Gender sensitivity is being respectful and considerate towards the feelings of other genders.

As rightly said by Indra Nooyi - 'Diversity is a program. Inclusion is a state of mind'

In recent years, many shows and comics like the ‘Dragon Prince’, ‘She-Ra and the Princesses of Power’, ‘The Good Place’, ‘Superman: Son of Kal-El’ and ‘Loki’ among many others have come up with an impressive demonstration of diversity and inclusion with their characters. With media being a greater influencer especially among the younger audience, such shows help a great deal in increasing awareness about gender sensitivity.

Schools play a pivotal role in shaping us, thus, gender sensitivity, inclusiveness, and neutrality need to start from the roots. Simple and effective measures such as using gender-neutral terms while teaching and addressing students, avoiding splitting students based on their gender while forming groups for activities, or forming lines for walking on corridors or during assemblies can go a long way in helping all students feel included and respected. Gender sensitivity workshops will also help teachers and students alike in getting a deeper understanding of the topic and learning that it’s okay for everyone to be themselves and increase empathy towards students who identify themselves in a so-called ‘different’ manner than what society perceives as normal. Normalizing all kinds of genders will create a healthier atmosphere and hopefully, more and more people will come to realize that we are all different and not ‘different’ at the same time.

In this multiple-part series, commemorating World Children’s Day, this and many other areas are explored by Manasvini and her friend discussing their experiences and views on this topic.