Women Gender And Sexuality Studies
In the era of rampant corporatisation, when one needs corpora knowledge
and corporate sentiment to live a “wealthy” corporate life, one rarely
finds it important to have faith in imagination, free will and humanity.
In these ruthless times, the powerful and privileged keep finding ways to
have “maximum profit” and instil such an ideology in other as well. A
handful of people, who do not believe in the notion of inevitability and
invincibility of corporates, have stared to explore unconventional, and
yet extremely necessary fields of study, to confront power injustice,
inhumanity and unravel ways in which society is constructed, where
privileges are distributed only to some. One such field is women, gender
and sexuality studies.
Gender, sex and sexuality are dangerous things to talk about in a
moderately conservative country like Bangladesh, However silence
regarding such meters causes so much ignorance, violence and injustice.
It does not require a person to study such a subject to understand how
women in a patriarchal society is oppressed and deprived of respect and
several rights because they are instinctively thought to be weak, but the
field of gender and sexuality studies address and explores such issues
deeply along with so many other innumerable issues. It is about knowing
one’s true self and becoming an individual free of social constraints.
Once one figure out who she or he truly is, it is not very difficult to
situate oneself in society and work for the improvement of it
“You can become a true human being if you absorb the essence of such a
subject,” says Ayesha Banu, Associate Professor, Department of women and
Gender studies (DWGS), University of Dhaka. It is central to our
understanding of the world, society, religion and human beings and hope
for positive changes, for our lives are essentially tide to this
understanding of gender and how it operates at different realms of life,”
says Shuchi Karim, PhD candidate, institute of Social Studies (ISS), The
Hague, The Netherlands, in women, Gender and Development Specialsation,”
Gender and sexuality as critical analytical ciphers furnish valuable
insights not only into the away culture and society are organized but
also how culture and society are produced and reproduced over time,” says
Adnan Hossain, PhD candidate in social Anthropology, Department of social
science, University of Hull.
As you look into such a field, we understand how the different between
man and women is necessarily a power binary that privileges men over
women; how gender norms and conventions are constructed by society, and
how they are turned into absolutist, rigid guidelines foe every men to
follow; how he commercial, sex is commodified for sale and men and women
are projected hyper-sexually, their bodies objectified and degraded,
stripping them of any kind of agency and intellect; how “man” and “women”
are believed to be the normal In Society, and not transgender (hijras)
people; how we live in a fiercely heteronormative society, where
heterosexuality is considered the only and “right” from of sexuality.
Such conscious attempts of exclusion and inclusion and discrimination
against men and women of diverse sexual and gender groups.
Sexuality is a much more misunderstood and sensitive topic. “Sexuality
refers to desire. This is so clearly a personal domain and not the
business of anyone to impose judgment upon another. Desire and mutual
contest must go hand-in-hand for fulfilling sexuality. By honouring
others, having respect for each person’s sexual biological make-up, we
move closer to what God wants from us—to extend loving compassion to
all,” says Dr Joan Brockmann. Sexuality Studies, Washington University in
St. Louis, USA. “Sexuality itself is a huge issue. It frames people’s
well-being on so many levels, For young people, sexuality is such a
taboo. Many feel stigmatized or guilty for having feelings for the same
sex, but have little space to share their feelings and emotion fearing
ridicule and backlash. It is important that educational institutions
(Schools and Universities) incorporate discussions on gender, healthy
sexuality and sexual orientation with positive messages which will go a
long way to combating stigmatization and negative stereotypes and
prejudices about males, females and particularly homosexuals, and
transgender groups. This will also allow for young people to protect
themselves and stay healthy. Through research, training and advocacy, we
hope to generate awareness, push people to rethink and push existing
boundaries,” says Dr Sabina Rashid, Associate Professor, James P Grant
School of Public Health, BRAC University.
In Bangladesh, University of Dhaka is the only university that has a
full-fledged women and gender studies department. Several other private
universities offer courses on gender and development studies in
undergraduate and graduate level, such in undergraduate and graduate
level, such as BRAC, North South University (NSU) and East West
University (EWU). “We have course on public health in the master’s
programme, but the undergrad gender studies course has not been offered
for several semesters now, for lack of population among studies. Most of
the gender studies courses are taken by women, but it is high time men
started taking them too.” Says Touhida Tasnima, Assistant Professor,
Sociology Department, EWU.
With increasing popularity of development studies, students with
background knowledge on gender and sexuality studies can contribute
greatly with background and training in gender, sexuality and rights. A
person con choose to do further studying and training and apply their
knowledge in research, as an academic, activist, or even in a health
programme, A person can also contribute their understanding and receive
further training in counseling and provide support to vulnerable groups,
who remain stigmatized and excluded. The salary depends on where the
person ends up working whether in Bangladesh or Overseas, in an
international job or local NGO,” says Dr Rashid. “Well, to begin with not
all knowledge gained has to lead to productive, gainful employment. Isn’t
it enough to depend our knowledge of our primal humanity, trace out how
culture has shaped responses and learn what is most valuable—dignity of
the human condition ? If one wants to move to a practical application,
then doesn’t this study lead to the very critical importance of objective
thinking and effective communication ?” says Dr Brockmann.” Gender is an
integral part in development studies, they are interconnected. It is very
important that our education system and communication be made gender
sensitive for the development of the community in the truest sense,” says
Soheli Khadiza Azad, Chairperson, DWGS.
“Gender studies changed my outlook towards women and men. There are so
many things we think and do subconsciously. You start questioning all
that. I want to work as an Academic professional or in the research
field,” says Aumio Srizan, graduate student, DWGS. “Students from other
departments stay restricted to bookish knowledge. I think much broadly
now. I want to work as a lecturer or in the development sector,” says
Mehbuba Jabin, graduate stuent, DWGS.
Exploring such a field of study basically shatters the bubble we prefer
living in, and leaves us a little unsettled. We feel so safe with the
labels and categories we subscribe to we no longer want to question
anything or look into things deeply. People who want to study such a
subject have a different mindset altogether, because they want to do
something for themselves and the society. We still have a long way to go.
There are cases of early marriage, rape, dowry, spousal abuse, eve-
teasing of women, ostracizing of transgender people and silencing of
homosexual people. Only a couple of days back Dr Rumana Manjur’s eyes
were gauged out because she used to have a vision. But there are stories
of struggle and resistance as well, which give us hope. Only recently,
Dhaka observed hijras proudly marching in front of the National museum,
demanding for equal rights. A couple of months back , women of Nayani
Bagdogra and Bagdokra villages in Nilphamari district voluntarily
constructed a 162-foot-long bamboo bridge over Chekadara River to relieve
sufferings of people, especially hundreds of school going children. Only
last week Goethe Institute hosted a three day long LGBT (Lesbian, gay,
bi-sexual and trangender) event called “Under the Rainbow” to celebrate
diverse sexual and gender identities. And of course how can we forget the
three women noble peace laureates Ellen Jhonson Sirleaf, Leytmah Gbowee
and Tawakkul Karman, of this year ? Education ourselves in such a field,
studying about struggle and resistance and becoming more aware of the
world order can enable and prepare us to change the unjust system that we
live in.