Gender Roles Free Essays

Gender role is a term used in the social sciences and humanities to denote a set of behavioral norms that accompany a given gendered status (also called a gender identity) in a given social group or system. (WHO, 2011) Gender roles are seen everywhere, everyday. There are many different ways to look at gender roles. We will write a custom essay sample on Gender Roles or any similar topic only for you Order Now Defining the terms that help you completely understand gender roles is necessary. Delving into the family aspect of gender roles gives you a better grasp on the different family structures and how they are used in daily life. We are used to the traditional gender roles in everyday America, but have you ever thought about the gender roles in different cultures? This paper will define different terms to help you better understand gender roles, look into the family aspect of gender roles, and looking into different cultures and how they are different from ours. Sometimes it is hard to understand exactly what is meant by the term â€Å"gender†, and how it differs from the closely related term â€Å"sex†. â€Å"Sex† refers to the biological and physiological characteristics that define men and women. While â€Å"gender† refers to the socially constructed roles, behaviors, activities, and attributes a given society considers appropriate for men and women (WHO, 2011). To put it another way, â€Å"male† and â€Å"female† are sex categories and â€Å"masculine† and â€Å"feminine† are gender categories. Aspects of sex will not vary substantially between different human societies, while aspects of gender may vary greatly. Sex characteristics are very different from gender characteristics. Some examples of sex characteristics; women menstruate while men do not, men have testicles while women do not, men generally have more massive bones than women do. Now, some examples of gender characteristics; in the United States women generally earn less money than men, in Saudi Arabia men are allowed to drive while women are not (WHO, 2011). Can you tell the difference now? Your sex does not determine what gender you are. The way they are determined in the family setting can be drastically different depending on which family structure you belong in. There are four essential types of family structures. The first is the nuclear family that can be defined as a family consisting of a mother, father, and their biological or adoptive descendants, often called the traditional family. The second structure is the single parent. The single parent structure consists of the mother or the father and the child and/or children. The third type of structure is the extended family, which is two or more adults from unlike generations of a family, who share a household. The fourth and final structure is the childless family. The childless family is a group of people from all variety of backgrounds and all lifestyles who, for whatever reason, have never had children (Shelton, 2010). Depending on the family structure you grew up in, it could have long-term effects on your gender role attitude. In the single-parent structure, the parent has to fulfill both gender roles in the family. Research has confirmed that people raised by single parents tend to be more androgynous, as well as more mature and independent (Schenck, 2009). They learn from seeing their parent take on both roles. In the extended family, there are many generations of a family living under the same roof. In an extended family, there are many advantages, such as the big support structure. The big support structure has a strong influence in many facets of life (economic, social, emotional, and psychological). Talcott Parsons goes into detail with the nuclear family structure and the types of gender roles that can play out. In 1955, Talcott Parsons developed a model of the nuclear family. It compared a strictly traditional view of gender roles (from an industrial-age American perspective) to a more liberal view (Discovery Media, 2011). The Parsons model is used to contrast and illustrate extreme positions on gender roles. Model A describes total separation of male and female roles, while Model B describes the complete dissolution of gender roles (Skolnick, 1995). How to cite Gender Roles, Essay examples Gender Roles Free Essays Gender Analysis Essay Gender Roles? What Gender Roles? Throughout the endless generations and societies of the world the idea of gender roles can be found in each and every single one. Every human being, in their own time and own way, has had an image drilled into their head as to how the roles of each gender should be played out. On the outermost surface there are two distinct and recognizable types of gender naturally being male and female. We will write a custom essay sample on Gender Roles or any similar topic only for you Order Now However, that truly is only the surface as there are many types of gender roles either a male or a female may choose to, or be forced into assuming throughout their lives. Society uses whatever image it chooses in order to convey what it thinks the gender roles should be at the time and is very capable of controlling the way people think, act, and behave. However, our generation as well as the last few generations have had the