Lets use the example of understanding gender roles through dependent origination to illustrate the Twelve Nidanas.
1. Ignorance (avijja): Society lacks a full understanding of the true nature of gender identity and sexuality, leading to rigid gender roles and stereotypes.
2. Mental formations (sankhara): Due to ignorance, people form habitual patterns of thinking and behaving according to gender roles assigned by societal expectations.
3. Consciousness (viññana): The collective consciousness is conditioned by these mental formations, perpetuating gender norms and roles.
4. Name and form (nama-rupa): Peoples bodies and minds manifest in ways that are ascribed specific gender roles.
5. The six sense bases (salayatana): Peoples sense organs (sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch, and mind) interact with the external world to reinforce gendered expectations.
6. Contact (phassa): people encounter objects or situations that reinforce established gender roles.
7. Feeling (vedana): people experience pleasant or unpleasant feelings in relation to gender expectations, which affects their sense of self and identity.
8. Craving (tanha): people may develop a desire to conform to or reject the gender norms imposed on them.
9. Clinging (upadana): the attachment and clinging to the gender norms intensifies, leading to greater identification with or rebellion against societal expectations.
10. Becoming (bhava): clinging to these norms solidifies our personal identities within a gender binary, reinforcing the pattern of labeling people with specific gender roles.
11. Birth (jati): Peoples assigned gender roles manifest in the way they interact with society, perpetuating the cycle of mental formations and karmic consequences.
12. Old age and death (jara-marana): Rigid adherence to gender roles can lead to physical, mental, and emotional suffering and perpetuate negative consequences in future generations.

In this example, we can see how the Twelve Nidanas apply to the perpetuation of gender roles and stereotypes. By recognizing the interdependent nature of these factors and addressing the underlying ignorance and misunderstanding of gender, we can begin to break free from these rigid roles and work towards greater equality and acceptance for all gender identities.

How to break cycle at each point:

To break the cycle at each point in the context of understanding gender roles, we can apply the following actions:

1. Ignorance (avijja) - To address ignorance around gender and sexuality, education and open dialogue are necessary. By learning about and understanding the diversity of gender identities and sexual orientations, individuals can develop more accurate and inclusive understanding of gender.

2. Mental formations (sankhara) - By becoming aware of our habitual patterns of thinking and behaving in relation to gender, we can challenge and reshape them. This involves cultivating a greater sense of self-awareness and mindfulness, and actively questioning and challenging societal expectations and norms.

3. Consciousness (viññana) - By creating a shift in the collective consciousness towards greater acceptance and inclusivity of diverse gender identities and expressions, individual attitudes and behaviors will naturally follow. This can be achieved through positive representation and messaging in media and other public platforms, as well as education and advocacy efforts.

4. Name and form (nama-rupa) - Embracing the full range of human diversity and rejecting strict gender binaries can help break down rigid gender roles and norms. Instead of adhering to societal expectations of what it means to be masculine or feminine, individuals can explore and express their gender identities and expressions authentically.

5. The six sense bases (salayatana) - Mindful awareness of how societal expectations influence our perception of gender can help us become more free from their grips. Mindfulness practices can include intentionally observing how gender is portrayed in media, noticing our own reactions and feelings, and reflecting on how these experiences and attitudes affect our beliefs and behaviors.

6. Contact (phassa) - We can purposefully seek out positive representations of diverse gender identities and expressions, and actively engage with people of different gender experiences and perspectives to expand our understanding of gender.

7. Feeling (vedana) - Learning to experience our feelings of pleasure, pain, or neutrality around gender norms without judgment or attachment can help us break free from craving and attachment to rigid gender roles.

8. Craving (tanha) - By recognizing our own desires to conform to or reject gender norms, we can intentionally let go of these attachments to create more space for our authentic gender expressions.

9. Clinging (upadana) - By creating space and recognizing the limitations of rigid gender norms, attachment and clinging to gender identity and expression can be weakened.

10. Becoming (bhava) - By embracing the full spectrum of gender identity and expression, individuals can manifest into their true selves without concern of fitting into restrictive categories.

11. Birth (jati) - By intentionally rejecting societal gender expectations, individuals can interact with society as their true selves and create a ripple effect that can inspire others to do the same.

12. Old age and death (jara-marana) - By rejecting the rigidity of gender roles and embracing authenticity, people can experience greater emotional and mental well-being and reduce the likelihood of perpetuating negative consequences for future generations.