Gender and Sexuality across Time
I. Introduction
Good day, everyone! My name is Argell A. Ebrera. Today, I will talk about
Women Empowerment and the role of feminism in addressing gender inequality.
II. Subject Matter
This lesson tackles movements in history which shows how men, women, and
people of other genders are viewed in human societies.
III. Objectives
At the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
a. Discuss the historical roots of our understanding of gender and sexuality; and
b. Show appreciation of how this understanding evolved through time, affected
various aspect of human life.
IV. Lesson Proper
1. Activity (Engagement)
Objective: Students activate their prior knowledge by having them act out various roles
and tasks commonly associated with both men and women.
Activity: “Picture me”
Begin by grouping the class into two groups. Each group will represent the various jobs
that women and men can do.
Analysis (Exploration)
Objective: Students analyze the activity and discuss their observations.
Discussion Questions:
1. What specific jobs or roles do you think are typically associated with women and
men?
2. Why is gender equality important for social progress?
3. In what ways can we ensure equal opportunities for both men and women in the
workplace?
Key Insights: Men and women should be treated equally because everyone,
regardless of gender, deserves equal rights, opportunities, and respect. Gender
equality promotes fairness and justice, allowing individuals to live free from
discrimination and bias.
2. Concept Development (Abstraction)
Objective: Explain the history and concepts of feminism.
Explanation:
Historical accounts show that across time, human conception of gender and sexuality
has changed. Archeological artifacts reveal that in the distant past, during the dawn of
civilizations, human societies have high regard for women.
Devine Feminine – The sacredness of the woman due to her ability to conceive
children
Egalitarian – Men and Women have equitable power and roles.
Paternity – Fatherhood or role of the father in conception. During the Agricultural era,
when societies began to establish communities and tame rear cattle and stocks. Have
also changed how societies have viewed women and men therefrom.
For the longest time thereafter, societies have privileged men over other
genders, mainly because of the preferential given to them in the productive
sphere (world of public work).
Women who have been revered due to their ability to conceive have been viewed
as solely capable only of reproductive affairs (world of the home and related
tasks such as suckling the young, child rearing, and home management).
The gender disparity was intensified by the Industrial era where factors were built
and men were preferred because they did not have to bear children for nine
months and because of their perceived physical strength.
Patriarchy
From the Greek word Patriarkhes which means “The rule of the father”.
It is a social system where men primarily holds power in the political and the
private spheres.
This means that in this social system, society is organized and maintained in a
way that men rule over women and their children.
In the social, legal, political, and economic spheres, men are expected to lead
while women are expected to obey and are relegated to house chores, bearing
children, and child care.
A patrilineal society often follows a patriarchal society, this means only men can
inherit property and the family name. Women were left with no inheritance and
are expected to marry a man who can support her economically.
Patriarchy is viewed by most sociologists as a social construct and not as a
biological phenomenon.
This is because history proves that in the prehistoric hunter-gatherer tribes and
civilization, they prioritized equality of all members, male and female.
Friedrich Engels, a German philosopher and sociologist, argues that patriarchy
came about when people started having private property instead of a communal
living. The development in agriculture and domestication of animals led to
creating product surplus which allows people to have private property.
Historical Views on Gender
Greek
Aristotle, Plato, and other Greek philosophers viewed women as the inferior sex
and are properties of men whose only job was to obey their husbands, bear
children, and take care of the household.
Egypt
Herodotus, a Greek historian, observed the Egyptian civilization citing that
Egyptian women enjoyed higher social status than Greek women because they
can inherit property and engage in trade and politics.
China
Confucianism has stringent written rules that dictate how women should conduct
themselves.
The written documents titled “Three obedience’s and Four virtues” and “Percepts
of women “Status that women should obey their father, when married she is to
obey her husband, and when widowed she is to obey her son.
Women have come a long way since the ancient times through the feminist
movement, however, patriarchy has taken on subtle forms of oppression that often go
unnoticed such as:
1. sexism - prejudice, stereotypes, and discrimination based on sex;
2. Gender pay gap - men earn more that women;
3. Underrepresentation in politics, military, executive positions, etc;
4. Rape on women and the stigma making women ashamed to report the crime;
5. Very conservative expectations on women on how they behave;
6. Unrealistic depictions of women in fiction, often very sexualized;
7. Women do more housework and childcare;
Application
Objective: Apply the lesson to real-life situations.
Activity: Role Play
Each group will perform a scenario about that Egalitarian and Patriarchy.io
References
Peralta, E. P. D., Boton, N. J. B., & Laude, T. M. P. (2019). Gender and society: A
human ecological approach. Rex Book Store.
FutureLearn. (n.d.). Understanding gender inequality. FutureLearn. Retrieved January
26, 2025, from https://www.futurelearn.com/info/courses/understanding-gender-
inequality/0/steps/66837
WOMEN EMPOWERMENT
I. Introduction
Good day, everyone! My name is Precious Bagallon. Today, I will talk about
Women Empowerment and the role of feminism in addressing gender inequality.
II. Subject Matter
Our topic is Women Empowerment, focusing on the history of feminism, its key
figures, and its goals for achieving gender equality.
III. Objectives
At the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
a. Understand the meaning of feminism and women empowerment.
b. Identify important milestones and leaders of the feminist movement.
c. Discuss current issues faced by women and the goals of feminism.
IV. Lesson Proper
1. Activity (Engagement)
Objective: Engage students and activate prior knowledge.
Activity: Start by showing a picture of women protesting for their rights.
Ask students: "What do you think these women are fighting for?"
"Do you know any rights that women didn’t have in the past?"
Encourage students to share their thoughts on gender equality.
2. Analysis (Exploration)
Objective: Students analyze the activity and discuss their observations.
Discussion Questions:
1. Why do you think women’s rights were ignored in the past?
2. What challenges do women still face today?
3. How can society help address these challenges?
Key Insights: Women were once denied the right to vote, work, or own property.
Feminist movements, like the Women’s Liberation Movement, aimed to change these
inequalities.
3. Concept Development (Abstraction)
Objective: Explain the history and concepts of feminism.
Explanation:
First-Wave Feminism (19th-20th Century): Focused on women’s right to vote and own
property.
Second-Wave Feminism (1960s-1980s): Fought against wage inequality, domestic
violence, and for reproductive rights.
Third-Wave Feminism (1990s): Broadened the scope to include race, sexuality, and
intersectionality.
Fourth-Wave Feminism (2012-Present): Emphasized the fight against sexual
harassment and violence, largely driven by the #MeToo movement
Key Figures:
Simone de Beauvoir: Wrote “The Second Sex and said, “One is not born, but rather
becomes, a woman.”
Betty Friedan Wrote “The Feminine Mystique, highlighting women’s dissatisfaction
with traditional roles. Feminism today continues to focus on equal opportunities,
protection from violence, and reproductive rights.
Kate Millet (Sexual Politics, 1969): Critiqued the patriarchy’s influence on cultural and
political systems.
Germaine Greer (The Female Eunuch, 1970): Encouraged women to reclaim their
identities and independence.
4. Application
Objective: Apply the lesson to real-life situations.
Activity: Role Play
Each group will perform a presentation that showcases the experiences of women in
the past and present.
References
Peralta, E. P. D., Botor, N. J. B., & Laude, T. M. P. (2019). Gender and Society:
A human ecological approach (series 03 outcomes- education0. [publisher].
Simone de Beauvoir - Wikipedia
