UNVEILING LANGUAGE-BASED GENDER DISCRIMINATION IN FOSTERING GENDER EQUALITY THROUGH DISCOURSE ANALYSIS

Authors

  • Sweetheart B. Diazon Student Researcher, Department of Teacher Education, BSED- English, UM Digos College, City of Digos, Philippines
  • Aaliyah Shane M. Duran Student Researcher, Department of Teacher Education, BSED- English, UM Digos College, City of Digos, Philippines
  • Diana Mae C. Mantes Student Researcher, Department of Teacher Education, BSED- English, UM Digos College, City of Digos, Philippines
  • Ana Mae M. Monteza Professor I, Doctor of Philosophy in Applied Linguistics, Program Chair, Department of Teacher Education, City of Digos, Philippines

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.46827/ejlll.v8i3.571

Keywords:

language-based gender discrimination, fostering gender equality, discourse analysis

Abstract

The study aims to uncover how language-based discrimination contributes to gender inequality in school context. Using a model of critical discourse analysis, the study examines fourteen students from diverse departments of UMDC on how language patterns reinforce stereotypes and create unequal treatment through textual, processing and social analysis. Researchers observed linguistic patterns that imply the use of a non-inclusive language, which most likely contained phrases, lines, or words that favored one gender over the other. When challenged with the aforementioned gender discrimination through the application of these patterns, a variety of emotional reactions developed. Furthermore, Researchers uncovered gender discrimination at UMDC through the use of language that violated community standards for a number of reasons. There were occasions where language used in an academic setting demonstrated prejudice and biases against persons based on their gender through the use of non-inclusive language. By investigating the impact of language on attitudes, the study assists educators and communities in raising awareness of creating inclusive environments in which gender prejudices are addressed. This study aligns with the 5th SDG, which is to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.

 

Author Biographies

  • Sweetheart B. Diazon, Student Researcher, Department of Teacher Education, BSED- English, UM Digos College, City of Digos, Philippines

    Sweetheart B. Diazon is a fourth-year college student pursuing a Bachelor of Secondary Education with a major in English, demonstrates a sophisticated understanding of her field. Her current academic interests center on literary analysis, specifically employing feminist perspectives from gender studies to illuminate how language constructs and reinforces social communication patterns and power dynamics within literary texts. This approach is further enhanced by her engagement with literary criticism, which allows her to explore both the creative processes behind literary works and their broader cultural significance.

  • Aaliyah Shane M. Duran, Student Researcher, Department of Teacher Education, BSED- English, UM Digos College, City of Digos, Philippines

    Aaliyah Shane M. Duran is a dedicated fourth-year college student pursuing a Bachelor of Secondary Education major in English. Her engagement in literary criticism enriches her studies, allowing her to grasp the creative processes behind literary works and their broader cultural significance. She employs feminist theory in her analyses to illuminate the voices and experiences in literature that are often overlooked, fostering a more comprehensive understanding of literary texts.

  • Diana Mae C. Mantes, Student Researcher, Department of Teacher Education, BSED- English, UM Digos College, City of Digos, Philippines

    Diana Mae C. Mantes is a fourth-year student pursuing a Bachelor of Secondary Education major in English who is fervently interested in examining the relationship between language and gender. She is dedicated to determining how language shapes society views of gender and sustains prejudice, as evidenced by her research. Through careful discourse analysis, she hopes to highlight the nuanced ways language influences social relationships and power dynamics while promoting fair communication practices in classrooms. As a future teacher and writer, she is committed to applying her findings to empower learners and advance diversity, working to establish an educational setting that encourages social justice and critical thinking.

  • Ana Mae M. Monteza, Professor I, Doctor of Philosophy in Applied Linguistics, Program Chair, Department of Teacher Education, City of Digos, Philippines

    Dr. Ana Mae M. Monteza is the Program Chair of the Department Teacher Education at UM Digos College and a professor of Linguistics and Literature. She holds a Ph.D. in Applied Linguistics with a focus on Sociolinguistics from the University of Mindanao. Her research covers gender studies, social communication, literary criticism, teaching pedagogy, and AI in education. An active international resource speaker, she is a member of ELITE and Share-to-Care for Education International and contributes to international journals like Leksika and Regula Fedie as editorial board and peer-reviewer. In her free time, she writes poetry and short stories inspired by her travels.

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2025-01-03

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