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Gender Inequality: Socially Constructed differences between Genders.

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Gender Inequality: Socially Constructed differences between Genders.

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Gender Inequality is a broad issue that has been developed worldwide and its effects are still present in modern society. The process of gender inequality occurs when men and women are not treated equally. It refers to the uneven or unequal treatment and perceptions of individuals based on their gender. These issues are socially constructed where their differences arise in gender roles. Gender systems are often complex and hierarchical. The actions that may arise out of these systems can reflect the inequalities that manifest in numerous dimensions of daily life. Gender discrimination can be considered as prejudicial treatment of individuals and groups on society due to gender differences. Mostly pertaining to women, the issue is quite important and affects many individuals’ even men. In order to give to gender inequality, one must first look at gender. Gender and its relation to the term sex are used interchangeably however there are many differences that draw them apart. From a biological perspective sex is defined as a physical or chromosomal makeup. Usually people are categorized as either male or female depending on their genitalia or chromosomes. However, gender is commonly referred to as social identity. Gender inequality is caused by a variety of issues and acts of discrimination. Whether direct or indirect acts of discrimination to women over men in the workplace or in society as a whole as well as segregation in society. Women and men are often treated differently based on traditional stereotypes and beliefs which has led conflict among those in society. It is an issue of great significance and can have a negative impact on the lives on those discriminated.
The link below gives access to the various types of Gender Inequalities. it encompasses a variety of reasons that can cause gender inequality and how it can be manifested
Dated 10/04/2017

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SEATTLE - Despite massive progress, women's rights remains a critical issue throughout the world, especially in regions like North Africa and the Middle East. Women are confronted with a systematic denial of rights where legal discrimination leaves them inferior to their male counterparts. Consequently, women globally lack a full realization of their fundamental human rights. Learning about this problem reveals that gender equality is central to sustainable progress. These are ten examples of gender inequality existing in the world today.

1. Lack of Mobility

Women are forbidden to drive in Saudi Arabia, despite numerous protests, and must rely on their fathers or husbands to get from place to place. In countries like Egypt and Bahrain, husbands have the right to stop their wives from leaving the country while other countries require written permission from a husband to travel.
Sources: Discovery, List Verse, Says
Photo: NPR

2. Freedom of Marriage

According to the U.N., 40 percent of young women in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa are married by age 18. Child marriage not only increases the chance of complications of giving birth that often prove fatal, but also contravenes the fundamental human right of choice of partnership. In Pakistan, women are expected to accept arranged marriages and refusal can lead to "honor killings" that typically go uncontested by the government.
Sources: Discovery, Says, Advocates for Youth, Girls Not Brides
Photo: NBC News

3. Discriminatory Divorce Rights

Creating a Road Home
In most of the Middle East, countries are governed by religious ideals and gender inequality is pervasive. As men are typically viewed as superior, they can divorce their wives relatively easily and even through mere oral renunciation. Women, on the other hand, face many more challenges. In Lebanon, abused women do not even have the right to file for divorce unless an eyewitness is willing to testify.
Sources: List Verse,
Photo: Bulletin of the Oppression of Women

4. Citizenship

With the exception of Israel, Iran, Tunisia, and parts of Egypt, women in the Middle East do not have the right to pass citizenship on to their children while men have the ability to not only pass it to their children, but also to their non-national wives.
Sources: List Verse, MERIP
Photo: FDI

5. Frontline Combat

While allowed to participate in the army, women are still not permitted to serve in frontline combat in Turkey and Slovakia. As recently as 2016, this gender inequality persisted in the U.K. as well.
Source: Says
Photo: The Spectator

6. Custody Rights

Creating a Road Home
In some countries, the courts automatically grant custody rights to the father, and women are left without any means of financial support. For example, in Bahrain, family laws are not systematized, enabling judges to deny mothers custody of their children.
Sources: List Verse,
Photo: Flickr

7. Violence

Unequal legal rights make women increasingly vulnerable to violence. One of the most obvious forms of violence against women in the world today is that of spousal rape. India's recent ruling that rape laws do not apply to married couples clearly illustrates the sexual subjugation and violence to which women remain exposed.
Sources: List Verse, Advocates for Youth, Borgen Magazine
Photo: Policy Mic

