Module 1 – Body Autonomy

This module is a critical starting point as the course needs to be anchored in the concept of responsible sexuality. This module will discuss sex, sexuality, and gender and provide information on human sexual response and sexual behavior. Young people must understand and appreciate the reproductive system, sexuality, and how these interplay with gender and in turn influence sexual reproductive behaviors including taking action to reduce vulnerability to HIV, sexually transmitted infections, and other negative sexual health outcomes. Sex and sexuality are part of human nature and should be embraced and not be shamed. The module will demystify sex and sexuality as well as gender.

Topic objectives

• Differentiate between sex and gender and link these to behaviors that young people exhibit as they grow up.
• Define sexuality, gender identity, and begin to show linkages with harmful sexual behaviors and vulnerability to HIV and sexually transmitted infections.
• Describe how gender, sex, and sexuality are influenced by social norms in Zimbabwe.

DEFINITION OF TERMS

Sex
The term “sex” defines the biological differences between women and men. Sex refers to physical biology at birth defined by one’s genitalia. Predominantly, humans are born either female or male, with a small percentage (between 0.1% and 1.6%) being born with ambiguous genitalia or both.

Males and females are also distinguished by: –

• their reproductive system,
• sex chromosomes – XX for females and XY for males and
• hormones – males have higher levels of testosterone and females have higher levels of estrogen and progesterone.

Sex is the same across all communities it does not change from community to community.
The word sex is often used to also refer to sexual intercourse. The sexual organs change significantly at puberty for both males and females.

Sexual roles – These are behaviors and patterns of activity men and women may engage in that are directly related to their biological differences. These roles are defined by biological constraints and can be enacted by members of one biological sex only e.g., carrying a pregnancy or breastfeeding. It is also the testosterone in men, which gives them a stronger physical makeup compared to women. These sex roles may therefore define some of the day-to-day activities that women and men do e.g., women are more likely to do childcare because they will need to breastfeed the babies, and men may do more strenuous work like cutting down firewood because they are physically stronger and have the stamina to do so.

Sexuality
It is a total expression of who we are as human beings and encompasses our values, attitudes, behaviors, physical appearance, beliefs, and emotions. Sexuality begins before birth and lasts for an individual’s lifetime. The major components of sexuality include sensuality, sexual identity, sexual intimacy, sexual reproduction, and sexualization. The expression of sexuality is influenced by ethical, spiritual, cultural, and moral factors. It involves giving and receiving pleasure, as well as enabling reproduction.

Sexuality is more than sexual feelings or sexual intercourse. It is an important part of who a person is or what he or she will become. It includes thoughts and behaviors of being female or male, being attractive, and being in love, as well as being in relationships that include sexual intimacy and physical sexual activity.

Sexual behavior is the way people experience and express their sexuality, engage in a variety of sexual acts, ranging from activities done alone (masturbation) to acts with another person (sexual intercourse, non-penetrative sex, oral sex, etc.) in varying patterns of frequency, for a wide variety of reasons. Some sexual activities may lead to high HIV risk e.g., high numbers of sexual partners, early sexual debut, sexual assault, or rape, etc.

Sexualization is the aspect of sexuality in which people behave sexually to influence, manipulate, or control other people. Sexualization spans behaviors that range from relatively harmless and to the sadistically violent, cruel, and criminal.

• FLIRTING –is a relatively harmless behavior. It is an attempt to manipulate someone else, and can cause the person manipulated to feel hurt, humiliation and shame.
• SEDUCTION – it implies manipulating someone else, usually so that the other person will have sexual intercourse with the seducer. The seducer is using the person seduced for his/her own sexual gratification.
• SEXUAL HARASSMENT – is an illegal behavior means harassing someone else because of his/her gender.
• RAPE – means coercing or forcing someone else to have genital contact with another.it can include use of overpowering strength, threats, and/or implied threats that arouse fear in the person raped.
• INCEST – sexual relations between bloods related people or any minor who is related to the perpetrator by birth or marriage.

Circles of sexuality

Gender refers to the social relationships between women, men, girls, and boys that vary from one society to another and at different points in history. Gender is a social construct therefore we are not born with it or is it biologically determined.

Gender identity refers to the way that we outwardly express ourselves in how we dress, behave, and identify. Normally this is heavily informed and framed by cultural and social norms. Feminine identity is associated with being a woman and masculine identity is associated with being a man.

Gender Expression is the way in which a person outwardly shows their gender identity. It includes physical expressions such as person’s clothing, hairstyle, makeup, and social expressions such as name and pronoun choice. Some examples of gender expression are feminine or more female, androgynous gender neutral, and masculine or more male.

