Gender is among the most common topics of discussion in the current society. Myriads of misconceptions and fallacies surround the whole concept. They are passed on to the coming generations, thus, the need to include the concept in the school curricula. The term gender connotes the features describing and distinguishing masculinity and femininity (Laurie, 2014). However, the contemporary usage of the term is not reflective of its true meaning. As the campaign for gender equality gains momentum, the term becomes synonymous with the fight for equal treatment of women. Feminism has not been able to exacerbate the confusion; instead, it adds to the conceptual quagmire. Feminists argue from a standpoint that men are favored and get better treatment than women. Thus, the aim of feminism is to fight to achieve personal, social and economic rights for women similar to those of men (Radford, 2012). It is on such grounds that the inclusion of gender and its microcosms in the school curricula finds relevance. As part of most educational courses, the coverage of elements of gender and feminism serve to clear the existing confusion and inculcate a change of mentality in the learners concerning these concepts.
From this course, I developed a perspective that gender is just a determinant of masculinity or femininity, thus, should not be used as a ground for discrimination. Additionally, while feminism is a controversial subject, its contribution in eradicating gender imbalance is significant. Thus, I have a different view of how the cultural rules and expectations affect the lives of either gender. Historically, women have been considered the subordinates of men. “Men have always been tasked with fending for the family and performing certain tasks while women inherently perform culinary chores” (Laurie, 2014). Having been brought up in such a patriarchal environment, I have grown up with the same standpoint. My reasoning was founded on the speculation that these rules and expectations facilitate harmony and co-existence between the genders. However, this course has debunked some of the fallacies I held truthfully. Eventually, I have understood the complementarity that exists between the gender divide. Both men and women have a particular uniqueness that defines their nature, and which is pertinent in the allocation of chores as well as the fight for equality. While the traditional views insisted that men are more able than women, it is evident that “women are more able in certain aspects than men are and vice versa” (Radford, 2012). As a result, I have concluded that the cultural expectations and rules about gender and sexualities are the greatest impediment to the growth of women and the attainment of the gender equality.