8. Professional Obstacles

Even in developed countries, women are at a disadvantage when it comes to earnings. The highest-paying fields are still dominated by men, and on average, women earn just 77 percent of what men earn for the same amount of work. At this rate, it could take a full 45 years before this gender inequality disappears.
Sources: Discovery, Says, Huffington Post

9. Restricted Land Ownership

In some countries, customary or religious law effectively prohibits the ownership of land by females, even if their constitution claims equal rights. In many countries like North Sudan, Tanzania, and Lesotho, land ownership and control tends to go to the male head of the household. In Zambia, women and men are allowed to acquire a registered land title, but customary land tenure is also recognized making it unlikely for a woman to be allocated land without the approval of her husband.
Sources: Discovery, Says, USAID

10. Access to Education

Women make up more than two-thirds of the world's illiterate adults, and access to education is especially a problem in Afghanistan where groups that oppose female education attack many schools. Female rights are also compromised due to limited awareness of what they should be entitled to, which could only be remedied through greater access to education.
Sources: Discovery, List Verse, Says, Do Something, UN Women 1
Photo: The Guardian
Feature Photo: Intel For Change

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10 Examples of Gender Inequality in the World - BORGEN

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SEATTLE - Despite massive progress, women's rights remains a critical issue throughout the world, especially in regions like North Africa and the Middle East. Women are confronted with a systematic denial of rights where legal discrimination leaves them inferior to their male counterparts. Consequently, women globally lack a full realization of their fundamental human rights.

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During this course I was able to be learn things that I haven’t known before. It opened my eyes to the understanding of the Caribbean as a region and it societies. Though I had an idea of Caribbean civilization and Caribbean identity, defining the Caribbean was something unfamiliar to me. This course helped to me understand various concepts of defining the Caribbean from its historical to geological concepts as well as learning about the development of its civilization from the pre-colonial era to modern day society. From learning about the indigenous people and their migration to the way the lived and formed communities in the Caribbean influenced my respect for them and their way of surviving. I gained a formidable amount of knowledge and increased my respect for those that were part of slavery and its ills. As a student and as a youth in society I gained greater understanding of the ills and obstacles millions of people from different races and ethnic backgrounds faced daily in Caribbean plantations systems. This made me appreciate my ancestors more for that have laid the foundation for which I am here today in the Caribbean. Even as child of a mixed race family, I gained more appreciation for the cultural ideals that a have been passes on through generations that helped shaped the individual I am today and the society I live in today.
The image below reflects my visit to a museum at The University of the West Indies St. Augustine to examine to remains of The Banwari Man, said to be Trinidad's Oldest Resident
Dated: 14/02/2017

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"Tie the Heifer, Loose the Bull"- Gender Inequality in Guyana

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"Tie the Heifer, Loose the Bull"- Gender Inequality in Guyana

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It is evident that gender inequality has negative impacts on  relationships between men and women of the region. In Trinidad and Jamaica men are allowed to have and are sometimes praised for having more than one or numerous women, on the other hand women are given negative judgments or even discriminated for having more than one partner. They are sometimes labelled if known to have more than one sexual partner. Society sometimes find it acceptable for men to engage in earlier sexual activities rather than females. Many parents tend to foster this attitude through socialization and by the fact that some children follow by example, usually the parent. In Guyana, families employ the child rearing concept of “Tie the Heifer, Loose the Bull”, which signifies that parents should closely guard their daughters and allow their sons to have more freedom with social and sexual activity. This sort of activity allows for unfair judgment at ridicule of women in society. Although in many cultures women are seen as docile and should act within a manner that is acceptable, it still portrays the idea that women should not be given the same freedom as men. Therefore questioning what is freedom itself, when women are not allowed to do the same as men without facing discrimination. Liberty is now in question when this occurs because society construct belief that discriminate the act of one in favor of another which does not coherently work with the ideas of equality among all.

