For healthy interaction

THE MADRAS Christian College is evolving a gender policy for itself. Its decade-old Centre for Women's Studies proposes to go beyond studying women's condition in modern society, to identify forms of discrimination. It believes recent developments necessitate active promotion of a culture of gender equality and justice in schools and colleges.

``We observe a perceptible promiscuity in the inter-personal relationship of boys and girls in the college,'' rued Principal Alexander Mantramurti. ``What used to be a healthy, academics- oriented interaction between the sexes is becoming a behavioural and attitudinal problem. While interaction among students is natural, we would like them to know where to draw the line."

Vasanthi Vijayakumar, co-ordinator of the project, set the tone for the day's agenda when she said gender concerns did not receive the attention they deserved and male dominance (socially and politically) resisted any `desirable re-structuring of roles in the social set-up'. To rectify this, she stressed the need to make the family and educational institutions specific targets of intervention for change.

A daylong workshop titled `Gender Ethics-An Interaction' had groups of Plus-two students from five neighbouring schools participating, CWS launched a project for research into the socialisation process that has built inequality in the minds of men and women. An extensive survey of these thought processes in educational institutions would be followed by workshops to identify gender specific needs. Two seminars will thrash out various aspects of gender ethics in our society, which will culminate in the formulation of a curriculum for the college.

In her keynote address, Sheila Jayaprakash, a senior lawyer of the Madras High Court, explained how `gender' is different from `sex' while defining human identity. "When we say `gender bias", she said, ``we talk of social norms that have become ossified in our culture with biological differences as their basis. This ideology of gender is reinforced by religion, school, society, family, and of course, the media.

``When women begin to exercise their rights, it is perceived as a threat. Women courts ask a woman to `adjust' with her husband, rather than ask the man why he hit her.''

Sheila staunchly believes that the curriculum should be modified to provide space for gathering, analysing and internalising information on what girls are entitled to under the law.

They should be told that implementation of laws is thwarted under social guise. Girls are debarred from making use of opportunities in the name of security, like not allowing women to do night shifts.

Talking about domestic violence, the lawyer said, ``It is scary that eight out of 10 women face verbal or physical abuse.

That makes every one of us a potential victim." She wanted girls to develop "zero tolerance for domestic violence".

She finds the phrase `eve-teasing' misleading when it comes to punishment. ``Teasing implies playfulness,'' she pointed out. ``The proper word would be `sexual harassment' and if death occurs due to this it should be treated as culpable homicide. And any punitive action only amounts to tokenism.''

V. Rajagopalan, Head, Department of English, MCC, touched upon the linguistic prejudice women are subjected to. The dictionary lists red-blooded, virile, etc. as synonyms of `male' but `woman' gets words like delicate, gentle, modest and weak. He wanted all sexist connotations removed from language use.

Gently rebuking the stand that language stood for chauvinism, Dr. Clement Felix, retired Principal, MCC Higher Secondary School, said the teachers' role should go beyond academics and shape personalities.

He bemoaned the lack of good examples to teach values in schools.

Rather than harping on equality, Dr. Clement wanted a woman's uniqueness emphasised and appreciated. He prefers conciliation not confrontation.

The afternoon session saw students answering a questionnaire and voicing their views on the issues raised. The boys felt they were being pummelled and said that `protection' came out of love and many privileges were being given to girls in the form of fee and tax waivers.

They doubted whether women were any longer unassertive and argued that unhealthy attitudes among the sexes were bred by segregation and lack of open discussions on inter-personal relationships.

Girls wanted `Gender Cells' in schools and colleges.

However, they all agreed gender ethics should find a place in the school curriculum.

GEETA PADMANABHAN

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Features
Previous : A refreshing combination
Next     : At the chopping edge