interesting experience of living in a society in which long established gender roles are being challenged more and more everyday. We are deciding as a people that we are far more interested in being individuals then simply going along with the stereotypes set forth by society. My family, in which my father is responsible for the majority of cooking and cleaning while my mother is the main breadwinner and financial overseer, seems to be a perfect example of the new trend along which society is moving and the new opportunities and ideas that are becoming a reality when it comes to gender roles in society. Everyone knows the long and stereotypical list of jobs that guys do and jobs that girls do as well as the different toys that each are supposed to play with when they’re little. We all also know how the boy that plays with dolls and the girl that plays with trucks gets treated when they’re little. Seemingly, neither one of these things has really changed at all up until today, but why then does the idea of gender roles seem to be diminishing every single day? Personally, I believe it has almost everything to do with your family and the people that you are surrounded by at a young age. They’re the ones who dress you, decide what school you go to, what friends you hangout with, even what food you eat. They take the small clay ball that is you as a baby and begin to try and form it into what they (in many cases what society) want it to be. For me, this was not so much the case. Every Sunday morning I would roll over in my bed to the sound of the vacuum cleaner humming up and down the hallway or the mop squeaking along the kitchen floor. Once I finally was able to pull myself out of bed and drag my way up to the kitchen table I was greeted by a plate stocked full of eggs bacon and pancakes all drowned in steaming maple syrup. If you were to ask almost anybody who it was making these noises and preparing this delicious meal they would undoubtedly say it was my mother. But they would be wrong. While my dad was busy cleaning and making breakfast, my mom was in her office starting on her work for the day, or filing taxes or balancing the checkbook. See, in my house, the term gender role was a very confusing one seeing as how it had a different meaning there then almost everywhere else. I would go to all my friends houses and see their dads, coming home all dirty and sweaty from work, cracking open a cold one while their moms would be scurrying around in an apron tidying things up and pulling hot buttery rolls out of the oven right before dinner. It never really dawned on me at such a young age though that the differences between my home and my friend’s home were so significant and that I truly have a different life because of these differences. To be completely honest, I have never really thought about the way in which experiencing gender roles in such a reversed way (thus perhaps not experiencing them at all) has actually affected me and the way in which I act. However, thinking about it now, there are definitely aspects of my life and personality that are different due to the circumstances under which I was raised. Most importantly, I think that growing up in a household in which all the gender rules were broken has allowed me to be much more open to new people, places, and things. Gender is more likely than not the very first thing you notice about someone. You use it as a basis for almost all of the forthcoming judgments you will make about someone based on things such as what they’re wearing, how they talk, where they work, what they eat. A person’s gender decides so much about them in they eyes of an observer, the only problem being many of those things may not even be true. Growing up ith the idea that men and women can fulfill whatever role they choose both within the home and outside of it has caused me to be a much less judgmental person. This is because if you take gender out of the equation it eliminates such a large portion of what you would judge a person on that you don’t judge them at all. Realizing something as simple as the fact that men can stay at home and cook and clean and women can work hard and be in charge of money allows you to realize that you actually have to talk to a person and get to know them before you really known anything about them, you can’t just take things at face value. Had I grown up with the stereotypical patriarchal family I have no doubt that I would be a different person. For every child that does grow up with one of these families, the roles assigned to each gender are becoming more and more solidified. Every parent that buys their little boys baseball gloves and a plastic tool box and their girls an easy-bake oven and doll house is simply placing another brick in the ever growing wall of gender roles and we are still, to this day, witnessing the negative effects these gender roles are having on our society. Men still dominate most higher up positions while women still receive lower wages then men in many cases. It’s a little crazy to think that something as simple as what toys you give your children to play with are contributing to the development and growth of gender discrimination isn’t it? So many people may be asking, what toys should my kids play with? Well, growing up I sure didn’t