model was reinforced at home due to the matrix of motherhood, care and work during the pandemic. The study concludes by arguing the reconstruction of the ideal worker image to make workplaces more inclusive for working mothers.Originality/valueThe study is placed in the context of Indian middle-class motherhood during the pandemic, a demography less explored in the literature. The paper puts forth various myths constituting the gendered realities of Indian middle-class motherhood. It also discusses sustainable, inclusive workplace practices for mothers from their future workplaces' standpoint, especially in post-pandemic times.

Afrofemtrism: a critical examination of the relationship between gender, technology, and society

Abstract Existing theories in technology and society studies do not comprehensively address the realities of people of African descent, including factors such as their histories, evolving cultures, and power dynamics. The article addresses this gap by constructing afrofemtrism, a gender justice theory which interrogates gender realities in the context of a society’s peculiar interaction with technological advancements. A salient feature of afrofemtrism’s development is the iterative interaction with empirical data from the Ghana blockchain community wherein participants in this study encountered conflicts and congruity between their information and communications technology (ICT) careers and their deeply traditional but cosmopolitan Global South setting. Ultimately, the study critically investigates digital technologies which present inequitable experiences for women in Ghana.

Critical Femininities on Shores: Unveiling Gendered Realities Within Ladies-Only Resorts in Lebanon

Critical Femininities on Shores: Unveiling Gendered Realities Within Ladies-Only Resorts in Lebanon

Embodied Femininities in Language Pedagogy. A Study of Two Language Teachers’ Experiences

Gender studies have become relevant for English language teaching and initial teacher education. This study uses a narrative inquiry approach to inspect two language teachers’ life stories in an initial teacher education program. We document how their femininities and identities are embodied through their language pedagogy since it is a praxis that allows resistance and resurgence against paradigms that limit their identities. Findings reveal that femininities provide a broader spectrum of individual gender realities and constructions. Teachers’ femininities are embodied in teachers’ practices. This is why some traits of these embodiments can be related to hegemonic aspects of gender, without this necessarily meaning that there is no resistance in the pedagogical field. On the contrary, it shows the capacity to redefine these attitudes that, from the pedagogical perspective, resist the hegemony of teacher gender identity.

Embodied Femininities in Language Pedagogy. A Study of Two Language Teachers’ Experiences

Gender studies have become relevant for English language teaching and initial teacher education. This study uses a narrative inquiry approach to inspect two language teachers’ life stories in an initial teacher education program. We document how their femininities and identities are embodied through their language pedagogy since it is a praxis that allows resistance and resurgence against paradigms that limit their identities. Findings reveal that femininities provide a broader spectrum of individual gender realities and constructions. Teachers’ femininities are embodied in teachers’ practices. This is why some traits of these embodiments can be related to hegemonic aspects of gender, without this necessarily meaning that there is no resistance in the pedagogical field. On the contrary, it shows the capacity to redefine these attitudes that, from the pedagogical perspective, resist the hegemony of teacher gender identity.

Unveiling Gender Dynamics: An In-depth Analysis of Gender Realities

This journal article presents a comprehensive exploration of gender dynamics through an in-depth analysis of gender realities. By delving into the intricate interplay of cultural norms, evolving identities, educational empowerment, and gender-based discrimination, this study sheds light on the complexities shaping gender experiences. The research employs qualitative methods, including semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis, to capture diverse perspectives across India. The findings reveal a nuanced spectrum of gender dynamics, emphasizing the intersectionality of identity, the evolving definitions of masculinity and femininity, and the impact of educational opportunities. The study underscores the challenges posed by gender-based discrimination and violence, while also highlighting the potential for progress through policy interventions and societal shifts. Overall, this research contributes to a deeper understanding of the intricate fabric of gender dynamics, urging for concerted efforts towards fostering gender equality and social justice.