Gender bias is the prejudice displayed toward one gender over the other. Often this bias is implicit in our nature inherited by our culture, upbringing, and personal experiences. We usually feel that gender bias is mostly towards women but it’s not the truth. Men do face bias the same way a woman faces. Gender bias doesn’t leave men. While women face bias at every place, men face it less than women. The other genders like the LGBTQ face a lot of biases. When we use the term gender, we mean socially constructed expectations and roles for women and men, for girls and boys. Specifically, girls and women are expected to demonstrate feminine behaviour, and boys and men are expected to act masculine. The LGBTQ community are hardly taken into consideration. How can we minimize gender bias?
1.Have open discussions at home about the way chores are divided up. Set expectations that both kids and adults are expected to have a turn at everything: cooking, cleaning and other household work.
2.Encourage kids to try all types of extracurricular activities, buy them gender-neutral toys.
3.Explain to the kids the importance of listening to and appreciating both genders as a matter of basic decency.
4.Help boys understand that it is their responsibility to stand up for girls and counteract stereotypes and at the same time tell them to express their emotions and worries.
5.Make it clear to girls that they are neither less nor better than anyone. Tell them to speak up for themselves.
6.There should be gender neutrality in the workplace. Implement gender-neutral recruitment processes.
7.It’s very important to have equality in marriages. If anytime you feel your partner is being biased, speak up.
8.Educate each and every person about equality. Spread awareness.