Dr Shoaib
Gender is a socially constructed and equally supported by the social constructionists, feminists, and gender-related theorist in the globe. As per social constructionists, no other characteristic exists than femininity and masculinity. It reveals that gender is not natural or inherited rather socially learned behaviour. Moreover, the social construction of gender has been found different in different societies. As many components affect gender in comparison to biological construction, it is pertinent to identify that if gender is constructed socially then feminine and masculine characteristics may change. It is, further, argued that a man may possess feminine and women may possess masculine characteristics because of social and cultural construction rather than biological and sex variance. Hence, when a society lacks balance of gender power it may produce more variations of masculinity and femininity. The variation in academic performances of females and males students at the tertiary level has been directly linked with the polarity of gender differences. As variation in feminine and masculine characters less exist in West. That’s why female students compete male students in almost all the fields, generally, and in education, particularly.
In Pakistan, the wide range disparities between male and female performance in exams that are more likely associated with the feminine and masculine variations. It is, therefore, found that varying nature of emerging differences between feminine and masculine characters enable feminists to counter the argument of exponents of the brain and innate differences that produce differences in gender equality and ultimately affect the achievements of female and male students in higher education.
Feminism proponents believe that equal rights and opportunities to females and males in masculine structure. They demand social equality regardless of sex. So, they attracted the attention of the world towards the differences created in femaleness and maleness in society. In the United States, the first wave of feminism formally intended the Seneca Falls Convention in 1848 to highlight the issues of gender inequality in society. It is pertinent here to mention that Elizabeth Cady Stanton drafted the Seneca Fall Declaration. Whereas, the second wave began in the 1960s and continued into the 1990s. It focused the equal education for all and civil rights. The second wave was persuaded in the light of Education Act 1944 and this act was conferred to provide social equality and education regardless of gender. Many of these popular feminist women were born between the fourth and fifth decades of the twentieth century. By realizing the need for female education, they raised voice and ultimately opened the way for equal education for all and particularly the female education in the masculine structure of the society.
Furthermore, the third wave of feminism (the mid-1990s) focused on the perceived failures of the second wave and challenged the definitions of femininity. The main focus of the third wave was to see females’ lives as intersectional; class, gender, nationality and ethnicity, etc., all significant factors to discuss feminism. Thus, it is argued that the third wave rejected the notion of biological differences among females and males and pointed out that there are other factors including class, national, and ethnic identity to define femininity. Moreover, the fourth wave of feminism (begin about 2012) has also been started with the movement of the ‘Metoo Movement’ and ‘The Time’s Up Movement’ demanding equality in education along with previous main issues.
It is however believed that no one is born with occupational specialization, but relatively society and culture create the differences. Females possess similar intellectual capabilities to males but, owing to the masculine structure of society, females are less likely to have access. Girls’ lagging behind in the past was based on traditional cultural practices and normative value structure. Thus, culture and society had made an inappropriate environment for females to learn and come up with better opportunities as females were born and treated differently to develop different imagery of society. At this point, no one is born genius rather socialized and prepared in a particular socio-economic environment. Hence, the feminist assertions that gender is mainly influenced by the masculine culture of the society. Females are mainly disturbed by male perspectives as they dominate every walk of life. Male design and execute the policies in almost every sphere of life. Owing to this, females are subjugated and kept at margins in every field in the past. Males were getting education and outperforming females while females were excluded from education. It is argued that masculine and cultural differences have a pivotal role in socializing the girls for education and competition with males rather than innate differences. Hence, it is argued that females were not supported by their families and cultural practices for education. The proponents of feminism struggled for female education, and space was provided. Currently, female students are outshining males in examination results almost at all levels.
Dr Shoaib is working as a chairperson and associate professor of sociology at University of Gujrat, Pakistan.
