2003
HEALTH Education Level 2
Internal assessment for Achievement Standard 2.5
“What makes us who we are?”
Achievement Standard 90330
Examine issues associated with gender and sexuality
Credits: 5
Achievement Criteria
Achievement
• Explain factors that
may influence gender
identity and sexuality.
• Explain how beliefs
about gender roles
influence a
relationship.
• Describe strategies
that can be used to
encourage social
justice in relation to
gender identity.
Achievement with Achievement with
Merit Excellence
• Explain, in depth, • Explain, in depth,
factors that may factors that may
influence gender influence gender
identity and sexuality. identity and sexuality.
• Explain, in depth, how • Explain, in depth, how
beliefs about gender beliefs about gender
roles influence roles influence
relationships. relationships.
• Explain strategies that • Explain, in depth,
can be used to strategies that can be
encourage social used to encourage
justice in relation to social justice in
gender identity. relation to gender
identity.
• Describe possible
strategies to achieve
harmony in
relationships.
INSTRUCTIONS

Answer all questions in the booklet provided (13 pages)

Time allowed: TWO class periods
Work must remain in the classroom in between these periods
Supervised Test conditions
If you require more paper to answer questions make sure you name the paper and
state the number of the question

NAME:______________________________________ FORM: _____

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SECTION 1

QUESTION ONE Factor : COMMERCIAL INTERESTS

Xbox: Dead or Alive Xtreme Volleyball

“The girls of Dead or Alive are back and sexier then

ever in Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball for
Microsoft Xbox. This is Xtreme action, with the girls
stripping down to their bikinis to go head-to-head in
the most outrageous beach volleyball game this side
of the Pacific! Get physical with these scantily clad
ladies as they set, spike, and kill their way to the
championship game on the tropical beaches of Zack
Island”.

a/ To sell a product a company will often use images of males and females.
Using the material provided, explain in depth, how this sort of promotion
of computer games might influence people’s thinking about what it means
to be female.

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b/ Provide other supporting evidence from your own research/observations
(e.g. shopping mall, bookshops, toy shops, clothing shops etc) of
messages which promote particular views about what it means to be
female:
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c/ Explain in depth how messages from computer games and other

sources you have identified, might influence our thinking about being
female?

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QUESTION 2 Factor : MEDIA PORTRAYAL
Magazine Advertisements

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a) What are the messages could be taken from these advertisements
about what it means to be male or female?
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b/ List other supporting evidence from your own research/observations

e.g. magazines, TV, video clips etc

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c/ How might advertising like this influence our thinking about being male
or female? (Choose either male or female)

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QUESTION 3 Factor : BIOLOGICAL FACTORS

Testosterone is a hormone with quite a personality. Testosterone is often pointed

to as the cause of aggression, bulging pectorals, an insatiable sexual appetite
and the almighty hairy chest. As the primary male sex hormone produced by the
testicles, testosterone tends to be identified with all we stereotype as masculine
Testosterone is the "biological underlay of dominance”.

New research on rats suggests that male genes are directly responsible for
causing men to get into fights. The researchers said the Y chromosome
contains genes which when stimulated reduce levels of serotonin – this can
cause depression and lead to aggressive behaviour. The researchers said it still
needed to be determined whether the heightened aggression in rats related only
to the Y chromosome, or to a combination of the chromosome and testosterone.

a/ What are the messages could be taken from this article about what it
means to be male?
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b/ If people believe that biological factors are mainly what determines our
sexuality, how might this influence their thinking about being male?

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QUESTION 4 Factor : RELIGIOUS AND CULTURAL INFLUENCES

a/ What are the messages about being male or female in the wedding
picture provided below?
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b/ List other supporting evidence from your own research/ observations
e.g. international student interviews, newspaper articles, marriages etc
about cultural or religious influences our thinking about being male or
female?
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c/ How might these religious or cultural factors influence relationships?

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SECTION 2
Common beliefs about what it means to be female or male are developed
as a result of different factors.
These beliefs could influence a person’s feelings and behaviours in relation
to others in both positive and negative ways.

Explain in depth, how a relationship could be influenced, because of these

common beliefs about being male OR female in THREE of the following
contexts:

• physical appearance
• sexual orientation
• career choices
• sporting options
• cultural artistic pursuits
• within a family..

CONTEXT 1

Possible beliefs about being male or female related to this context are:
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___________________________________________________________________________

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How these beliefs could influence people’s feelings and behaviours in their
relationships with other people (in situations related to this context) are:

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CONTEXT 2

Possible beliefs about being male or female related to this context are:
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How these beliefs could influence people’s feelings and behaviours in their
relationships with other people (in situations related to this context) are:

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CONTEXT 3

Possible beliefs about being male or female related to this context are:
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How these beliefs could influence people’s feelings and behaviours in their
relationships with other people (in situations related to this context) are:

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SECTION 3
Read the following passage. It is the conclusion of a speech made by a candidate
seeking election as the student representative on the Board of Trustees. The theme
of her speech was social justice.

And so in conclusion, I believe the values that will be important in supporting social
justice will be tolerance and respect for the rights of others. This will lead to beliefs
that people have the right to their own view even if it is different from your view.
Tolerance will be linked to beliefs that it is okay to be different and also that it is okay
to change your belief if you gain new knowledge or experiences.

I also believe it is important to value diversity, recognising that diversity does exist
and that people should be able to be their own person, not restricted by family’s and
society’s view about how you should behave according to your gender.

These values and beliefs will be demonstrated when people are inclusive of others
and when they demonstrate empathy and understanding towards people who are
different. Supporting social justice for all will involve advocating for the rights of
minorities and speaking out to support others being harassed.

QUESTION 5

a) Using the values, beliefs and behaviours outlined in the speech above, explain in
depth strategies that can happen in schools to ensure social justice for all in
relation to gender. Use the categories personal, interpersonal and
school/community and explain at least three strategies from each of the
categories.

Strategies that are considered to reflect the values of social justice are those that
are fair, inclusive and non-discriminatory.

You need nine strategies in total.

Personal:
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 • ______________________________________________
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Interpersonal:
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School/Community:
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b) Select at least one personal, interpersonal and school/community strategy you
have written about in question 3a) and explain the possible link between them.

Personal Strategy:

Interpersonal Strategy:
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School/Community Strategy:

Links between strategies:

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QUESTION 6:

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 Choose a relationship related to love and/or intimacy.
- Friendship
- Romance without sexual intercourse
- Romance with sexual intercourse
- Casual sex
- Marriage

Consider how beliefs about gender roles can help or harm relationships and describe
two possible strategies that could bring about harmony in the relationship.

Relationship chosen from the above list:

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Identify at least two or three beliefs about gender roles in this relationship that could
help or harm the relationship

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Strategy 1 that could bring about harmony in the relationship as a result of these
beliefs:
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Strategy 2 that could bring about harmony in the relationship as a result

of these beliefs about gender roles:
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