Influence of

GLOBALIZATION
on Gender Identity
MOUMITA MONDAL
PSYCHOLOGY (GE)
SEMESTER 2, ROLL NO. 203
RAMAKRISHNA SARADA MISSION VIVEKANANDA VIDYABHAVAN
Introduction
This presentation explores how globalization is influenced
by and influences gender relations in different contexts. It
also discusses some of the challenges and opportunities for
gender equality in a globalized world. This also examines
how globalization has affected women’s economic
opportunities, political participation, health outcomes, and
social norms. It also identifies some of the policy
interventions that can enhance gender equality in a
globalized era.
Table of contents:

01 02 03
Gender Identity Globalization It’s Influence

04 05 06
Positive Influences Negative Influences Conclusion
 What is Gender Identity?
Gender identity is the sense of oneself as a male or female. The dominant view has been
that gender identity resides within the individual, although more recent views challenge
this assumption by arguing that gender identity is created in the context of interactions,
societal structures, and cultural expectations. Research on gender identity has also
focused on the consequences of developing a gender identity that is consistent with or
different from one's genetic sex.

 An even smaller group of children are born with ambiguous genitalia or genitalia that
do not match their genetic sex. These children may be assigned a sex that differs from
their genetic endowment or may not be assigned a sex until later. Gender assignment,
and also gender identity, become very complicated issues for these children. Although
early research suggested that children who were assigned sex at an early age would
develop according to their assignment regardless of their biological sex, more recent
research has challenged this view. In some reports, both biological and social factors
play a role in developing gender identity, whereas in others, only biological sex or only
gender assignment is central to developing gender identity. Controversy continues over
how to best support these children in developing their gender identities.
What is Globalization?
Globalization refers to the process of increased interconnectedness and
interdependence among people, businesses, and countries around the world. This
process is driven by advances in technology, transportation, communication, and
trade, which have made it easier and cheaper to move goods, services, capital, and
people across borders. Globalization has had a significant impact on the world
economy, as it has led to increased trade and investment between countries, the
emergence of global markets, and the growth of multinational corporations. It
has also brought about cultural exchange, as people from different parts of the
world interact and share ideas. While globalization has brought many benefits,
such as increased economic growth and the spread of technology and innovation,
it has also led to challenges, such as job displacement, income inequality, and
environmental degradation. Therefore, the impact of globalization is a complex
issue that continues to be debated by economists, policymakers, and the general
public.
 Influence of Globalization on Gender Identity:

• Globalization has had a complex impact on gender identity, as it has both challenged
and reinforced traditional gender roles and expectations.
• On one hand, globalization has created new opportunities for women to participate
in the workforce and pursue education and career paths that were previously
unavailable to them. This has led to increased empowerment and economic
independence for many women around the world, and has helped to challenge
traditional gender norms that restrict women's roles to the home and family.
• On the other hand, globalization has also contributed to the globalization of beauty
standards and the commodification of the female body, which can lead to
pressure on women to conform to narrow and unrealistic ideals of beauty. The global
fashion and beauty industries often reinforce gender stereotypes and promote an
idealized, often sexualized, image of femininity that can be damaging to women's
self-esteem and body image.
• Additionally, globalization has also created new opportunities for the expression of
gender and sexual diversity, as people are exposed to new ideas and cultures from
around the world. However, this increased visibility and acceptance of gender and
sexual diversity is often met with resistance and backlash from those who cling to
traditional gender norms and expectations.
• Overall, the influence of globalization on gender identity is complex and multifaceted,
and depends on a variety of social, cultural, and economic factors. While
globalization has certainly created new opportunities for women and challenged
traditional gender norms in some contexts, it has also contributed to the reinforcement
of harmful stereotypes and the global commodification of the female body
Gender inequality in the 21" century:
• UN Women 2014 priority is the implementation of the Millennium
Development Goals, including access and participation of women and
girls in education, training, science and technology, including women's
full employment.

According to WomenKind Worldwide, women make up just 17% of

parliamentarians (Unicef, the State of the World's Children, 2007)

• Violence against women and girls is still a serious problem: at least 1

in 3 women around the world has been beaten, coerced into sex or
abused

The 2014 PwC's Second Women in Work Index underlined that the UK
lags behind most European countries on gender pay equality,
occupying the 18th position out of 27 OECD countries for female
participation and pay.

i.e. Brazil and Latin America have seen a few improvements.

 Women's oppression in an age of globalization, and
Third-World Feminism:

• Both Europe and Latin America face similar challenges in terms of inclusive growth and greater well-being for all.

• Criticisms of universal definitions of citizenship (i.e. Young, 2000)

According to scholars like Philips (2010) and Young (1990), the problem with looking for a core humanity behind all the
differences of class, gender and so forth leads to equating equality with sameness, leaving untouched inequalities in
power.

. Discrimination against women on a global and national level:

. Mohanty (1990) and Weedon (1999) have argued that, rather than portraying "Third World women" as victims of
patriarchal practices, such as genital mutilation, attention needs to be given to the specific contexts in which women live
(in Weedon, 1999).

• A term such as "Third World" homogenizes peoples and countries and carries other associations - economic
backwardness, the failure to develop economically and politically, as well as connotations of "us" and "them", "self" and
the "Other".

• Racism evolved in parallel with European exploration and conquest, with the theories on "race" helping to justify the
differences in position and treatment of people.
"us" and "them", "self" and the "Other"
Positive Influence of Globalization on Gender Identity:

Globalization has had both positive and negative impacts on various aspects of
society, including gender identity. Here are some ways in which
globalization has had a positive influence on gender identity:

• Increased awareness and acceptance of

gender diversity
• Access to information and resources
• Transnational activism and advocacy
• Economic empowerment
Negative Influence of Globalization on Gender Identity:

Globalization has had both positive and negative impacts on various aspects of society,
including gender identity. Here are some ways in which globalization has had a
negative influence on gender identity:

• Reinforcement of gender stereotypes

• Cultural imperialism
• Transnational exploitation
• Inadequate legal protections
 Conclusion
• Overall, while globalization has not been a panacea
for gender equality, it has had some positive
impacts on gender identity by increasing awareness
and acceptance of gender diversity, providing
access to information and resources, facilitating
transnational activism and advocacy, and promoting
economic empowerment.
• It has also had negative influences, including the
reinforcement of gender stereotypes, cultural
imperialism, transnational exploitation, and
inadequate legal protections. It is important to
acknowledge and address these negative impacts in
efforts to promote greater gender equality and
acceptance.
 THANK YOU!
Special credits @ my Psychology teacher Miss Nibedita Banarjee.