What is Gender Theory

Gender theory originated in the United States in the 1960s, developed in the practice of the feminist movement, and has become a core conceptual system that plays an important role in guiding the movement, and has gradually developed into an important category of analysis in Western academic research, and has gradually formed a number of applied gender analysis frameworks, which have been applied in many projects and in the process of formulating public * * * policy. **Policy making process has been applied. Gender theory takes gender relations as the most basic sociological relationship, considering it to be a reflection of the nature of social relations, and from analyzing gender relations, one can discover the root causes and nature of social relations and social systems, thus turning gender theory into a powerful analytical tool for political economy and social culture. Gender theory holds that social expectations of gender roles and behaviors are often an extension of the biological sexes of both sexes, and that people's current gender concepts are a product of socialization, and thus can be changed. Taking gender differences, gender role modeling and the gender system as its main components, gender theory points its finger directly at the long-standing gender misconceptions of male superiority and female inferiority and the gender blind spot of ignoring gender, and thus reveals in depth the political, economic, cultural and social systemic roots of such differences and inequalities. It reflects an unequal relationship between the two sexes, which is in essence a power relationship that y permeates all areas of human politics, economy, culture, social life and the family. In general, gender theory requires: (1) to view gender in the light of change and development. Human gender concepts are formed in response to the family environment and the relationship between parents and children, and are constantly changing in the face of socio-cultural changes. The concept of human gender varies not only over time, but also by ethnicity and geography, and is a specific social constitution. Gender theory breaks the fatalistic view of gender as unchangeable and challenges the traditional concept of gender. (2) Viewing women as subjects of development. Gender theory believes that in social development, women are on an equal footing with men as subjects. Therefore, spiritually, women should be independent and get rid of the weak mentality of relying on men; in dealing with the relationship with men, they should form a partnership with men to get along with each other with mutual respect and equality; in the attitude towards the state and organizations, they should take the initiative to fight for their own rights and interests, and should not become a kind of tool. (3) Oppose the study of women and women's issues in isolation. Gender theory holds that women's issues should be examined in the context of the social roles and power structures shaped by both sexes***. Gender systems and structures include not only unequal power relations between men and women, but also different constraints on the development of men and women. (4) Focus on the analysis of the impacts on women and men in different policies or programs. Gender theory focuses on analyzing which policies and projects actually improve unequal gender relations between men and women, and which, on the contrary, reinforce traditional gender roles and exacerbate unequal relations between men and women, thus aiming at eliminating gender inequality or gender discrimination. The task of gender theory is to deconstruct the male discourse, to reexamine and redefine the politics dominated by the male discourse, so as to deconstruct the unequal gender relations in reality, and to rebuild the whole social relations and social system. It can be seen that gender is a concept that requires continuous development, and the establishment and enrichment of gender theory and knowledge system is a process of continuous deconstruction and construction.