American Journal Of Social Sciences And Humanity Research
143
https://theusajournals.com/index.php/ajsshr
VOLUME
Vol.05 Issue07 2025
PAGE NO.
143-146
10.37547/ajsshr/Volume05Issue07-28
24
Evolution of The Concepts of Gender and Gender
Equality
Gafurova Munojat Bositovna
Independent Researcher at Namangan State Pedagogical Institute, Uzbekistan
Received:
31 May 2025;
Accepted:
29 June 2025;
Published:
31 July 2025
Abstract:
The article analyzes the historical evolution of the concepts of gender and gender equality, as well as
their significance in modern society. It examines the distinction between gender and biological sex, the various
interpretations of gender equality, and the impact of gender stereotypes on society. The aim of the article is to
identify the main trends and prospects for ensuring gender equality.
Keywords
: Gender, gender equality, gender stereotypes, evolution, social construction, feminism, discrimination,
equal rights.
Introduction:
The concepts of gender and gender
equality have deep roots in the development of
philosophical thought, and their evolution is closely
linked with cultural, economic, political, and legal
processes. In defining gender equality, the principle
that “every individual, regardless of sex, has equal
rights to access resources and opport
unities” is
emphasized. The historical evolution of the concepts of
gender and gender equality is one of the important
indicators of the development of humanity’s socio
-
philosophical
thought.
The
formation
and
transformation of these concepts reflect the
i
mprovement of society’s moral values, legal norms,
and system of social relations.
Gender
–
social sex. In English, there is a distinction
between social sex (“gender”) and biological sex
(“sex”). From the perspective of terminology, the
concept of gender emerged in the process of the
theoretical development of feminism and later evolved
directly within the framework of gender studies. The
meaning of the concept of “gender” is primarily
embodied in the social modeling or construction of sex.
Gender is not biologically determined but rather a set
of characteristics conferred by social phenomena.
Gender can be described as the cultural revolution of
sex, representing our perceptions of sex within the
framework of our socio-cultural ideas. Thus, the
concept of gender provides us with important insights
not only about the social roles of sexes but also about
our cultural values, traditions, and place in society.
Gender studies and theories are crucial in observing
changes within these concepts and in achieving gender
equality. From the perspective of social philosophy, the
concept of gender is regarded as a cultural construct
that defines an individual’s social roles regardless of
their biological characteristics. According to the “doing
gender” theory, gender is a dynamic process that is
constantly reconstructed through everyday social
practices. Unlike the biological determinism approach,
the concept of gender is shaped on the basis of social
constructivism. Biological determinism assumes that
the differences between men and women are based on
biological factors, considering gender roles as natural
and immutable. In contrast, the author demonstrates
that gender equality is formed on the basis of social
constructivism rather than biological determinism. This
approach provides an important theoretical foundation
in the struggle for gender equality.
METHODS
Throughout human history, the era of matriarchy,
often described in many socio-philosophical works as
the "rule of women," is noteworthy. During this period,
women were active in various spheres of society and
established their dominance. The doctrines of
matriarchy have been extensively studied by analysts
and scholars, who regard this era as distinct from the
traditionally male-organized societies. Researcher M.
Kholmatova notes that women were the founders of
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American Journal Of Social Sciences And Humanity Research (ISSN: 2771-2141)
agriculture, pottery, and animal husbandry, introduced
the division of labor, created the first tools, and
initiated household management.
However, with the transition to the patriarchal era, the
social balance began to shift in favor of men. Men
emerged as the primary productive force in society and
were distinguished by their roles as community
leaders, heads of families, and protectors. K. Millet,
who studied the patriarchal era, emphasized that: “The
dominance of men as a patriarchal institution is stable,
deeply rooted in all forms of political, social, and
economic stratification (caste or class, feudalism or
bureaucracy), and notable for its historical and
geographical diversity.” This perspective highlights
changes in social structures, as patriarchy not only
co
nsolidated men’s roles within the family but also
strengthened their socio-political positions in broader
contexts. It also underscores the formation of social
structure and hierarchy, as well as the distribution of
roles between men and women. Thus, the patriarchal
period altered the social balance, reinforced male
dominance in society, and manifested in diverse and
variable forms across different regions and historical
contexts.
The historical evolution of gender roles dates back to
ancient civilizations. Analyses of archaeological and
historical sources reveal that gender concepts and the
social status of women varied significantly across
different cultures. In ancient Egypt, some elements of
gender equality were observed: women had higher
legal status compared to Mesopotamia and other
ancient civilizations. Egyptian women could own
property, engage in commercial activities, and even
participate in state governance.
The discourse on gender issues and male
–
female
relations is also reflected in ancient philosophical
traditions. The Greek philosopher Aristotle, in his work
Politics, taught about naturalized differences between
men and women. He interpreted the man as the “active
principle” and the woman as the “passive principle,” a
view that dominated European philosophy for
centuries. These ideas reflect Aristotle’s conservative
approach to gender roles and significantly influenced
social structures and interpersonal relations. Aristotle’s
views had a long-term impact on shaping gender
stereotypes in European philosophy and society in
general, as they legitimized the differentiation
between the sexes.
