compare and contrast essay on gender roles

Raegan's TED Talk Blog

Gender Roles: Then VS Now

Recently I’ve been really interested in older movies and tv shows in my spare time, but more than ever, I’ve really tuned into the depiction of gender roles within the storyline. It’s obvious that women’s roles in society and media have been ever changing, and will probably continue in years to come. I mean, compare I Love Lucy to the Sex and the City cast. Today I decided to go back to the early 1900s and follow the progression of women gender roles throughout the decades.

In the 1920s, women typically stayed at home and cared for the house and children while the husband was away at work. If they did have a job, it was something around the lines of a secretary, nurse, or teacher. However, some women did strive to defeat the odds and strived to become a business owner, lawyer, etc. Though, as sexist as it is, men wouldn’t give a woman business over another male partner. In the media, they were portrayed pretty accurately as their actual roles in society, except maybe with a little more sex appeal. They would make their advertisements of housewives appear more sexualized and appealing.

Flash forward to the 50s, despite protests and advocacy sparking for equality, only small strides had really been made. Though they were seeking better job opportunities and careers, men  still would rather seek out a male counterpart in the field, regardless of qualifications. The media really combatted any progress made through advocacy. The ads and Hollywood still portrayed it as a “Man’s World”, with your everyday housewife waiting adhering to the wants and demands of the man. In fact, in 1955, Housekeeping Monthly released “The Good Wife’s Guide” – something that would be immediately shutdown in today’s world. Some of their tips read as followed:

• “Have dinner ready. Plan ahead, even the night before, to have a delicious meal ready on time for his return. This is a way of letting him know that you have been thinking about him and are concerned about his needs. Most men are hungry when they get home and the prospect of a good meal is part of the warm welcome needed.”
• “Prepare yourself. Take 15 minutes to rest so you’ll be refreshed when he arrives. Touch up your make-up, put a ribbon in your hair and be fresh-looking. He has just been with a lot of work-weary people.”
• “Listen to him. You may have a dozen important things to tell him, but the moment of his arrival is not the time. Let him talk first – remember, his topics of conversation are more important than yours.”
• “Don’t ask him questions about his actions or question his judgment or integrity. Remember, he is the master of the house and as such will always exercise his will with fairness and truthfulness. You have no right to question him.”

……. W H A T

Comparing women today to women back then, we’ve made tremendous strides in both society and the media. It is not uncommon for us to have mothers that are also lawyer, surgeons, CEOs, etc. It is also completely acceptable for women to have their own goals and aspirations in life.  We almost had a woman president. As for the media, we have seen a progression of women presence in the media. There are now multiple strong female roles in a lot of TV shows (Big Bang Theory, The Office, Sex and the City). Little girls grow up with women as role models that are paving a path for success with zero boundaries, as they should.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/allison-lantagne/gender-roles-media_b_5326199.html

http://www.primermagazine.com/2009/love/the-good-wifes-guide

https://www.mixbook.com/photo-books/education/how-has-life-for-women-changed-from-the-1920-s-to-the-50-s-to-now-4566583?utm_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F

https://www.marketingweek.com/2017/03/08/portrayal-women-media/

22 thoughts on “ Gender Roles: Then VS Now ”

It’s pretty crazy to think back on how much the woman’s role has changed throughout the years. “The Good Wife’s Guide” that you mention seems absolutely ridiculous to me today. The fact that being a good wife means not having a right to question your husband’s actions and judgment definitely perpetuates an idea that women are inferior and subservient. But luckily, we are breaking those stereotypes today–as women deserve to become anything they want.

I definitely do agree that large strides have been made in terms of women in the entertainment industry. However, there are still major problems that still need to be addressed (like the pay gap and the fact that strong women characters are still seen as novelty and are often plagiarized or sexualized throughout the show or movie). Love that you brought up this issue though and the fact that you brought specific examples in!

The quote from “The Good Wife’s Guide” was such a shock to me! I wonder how many women in 1955 would have read that and agreed with it. A book like that would have such an impact on a young girl and growing up with the idea of men being in charge of women must have been hard.

