‘Time we ended gender stereotypes’

Delegates and scholars air their views on gender discrimination at UGC seminar. Gender is a matter of culture without which either a man or a woman cannot lead a harmonious life.

Andhra University Vice-Chancellor G.S.N. Raju releasing a logo of international seminar on gender issues in Visakhapatnam on Friday. PHOTO: A. MANIKANTA KUMAR

Despite the laudable efforts made by women to break the glass ceiling in every field they step into, gender discrimination still persists in varying degree across the globe, S. Prasanna Sree, Professor in Department of English, Andhra University, has said.

At the two-day UGC international seminar on ‘Gender issues: transcending boundaries of culture’ organised by Andhra University’s Department of English at Platinum Jubilee seminar hall here on Friday, she said: “Gender is a matter of culture without which either a man or a woman cannot lead a harmonious life. However, irrespective of the active role taken by women in several areas, they continue to face serious inequalities all through their lives.”

Larger perspective

After unveiling the seminar’s emblem, AU Vice-Chancellor G.S.N. Raju said: “A woman is often compared to the sanctity of the holy river and has been worshipped as a goddess since time immemorial. Though in our society we have been considering key measures and taking steps to ensure gender equality, women continue to face abuse and violence in their day-to-day life. With international seminars such as these, we aim at sensitising people and help people view things in a larger perspective.”

“The role of a woman in society is often defined by the structured paradigms of the social system. Unless we do our bit to break away from gender stereotypes, it is difficult to bring in the radical change to empower women and help them be independent in all aspects, Jaydeep Sarangi, Professor in English, West Bengal University, said.

Host of topics

A host of delegates and scholars, who participated in the seminar, voiced their views on gender discrimination that covered a variety of topics like struggles involved in raising a child being a single mother, gender issues at workplace and female foeticide, among other feminist themes.

Besides gender activists from Austria, Germany and Iran, the inaugural session was participated by AU Rector E.A. Narayana, Principal of College of Arts and Commerce K. Gayathri Devi and HoD of English T. Narayana.