Gender Relations

Gender relations are the power relations between men and women. Gender relations are normally determined by the society and culture. Gender relations are the ways in which a culture or society defines the rights, responsibilities and the identities of men and women in relation to each other.

The society or culture frames how men and women should act in the society according to their gender. This includes the work each gender can do, the clothes each gender can wear, the bodily characteristics they have to maintain, their roles, attitudes, behaviors etc.

What a man is supposed to do, what a women is supposed to do. This construction of gender roles influences the power dynamics between gender which ultimately determines the gender relations. Gender roles are stereotyped and man and women are supposed to follow them. In Islamic societies, women are supposed to stay inside the house and are denied the role in decision making, in some matriarchal societies women play a vital role in decision making. The difference in such roles can sometimes create conflict between the gender and lead to violence. Some cultures try to promote equality and some cultures emphasize in complementary roles of the gender. Failure in fulfilling these assigned roles by men or women can lead to disgraced position in the society.

Since, gender roles are stereotyped, it not only affects women but men too. The gender roles in Islamic society has made women totally dependent upon the men and sometimes women are regarded as less human than men. Similarly, the bread winner role of male in Nepalese society has compelled thousands of men to go abroad and work in dangerous situations in order to earn the living for his family.