Feminism is everywhere now unfortunately. Years ago, most women were Real Ladies.

What the heck, Ben

He is right though, and most women today unfortunately are very pathetic altogether.

He is very right though.

pull up….. you fucking chode.

Said the loser herself.

Today most women have their very high unrealistic expectations and standards making love very difficult to find for so many of us single guys now, unlike years ago when most women were the very complete opposite of today.

Today most women have jobs and pride and they do not want to rely on a man or settle for less and give themself to someone who is not worth their time, or someone who is a bad provider, or not the intelligent person to talk to, or is overweight and doing nothing about it. If there’s not the man who worth their time (women with pride and self-respect) they would rather be single! And when it has come to the making love..many women these days go to the store and get a toy to make love to. Not only girls, guys too can have a high expectation from the partner..maybe because they do not want to settle? So it is not always a good idea to blame that there’s no good women or men, maybe you not fitting their criteria? So man either has to learn how to become better for himself and others (get a degree or have a good business) and take care of your self to look appealing to others..or make love to himself..by himself…is that make sense to you? I hope it helped you to see a naked truth..

Most women today are very awful altogether with no manners and personality at all when it comes to us men looking for a relationship. Unfortunately most women do have a very serious mental illness as i can see which is why they’re really like that today. And there will be times when these very pathetic women will even Curse at us men for no reason at all when we will just say good morning or hello to them, and i can see how very troubled these women are nowadays. And i know other friends that had women Cursed them out for no reason too, and that is quite a change from the old days when most women were very civilized back then which made love very easy to find in those days just like our family members did. Now you have most of these women with their Careers that are so very high maintenance, independent, since they really don’t need us men anymore which even i will admit, very selfish, greedy, spoiled, picky, narcissists, since they really think they’re all that, gold diggers, since they love sleeping around with much older men that have the very big bank accounts, cheaters, since they can’t even commit to only one man anymore, very money hungry, and that list keeps on growing and growing. So many women now are real Feminists as well altogether which makes love very difficult to find for so many of us single men now because of the way they’re nowadays. It was a very good thing that the great majority of women in the past were very much the complete opposite of today, and they were certainly Real Ladies as well which is why this world progressed over these years thanks to those women back then. Very obvious why so many of us good single men are still single today with these kind of women around now unfortunately.

Oh boy, you really nailed it.

this comment is just borderline stupid

Guess what for your information? He really nailed it. Have a lot of fun with your cats.

Most women nowadays are just awful, especially the ones that have no manners and personality at all since they need to get a real life.

Most women nowadays unfortunately go for looks and wealth when looking for a man. But with so many women nowadays that are very overweight, tattoos all over their bodies, not really attractive at all like they think they’re, enough said right there. I am a good looking man that keeps in very great shape with a very nice personality, and i still can’t meet a good woman to accept me for who i am. So it is the women today that have really changed for the worst of all.

why are you anonymous. are u scared drop dat addy bby💅

I just want to meet a good woman that will fall in love with me, and want me for just who i really am.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Stereotypes and Gender Roles

Many of our gender stereotypes are strong because we emphasize gender so much in culture (Bigler & Liben, 2007). For example, children learn at a young age that there are distinct expectations for boys and girls. Gender roles refer to the role or behaviors learned by a person as appropriate to their gender and are determined by the dominant cultural norms. Cross-cultural studies reveal that children are aware of gender roles by age two or three and can label others’ gender and sort objects into gender categories. At four or five, most children are firmly entrenched in culturally appropriate gender roles (Kane, 1996). When children do not conform to the appropriate gender role for their culture, they may face negative sanctions such as being criticized, bullied, marginalized or rejected by their peers. A girl who wishes to take karate class instead of dance lessons may be called a “tomboy” and face difficulty gaining acceptance from both male and female peer groups (Ready, 2001). Boys, especially, are subject to intense ridicule for gender nonconformity (Coltrane and Adams, 2008; Kimmel, 2000)

By the time we are adults, our gender roles are a stable part of our personalities, and we usually hold many gender stereotypes. Men tend to outnumber women in professions such as law enforcement, the military, and politics. Women tend to outnumber men in care-related occupations such as child care, health care, and social work. These occupational roles are examples of typical Western male and female behavior, derived from our culture’s traditions. Adherence to these occupational gender roles demonstrates fulfillment of social expectations but may not necessarily reflect personal preference (Diamond, 2002).