play with dolls or easy bake ovens, I also played with trucks and superhero action figures and baseball gloves. The difference is in the context in which I was playing with these toys. I was playing with my hot wheels while watching my dad scrub the bathroom floor and hitting baseballs through the window of my mom’s office while she was making major family decisions. It was being able to see the full spectrum of what both males and females could do that allowed me to never get sucked in to the idea of gender-designated roles. I hate to sound as if I’m bragging or over prideful when I say this but I feel as though it is family environments such as the one I was brought up in that are allowing for cracks to be formed in that brick wall of gender roles. Trying to teach people about true gender equality and cooperation when they’re already grown up and have had 30 or so years of â€Å"teaching† from the rest of society is something that is very hard to do. In Amy Truong’s essay, â€Å"Gender Expectations and Familial Roles Within Asian American Culture† she talks about how her ideas of gender roles were also formed at a very young age, â€Å" Within Asian culture, women are raised and taught to be silent and obedient†¦growing up I was told, ‘Do not comment or speak up,’ whenever I wanted to voice my opinion. My opinion was considered unimportant. And for many years of my life I believed that this was true. † It is clear that within our own culture, Asian culture, and more than likely every culture of the world, you are truly taught about gender roles within society as a small child when you don’t have the ability to teach yourself and thus you simply take what is given to you. Thus, I strongly believe that gender roles are specifically established within the first years of each new generation. They are then solidified throughout your childhood and teenage years and by the time you are an adult your beliefs about gender and society are already more than decided. This generation, now grown up, will pass down the exact same beliefs and ideals about gender to their children and the perpetual circle of assigned gender roles and discrimination against the non-conformists continues. Growing up with an alternate view of gender roles has allowed me to understand that we can change the old and out dated idea that because you’re a woman you stay at home with the kids and because you’re a man you bring home the paycheck. In almost all cases, excluding some jobs involving physical labor, women are more than capable of doing the exact same jobs men do, and in many cases a better job. Similarly, men are capable of doing all the same jobs commonly held by women. All it is, is a state of mind that has been so instilled in the heads of society that we have all but lost the will to change it. We are all created equal, it is a statement on which America was founded, but perhaps it should instead become a statement by which America actually lives. How to cite Gender Roles, Papers Gender Roles Free Essays Genders role between men and women are always present through history. During the 1930’s the time when this story takes place, men are usually the ones working for the money, and performing all the hard labor, while women are supposed to do all the house work, and behave in a polite manner. In the story â€Å"Boys and girls† by Alice Munro the protagonist struggles with societies ideas of how a girl should be. We will write a custom essay sample on Gender Roles or any similar topic only for you Order Now This story is about a girl who prefers helping her father with chores on the field as opposed to helping her mother in the kitchen. As the story progresses her mentality changes as she starts caring about what she wears, how her hair looks, and doesn’t protest being called a girl. The relationship between men and woman in this story conveys how men see woman as inferior based on what roles society places on them. An incident showing how men see woman as inferior was shown when the mother said to the father † Wait till Laird gets a little bigger, then you’ll have a real help†. This conveys that men in this society can perform physical labor better than women. The mother tries to plot ways into getting the girl to help her around the house. Even though the girls doesn’t like helping around the house the mother believes that is what women should be doing. This relates back to what the mother said to the father, because she believes the girl is incapable of helping in the farm. Also shows how the mother fills the roles set for women in this society, and wants to enforce these roles onto the girl. Another incident was when the girl was thinking to herself. She said â€Å"A girl was not, as I had supposed, simply what I was; it was what I had to become†. This statement shows how her mentality was changing throughout the story. At first she was confident and happy helping her father out on the farm. The girl then became unsecure because of all the chatter circulated by her mother to other people, and the constant emphasis of what a ‘girl’ should be. This shows how woman in this society are inferior from the point of view of not only men, but also woman such as the mother. Another incident was when the girl could have shut the gate on the horse â€Å"Flora†, but