1. GENDER STEREOTYPES
S. Suriya Subbammal,
St. Johns college of Education,
Palayamkottai
TCP PRESENTO 2020, THIAGARAJAR COLLEGE OF PRECEPTORS, MADURAI.

2. Introduction
Among the human beings, males and
females differ not only in their anatomical
features but also in voice, style of
functioning, feelings and emotions
expressed, aptitudes and interests.
“No one is born with masculinities or
femininities but become like that as
they grow in society”
- Simon D. Beauvior
TCP PRESENTO 2020, THIAGARAJAR COLLEGE OF PRECEPTORS, MADURAI.

3. Meaning of ‘stereotype’
Stereotypes are defined as “beliefs
held by almost all the members of a
social group about other social groups
and ethnic groups, which are not
based on objective evidences”
TCP PRESENTO 2020, THIAGARAJAR COLLEGE OF PRECEPTORS, MADURAI.

4. Some examples for stereotypes
are given under
 Lean persons are cunning.
 People of Devar community are
heroic.
 Brahmin boys are intelligent and
honest.
 Chettiars are successful businessmen.
 Women are higly patient and caring
for others.
TCP PRESENTO 2020, THIAGARAJAR COLLEGE OF PRECEPTORS, MADURAI.

5. Gender Stereotypes
Gender stereotypes vary on four
dimensions
Social roles
Capacities
Physical characteristics and traits
Occupations
TCP PRESENTO 2020, THIAGARAJAR COLLEGE OF PRECEPTORS, MADURAI.

6. Gender Stereotypes
Men Women
 Social Roles
Bread winner of the family,
portrayed as leaders
 Capacities
Good in maths and science,
firm decision makers
 Traits and characteristics
Active, dominant,
independent, brave, aloof
 Occupations
Mechanic, engineer,
manager, ship crew, pilot etc.
 Social roles
Take care of family and
home, portrayed as followers
 Capacities
Good in arts, fickle minded
in decision making
 Traits and characteristics
Passive, peaceful,
dependent, fearful, talkative
 Occupations
Nurse, teacher, secretary,
fashion designer, baby-sitter
TCP PRESENTO 2020, THIAGARAJAR COLLEGE OF PRECEPTORS, MADURAI.

7. Gender Stereotypes in Early
Childhood
Toys offered for play to male and female
children differ according in to the gender
“stereotypes” prevailing in the society.
For girls
Old milk containers
Plastic spoons
Empty pots
Kitchenwares
For boys
Cricket bat
Ball
Battery cars
TCP PRESENTO 2020, THIAGARAJAR COLLEGE OF PRECEPTORS, MADURAI.

8. Factors Influencing Gender
Stereotyping
Biological factors
Environmental factors
Cultural factors
TCP PRESENTO 2020, THIAGARAJAR COLLEGE OF PRECEPTORS, MADURAI.

9. Biological Factors
Two sources of evidence have been
employed to support the role of
biological influence in gender
stereotyping. They are
Cross cultural similarities in gender
stereotypes and gender role adoption.
Influence of hormones on gender role
behaviour.
TCP PRESENTO 2020, THIAGARAJAR COLLEGE OF PRECEPTORS, MADURAI.

10. Environment Factors
Environment forces provide powerful
support for gender role adoption.
Adults view boys and girls differently
and treat them differently.
Social context offer many
opportunities to observe males and
females behaving in gender-
stereotyped ways and beginning in
early childhood, peers vigorously
promote gender stereotyping.
TCP PRESENTO 2020, THIAGARAJAR COLLEGE OF PRECEPTORS, MADURAI.

11. Cultural Factors
Each community group framed its own
norms of behaviour for its members.
Religions and scriptures came into
being describing the “dos” and “don’ts”
for the people.
These behavioural norms treated
women subservient to men and expected
the females to be submissive and strive
to serve the needs of men.
TCP PRESENTO 2020, THIAGARAJAR COLLEGE OF PRECEPTORS, MADURAI.

12. Strategies for developing Non-
Gender Stereotyped children
 Creating a safe space
 Providing a range of role models
 Make the most of books
 Do not discriminate jobs and course of
study meant for girls and boys
 Use of inclusive language
 Ensuring same kind rewards and
sanctions
TCP PRESENTO 2020, THIAGARAJAR COLLEGE OF PRECEPTORS, MADURAI.

13. Creating a Safe Space
 School provide safe environment
Gender free choices
Teacher can encourage children to
make unconventional choices
TCP PRESENTO 2020, THIAGARAJAR COLLEGE OF PRECEPTORS, MADURAI.

14. Providing a range of “Role-
models”
Teacher should provide real life
examples
Try to get visitors who challenge
gender stetreotypes
Example
Female fire fighter
Female lorry driver
Male nurse
Woman foot-baller etc.
TCP PRESENTO 2020, THIAGARAJAR COLLEGE OF PRECEPTORS, MADURAI.

15. Make the most of books
 Take a look at the stories and factual
books in the classroom which provide
for gender-free information
Example
Working women
Caring father
Heroic girls
Boys good in creative arts
TCP PRESENTO 2020, THIAGARAJAR COLLEGE OF PRECEPTORS, MADURAI.

16. Do not discriminate jobs and
courses of study meant for girls
and boys
No discrimination should be shown
while teacher assign works
Admitting students of both sexes in all
types of course
Encouraging children to work in mixed
pairs or groups like in cooperative
learning
Provide for mixed-pair games like
tennis, ball-badminton
TCP PRESENTO 2020, THIAGARAJAR COLLEGE OF PRECEPTORS, MADURAI.

17. Use of inclusive language
small changes like saying
chair person instead of chairman
Human power instead of man-power
Human-kind instead of man-kind
Students instead of boys and girls
Parents instead of mums and dads
TCP PRESENTO 2020, THIAGARAJAR COLLEGE OF PRECEPTORS, MADURAI.

18. Ensuring same kind of rewards
and sanctions
Boys and girls are to be treated alike
and same kind of rewards and
sanctions should be employed for
similar behaviour i.e. while rewarding
and reprimanding students, teachers
should not show any gender-bias
TCP PRESENTO 2020, THIAGARAJAR COLLEGE OF PRECEPTORS, MADURAI.

19. Conclusion
It could be said that the roles of the male
and female derived from their assumed
characteristics. These are a reflection of
our society in terms of the roles that men
and women are supposed to take on and
by repeatedly showing such stereotypical
assumptions on the respective gender
roles, it would give the idea to children
that they are supposed to act and is the
natural state of things, when in reality
gender is subjective and comes in
various forms and shapes.
TCP PRESENTO 2020, THIAGARAJAR COLLEGE OF PRECEPTORS, MADURAI.

20. References
 Nagarajan, K, Natarajan, S. (2017).
Childhood and Growing Up. Chennai :
Sriram Publishers.
 www. tnteu.in>pdf
TCP PRESENTO 2020, THIAGARAJAR COLLEGE OF PRECEPTORS, MADURAI.