The Attachment below is an article of Gender Inequality in the Caribbean which focuses on the issue of " Tie the Heifer, Loose the Bull"
Dated : 12/04/2017

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For years, the Caribbean has been plagued with the pervasive and enduring problem of gender inequality. Gender, as a social construct, became popular during the 1960's and 70's and refers to "a set of qualities and behaviours expected from males and females by society" (United States Agency for International Development [USAID], 2005, p.12). While 'sex' refers to differences between males and females which are biologically determined and constant, 'gender' refers to those differences which are socially constructed and subject to change.

Gender inequality means that males and females do not have "equal conditions for realizing their full potential, and for contributing to and benefiting from economic, social, cultural, and political development" (USAID, 2005, p.12). It implies that men and women are valued differently and do not have equal rights, responsibilities, resources and opportunities in the home, school and wider society. Gender inequality often stems from deeply ingrained gender stereotypes in our societies. These stereotypes, or beliefs about the general characteristics of persons belonging to each gender, are learnt primarily through gender socialization and the assignment of gender roles. [showmyads]

The first place in which such learning occurs is the family. The family is the primary agent of socialization and it is here that the seeds of gender inequality are sown. Roles within Caribbean families are often segregated along lines of gender. The simple formula put forth by Chevannes (2001) is this: "a man minds but a woman cares" (p.222). The man "minds" his children by protecting them and supporting them financially; the woman "cares" for them by serving as housewife and caregiver.

From an early age, children are socialized into these norms and gender divisions. Their toys are usually sex-typed, for example, little girls are often given dolls and kitchen utensils while boys are given trucks and water-guns. In some countries of the Caribbean, for example on the Windward and Leeward islands, it is a common occurrence for boys to be waited upon by females resulting in their failure to assume domestic responsibilities. When they are assigned duties, these are usually outdoor tasks, whereas the females are responsible for indoor chores. In general, boys are allowed to play outside and roam the streets while the girls are left to 'help around the house.' Thus, according to Chevannes (2001), we come to have a division between "de yard female" and "de out a road male." Furthermore, to show that the public space is their domain and not that of the female, males will often position themselves on a street corner and "vie with each other in the ingenuity of their comments to embarrass women going by" (Hodge, 1974, p.117).

Of course, the Caribbean is not a homogenous society and as such, there exists different family forms within it. Yet there is no denying the fact that the Caribbean is a patriarchal society in which power, status and privilege are bestowed upon men, and where masculinity is valued more than femininity. Thus, within most of the Caribbean family types, we still see evidence of gender inequality, with males often being the dominant members.

In nuclear families, for example, as well as in the common law and visiting unions, the male assumes the role of head. He makes the major decisions in the family and has greater control over the family's resources than his partner. He wields more authority than the woman and is in most cases the disciplinarian. In female-headed households, females are responsible for the daily running of the family but it is the males, in the form of lovers, brothers or fathers of children, who often make the major decisions regarding family expenditure and children's schooling. The only family type in which the male is not very dominant is the matrifocal family in which the woman is the focal point; males are either absent or largely marginalized. Despite the absence of the male, however, it is likely that boys and girls will still be socialized into culturally accepted gender roles by their mothers, close relatives and the media. Indo-Caribbean families tend to be more extended than Afro-Caribbean families but they are also highly patriarchal in nature. The male is viewed as the head of the family with whom all power and authority rests.

Domestic violence is further evidence of the gender inequality that exists in the home. While domestic violence can occur for a number of different reasons, men often engage in wife beating, the most common form of domestic violence, because of their belief in male supremacy (Ffolkes, 1997). A lot of Caribbean men believe that they are entitled to have power over their women and that their wives are, in effect, their property.

We also see evidence of gender inequality in the intimate relationships between men and women, and in areas relating to sexuality. There exists a double standard in most of the region's societies whereby men are allowed to have, and even praised for having numerous women; on the other hand, women are viewed negatively and labeled as 'whores' and 'sluts' if they are known to have more than one mate. Males are also allowed to engage in sexual activity at an earlier age than females. Many parents help to foster this attitude by employing the child-rearing concept described in Guyana as "tie the heifer, loose the bull," meaning that they closely monitor their daughters but allow their sons greater freedom and independence with regard to sexual activity (Brown, 1995). Furthermore, as Allen (1997) argues, many Caribbean women do not usually have the power to determine when and how they have sex. Due to their high unemployment rates and their generally inferior access to economic resources, they often go along with their partner's wishes so as not to lose financial support for themselves and their children.