instead she let the horse run away. When the father found about her letting the horse go from Laird he was frustrated at first, but then commented â€Å"She’s only a girl†. This further emphasizes the reality of how ‘girls’ are seen in this society. The girl felt free from guilt through her father’s tone of voice when he commented about her being only a girl. The girl at this point didn’t protest being called a girl, and thought it was possibly true. The father’s use of words conveys the overall perception of how men felt women in that society. Furthermore gender roles in this story gives a overall view of what men and woman should perform in society. The men in this story are the one working on the farm, and performing all physical labor. The woman such as the mother in this story performs all the kitchen work. These roles are enforced into the girl and also her brother Laird throughout the story. The emphasis of how male see woman as inferior is present from beginning of the story to end through many incidents. How to cite Gender Roles, Papers Gender Roles Free Essays The â€Å"long held stereotype of the typical family† has become a thing in the past. More and more do we see both men and women seeking work outside of the home in order to provide a stable household? In today’s society, a woman who stays home is often considered as lazy or useless, which is far from true according to the long held stereotype. Although men and women have had a history of pushing boundaries and breaking free of their specific gender roles in the past, our people as a whole haven’t learned from these courageous examples. We will write a custom essay sample on Gender Roles or any similar topic only for you Order Now Instead, there are traditional ways in which our children are molded from long held ideals which have survived throughout many years and continue to segregate men and women apart. Certain occupations and many careers continue to devalue women and glue them as far away from greater opportunities. The media has also become the biggest influence in pushing men and women to conform to their gender appropriate roles. As a child, we are raised by the ideals and beliefs that our family and for many generations have considered to be important. Such ideals include children identifying their sex and determining what is considered to be appropriate for their gender. For example, toy stores are typically segregated, often seeing the boy toys separated from the girl toys. The color trend is also apparent in which blue is identified with boys and pink will quickly be assumed for a girl. Boys are also burdened by a secret code, which is commonly titled as the â€Å"Boy Code†. The Boy Code is a somewhat strict set of rules in which they are expected to be rough, independent and rather emotionless. On the other hand, parents tend to be cautious around young girls because they don’t expect them to be any of those manners. Typically girls are given the approval to be vulnerable, gentle and clumsy. Women are definitely taught that they live in a male dominated society. Education provides very little detail of how women have contributed to history and employers continue see less value in a woman than in a man. Women are constantly cheated from what they deserve; especially women who earn less for the same job as her male counterpart. Not only do jobs lack equal promotional opportunities for women as well, institutions make it hard for a woman to keep her job or get one. For example, a mother is typically the first person a school or a daycare center will contact in regards to her child. Also, it is frequently the mother who stays home from work to care for a sick child or an ill relative. These expectations and obligations pushes women to conform to society’s gender roles. The media is all around us from billboards, magazines, commercials and the internet, the media is wherever we go. The media continues to enforce specific gender roles and it is by far the strongest enforcement. For example, in commercials that pertain to cooking and cleaning products, women are often employed to model the product’s use. Secondly, young girls are rarely seen playing with action figures or toy cars on television as well. Not only are women being taught on what is considered to be gender appropriate, but men are too. Men are often portrayed to be masculine in most types of media. Commercials frequently show a dozen women swooning over a man with body spray or handing a man a beer when he is doing something inappropriate for his gender. The â€Å"long held stereotype of the typical family† seems to be a practice that no longer exists. Although many families have strayed from this idea, it continues to be desired. Times have progressed and our people have changed as well. Our people seem to have seen it all, from the end of women’s suffrage to the United States’ first black president. Unfortunately, our progress as a union hasn’t guaranteed equality to men and women. Children are continued to be raised by the ideals that have survived through the male dominated eras, work institutions devalue their women colleagues and the media subconsciously steers us towards gender appropriate roles. How to cite Gender Roles, Papers Gender Roles Free Essays Gender Roles Gender roles are affected