Gender equality – How can we support gender neutrality! This is the third post in the series of Gender-Talks, the cause that I chose to write in the coveted #CauseAChatter challenge by BlogChatter. We have discussed the basics of gender-neutrality, and Why we need to talk about gender equality now, more than ever. In this post, I would like to emphasize ways, how we can support gender equality in our capacities.
Achieving gender equality requires the engagement of women and men, boys and girls. It is everyone’s resposibility.
Ban-Ki-moon
Below are a few suggestions on how you can contribute to gender equality, these small changes can add up to the huge value in a better and respectful future for everyone. As they say, charity begins at home, with these minuscule changes we can build a better and more responsible sociological system around us.
Support Gender Equality at home –
Support gender-neutral living at home by sharing the workload of household chores. Taking care of parenting responsibilities (equal-parenting), cooking, and other stereotyped ‘women jobs. As partners, protect the innocence of kids at home by balancing gender roles. Career, work, kitchen, chores, are the roles that come with the baggage of specific gender. Break the barrier and start supporting each other in their respective areas of duty.
Reflect & Respect –
Reflect gender equality by mutually respecting every individual despite their gender preferences or identities. Over generations the gender identities are ingrained in our minds and life, it is now important to see everyone with mutual respect and come out from the clutches of what gender roles they play in society. Support gender equality by example, stop stereotyping, and accept everyone as a fellow human being. Respect the choices of others.
Education –
“Until we get equality in EDUCATION, we won’t have an equal society”. – Sonia Sotomayor.
Education enables development, and it opens up wider reach in the social, economic, or behavioral perspective of a democratic society. Quality of education in developing economies, push back the barriers of gender inequality. Giving all children an equitable start would lead to better economic and social outcomes for individuals, regions, and our nation.
Education also strengthens the role of gender-appropriate learning in society, which enables them to fight gender stereotypes in the long run. Gender equality is a wider spectrum, and with education, a democratic society also learns its political and social rights. Which in a way also reduces gender-based violence up to some extent.
Discuess gender issues at home –
Don’t shy away from discussing gender issues in front of the children. Talk about the issues, good or bad with kids in an age-appropriate manner. Never snub away the curiosity in kids, as today they have various avenues to get their doubts resolved. Hence, it’s better to curb the questions at right time and in a proper manner.
There are various NGOs and gender-education services that provide counseling if needed, always choose right and correct information to overspread over the social media or grapevine.
Reject the Binary –
Our language plays an important role when it comes to gender equality, and teaching gender-neutrality to children. Reject calling children by the binary gender – male or female, instead use the words like kids/folk, children, guys. These small changes add up to bigger values when they try to break the gender-specific shackles.
‘Girls, are you going to play cricket’? OR ‘Kids, are you going to play cricket’? I choose the latter, as over decades cricket has been ruled by males and has been considered as a male-dominating sport until recently.
‘What is MOM cooking in the kitchen today?’ to ‘What’s been cooking today?’. Break the barriers by using gender-specific language. Check out this infographic made by the genderbread person, below.
‘This post is part of Blogchatter’s CauseAChatter‘
Featured Image Source here.
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20 Comments
thats very important pointers to support gender equality,
Thank you so much, glad you like it.
I always say and even practice if we need to bring this change, we need to start from our home. We need to take the responsibility to bring this change at home and in the society we live in.
These are some great tips. Asking to help out in the house uniformly based on their age appropriate chores and talking inclusively while rejecting binary are great tips that can be implemented immediately.
Everything should start from home. And gender equality also need to start from our home. I have a mixed double. My daughter plays cricket and infant, we have always encouraged her to play. The routine sentences that yo have mentioned make a big difference.
Rightly said, gender equality should start at home. being the parents of 2 daughters , we do whatever we can – through our talks n actions to make them confident individuals.
Gender-neutrality begins at home. We must talk to our kids about it to make them realise its importance. This will reflect in their actions as they grow up too.
Charity begins at home, this is an insightful post buddy, I particularly loved the small tips you had mentioned.
Yes so true. Even when my hubby says ‘let mama finish her work’, I remind them that house chores are not my work. I’m doing it because the maid isn’t coming. The cooking and all is shared. So we are pretty much not putting the whole burden on one gender anyway.
I agree dear every thing start from home and every small effort counts and make a make difference. I am glad you mentioned about language. it is good idea to address kids in gender neutral way to bring an uniformity in future generation.
Couldn’t agree more on it. I firmly believe that change can only be visible in outer space when practiced at home, irrespective of its wideness—very insightful post to bring equality in mind before gender equality.
Wow that was a very well-explained post that went so in-depth, especially since it deals with a really important matter in today’s day and age. Wonderful.
Parents are the first point of learnings for kids so its imperative that we use right words and appropriate language to teach our kids about gender equality. Never introduce pink is for girls and blue is for boys. I guess we should from the day one of the child on earth pay attention to such things so it become ingrained in their thought process and behaviour in natural way.
I too believe and preach in gender neutralization at home. No work is marked as per gender. My husband makes tea, my son helps in kitchen and daughter plays with car. No role is specified by gender.
Gender neutrality indeed should begin from home. Teaching our kids to do all kinds of tasks without any bias is what needs to be done! Loved all the pointers mentioned
Absolutely gender equality should begin from home. Agree small changes does bring big impact. Especially sharing the equal load.
Our society is slowly moving towards gender-neutral but it is not attainable unless all of us take a step towards this. We can hope that next generation would have a different perspective
Many mothers know want to have gender equality but don’t know how to imply it in their lives so that their kids would move in the direction.Your post would be quite helpful to them
i find it irksome that gender equality is STILL something which exists and has to be dealt with on a daily basis!
this is a helpful article, and i agree that normalising this, especially through open discussions is a good path to take.
Absolutely agree with your points and am new to the word gender neutrality! I keep discussing these issues with my son and challenge him anytime he says something gender biased. Btw I loved the genderbread man!