Gender and Sexuality

Gender and sexuality are very important for activists, practitioners and policymakers. Gender and sexuality have a big significance in people's lives in today's society. Sexuality encompasses gender roles and identities, sex and sexual orientation, intimacy, reproduction, pleasure and eroticism. Its expression can be found in behaviors, thoughts, roles, relationships, values, attitudes, desires and fantasies. While all these expressions characterize sexuality, an individual may not express or experience all of them. Interactions between psychological, economic, cultural, legal, ethical, religious, spiritual and biological factors influence sexuality (Ilkkaracan & Jolly).

The Link between Gender and Sexuality The Institute of Development Studies defines gender as the widely shared set of norms and expectations linked to the way men and women, and boys and girls, behave or ought to behave. While 'sex' is mainly biological, gender is all about the social constructs on the roles, activities, attributes and behaviors the sexes should have or do. These expectations aren't fixed, but continually change as the power dynamics in social relationships and political or economic conditions change.

Gender defines the degree a society considers one an ideal man or woman. Every person is assigned a gender at birth (either female or male). The two genders are supposed to follow various norms that are applicable to their gender. Privileges and punishments help reinforce these norms. Gender, as researchers have noted, shouldn't be looked at separately from sexuality. The two are intimately connected and should be studied together (Institute of Development Studies). Hence, sexuality and gender are related in the following 3 ways: First, gender norms influence sexuality.

Expectations of the society as to how a gender is to behave affect their sexual behaviors and feelings. The need to act in a way that is consistent to society's norms can limit one's expression of their sexuality. Second, sexuality ideologies aid in controlling women. Controlling women's and girl's sexuality is linked to the control of resources. These controls limit women's expression of traits the society doesn't consider feminine. Third, gender expectations regarding sexuality affect health and access to services.

Research indicates that marginalization of women can lead them to entering heterosexual relationships where they enjoy less economic might than their lovers. Gender expectations also influence what the society knows about men's and women's sexuality which then influence policy making and research in the area. Gender and Sexuality in the Workplace It is a common thing for women to earn less than their male counterparts in today's workplace. A 2013 BLS report indicated that pay disparities existed in disfavor of women from all races.

Women working in the fields of engineering and architecture earn 83.7% to the dollar when compared to what men earn while those in mathematical and computer fields earn 81% to the dollar when compared to men. Since negotiation plays a big role in how much one earns, it could be that women do not fully appreciate their worth to the companies they work for and so don't negotiate for higher pay. While this could be true, organizations should be proactive and help alleviate such disparities.

Solving the problem takes a two-pronged approach involving women's efforts and organization's actions. Pay for all workers should be pegged on the knowledge and responsibility the role requires plus the value the employee adds to the organization. A job evaluation should always be carried out to determine whether the pay is commensurate to the job. One's pay should not be primarily determined by how much they earned at their previous job. Raises and promotions should also not have gender bias.

Men and women in the organization should get equal opportunities for professional development. Because conditions are constantly changing in organizations, an annual survey should be done to address any shifts in equity that might have occurred in the past year.

Gender and Sexuality in the Healthcare Setting Sen and Ostin assert that problems brought about by gender inequality have adverse effects on the mental and physical health of women and girls the world over, and also to boys and men even with the several advantages such disparities may present to them. Addressing gender inequality in healthcare is one of the best ways to help solve the problem given the wide reach of health services globally. It can be direct and effective. This can take several approaches.

One, the structural dimensions in health care that enable inequality can be amended. Second, gender stereotypes can be challenged and practices that harm either gender health-wise done away with. Third, gender health risk for men and women should be reduced by working on both gender's vulnerabilities and exposures to various health issues. Third, the gendered politics surrounding healthcare should be transformed. Fourth, action should be taken to improve evidence-based practice and policies so gender inequality is addressed in a systematic way.

Fifth, organizations should be made more effective and made to mainstream gender equity and so empower both men and women. Lastly, women organizations that are working to reduce gender inequality should be given support (Sen & Ostlin). Gender and Sexuality in the Education Setting Gender has an influence on the way we grow, think, work and interact with other people. Gender is a critical factor in children's and adolescents' development. School systems play a role in the promotion and maintenance of gender differences.

The teaching styles used in schools together with teaching aids may perpetuate gender differences. Schools may focus on the traditional roles spelled for boys and girls in the society when teaching their classes. While opinions vary on which gender is disadvantaged in today's classroom, whichever the gender is today, gender bias in classrooms still need to be examined and understood more deeply so that teaching attitudes and environments favor both genders. While most of the classroom gender biases were done away with in the 1970s, some still persist today.

There are still remnants of sexism and discrimination at various education levels and this creates a hostile learning environment for both boys and girls (California State University, Northridge). One of the influences on the learning environment, upon which both school systems and the government have no control, is the learner's attitudes. If these attitudes are not well informed, then they can lead to biases in a classroom. The society's influences on the players in the education sector may be carried into the classroom.

Sexism among teachers is a learned bias that they pick up from the society and the possibility that they pass such biases to their learners are high since they interact with them a lot. Educators should monitor and check their own biases so that their learners get equal opportunity in the classroom (California State University, Northridge). Gender Sexuality and the Law Equality of rights is.