Supreme Court handbook 'aims to combat gender stereotypes'

economictimes.indiatimes.com:

Supreme Court on Wednesday released a handbook to 'combat gender stereotypes'. It 'aims to assist judges and legal community in identifying, understanding and combating stereotypes about women'.

The handbook has a glossary of 'gender unjust' terms and suggests 'alternative words or phrases, which may be used while drafting pleadings as well as orders and judgements'. The handbook was released by CJI DY Chandrachud.

It says the aim is to help judges identify and avoid stereotypes by identifying language that promotes stereotypes and offering alternative words and phrases; identifying common reasoning patterns based on stereotypes; and highlighting binding decisions of Supreme Court that have rejected these stereotypes and can be utilised by judges to dispel stereotypes. The handbook identifies three kinds of stereotypes — based on the so-called inherent characteristics of women; based on gender roles of women; and related to sex, sexuality and sexual violence:Based on 'so-called inherent characteristics of women' Women are physically weaker than men; unmarried women are incapable of taking important decisions about their life; women want to have children.Based on Gender roles of Women Women should do all the household chores; wives should take care of husband's parents; women should be submissive or subordinate to men; women who do not work outside home do not contribute to household or contribute very little in comparison to their husbands.Related to 'sex, sexual violence' 'Women who dress in clothes that are not considered to be traditional want to engage in sexual relations with men'.