Gender stereotypes are not unique to American culture. Williams and Best (1982) conducted several cross-cultural explorations of gender stereotypes using data collected from 30 cultures. There was a high degree of agreement on stereotypes across all cultures which led the researchers to conclude that gender stereotypes may be universal. Additional research found that males tend to be associated with stronger and more active characteristics than females (Best, 2001); however recent research argues that culture shapes how some gender stereotypes are perceived. Researchers found that across cultures, individualistic traits were viewed as more masculine; however, collectivist cultures rated masculine traits as collectivist and not individualist (Cuddy et al., 2015). These findings provide support that gender stereotypes may be moderated by cultural values.

There are two major psychological theories that partially explain how children form their own gender roles after they learn to differentiate based on gender. Gender schema theory argues that children are active learners who essentially socialize themselves and actively organize others’ behavior, activities, and attributes into gender categories, which are known as schemas . These schemas then affect what children notice and remember later. People of all ages are more likely to remember schema-consistent behaviors and attributes than schema-inconsistent behaviors and attributes. So, people are more likely to remember men, and forget women, who are firefighters. They also misremember schema-inconsistent information. If research participants are shown pictures of someone standing at the stove, they are more likely to remember the person to be cooking if depicted as a woman, and the person to be repairing the stove if depicted as a man. By only remembering schema-consistent information, gender schemas strengthen more and more over time.

A second theory that attempts to explain the formation of gender roles in children is social learning theory which argues that gender roles are learned through reinforcement, punishment, and modeling. Children are rewarded and reinforced for behaving in concordance with gender roles and punished for breaking gender roles. In addition, social learning theory argues that children learn many of their gender roles by modeling the behavior of adults and older children and, in doing so, develop ideas about what behaviors are appropriate for each gender. Social learning theory has less support than gender schema theory but research shows that parents do reinforce gender-appropriate play and often reinforce cultural gender norms.

Gender Roles and Culture

Hofstede’s (2001) research revealed that on the Masculinity and Femininity dimension (MAS), cultures with high masculinity reported distinct gender roles, moralistic views of sexuality and encouraged passive roles for women. Additionally, these cultures discourage premarital sex for women but have no such restrictions for men. The cultures with the highest masculinity scores were: Japan, Italy, Austria and Venezuela. Cultures low in masculinity (high femininity) had gender roles that were more likely to overlap and encouraged more active roles for women. Sex before marriage was seen as acceptable for both women and men in these cultures. Four countries scoring lowest in masculinity were Norway, Denmark, Netherlands and Sweden. The United States is slightly more masculine than feminine on this dimension; however, these aspects of high masculinity are balanced by a need for individuality.

Culture and Psychology Copyright © 2020 by L D Worthy; T Lavigne; and F Romero is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

Share This Book

• Bipolar Disorder
• Therapy Center
• When To See a Therapist
• Types of Therapy
• Best Online Therapy
• Best Couples Therapy
• Best Family Therapy
• Managing Stress
• Sleep and Dreaming
• Understanding Emotions
• Self-Improvement
• Healthy Relationships
• Student Resources
• Personality Types
• Guided Meditations
• Verywell Mind Insights
• 2024 Verywell Mind 25
• Mental Health in the Classroom
• Editorial Process
• Meet Our Review Board
• Crisis Support

Understanding Gender Roles and Their Effect On Our Relationships

Sarah Fielding is a freelance writer covering a range of topics with a focus on mental health and women's issues.

Ivy Kwong, LMFT, is a psychotherapist specializing in relationships, love and intimacy, trauma and codependency, and AAPI mental health.  

While they ought to be outdated, there are certain molds that men and women are traditionally taught and pressured to fit into: A man is strong and takes financial care of the family, while a woman is nurturing and takes  emotional care  of everyone.

