Module 1: Introduction to Gender Equality
Social norms, gender and intersectionality
What is a norm?
A norm can be described as a sort of socially constructed, unspoken or unwritten rule of behaviour that is expected and accepted in a particular socieity, culture or group. Norms are shaped and influenced by time, place and context.
Positive norms can help provide structure to society, and they can create a sense of belonging and understanding between people.
But norms can also be negative and debilitating. These norms can be oppressive, discriminatory, or restrictive, and they can create barriers for people to fully participate in society.
Norms usually only become visible when someone doesn’t fit into them.
How are norms created?
One way of understanding how norms are created is by breaking them down to three levels: one that deals with ideas, one that deals with behavior and one that deals with the concrete, and structural consequences that the norms have in society.
Example: The creation of gender norms
Intersectionality
Intersectionality is a sociological theory first coined by American civil rights advocate Kimberlé Crenshaw in 1989. Intersectionality refers to overlapping social identities and the related systems of oppression, domination and/or discrimination. The idea is that multiple identities intersect to create a whole that is different from the component identities.
Having an intersectional perspective when working with gender equality is crucial because gender discrimination does not exist in a vacuum, but is intertwined with other factors such as race, ethnicity, class, sexuality, religion, and ability.
Do you want to learn more about intersectionality?
“If you’re standing in the path of multiple forms of exclusion, you’re likely to get hit by both” – This TED-talk is presented by Kimberlé Crenshaw herself.