Gender inequalities might start in the home but they are perpetuated by other social institutions, one of which is the school. Gender segregation is first of all evident in the selection of academic courses by students. Subjects such as English Literature, home economics and the range of business subjects continue to be female dominated, while the sciences, information technology and vocational-technical subjects tend to be male-dominated. These divisions 'are encouraged and reinforced through both explicit and implicit practices in schools" (Bailey, 1997).

The implicit practices include the expectations of teachers and parents, as well as peer pressure, all of which are based on the gender stereotypes existing in the wider society. The explicit practices are most evident in single-sex schools. The curriculum in single-sex schools usually includes only some of the possible subject areas. Many girls' schools, for example, do not offer technical skills such as Woodwork and Welding, while boys' schools do not usually offer subjects featuring domestic skills such as Clothing and Textiles, or commercial skills such as Office Procedures (Bailey, 1997). Although the situation is changing in some schools in the region, it is still the trend across many.

The textbooks used in Caribbean schools also perpetuate gender inequality. From a content analysis of 27 English textbooks, Drayton (1997) found, for example, that most of the characters in these books (over 70%) were male. Furthermore, more males than females had occupations in these texts, with more males in administrative, executive and managerial positions, and most of the females engaging in unskilled work. According to Drayton (1997), these texts present women as more intelligent and inventive than women, and as the ones who should take the lead in our societies.

It is interesting to note also, that despite the fact that female teachers outnumber male teachers in most, if not all, Caribbean schools, the top management positions, for example that of principal, are usually occupied by males. Taylor (1997), who examined data from departmental reports at the University of the West Indies (UWI) St. Augustine campus, for a number of school years between 1974 and 1988, found that at this level, males are also dominant in administration. Males occupied almost all deanships and headships in most faculties and departments. In Jamaica, there is also a "higher male representation among heads, lecturers, senior lecturers and heads of faculties in the University of the West Indies and other institutions at the University level" (USAID, 2005, p. 27).

The gender divisions present within the school system translate into gender inequalities in the workforce. Thus, in Jamaica, for example, males dominate the labour force in areas such as manufacturing, construction, transport and mining, while females form the bulk of the work force in wholesale and retail, hotel and restaurant services, social and personal services and business services. In addition, although the job-seeking rate for females is higher than that that of males, more females are unemployed. That is, although more women than men look for work, more men than women find work (USAID, 2005). One of the most startling evidences of gender inequality in the country, however, is that "in almost all categories of work, men earn more than women in the private sector" (USAID, 2005, p.7). Research has also shown that in general, females require more years of schooling than males in order to compete on the same level with them. These findings are characteristic not only of Jamaica but extend to other Caribbean countries as well.

Women who desire to start their own businesses also face obstacles resulting from the gender stereotypes and biases in our society. The major barrier encountered by these aspiring entrepreneurs is lack of access to bank loans, which they often need in order to get their businesses off the ground. In Jamaica, as in many other Caribbean countries, women applying for loans will need more documentation than men and are often viewed as credit risks by bank officials even when they are as qualified as men who are granted loans (Paulin, 2003).

Even Caribbean religions give evidence of gender inequality. In the Palo Monte and Santeria religions of Cuba, for example, it is very unusual to find women occupying the highest positions. It is more common and permissible for women to participate in, rather than lead the ceremonies, to cook food and act as personal helpers to the religious leaders (Taylor, 2001). Rastafarianism, perhaps the most well-known of Caribbean religions, is also male-centered. Women are thought of as being weak and are not allowed to be leaders in any Rastafarian ritual. In addition, females are viewed as unclean whenever they have an issue of blood and cannot approach a ritual gathering of males, for example Nyabingus, during this time.

