Book review:

Understanding Women

K. S. Sivakumaran

Focusing on women in general and the female gender in particular a Media Toolkit incorporating Gender Glossary has been prepared to coincide with the Women International Day which falls today.

The book is published by PANOS South Asia in Colombo. The Editors happen to be Suvendrini Akuchi and Fathima Razik Cader. We understand that “this is the first English language edition in Lanka, researched and written by a team of esteemed professionals” The authors have acknowledged the contribution of Prof H R Seneviratne, Drs Pramila Senanayake, Lakshmen Senanayake, Sujatha Samarakoon, Sumithra Tissera and Ms U R K Menike. The translations into Sinhala and Thamil had been done by K S Hettiarachchi and S R Nathan respectively.

To assist the layman readers key terms are explained clearly. Those include: Abortion, Equal Opportunities, Female genital mutilation, Female headed household, Femininity, Feminist, Feminization of poverty,, Gender, Gender based violence, Gender and Development, Gender based division of labour, Gender empowerment Measure, Gender equality, Gender gap, Gender neutral, Gender perspective, Gender related Development Index, Gender sensitivity, Girl, Homosexual, Honour killing, Household, Housewife, Incest, Intimate partner violence, Labour, Invisible labour, Lesbian, Male, Man, Marital rape, Parental rights, Pre-natal sex selection, Prostitute, Male Prostitute, Rape, Stringer rape, Reproductive health, Reproductive rights, Sex, Sex chromosome, Sexism, Sexist, Sexuality, Sexual harassment, Sexual rights, Sexual violence, Sisterhood, Traditions, Traffic of women, Victim/Survivor, Virginity testing, What do we mean by’ sex’ and ‘gender’?. Woman and woman development.

Here is the definition given to Sex

Sex refers to the biological and physiological characteristics that define men and women. Gender refers to the socially constructed roles, behaviours, activities, responsibilities and attributes that a given society considers appropriate for men and women. To put another way- “Male” and female are ex categories, while “masculine” and “feminine” are gender categories, say the authors.

The compilers have given eighteen names of organizations overseeing women’s issues. As the addresses of thee institutions are also given, it is helpful to researchers on the subject. It is interesting note what Suvendrini says in her introduction to the book. Says she: “In the Sri Lankan media, the concept (Gender Equality) hardly presents a credible commentary.

For the writer and the reader, Gender equality assumes importance only when the media covers the horrors of being a woman in Sri Lanka – a second class citizen, utterly subservient to her male counterpart; a battered, abused and trafficked victim; a tragic and longsuffering martyr; and finally, the ultimate eminence – a mother who earns society’s respect by caring for her family and relatives” What she says in general terms is to a great extent may be true but in Eastern familial relationship women are shown respect as mothers and the spouses depend largely on their wives to run the house efficiently and with family affection , Women are the motivating engine and idolized as “Shakthi” (energy) However the editor argues that – “The women’s pages in the newspapers go a step further. The story gives way to the other, infinitely more glamorous sides of the fairer sex – the fashion icon, the radiant actress, the happy efficient housewife.

These roles are spiced up with cooking recipes and beauty hints, aimed at enhancing her allure to the opposite sex.

Indeed, in Sri Lanka, the gender sensitive story is commonly represented by the woman, her different roles often reinforcing and distinguishing the stereotypical portrayal of the sexes” This is true to some extent, but this trend is not peculiar to Lanka, in fact this feature is present all over the world due to consumerism and globalization. Men like women and women like men – it’s the attraction of the opposites generated by chemical reaction. That’s how the world and human nature exist.

But at the same time this writer agrees with Ms Kakuchi that “The delicate nuances of the social and cultural changes society has undergone are rarely brought out, making it even harder to categorise the gender story into one coherent theme” The author is the Country Representative –Panos Institute in Sri Lanka.

The booklet is very useful indeed for us journalists as it tries to ‘provide the necessary information for journalists to equip themselves with the necessary tools to take the gender story to the forefront of mainstream reporting, and so rescue it from the corner into which it has fallen”

 “Gender Glossary is available from Panos South Asia at 29, Gregory’s Road, Colombo 7.