Have the Power Equations Changed in the Rural Mindset? Gender Stereotypes Over Three Decades

Abstract

Culture distinctly separates the role of man and woman in the society.  India which is the homeland of several tribes has ultimately turned the country into cultural plurality with different tribes practicing different belief system regarding gender stereotype with 90% of the population living in villages, and over 730 scheduled tribes notified under article 342 of the Indian constitution, it was felt very strongly by the researchers to explore the gender stereotype of the typical Indian male and female as perceived by the rural masses: The real India. With the country marching into the 21st century and the huge campaign of women empowerment, gender equity all around, it became all the more salient to explore whether the changes in power equation in the urban educated sector have a spillover effect on the less talked about and underrepresented rural males and females, over three decades.

The present research paper thus makes an attempt to see if the perception of the rural males and females have changed from nineties to twenty- twenty-four. The data of three studies on adult rural males and females in nineties has been compared with the data obtained in a study on a similar sample (N= 800). All studies centered on Uttar Pradesh (the largest state known for its diverse tribal communities in India).

In terms of the sample characteristics of illiteracy, the same tool of picture story test (Bhatnagar & Poptani, 1991) has been used in all the studies. What appears rather intriguing is that the mindset of the rural masses remains traditional over three decades. This study on the one hand, opens a window for further research on different tribes and states of India to explore their perception of gender stereotype.  On the other hand, the present findings have a message for policy makers that for obtaining the goal of gender equality, we need to work towards exploring and changing the neural wiring of the masses creating zones of acceptance for gender equity and equality in place of gender bias.