NCERT Solutions and Notes for Class 7 Civics Chapter 4: Growing Up as Boys and Girls

Summary: NCERT Class 7 Civics Chapter 4

NCERT Class 7 Civics Chapter 4 talks about the concept of Gender, something that all of us experience in our lives on a daily basis. It determines, for example, who we are and what we will become, where we can go and where not, the life choices available to us and those we eventually make. Our understanding of gender is often based on the family and society that we live in. This leads us to think that the roles we see men and women around us play are fixed and natural. In fact, these roles differ across communities around the world. By gender, then, we mean the many social values and stereotypes our cultures attach to the biological distinction between ‘male’ and ‘female’. It is a term that helps us to understand many of the inequalities and power relations between men and women in society.

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Explore all the Chapters of Class 7 Civics:-

Chapter 1	Chapter 2	Chapter 3	Chapter 4
Chapter 5	Chapter 6	Chapter 7	Chapter 8

You may also want to check Essay on Gender Discrimination in 200, 400 & 500 Words

Important Definitions in NCERT Class 7 Civics Chapter 4

• Identity: Identity is a sense of self-awareness of who one is. Typically, a person can have several identities. For example, a person can be a girl, a sister, and a musician. 
• Double-burden: Literally means a double load. This term is commonly used to describe the women’s work situation. It has emerged from a recognition that women typically labor both inside the home (housework) and outside. 
• Care-giving: Care-giving refers to a range of tasks related to looking after and nurturing. Besides physical tasks, they also involve a strong emotional aspect. 
• De-valued: When someone is not given due recognition for a task or job they have done, they can feel de-valued. For example, if a boy has put a lot of effort into making a special birthday gift for his friend and this friend does not say anything about this, then the boy may feel devalued.

Download Social Science Class 7 Civics Chapter 4 Important Questions and Answers PDF

Breaking Stereotypes! Read this blog to learn about Gender Equality 

Explore all the Chapters of Class 7 Civics:-

Chapter 1	Chapter 2	Chapter 3	Chapter 4
Chapter 5	Chapter 6	Chapter 7	Chapter 8

Important Questions in NCERT Class 7 Civics Chapter 4: Free PDF Download

1. Are the statements given alongside true or false? Support your answer with the use of an example –

a. All societies do not think similarly about the roles that boys and girls play. 

b. Our society does not make distinctions between boys and girls when they are growing up. 

c. Women who stay at home do not work. 

d. The work that women do is less valued than that of men.

Ans. (a) True. More importance is given to the work done by boys instead of the work done by girls.

(b) False. From an early age, boys are taught to be tough and strong while girls are taught to be sensitive and soft. Toys like guns and cars are given for boys to play, while girls will be given dolls.

(c) False. Women who stay at home do housework. They wash clothes, sweep, clean, cook food, and more.

(d) True. Despite the fact that women do a lot of work, their work is undervalued because there is no monetary value attached to it, there is a social conditioning that household work comes naturally to women and that it is expected of them.

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’, ‘physically demanding’, and ‘time-consuming’. Give one example of each based on the household tasks undertaken by women in your home. 

Ans. Invisible. It means the work often goes unnoticed and acknowledged by others. The primary responsibility for housework and caregiving tasks such as taking care of children and the elderly lies with women. Due to the fact that such tasks are not acknowledged as work, it remains invisible.

Physically demanding. Housework is very tough and difficult. Women do a lot of physically demanding work like washing clothes and cooking food for the entire family. 

Time-consuming. Household chores take up a lot of time. For example, women’s routine begins in the early morning and continues late into the night. During this period, they are seen busy fulfilling the tasks of their family members. At times, the time consumed in finishing the chores depends on the size of the family. The larger the family, the longer it takes the work to complete.

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?

Ans. List of toys and games that boys play with:

• Cars
• Guns
• Action figures

List of toys and games girls play with:

• Dolls
• Cooking items

The above-mentioned list shows that society makes a distinction between boys and girls right from their growing phase. Boys are taught to be tough and strong, which highlights their masculine features but girls are expected to remain in their ‘feminine’ energy. When choosing careers, this can result in a huge problem. Boys and girls may choose careers that are directly associated with genders, girls may look up for cooking or teaching jobs while boys may be limited to jobs like engineering. 

Also See:

NCERT Class 7 Chapter 1 On Equality

NCERT Class 7 Chapter 2 Role of the Government in Health

NCERT Class 7 Chapter 3 How the State Government Works

Explore Notes of All subjects of CBSE Class 7:-

CBSE NCERT Notes Class 7 English	CBSE NCERT Notes Class 7 History	CBSE NCERT Notes Class 7 Geography
CBSE NCERT Notes Class 7 Civics	CBSE NCERT Notes Class 7 Mathematics	CBSE NCERT Notes Class 7 Science

Check out Class 6 Civics Notes:

NCERT Class 6 Chapter 1 Understanding Diversity NCERT Class 6 Chapter 2 Diversity and Discrimination NCERT Class 6 Chapter 3 Government NCERT Class 6 Chapter 4 Panchayati Raj NCERT Class 6 Chapter 5 Rural Administration NCERT Class 6 Chapter 6 Urban Administration NCERT Class 6 Chapter 7 Rural Livelihoods

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