Men take out the trash, and women do the dishes. Men pay for dinner, and women take care of the children. Men make straightforward, unemotional decisions, and women fret and follow along.

These are but a few of the many gender roles that perpetuate in society, forcing people into small boxes and frustrating dynamics. These ideals of how a person should behave based on their gender can harm an individual’s mental health and relationships as a whole. 

“Gender roles can have a significant impact on our relationships by creating power imbalances and limiting our ability to express ourselves authentically,” says Satadeepa Som , a psychologist and sexual wellness therapist at Allo Health , India’s first dedicated sexual health clinic. “When we internalize traditional gender roles, we may feel pressure to conform to certain expectations of how men and women should behave in relationships. This can lead to frustration, resentment, and a lack of intimacy.” 

Identifying, understanding, and challenging gender roles aids in dismantling their power and removing their limitations from existing and future relationships. To that end, here’s what you need to know about gender roles, how they limit people, and the importance of breaking them down. 

What are gender roles?

“Gender roles are not biologically determined,” says Som. “Gender roles are socially constructed and can vary widely between different societies and cultures.”

At their core, gender roles are an arbitrary set of characteristics society believes each person should embody based on their gender. For men, this often means foregoing emotion in favor of a big wallet and a strong presence. Women are supposed to be subdued, emotional, and caring, with an underlying subservience to the men in their lives. 

Gender roles based in patriarchy, a system of social, legal, economic, political, and cultural practices that position men as the dominant social group, have been shaped and further emphasized in a myriad of places around the world.

Cultural beliefs throughout time have reinforced the part of men as the provider and women as the homemaker in spaces such as religious and educational institutions and in government bodies, says Som.

Societal norms have reflected the teachings of these establishments, with families, peers, and the media following “unwritten rules about what is considered acceptable behavior for men and women in a particular society or culture.” Everything, from television to magazines, has also helped curate how women and men “should” each act. 

Traditional ideology separates men’s and women’s tasks as they have historically been treated—men are the breadwinner, and women are the caregiver. An egalitarian stance, on the other hand, seeks to remove gender as any determination of who takes on what tasks. In the middle, where much of society, consciously or unconsciously lives, is something known as transitional ideology, the man is the breadwinner, but he also supports the woman in household tasks.  

How gender roles are limiting

Feminist movements throughout the 20th century fought for gender equality and women's rights. Feminists call attention to and address a number of issues affecting women and girls around the world and advocate ending sexism, sexist exploitation, and oppression to achieve full gender equality in law and practice.

This resulted in significant and important changes.White women were granted the right to vote in 1920, Black women gained the right to vote in 1965, and women began wearing pants, getting graduate degrees, holding full-time jobs, and, overall, becoming more independent with greater freedom, choices, and opportunities.

Over the past two decades, activists have continued to push for an extinction of gender roles and a society in which people are defined by who they are, not the gender they are. Progress exists but is still slow, with many people inclined to default to and protect gender roles and keep people in small boxes. 

To this day, the ways in which gender roles can impact people are endless. Regardless of if a person thinks these stereotypes are helping them or making them look tough or caring, being forced into a box based on your gender is incredibly limiting and can cause a range of repercussions.

According to Rebecca Minor , LICSW, a gender specialist and part-time faculty at Boston University specializing in the intersection of gender and sexuality, three major areas where this is the case are job choices, emotional expression, and household responsibilities.

There are certainly many men who love finance and many women who want to be a teacher or an artist. But there are also lots of women who love math and men who want to instill lessons into young minds.

It’s not wrong for a person to want a job that falls within their traditional gender role, as long as they have the option to do any they please—and get paid equally for it. Without that opportunity, a person can get stuck in a job their entire life that is in no way related to their passions. 

Emotionally, men are told that they shouldn’t dare have any sensitive emotions, and if they do, they better bottle them up quickly. Women can be emotional and nurturing, but they’re not allowed to be strong or powerful. “These expectations can hinder individuals from expressing their emotions authentically, leading to emotional suppression and strained relationships,” says Minor. 