Gender inequality is also evident in the main music forms of the region, and here I speak specifically of the Jamaican reggae/dancehall and the Trinidadian calypso/soca. In both genres of music, females are generally portrayed as dependents, housewives and sexual objects to be used, and even abused, by men. The lyrics, which are often written by males, reinforce the idea that men should be in control of their women. Unfortunately, even in instances where female artists write and record their own lyrics, they often add to the sexist ideas and negative imagery which only serve to further denigrate women and undermine their integrity (Lake, 1998).

While the gender stereotypes within Caribbean societies often work to disadvantage females, males are sometimes negatively affected as well. Firstly, in all Caribbean societies, males are expected to be the breadwinners. Even when the female partner is working, provision of material resources is hardly ever seen as her major responsibility. Her husband or 'baby father' is expected to bear the economic burden of 'minding' his children and possibly, her as well. A male who does not provide for his family is not considered a man, but in a region like this, where unemployment is widespread, this can be especially difficult. Many Caribbean males therefore face serious threats to their masculinity and self-esteem.

To be a 'real man,' by the standards of Caribbean society, a male must also display sexual prowess. The sooner he establishes his manhood in this respect the better. Thus, males are often pressured, directly or indirectly, to engage in sexual activity at an earlier age than females. They are also expected to have children to serve as visible proof of their manhood, but are then faced with the difficulty of providing for them.

Males in Caribbean societies are also expected to be 'tough.' This expectation results in males being punished more severely and more often than females, both in the home and at school. In order to keep up this tough macho image, males are also led to resist aspects of their schooling which might be viewed as 'girlish' but which could benefit them greatly later on in life, for example, using standard languages instead of Creole or slang (Figueroa, 2000, cited in USAID, 2005). Furthermore, the sexual identity of a boy is more likely to be challenged is he chooses a 'feminine' subject in school (e.g. Food and Nutrition) than if a female chooses a 'masculine' area of study (e.g. Technical Drawing). Since girls are expected to take their schooling more seriously, they also receive more encouragement and help with homework, and more admonition to 'take up their books' (Figueroa, 2000, cited in USAID, 2005).

Gender inequality is a very real and ubiquitous problem in Caribbean society. It is reflected in virtually every sphere of Caribbean life and continues to be a hindrance to the total development of the region. Recognizing that gender inequality is a problem, however, is only the first step in eradicating it. Only by acting on this knowledge and broadening our minds as individuals will our dream of a fair, just and egalitarian society ever become a reality.

References

Allen, C. (1997). Researching STD's in the Caribbean. In E. Leo-Rhynie, B. Bailey & C. Barrow (Eds.), Gender: A Caribbean multidisciplinary perspective. Kingston, Jamaica: Ian Randle Publishers.

Bailey, B. (1997). Sexist pattersn of formal and non-formal education programmes: The case of Jamaica. In E. Leo-Rhynie, B. Bailey & C. Barrow (Eds.), Gender: A Caribbean multidisciplinary perspective (pp. 144-158). Kingston, Jamaica: Ian Randle Publishers.

Brown, J. (1995, May). " Why man stay so, why woman stay so": Findings of the gender socialization project. St, Michael, Barbados: Women and Development Unit, UWI.

Chevannes, B. (2001). Learning to be a man: Culture, socialization and gender identity in five Caribbean communities. Kingston, Jamaica: University of the West Indies Press.

Drayton, K. (1997). White man's knowledge: Sex, race and class in Caribbean English language textbooks. In E. Leo-Rhynie, B. Bailey & C. Barrow (Eds.), Gender: A Caribbean multidisciplinary perspective (pp. 159-181). Kingston, Jamaica: Ian Randle Publishers.

Ffolkes, S. (1997). Violence against women: Some legal issues. In E. Leo-Rhynie, B. Bailey & C. Barrow (Eds.), Gender: A Caribbean multidisciplinary perspective (pp. 118-127). Kingston, Jamaica : Ian Randle Publishers.

Hodge, M. (1974). The shadow of a whip: A comment on male-female relations in the Caribbean. In O. Coombs (Ed.), Is massa day dead? Black moods in the Caribbean (pp. 111-118). New York: Anchor Books.

