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Gender involves roles and relationships
that are determined by society and culture. Gender affects:
- Expectations of sexual activity of boys and girls
- Views regarding responsibility for contraception
- Social consequences of pregnancy
- Degree of risk for HIV/AIDS infection
- Cultural acceptance of harmful behaviors and practices
- Client-provider interactions
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The term "gender" refers to the different roles and
relationships of males and females, as determined by the society
and culture in which they live. Many societies place a higher
value on males than females. Gender roles and norms have a major
impact on the reproductive health of young adults.
Gender affects expectations regarding the sexual activity of
boys and girls. For example, in a survey of factory workers
in Thailand ages 15 to 24, a majority of men said premarital
intercourse was expected of them and that boys who had not had
intercourse were ridiculed by their peers. Women said premarital
intercourse was unacceptable, and could damage the family's
reputation. Regarding responsibility for contraception, young
men viewed contraception as a woman's responsibility, but young
women would not consider seeking or requesting contraception
for fear of being thought of as sexually active.
Differences in expectations create separate standards for males
and females in terms of the social and economic consequences
of pregnancy. For adolescent girls in many countries, an unplanned
pregnancy usually means expulsion from school, while teenage
fathers can remain in school.
Gender affects the interactions between clients and providers.
Services tend to be focused on females, especially for contraception,
so boys stay away. Girls are especially sensitive to discuss
sensitive issues with a provider. A difference between the sexes
can magnify a power differential between client and provider.
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