Civics - Class 7
Social and Political Life II
Chapter 4: Growing up as Boys and Girls
Intext Questions:
Question 1 : In what ways do the experiences of Samoan children and teenagers differ from your own experiences of growing up? Is there anything in this experience that you wish was part of your growing up?
Answer:The Samoan children and teenagers did not go to school. They look after the younger siblings at home. But, I go to school regularly and have no such responsibility to look after the younger siblings. No. There is nothing in this experience that I wish was a part of my growing up.
Question 2 : Why do girls like to go to school together in groups?
Answer: The girls like to go to school together in groups, because perhaps they carry fear of being teased or attacked.
Question 3 : Are there as many girls as boys in your drawing? Most probably you would have drawn fewer girls. Can you think of reasons why there are fewer women and girls in your neighbourhood streets, parks, and markets in the late evenings or at night?
Answer:No. There are fewer girls in
comparison to boys.
There are fewer women and girls in my neighbourhood streets, parks, and markets in the
late evening or at night, because, firstly their population is lesser than men and boys,
and secondly there is insecurity to their dignity and respect.
Question 4 :
(i) Are girls and boys doing different activities?
(ii) Can you think of reasons why this might be so?
(iii) What would happen if you replaced the girls with the boys and vice versa?
Answer:
(i) Yes. Girls and boys are doing different activities.
(ii) The reasons behind the different activities of girls and boys are as follows:
The girls are supposed to be more vulnerable to their dignity while boys are not
generally.
Girls are supposed to do most of the homely jobs in the future whereas boys are supposed
to work outside the house.
(iii) If we put the girls in the place of boys it will represent an increase in the
number of girls. It would indicate that the attitude of society has changed regarding
the girls. Society is now treating girls differently. But, if the boys were put in the
places of girls, it would indicate that the societies had been more rigid for girls.
They were not treating girls as friendly and liberally as the boys were treated.
Question 5 : Were Harmeet and Shonali correct in saying that Harmeet’s mother did not work?
Answer: No. Harmeet and Shonali were not
correct in saying that Harmeet’s mother did not work.
Because for one day strike by Harmeet’s mother made Papa exhausted and nothing was done
on time and in a proper way as she used to do.
Question 6 : What do you think would happen if your mother or those involved in doing the work at home went on a strike for a day?
Answer: If my mother or those involved in
doing the work at home went on a strike for a day, the consequences would be the
following:
I would have been in school uniform without a bath.
I would not get the breakfast at right time and a good dish as mother prepared.
I would have to go to school without a lunch box because Papa would not be able to make
a dish for my lunch box.
Question 7 : Why do you think that men and boys generally do not do housework? Do you think they should?
Answer: It is assumed in our societies that
housework is something that comes naturally to women and girls. And, it is not correct
that men and boys do housework.
This is the reason why boys and men generally don’t do housework. But I think both men
and boys should also help women in doing housework.
Question 8 :
1) Below is some data from a special study done by the Central Statistical Organization of India (1998-1999). See if you can fill in the blanks.
| State | Women Paid (Work hour per week) | Women Unpaid(Housework hour per week) | Women (Total) | Men Paid(Work hour per week) | Men Unpaid(Housework hour per week) | Men(Total) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Haryana | 23 | 30 | ? | 38 | 2 | ? |
| Tamil Nadu | 19 | 35 | ? | 40 | 4 | ? |
Answer:
| State | Women Paid (Work hour per week) | Women Unpaid(Housework hour per week) | Women (Total) | Men Paid(Work hour per week) | Men Unpaid(Housework hour per week) | Men(Total) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Haryana | 23 | 30 | 53 | 38 | 2 | 40 |
| Tamil Nadu | 19 | 35 | 54 | 40 | 4 | 44 |
2)What is the total number of working hours spent by women in Haryana and Tamil Nadu each week?
Answer:The total number of
working hours
spent by women in Haryana = 53 hours
The total number of working hours spent by women in Tamil Nadu = 54 hours
3)How does this compare with the total number of work hours spent by men?
Answer:
| Women/Men | Total work hour in Haryana | Total work hour in Tamil Nadu |
|---|---|---|
| Women | 53 | 54 |
| Men | 40 | 44 |
Question 9 :What do you think this poster shown on page 52 of the textbook is trying to say?
Answer:The poster shown on textbook page 52 is trying to say that they are demanding their different fundamental rights. These rights are as follows right to strike or protest against inequality, the right to justice through the courts, the right to health right to move along with driving permission, and the right to work outside the house.
Question 10 :.The poster shown on page 52 of the textbook was created by a women’s group in Bengal. Can you write an interesting slogan for the poster?
Answer:
The woman does all the works to take care of and save the children, family,
and society
but what she gets in return are insult, taunts, and beating.
Slogan: “We work for men our work is
in
vain”
Exercises:
Question 1 :Are the statements given below true or false? Support your answer with the use of an example Statements:
(a) All societies do not think similarly about the roles that boys and girls play.