Lake, O. (1998). Subordination in the midst of liberation theology. Durham, NC: Carolina Academic Press.

Paulin, D. (2003, July 29). Female entrepreneurs battle discrimination. Jamaica Observer. Retrieved January 21, 2012, from http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/46911_Female-entrepreneurs-battle-discrimination

Taylor, E. (1997). Women in school administration. In E. Leo-Rhynie, B. Bailey & C. Barrow (Eds.), Gender: A Caribbean multidisciplinary perspective (pp. 183-198). Kingston, Jamaica : Ian Randle Publishers.

Taylor, P. (2001). Nation dance: Religion, identity and culture differences in the Caribbean. Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press.

United States Agency for International Development. (2005). A gender analysis of the educational achievement of boys and girls in the Jamaican educational system. Retrieved January 21, 2012, from http://www.usaid.gov/our_work/cross-cutting_programs/wid/pubs/ga_education_jamaican.pdf

Photo courtesy of africa / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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"Tie the Heifer, Loose the Bull": Gender Inequality in the Caribbean

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For years, the Caribbean has been plagued with the pervasive and enduring problem of gender inequality. Gender, as a social construct, became popular during the 1960's and 70's and refers to "a set of qualities and behaviours expected from males and females by society" (United States Agency for International Development [USAID], 2005, p.12).

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Gender Inequality in Trinidad and Tobago - An Understanding of my Social and Geographical Environment.

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Gender Inequality in Trinidad and Tobago - An Understanding of my Social and Geographical Environment.

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Trinidad and Tobago has been country that has been influenced by the cultural ideals of Patriarchy from the period of Post Emancipation to modern society. The cultural belief that came out of the European lifestyles quickly influenced and shaped the way society is today in Trinidad and Tobago. Upon emancipation, Caribbean men attained freedom and all that it entails however women gained limited to little freedom. Men gained access to education abroad that full social, educational and political mobility while women were part of the domestic part of society e.g. East Indian families in Trinidad. With the help of equal rights laws developed through protest and women in action, many females in Trinidad and Tobago have been able to elevate themselves up the social, economic and political ladder through the help of education. Presently there are more women providing for their families rather than men, women that have become teachers at the University I attend, lawyers in the community of Mayaro where I live, and doctors in hospitals close to where I reside. They hold high positions in organizations and political institutions. Recently women have improved their standings in the struggle for equality.  On average more women attend the University of the West Indies compared to men.  The past Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago Kamla Persad Bissessar is another exceptional example in the change of ideals that has been passed through generations and that women are fighting against patriarchy to better themselves and their social standing.

The Attachment below shows a series of some of the many successful women in Trinidad and Tobago. Evidence of women in gaining upward social, political and economic mobility
Dated: 11/04/2017

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Gender Inequality:  Patriarchy-An Issue of importance to Caribbean Civilization

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Gender Inequality:  Patriarchy-An Issue of importance to Caribbean Civilization

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The periods leading after Emancipation or Post Emancipation, many Caribbean countries assumed patriarchal societies that reflected that of their colonizers. Women would remain subordinate to men for most of Caribbean history. Men would have the right to education and social mobility whereas women faced difficulty moving away from domestic lives. However after the 21st Century, both men and women have adapted the process of emerging new gender relations in both ideological and material dimensions of gendered life. There are still evidence of gender inequality in modern Caribbean countries that reflect the ideals of our colonizers.  The family is considered the main factor in socialization of individuals in society. In Caribbean civilizations it is customary in some cultures that women stay at home as take up duties as housewives while men work and take responsibilities as sole breadwinners of the home. These ideals are still passed on through generations among various ethnic groups based in the Caribbean namely East Indians and Chinese. Men are still treated or given a certain degree of favor over women out of these cultural groups. Gender has also influenced their religious belief in that men are somewhat superior to women and they must submit themselves to their husbands as it is seen as just in the eyes of God. This has led to continuous development of gender inequality out of the post emancipation period due to the transfer or cultural beliefs through generations in the family.

