GENDER DIVERSITY ALLIANCE

Once upon a time men’s high heels were fashionable, acting was something only men did, and pink was the norm for boys’ clothing. And doing your best in school and being able to learn well, wasn’t supposed to be feminine. At least, that’s what our ancestors thought. This is what we call gender norms: social norms about how men, women, boys and girls should behave. The Gender Diversity Alliance wants to influence gender norms and create more space, more flexibility and diversity in gender.

What does the Alliance do?

The Gender diversity Alliance wants to bring about change by working together to put the issue on the agenda, by research and by focusing on transformation. Our aim is a society with more flexibility and more diversity in gender.

In 2017, the Gender Diversity Alliance presented a 10-point agenda: tangible actions to achieve our goals. The 10-point agenda is based on the ‘Theory of Change’, a description and illustration of the desired change. The Alliance works together with many partners to achieve this. As a basis for this theory of change, the Alliance carried out four studies in 2017:  (1) action research, (2) literature research, (3) research into lessons learned from international projects and campaigns and (4) what works to break down gender barriers amongst young people in education.

Which problems are caused by gender norms?

The established gender norms have a negative impact on the position of women in the labour market and on the care aspirations of men, according to literature research. Gender norms attribute to double sexual standards and dragen bij aan een dubbele seksuele moraal en cause health risks for men such as substance abuse. Violence by men often has a clear gender component: boys and men are sometimes violent against girls, women, gay and bisexuals and transgender people to affirm their own masculinity. An example is a group of friends in which boys have to prove their masculinity by harassing gay, bisexual or transgender people or by aggressively trying to seduce girls. Young people and adults who do not (fully) meet gender norms can experience harassment and violence. In schools they are often bullied which results in reduced well-being.

Hoe kan ik meedoen aan de Alliantie Genderdiversiteit?

Bekijk de Facebook pagina Genderdiversiteit, download dit document en meld je aan via c.pierik@movisie.nl. Je blijft dan op de hoogte van alle activiteiten en je kunt zo bij activiteiten aansluiten. Ook kun je meedenken over de 10-punten agenda. Meedoen kun je als individu of als organisatie: bedrijven, non-profit, zelforganisaties van activisten of vrijwilligers; iedereen is welkom!