Women In The World: Stereotypes

Women in the World Name Institution Women in the World The discussion on women in the world and the issues they encounter was quite an eye-opener because it changed my perception of women and the challenges they face. The discussion provided some insights into why women cannot change their situation on their own without the assistance of men. Issues that affect women such as forced marriages and domestic violence require the participation of men and women to solve them. The position that is focusing on men would be more effective in addressing some issues such as gender stereotyping has become widespread in some societies. Baker, Tisak, and Tisak (2015) reveal that changing the expectations and beliefs held by boys might be effective in changing societal beliefs concerning gender issues. During the discussion, two important topics caught my attention, and the focus of this paper will be mainly on the two topics and how they influence gender equality. The two topics are gender stereotype and stereotyping and feminism.Kolb’s reflective model, which entails concrete experience, reflective observation, conceptualization, and experimentation (Kolb, 2015) is used throughout this paper. Basically, I describe what I experienced during the discussion on the aforementioned topics, reflect on that experience and then conceptualize my observations using further research on the topics. Gender stereotype has been in place for centuries, and it is referred to as a generalized assumption of the characteristics and roles that men and women should possess/ play within society (United Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner (OHCHR), 2014). This preconception is thus based on long-held beliefs that women and men should behave in a certain manner. Gender stereotyping involves assigning specific characteristics or roles to a man or woman solely based on them belonging to a social group that is determined by gender (OHCHR, 2014). Stereotyping is a common phenomenon that happens in schools, workplace, and in the communities. The discussion on women around the world revealed some interesting facts about gender stereotypes and stereotyping. I realized that some stereotypes are positive, which is contrary to what I thought about stereotypes. However, how those stereotypes are interpreted and assigned to individuals is what makes them harmful. For instance, a common stereotype that women are good at home-making can be termed as a positive stereotype. However, this stereotype has been used to deny women an equal chance at achieving their dreams and exploring their abilities because they are required to stay at home and manage the household. This is in line with what the OHCHR (2014) refers to as harmful stereotyping because it limits the ability of men or women to make life choices and become competent members of society. Gender stereotypes have, however, played a major role in promoting gender inequality and have been, in particular, a catalyst in discrimination against women around the world. During the discussion, it was revealed why, in some communities, genital mutilation was practiced and how victims of rape were unable to find justice because they were blamed for inappropriate dress code. However, most importantly, I was able to understan...