Luciana Arlidge of UNDP Asia-Pacific's Gender Team shares her reflections on gender norms and the power of feminist movements.

January 2nd of 2019 started like any other day.

The phone alarm rang at 6.45 am.

Automatically I pulled the pillow over my face to allow for a few more minutes of sleep. Then, as per my usual morning ritual, I got up, made a cup of tea, and picked up my phone.

As I was scrolling through the news, I came across the statement “It is a New Era in Brazil: Boys wear blue and girls wear pink!”. Those were the words of the Minister of Human Rights, Family and Women of the Brazilian government, spoken right after she took office on the first day of the year.

I was shocked, but not surprised.

For the past few years, my home country Brazil has witnessed a trend in speeches and language that combats “gender ideology” - a concept that is meaningless say several academics. But it is used as a smoke-screen to win followers and gain support for more conservative public policies, particularly in education. This concept sees open discussions about gender as a threat to family and religious values.

According to several studies, concepts as simple as the colours girls and boys commonly wear reflect gender norms that are so firmly rooted in society. And until recently most people didn’t even question these norms. For example, feelings of vulnerability and enforced acceptance caused by sexual harassment in public and private environments are often not spoken about.

In 2015, this changed in Brazil for many of us when one hashtag became a source of liberation and protest: #meuprimeiroassedio (“my first harassment”). It led women to share their stories of sexual violence or abuse. Over 82,000 personal stories were shared on social media in less than 4 days, all across the country. This organic movement encouraged me to talk more freely about these issues with friends, family members and acquaintances. By sharing our experiences, we learned together that we were not alone and began to empower ourselves and no longer accept this gender-based violence as a normal part of our daily lives.

It broke the silence.

Real women sharing our life histories, marked by violence, trauma or harassment from an early age. We were no longer statistics. Our voices became one that said: “Enough!”. Enough of this violence, enough of this submission, enough of this role, that we all are forced to play. 

This does not mean that the problem has been solved and that we live happily ever after. The movement exposed a tragic and alarming issue and the dire need for change.

In the first 24 hours of 2019 in Brazil, around 3,300 women were subject to domestic violence and three were killed simply because of their gender (femicide).

So, for me, the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence held deep meaning. On one hand, this gave me the opportunity to see that even on the other side of the world in completely different cultures similar problems exist. On the other hand, I became aware and inspired by amazing examples of empowered women and projects where men are part of the solution for gender parity.

This has shown me how traditional gender roles are linked negatively to social inequalities and cases of violence worldwide. Perceptions of a “woman’s role is to cook for her husband” to “blame for inciting of sexual assault” are still common. For change to take root we must provide everyone with equal opportunity. Lessons need to start in early childhood, with topics such as the role of women in society and comprehensive sexuality education.

When we have open conversations about gender norms we get a better understanding of ourselves. We learn that we are allowed to say no. An education on gender equality leads to powerful gains. It seeks to break the vicious cycle of sexism and gender-based violence and opens a world of possibilities. We become more tolerant and accepting of other people's differences. Whether someone likes to wear blue or pink, or whether they want to be a princess or a warrior or even both! It is the person’s choice.

It is now 7.50 am. I am ready to go to work, wearing my blue dress, striding into a world where gender equality is on the rise.

About the Author

Luciana Arlidge is a Gender Intern at UNDP Bangkok Regional Hub. She holds a Master's degree in Economic Growth, Population and Development from Lund University (Sweden). Contact: luciana.arlidge@undp.org

Originally published in the Gender Equality Dispatch Vol.3

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