The attachment/link below refers to an article that discusses the ills, causes and effects or patriarchy and gender inequality in the Caribbean. it is an article on first hand experiences of women in the Caribbean and the issues faces with gender inequality.
Dated: 11/04/2017

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Typically when I analyze the issue of gender inequality my thoughts are limited to what I have experienced as a woman living in the Western world. Although I am of Haitian descent, my knowledge about the oppressiveness of a patriarchal society doesn't venture far past the shores of North America. I have never asked my Mother or Grandmother what their experience was living as women in Haiti; a country far less liberal and just than the United States is when it comes to the treatment of women.

Being a first generation American meant my parents still raised me with some of the gender roles and double standards that exist in Haitian society, but what I have had to deal with is not even a fraction of what Haitian women and other Caribbean women experience in their home countries.

The issue of gender inequality in the Caribbean became relevant to me after reading an article about a sexist comment made by Haitian president Michel Martelly. Earlier this year at a campaign rally, a woman asked President Martelly what he planned on doing about the lack of electricity in her region. Instead of answering her question appropriately, he responded by telling her to go find a man to have sex with.

President Martelly is known for being filterless and looselipped; however, that doesn't change the fact that his comment was totally unacceptable. The comment he made is reflective of a widespread sexist mindset in the Caribbean. Unlike women in the western world, it has taken much longer for Caribbean women to combat this sexist culture and ascend from their status as second class citizens.

Gender inequality in the Caribbean oftentimes stems from people's manipulation of religious texts, calling for women to be submissive and men to be dominant. Men feel compelled to control their wives and daughters, ruling their households with an iron fist. The result of this is that a great deal of women in the Caribbean end up in low sectors of society in terms of employment, wages, and political representation.

Statistics report that women in the Caribbean face job discrimination that limits them from being promoted in the workforce. This discrimination is able to persist because social and legal institutions do not pledge to stand behind and advocate for their equality in all aspects of life such as employment and earning, as well as social and political participation.

Poor economic conditions have put a massive strain on family life, leading to an increase in domestic violence Caribbean women face. Economic collapse and crisis are often correlated to a rise in domestic abuse. Sexual violence against women is also pervasive in the Caribbean.

Three Caribbean countries are among the top 10 for reported incidence of rape, and all Caribbean countries have higher than the world average for rape. There are laws in the region against domestic violence; however, fewer than half of Caribbean countries have laws that protect women when it comes to marital rape and sexual assault. It is also extremely difficult to document cases of abuse because women often remain silent out of fear.

There is a group of women in the Caribbean, who find difficulty living their truth because their unique identity puts them in danger. Women who identify as lesbian, bisexual or transgender are in a constant state of fear and peril. Despite the presence of intolerance towards them, there is still an abundance of queer women. However, the immense discrimination they face causes them to hide their identities. There are social and criminal ramifications for being queer in the Caribbean.

To be a transgender, lesbian, or bisexual woman in the Caribbean means to not only face public shame but to also face violent brutality. Far too many queer women have been assaulted, ostracized, and forced into pretending that they are cisgender or heterosexual. Queer women living in the Caribbean have to endure the oppression that comes with the intersection of their identities.

There is an urgent need for both social and systemic change in Caribbean countries. The United Nations in collaboration with the governments of many Caribbean countries are actively trying to bring about change. The United Nation's Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women has been working with Caribbean countries to achieve gender equality in the labor force. Partnership for Peace, UN Trust Fund to End Violence Against Women, and other organizations are all working to end violence against women in the region.

These initiatives have been effective, however, there is more that needs to be done. There have been crusaders and small organizations trying to better the lives of queer women, but little to no governmental efforts have been made. The intrinsic worth of women as capable, selfdetermining individuals needs to be promoted in Caribbean society. Once this is recognized, Caribbean women can experience liberation and freedom from gender inequality.

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Gender Inequality in the Caribbean - MyBlackMatters

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By: Sarah Duval Typically when I analyze the issue of gender inequality my thoughts are limited to what I have experienced as a woman living in the Western world. Although I am of Haitian descent, my knowledge about the oppressiveness of a patriarchal society doesn't venture far past the shores of North America.