Gender
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Gender
Defining and Discussing Gender, Gender Roles, and Gender Identity
Gender may be defined as the aspect of being male or female or both, or any of the other sexual
categories, which a society assigns to it and considers appropriate for men, women and other
related gender. The concept differs from the biological sex that defines the body characteristics
like chromosome and sexual organs. Gender roles are the practices that society dictates people to
fulfill depending on their perceived gender. These roles can depend considerably on the culture
and time of the society and may include choosing, wearing, working and having responsibilities
for the family and behaving in definite ways. Gender identity, on the other hand, is the internal
appreciation of one's male or female sex or another gender identification different from that
assigned at birth. It is a way of knowing or recognising one's gender and the manner in which
this realisation is recognized includes being Transgender, Non-Binary, and Queer among others.
Gender refers to the general concept in the society, gender roles on the other hand refer to the
specific expectations that are attached to the general gender Concept Gender identity, on the
other hand, refers to the feel that an individual has about his or her gender.
Oppression Faced by the Transgender Community
Transgender people experience several types of oppression such as violence, lack of power,
constraint and minority status among others. Transgender can be harassed physically,
emotionally or sexually this mostly results from the increasing phobia and prejudice of the
society. Stereotyping is manifested by the sidelining of the transgender community from the
normal social, economic as well as political life hence employment, health care and housing
discrimination(Mahmud, 2024). Lack of power is derived from the fact that the transgender
persons cannot control certain aspects of their lives due to the unequal treatment they are bound
to endure as a result of prejudice and unfairness. These forms of oppression work independently
and together to exacerbate the problems for the transgender population and contribute to higher
incidences of mental health problems, substance use, and suicide.
Supporting and Advocating for the Transgender Community
Supporting the transgender community involves both individual actions and broader advocacy
efforts. On one's own level, they can learn about the issues that have trans folks facing, avoid the
use of wrong and mortal language when referring to trans persons and be supportive to the trans
persons. Such advocacy can entail propounding for policies that safeguard the rights of the
transgender people in the society including provision of health care services. Supporting
organizations for the struggle against prejudice towards transgender people, attending the rallies,
and increasing the general public awareness of the problems that the transgender population has
to face are also significant. And finally, promoting equal treatment of transgender people in
workplaces, schools, and communities enables such people to feel wanted and significant.
Agencies in Northeast Ohio Offering Services and Advocacy
In Northeast Ohio, two agencies that offer services and advocacy for the transgender community
are the LGBT Community Center of Greater Cleveland and TransOhio. The LGBT Community
Center of Greater Cleveland provides a wide range of services, including support groups,
counseling, and health resources specifically tailored for the transgender community( Wood et
al., 2020). They are also involved in lobbying for change and equality as a way of fighting
discrimination. TransOhio is an organization based in Ohio that focuses on assisting, educating,
and advocating for the trans population. They include offering legal services, medical services,
support groups, and many other events to enhance the lives of LGBTQ individuals in Ohio.
References
Wood, L., Clark, D., Heffron, L. C., & Schrag, R. V. (2020). Voluntary, survivor-centered
advocacy in domestic violence agencies. Advances in Social Work, 20(1), 1-21.
Mahmud, M. (2024). Gender Based Exclusion Of Bangladeshi Transgender "Hijra" Community
From Job Sector (Master's thesis, University of South-Eastern Norway).