by the typical roles society expects both men and women to fit into because they determine how we should think, speak, dress, and interact within the context of society. Whereas I believe that men and women should be who they want to be. Society has many expectations on men; men are supposed to be brave and stronger than woman. We will write a custom essay sample on Gender Roles or any similar topic only for you Order Now An article on The Social Roles of Men and Women states â€Å"It is not enough for a man to be male; he also has to appear masculine. † People believe that men should be bold, strong, and powerful but that’s not always the case. Men should act the way they want! Just because society or their parents expect them to be masculine doesn’t mean they have to. Another example from The Social Roles of Men and Women adds â€Å"Traditionally, fathers teach boys how to fix and build things. † I’m sure everyone expects men to teach their sons how to fix or build things. Some fathers don’t even follow this concept with their sons. Sometimes when these kids grow up and don’t know how to build or fix things there are looked at differently as if they are worthless. Moreover from a different article Gender and Society says â€Å"Men have always been afraid that women could get along without them. † This quote is basically stating that men think that women can live without them, when in reality they can. Men are afraid of this because they believe that women should stay home, keep the house clean and have dinner waiting for them once they come back from work. Men shouldn’t be afraid that women can be independent; I think it’s great that women can be independent and not rely on anyone but themselves. Society also has many expectations on women too; women are usually looked at as being nicer than men. The article The Social Roles of Men and Women says â€Å"A woman, in addition to being female, must also be feminine. † Society believes that all women should be beautiful, smart, and lovely. I believe that all women are beautiful the way they are; they don’t have to try their best to look their best because having a beautiful heart is what really matters. Everyone in this world is smart in their own way so people in society need to stop judging because both men and women are smart. Another example from The Social Roles of Men and Women claims that â€Å"that women are naturally passive. I strongly disagree with this statement because women are definitely not lifeless and inactive. We women are very active and independent now a days. We support and raise our children without men. The last example is one that Thandie Newton mentioned â€Å"[We assume] that the self is an actual living thing, but it’s not. It’s a projection which our clever brains create i n order to cheat ourselves from the reality of death. † Newton shows us how she believes that society does have an effect on gender roles because she says our†self† is something created by our brains and ultimately society. Although men and women have different expectations in society, they both are affected by typical roles society expects them to live by. For example in the article Gender and Society it states â€Å"costume, a mask, a straitjacket in which men and women dance their unequal dance. † I think this quote is telling us that gender is not real because it’s saying gender is a â€Å"costume†. Also when the quote says â€Å"dance their unequal dance† it means that no matter if you’re a man or woman, they both are unequal. The last example from Gender and Society tells us â€Å"For instance, men and women who feel that they do not fit the masculine and feminine stereotypes, or who resent them as too restrictive, may also develop ambiguous feelings about their biological sex. † I believe that people shouldn’t care about what society expects from them. Just because men are supposed to be masculine and women are supposed to be feminine doesn’t mean you don’t fit in. You should not be confused about your sex because all that matters in the end is that you’re happy for the real person you are not the fake person you’re trying to be to fit in. To conclude gender roles are affected by the typical roles society expects us to fit into because they determine the context of society. Society has many expectations on men and women. Men are looked at as being strong, powerful, and bold; whereas women are looked at as being clean, smart and lovely. Although men and women have different expectations in society we should not care about what society thinks and care about what we think. Men and women should be able to be who they want to be! Not someone they don’t want to be. MLA â€Å"Gender and Society: A Matter of Nature or Nurture? Gender and Society: A Matter of Nature or Nurture? N. p. , n. d. Web. 06 Nov. 2012. http://www. trinity. edu/mkearl/gender. html. â€Å"The Social Roles of Men and Women. † The Social Roles of Men and Women. N. p. , n. d. Web. 06 Nov. 2012. http://www2. hu-berlin. de/sexology/ATLAS_EN/html/the_social_roles_of_men_and_wo. html. â€Å"Thandie Newton: Embracing Otherness, Embracing Myself. à ¢â‚¬  TED: Ideas worth Spreading. N. p. , n. d. Web. 06 Nov. 2012. http://www. ted. com/talks/thandie_newton_embracing_otherness_embracing_myself. html. How to cite Gender Roles, Essay examples