Blog Post #5- Inquiry Research Round #3 – “To what extent does gender discrimination influence the world and people in our society?”

“To what extend does gender discrimination influence the world and the people in our society?”

Lokshana Groodoyal social responsibility Research topic: “The impacts on females (morally, personally, professionally, etc…) ” –  December 11, 2020

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Similar to my previous research on the impact on males, the question that most people ask: “are tougher females who are physically fit or practice in weigh lifting also affected by gender discrimination?” and the answer is YES! whether it be the strongest women in the world or on the planet. They are still affected no matter how successful they might be. How? this blog will answer the question…

This round of research will focus on the moral, personal and health impacts of gender discrimination on females. Gender stereotypes have always played a huge role in affecting females for ages because it is one of the main reasons gender discrimination exists. And as I like to put it: “Mentality of others”. As I mentioned in my previous research that mentality is one of the main causes of gender discrimination. However, gender stereotypes are something that we all have been taught ever since we were little or came across at some point in our lives [1]. If not yourself then you probably witnessed someone else, but you certainly came across it.

Here are some examples of stereotypes that create the image of the “perfect women/females”:

• Women are supposed to have “clean jobs” such as secretaries, teachers, and librarians
• Women are nurses, not doctors 
• Women are supposed to make less money than men
• The best women stay at home moms/ housewives
• Women don’t play sports
• Women can’t be leaders such as politicians; women are never in charge
• Women are quieter than men and not meant to speak out 
• Women are supposed to be submissive and do as they are told 
• Women are supposed to cook and do household
• Women are responsible for raising their children; responsible for good upbringing
• Women do not have technical skills and are not good at “hands-on” projects such as car repairs 
• Women are meant to be the damsel in distress; never the hero
• Women are supposed to look pretty and be looked at 
• Women do not play video games
• Women are meant to flirt/ need to dress-up and put on make-up

These examples of female/women stereotypes have been very popular ever since women existed and they’ve been under the same pressure and stress as men. They are affected by every phrase and word that is judging them [2]. These stereotypes have similar harm to the health of, which also leads to cardiovascular disease, cancer, respiratory disease, and diabetes are often linked to unhealthy diets, stress, substance abuse, and other habits. Although, the risk of heart attack is very low for females. Therefore, females who are or not pregnant can dangerously be at risk. Why? well because they have the capability to reproduce, having stress builds up cholesterol in their body which causes them to gain excessive weight and then leads to dangerous complications during fertility. Sometimes it even affects the health of both mothers and the child because every pressure, mental health problem or stress the mother goes through affects the baby too, which in some cases leads to complicated labour, child mutation and or miscarriages [3]. Gender stereotypes frequently discourage certain females from getting help because they don’t want to encourage the stigma of women always being emotional and gossip about their problems. Which then damages their morality by maintaining the image the society has for them. They also lose self-confidence and lack concentration on their studies or work which increases the risk of mental disorder and suicidal thoughts and sometimes recklessness in their children’s childhood. 

In conclusion, every woman is affected by gender discrimination. Whether they are tougher than others or fearless, part of body-building or no matter how successful they might be, gender discrimination does harm them. Not only it is affecting their health, but increasing their risk of death as well as destroying our future generation because they are pressured to maintain a certain image that has been set for them the day they were born. The pressure they feel is also preventing them from achieving their goal and creating their own identity and becoming the “women or girl” they have dreamed of.

Reliable Websites:

1. Bosse, J. (2017, June 22). How ‘Man Up’ And Other Stereotypical Sayings Hurt Boys. Retrieved November 21, 2020, from https://www.huffpost.com/entry/how-man-up-and-other-stereotypical-sayings-hurt-boys_b_594ac2b4e4b092ed90588b28?guccounter=1
2. Suppiah, V., Hazleton, Kustanovich, J., Surovcik, G., Farrell, R., Cicero, B., . . . Franz, M. (2019, October 15). How Society Views Women. Retrieved December 11, 2020, from https://www.theodysseyonline.com/society-and-women
3. Watson, S. (2013, March 14). Can Your Stress Affect Your Fetus? Retrieved December 11, 2020, from https://www.webmd.com/baby/features/stress-marks 
4. Stress during pregnancy. (2020, June 18). Retrieved December 11, 2020, from https://www.shecares.com/pregnancy/stress-during-pregnancy

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 How many of the stereotypes you know is actually true or you have witnessed yourself?

***The impacts of Males and Females are not as different as they are portrayed to be… they have the same emotions, just unique in their own ways. And that doesn’t mean women and men are completely different!***

Lokshana Groodoyal Research topic: “The impacts on females (morally, personally, professionally, etc…)” –  December 11, 2020