Gender norms are ideas about how women and men should be and act. Internalized early in life, gender norms can establish a life cycle of gender socialization and stereotyping.

A gender role, also known as a sex role, is a social role encompassing a range of behaviors and attitudes that are generally considered acceptable, appropriate, or desirable for a person based on their biological or perceived sex. Gender roles are learned from the time of birth and are reinforced by parents, teachers, peers, and society. These gender roles are based on the way a society is organized and vary by age, class, and ethnic group. They often determine differences in the responsibilities and tasks assigned to women, men, girls, and boys within and outside the private sphere of their household.

Gender Stereotypes are over-generalizations about the characteristics of an entire group based on gender. It can have negative and or positive connotations, e.g., the notion that women are better caregivers than men is a positive connotation, but it is a generalization and not necessarily true in all cases. This is similarly so for the notion that men are better providers than women, which while positive, can be disproved by looking at cases where men have abandoned their families and defaulted on child support.

What are some of the harmful social norms around Gender, Sex, and Sexuality common to young people in Zimbabwe?

The major harmful norms and practices around gender, sex and sexuality are largely based on stereotypes of what a “real” man or woman should be like i.e., the constructs of masculinity and femininity. If anyone diverges from this “norm” then they are discriminated and shunned. Some of the stereotypical masculine attributes include independence, aggression, strength, and competitiveness. Stereotypical feminine attributes include nurturing, caring, passivity, and subordination.

The masculine construction requires manhood to be equated with the ability to exert power over others, especially using force. Masculinity, it is espoused, gives manpower to control the lives of those around him, especially women. Custom, tradition, and religion are habitually invoked to rationalize the use of violence against women. Thus, because of these unequal power dynamics, women have been placed into a subordinate position, one where the male sex is dominant over the female sex.

Some key results of these harmful social norms are gender biases and gender stereotypes. Gender bias is a tendency to prefer one gender over another. It is a form of unconscious bias, or implicit bias, which occurs when one individual unconsciously attributes certain attitudes and stereotypes to another person or group of people. Gender bias limits the true potential and abilities of both males and females. Gender stereotypes refers to the practice of ascribing specific attributes, characteristics, or roles to girls, boys, women, and men.

Patriarchy – defined as a social system in which men hold primary power and predominate in roles of political leadership, moral authority, social privilege, and control of property. A patriarchal system discriminates against women in general but more so women who are young, single, divorced, widowed. It also discriminates against the poor, sexual minorities, refugees, and other disadvantaged groups. Some patriarchal beliefs disempower women and sexual minorities e.g.,

• Girls should be married virgins, but boys can play, virginity testing for girls.
• By virtue of the payment of lobola, children belong to the father and inherit the father’s surname, totem and citizenship. A child born to an unmarried mother or where the father refuse paternity the child may be called names and the mother ridiculed.

Misogyny – is the hatred of, contempt for, or prejudice against women or girls. It enforces sexism by punishing those who reject an inferior status for women and rewarding those who accept it. A misogynist will believe that women are inherently lesser than men. Again, misogyny is enacted through patriarchal systems of power e.g., some religious sects say women cannot be leaders, women and girls who are on their menstrual cycle are dirty and must not cook or come into church etc.

Sex, Sexuality and Gender, Power, and Agency

Power is fundamental to both sexuality and gender. The power underlying any sexual interaction determines how sexuality is expressed and experienced. Power determines whose pleasure is given priority and when, how and with whom sex takes place. The power balance in gender relations is unequal in that it favors men. Male pleasure has priority over female pleasure, and men have greater control over when and how sex takes place than women. An understanding of male and female sexual behavior requires an awareness of how gender and sexuality are constructed through a complex interplay of social, cultural, and economic forces that affect the distribution of power.

There are different types of power that one can use to protect their SRHR. Some may abuse their power and infringe on others’ SRHR.

• Power within, derived from a sense of self-worth and understanding of one’s preferences and values, which enable a person to realize sexual well-being and health.
• Power to influence, consent, and/or decline.
• Power with others to negotiate and decide.
• Power over others; using sex to manipulate, control, or harm other people.

Summary of the module

The terms “sex” and “gender” refer to two different identifiers. Sex denotes biological characteristics differentiating males and females, while gender denotes social and cultural characteristics of masculine and feminine behavior.

Gender roles are passed on to children through socialization, which occurs through family, education, peer groups, and mass media.

Sexuality focuses on sexual attitudes and practices, not on physiology or anatomy. Norms regarding gender and sexuality vary across cultures.

The three concepts of sex, sexuality and gender are highly connected, and they influence the vulnerability of young people to HIV, STIs and other SRHR outcomes.