Bridging the Gap of Gender Prejudice - Essay Example

BRIDGING THE GAP OF GENDER PREJUDICE

Gender prejudice is cultural (Maccoby, 1988). Interacting variables contributing to young children’s self-categorizing include the role of parents (Freud, Horney, Fromm), as socializing agents, biological factors (Monroy, A.), and gender cognition and peer pressure (     ). Segregation into “masculine” and “feminine” individual differences is a group phenomenon where social, family, and group acceptance revolves around individual core membership. To tackle this multivariate effect a comprehensive program must be set in motion. 
Since sexual prejudice is cultural, the gap that spans between genders can be bridged through education. 
Gender identity is first formed during childhood (Monroy,  ). Parental role models are decisive for attitudes and behavior. Much of the facial expressions are identified emotionally These images are related to teachers’ expressions later on in school. Recent studies on emotional intelligence have coined the term disomy, as the distorted perception and misinterpretation of the messages behind facial expressions. But schools can make a difference. Sexual roles learned at home may be reinforced rigidly or may be amplified to include acceptance, flexibility, and equity. Teachers, as “extended family” can modify messages sent at home; hopefully, for the better. However, it is not always so. Therefore, teachers, too, should be part of a school’s permanent, ongoing program on sexual health. Though much has been done to make a difference, isolated actions only diminish the impact desired, rendering it insufficient.
Sexual education should be comprehensive, to cover, not only students, but teachers, parents, and the local community. Thus the immediate variables involved in gender prejudice can be targeted simultaneously. 

METHOD
This protocol wishes to establish the importance of a comprehensive educational program to include teachers, parents, and students. The strategic intervention will compare three groups within a single school, and a fourth group from another school within the same community. A common data baseline will measure sexual attitudes, knowledge, and behavior in students, teachers, and parents during the first twelve years of schooling. During one year, one of the study groups will receive a comprehensive educational program: a) updating teachers; b) including quality knowledge on sexuality and gender offered to teachers, within students’ academic curricula; c) offering continuing education for parents.  A second group will have the same strategic interventions on teachers, students, and parents, but will include personal, anonymous, free sexual counseling. The third group will continue with the basic sexual education already being offered in the same school; but without updating teachers, or including sexuality and gender within other curricular subjects. The fourth group will set a standard baseline within the same community from another local school with the same school program. At the end of the year, a post-intervention evaluation will measure the impact on all four groups. All groups must be from the same community with the same local and mass media, setting peer stereotyping.

Group 1
Same School
Group 2
Same school
Group 3
Same school Group 4
Another school
Teachers Extra-curricular
updating 

Counselling Extra-curricular
updating
Students Curricular 
inclusion of 
Sexuality and
Gender in
academic 
curricula

Counselling Curricular 
inclusion of 
Sexuality and
Gender in
academic 
curricula Normal 
Academic 
Contents in 
Sexual 
Education

Normal 
Academic 
Contents in 
Sexual 
Education

Parents Continual
Education
Counseling Continual
Education
Community Community 
Workshops

Counselling Community 
workshops

Variables to be analyzed include:
a) Impact of counseling on the personal shift of consciousness
b) In-depth information
c) Peer leadership
d) Comparative baseline
The underlying premise to be sustained is that gender is affected by simultaneous levels of relationship: as individuals, couples, families, and communities. Underlying sub-premises include :
a) Gender stereotyping comes from personal associations with emotional constructs (mother, father, boyfriend, girlfriend, peer acceptance, teacher approval)
b) Introspection allows for self-knowledge and integration of feelings into the basic knowledge of sexuality 
c) Peer stereotyping shifts with leader awareness and acceptance of differences
d) Sexual education based on physical information is not enough. Emotional, rational, and spiritual dimensions of sexuality add quality to the quantity of information.


CURRICULAR STRUCTURE
Pre-School Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6 Grade 7 Grade 8 Grade 9 Grade 10 Grade 11
Identity Self-
Knowledge
Tolerance Reciprocity Life Tenderness Dialogue Change Love Responsibility Critical
 thought Creativity
Personal Body
Senses
Feelings Uniqueness
Strengths
Weaknesses
Equity Openness Anatomy Puberty Pleasure
Abuse Self-
esteem Sexual
preference Self-care Stereotypes fantasies
Couple Parental
relations Gender roles Male
Female
Sharing Mating Sexuality Commitment Appreciation Procreation Sexual
relations Love
Hate
envy couples
Family Family
Birth, 
Brothers, mine
You, your Colla-
boration
Adoption
Divorce
Death Repro-
duction Relations Dialogue Negotiation Pregnancy Prevention Loss
heartbreaks forgiveness
School Friends Relationships Play Mutuality Ecology kindness Interaction, Conflict Victim
Maternity
paternity Abortion
Personal
ethics Dance
art


Community Messages Differences Rights
Response-
abilities Communication Social
Rituals Aggression
Forgiveness Body
language Critical
 thought Alcohol
drugs Adultery Women
As 
objects
literature

The curricula for teachers should include the World Health Organizations' ten abilities for life, all within gender-related context:
Self-knowledge- self-esteem, acceptance
Intimacy- mutuality, gender equity, dignity, and respect
Communication Skills- empathy, honesty, commitment
Negotiation- stress management, discernment
Critical thought- creativity, flexibility, tolerance, acceptance
Emotional control and management- understanding, forgiveness
Personal values- life project
Conflict-management- limits, sharing, responsibility
Assertiveness- positive thinking
Decision-making- analysis, priorities
Curricula for teachers should include Human development within Anatomy, (biological, chemical, neurological response); Emotional Intelligence; Rational self-control; and Spiritual awareness

EVALUATION
KAP studies (Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices) will be applied and compared in a pre-intervention evaluation and a post-intervention evaluation. Variables will try to identify the impact of sexual education, individual counseling, peer leadership, and the promotion of gender stereotypes. Read More