Answer:
True
Because in one society the girls are not allowed to get modern education and do
service
in offices. But another society gives them the liberty to modern education and also
what
they like along with, permission to work in offices. For example, Muslim society
does
not allow the girls generally to get modern education and do work in offices,
whereas
the Christian community supports them for this.
(b)Our society does not make distinctions between boys and girls when they are growing up
Answer:
False
our society makes a distinction between
boys
and girls since very childhood. The parents prefer boys in playing outside the
house,
their nourishment, clothing, and giving career education. For example, girls are
refused
to play outside by saying that it is not good for girls, to play outside.
(c)Women who stay at home do not work.
Answer:
False
The women who stay at home do more work
than
the work done by men. These women get up as early as 5 o clock in the morning and
continue as late as twelve at night. These women do various physical works at home
such
as sweeping and cleaning, washing clothes and making dishes, looking after young
children or the elders.
(d)The work that women do is less valued than that of men.
Answer:
True
The work that women do is not properly
valued.
Because women do not get payments for most of these works. They do sweeping,
cleaning,
washing, cooking, and caring for children and elders at home, and receptionist,
personal
assistants, public relations, etc, in the offices. But, their work is
underestimated.
Question 2 :Housework is invisible and unpaid work. Housework is physically demanding. Housework is time-consuming. Write in your own words what is meant by the terms invisible 1 physically demanding, and time-consuming? Give one example of each based on the household tasks undertaken by women in your home.
Answer:
Invisible.It means the work that is not
seen
with
our eyes. For example, the main responsibility for housework and care-giving tasks,
like
looking after the family, especially children, the elderly, and sick members, lies
with
women. There are such works or tasks which are often not recognised as works and
therefore remain invisible.
Physically demanding. Physically
demanding.
Very
tough and difficult tasks. For example, women do a lot of work inside the home. Some
of
these works such as carrying heavy headloads of firewood, fetching water from a
far-off
place, washing clothes of the entire family members, etc. are very tough and
difficult.
Still, women do them regularly without making any complaints.
Time-consuming.Household works that take
much
time.
For example, women’s routine begins from early morning and continues upto late at
night.
During this period they are seen busy in fulfilling the needs and wishes of their
family
member. They often sit with their children and help them in completing their
homework.
This is a good example of time-consuming work.
Question 3 :Make a list of toys and games that boys typically play and another for girls. If there is a difference between the two lists, can you think of some reasons why this is so? Does this have any relationship to the roles children have to play as adults?
Answer:
Toys
Boys: Car, Jeep, Revolver, Video-games, Aeroplane,
Helicopter, Jetfighter
Girls:Dolls, Gudda- Guddia, Singar box, Musical
instruments
Games
Boys: Cricket, Football, Kabaddi, Shooting
Girls: Swimming, Gymnastics, Tennis, Table tennis,
Badminton
Reasons for difference: The boys are given those toys
which are tough/hard. They play most of the games. The outdoor girls play with those
toys which are easy-way play and have feministic feature. Most of the games they
play
are indoor.
Relationship with adulthood:
These toys and the games, the boys and girls play with have somehow the relationship
to
the roles they have to play as adults.
Question 4 :If you have someone working as a domestic help in your house or locality talk to her and find out a little bit more about her life who are her family members? Where is her home? How many hours does she work? How much does she get paid? Write a small story based on these details.
Answer:A domestic helper in my locality
:
Name: Soudha
Her family-member:Old father, sick
mother, three younger brothers, and two younger sisters.
Her home:Midnapur, a village near Hoogly
river, West Bengal.
Working hours: Nineteen hours a day.
Her salary: Two thousand per month along
with food and lodging.
Story:Soodha, a domestic helper in the
house of Guptaji, my neighbour, says about
Herself as: I work as a domestic helper
since I was eight years old in the Kothi of Babu Sahib in my village. I came to
Delhi
with my cousin when I was ten years old and worked with her for two years.
Guptaji is my second employer:There are
four members in the Gupta family Guptaji (Bade Sahib) is a doctor in a government
hospital and Memsahib is PRO in a multinational company.
They have two children, daughter Sweta six years old and the son is Ashok, eight
years,
studying in a convent school. I wake up at 5:30 in the early morning and sweep the
house. I prepare breakfast for all four and keep ready their lunch boxes. I clean
the
floor when they go to offices and schools.
Then wash the clothes and prepare dishes. I bring the children from school at 2
o’clock
and prepare their mid-day meal. I take care of them very strictly. Bade Sahib- and
Memsahib come at 5:30 in the evening. I give them coffee with light snacks.
Sometimes
Ashok and Sweta complain to Memsahib against me.
She is very harsh, she scolds me frequently. But Bade Sahib is kind. Memsahib gives
me
the food that remains in plates of the children and some of her. I don’t like that
but
have to eat. I have to massage the body of the children till twelve in the night.
All
these things, I have to do to earn money for the support of my parents. My brothers
and
sisters are studying with the help of my earning.