Plato, the father of philosophy, also expressed loyalty
to the ideas of his great contemporaries. In his work
The Republic (Ideal State), he supported these
discussions, concluding that the difference between
men’s and women’s natures is relative and pertains
only to the reproductive sphere. According to Plato, a
woman could choose her profession freely: music,
philosophy, or other fields, including military service. In
the work, Plato raises questions such as: “Can a woman
be considered capable of performing such a difficult
and responsible task? Can the female half of humanity
participate equally with men in all matters?” By
depicting the strong and long-lasting influence of
traditions and customs, which confined women to
“cooking” and “childcare,” Plato exposed the social
roots of the issue concerning women’s roles in society.
The Roman statesman and jurist Aemilius Papinian also
wrote about the status of women i
n society: “According
to the general principles of our law, the status of
women is worse than that of men.” Although a woman
might be free, she did not enjoy civil rights. For
example, she could not serve in the army, vote in
assemblies, be elected to public office, serve as a judge
or prosecutor, or act as a third-party advocate in court
proceedings.
In the Dialectics of Human and Society Relations.
The issue of gender has long been one of the central
points of philosophical thought. In the land of
Movarounnahr,
where
Eastern
and
Western
philosophical traditions intersected, gender relations
underwent a unique evolution
—
here, at the
crossroads of social units, cultural paradigms, and
economic necessities, the status of women always
carried a certain ontological meaning. With the advent
of Islamic teachings in our region during the 7th
–
8th
centuries, gender relations acquired a new
philosophical meaning. During this period, Eastern
philosophy viewed the differences between men and
women less as biological determinism and more as
socio-cultural
constructions.
Although
Islamic
teachings defined the roles of men and women to some
extent, the concepts of femininity and masculinity were
understood dialectically, as complementary forces.
Importantly, within the Islamic paradigm, women held
equal spiritual status with men, though differences in
the distribution of social functions remained. At that
time, women’s status in society was regulated not only
by religious teachings but also preserved remnants of
centuries-old matriarchal traditions in the region.
DISCUSSION AND RESULTS
The concept of gender and the ideas of gender equality
have traversed a long and complex historical path.
Their evolution is closely tied to societal development,
socio-political changes, philosophical views, and shifts
in scientific paradigms. The term “gender” was
originally used in English solely to denote a
grammatical category (the “masculine” and “feminine”
of words). As a concept in the social sciences and
American Journal Of Social Sciences And Humanity Research
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American Journal Of Social Sciences And Humanity Research (ISSN: 2771-2141)
humanities, gender emerged in the 1950s
–
1960s.
During this period, American psychologist John Money
and psychoanalyst Robert Stoller began to use the term
in the sense of “social sex,” which is socially and
culturally constructed, as distinct from biological sex.
As Money and Ehrhardt pointed out, gender identity
forms from childhood and develops under the
influence of numerous social and cultural factors, in
addition to biological sex.
By the 1970s, the concept of gender gained wide
currency under the influence of the first wave of the
feminist movement. At this time, the issue of gender
became politicized under the slogan “the personal is
political.” During the second wave of feminism, the
concept of gender was reconceptualized and
completely separated from “sex”: sex was regarded as
a biological characteristic, while gender was
understood as a social construct. In her famous article
“Gender: A Useful Category of Historical Analysis,” Joan
Scott developed the category of gender as a tool of
historical analysis, substantiating its importance not
only for studying women’s history but also for
understanding the system of social relations in general.
The 1980s
–
1990s marked the consolidation of the
concept of gender within academic circles. During this
period, the field of gender studies developed, with
special courses and faculties opening at universities. As
Boxer noted, in the United States, women’s studies,
and later gender studies, developed as a unique union
of academic activity and social movement. In this
period, gender began to be understood not only as
concerning women but also as a complex social
construct encompassing men and other gender groups.
By the 21st century, the concept of gender had
broadened and become more complex. Contemporary
gender theory seeks to overcome the contradictions
between essentialism (the view that gender results
from
biological
determination)
and
social
constructivism (the view that gender is purely a social
construction). New concepts and approaches emerged,
such as gender identity, gender performativity (Judith
Butler), and queer theory.
CONCLUSION
Reinterpreting
our
nation’s
cultural
-historical
experience is a serious hermeneutic task facing today’s
thought. Turning to the history of gender relations, we
gain the opportunity not only to reassess it through the
paradigm of contemporary gender philosophy but also
to perceive more deeply its hidden meanings and its
place
in
human
existence.
The
continuous
transformation of gender roles throughout historical
development indicates that this issue is not limited to
legal norms or biological traits but embodies a
profound
philosophical-anthropological
essence.
Indeed, the concepts of “woman” and “man” are
cultural processes that reflect the era’s understanding
of humanity, society, and existence.
Therefore, contemporary philosophical approaches
require us to abandon a superficial evaluation of past
gender relations through a one-dimensional dichotomy
of “equality–inequality.” Instead of this reductionist
view, it is more appropriate to analyze the phenomena
of femininity and masculinity not as mutually exclusive
poles but as ontological categories that co-create a
specific social text, complementing and constantly
interacting with each other. Their dialectical unity and
contradictions form one of the fundamental
mechanisms of society’s self
-awareness, the definition
of its values, and the construction of historical reality.
In turn, this allows us not only to analyze the past but
also to understand it
—
and thereby gain a deeper
comprehension of our present.
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