Regardless of if women work, household tasks and child caring are often left to them. If the man makes more money (which is not always the case and ignores the pay gap), why should they help out at home? If they do, some people still view it as demeaning or unusual. 

Gender roles can also have a tremendously negative impact on a person’s mental health. “Oppressive gender roles and stereotypes can have a negative impact on mental health by creating feelings of shame, self-doubt, and low self-esteem,” says Som. “When individuals are unable to meet society’s expectations of how they should behave based on their gender, they may feel isolated, misunderstood, and even punished.” As a result, individuals might develop a sense of failure, anxiety, stress, or depression. 

Breaking down gender norms for healthier relationships

Dating and relationships often prove to be the ultimate test for gender roles. They create this idea that there is a “right” and “wrong” way for each person to behave in a relationship when all that matters is their character and compatibility. “Traditional gender roles can also limit our ability to express ourselves authentically in relationships,” says Som.

Not only are gender roles in relationships archaic, but many people are not even in a monogamous, heterosexual relationship. “Gender roles can reinforce stereotypes and lead to discrimination and oppression,” says Som. “For example, LGBTQ+ individuals may face discrimination in relationships and society based on their gender identity or sexual orientation. This can create feelings of isolation and impact mental health.”

When we let go of these unnecessary ideas of how a person should act in a relationship, it creates space for a healthy, supportive relationship. “Breaking down gender roles allows individuals to communicate openly and honestly about their needs, desires, and emotions without fear of judgment or reprisal,” says Minor.

“This leads to more effective and empathetic communication, fostering greater understanding and connection between partners.” It also provides space for people to pursue their interests, work on power imbalances generated by society, and create an intimate, healthy space for the relationship to grow. 

Somech, A., & Drach-Zahavy, A. (2016). Gender role ideology. In A. Wong, M. Wickramasinghe, renee hoogland, & N. A. Naples (Eds.),  The Wiley Blackwell Encyclopedia of Gender and Sexuality Studies  (pp. 1–3). John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118663219.wbegss205

The Change of Gender Roles Compare & Contrast Essay

The notion that women cannot play a prominent role in family or society has existed for a long time. Although this trend began to change in the past two centuries, this gender stereotype continues to be very widespread. This paper is aimed at discussing such plays as Trifles written by Susan Glaspell and Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House. These authors show how women can be victimized or discriminated in a patriarchal society.

By depicting family conflicts，Susan Glaspell and Henrik Ibsen show how women can be forced into subordination. More importantly, the writers show how women challenge the conventions that are imposed on them. There are several important similarities shared by both works. First, both works illustrate similar themes, namely the subordinate position of women and their response to this injustice.

A Doll’s House by Ibsen is a description of a woman who tries to break paternalistic relationship with her husband. Trifles written by Glaspell depict a despair of a woman who murders her husband. This similarity is one of the most important to focus on the structure of the narrative. In both plays, the main actions of the characters are not directly described by the authors.

They can be regarded as past events that help the readers understand the story. For instance, in Trifles, the murder is not depicted by Susan Glaspell. The larger part of the play shows how this murder is investigated. The audience is also introduced to the dialogue between two women who discuss about the possibility of Mrs. Wright having killed her husband. The approach to narrative is taken by Henrik Ibsen.

It should be mentioned that Nora was making debt repayments for almost a decade without the knowledge of her husband. It should be kept in mind that Nora obtained the first loan by forging the signature of her own spouse. In order to maintain peace in their marital life, Nora thought that it would be better for her not to tell her husband the entire truth. She did not want her husband to know that she was burdened with debts.

Thirdly, the supporting characters also play a key role in exposing gender dynamics that unfold throughout the plays. For instance, gender roles have been typically reversed in the A Doll’s House by other casts as well. Kristine Linde takes over the position of Mr. Krogstad. She proves to the audience that she is capable, highly efficient and independent-minded person in comparison Krogstad.

She does not need the assistance of men to secure a decent job. She even opts to work while her husband stays back home. Also in Trifles , Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters find the truth about murder by investigating small details which called trifles by men. Finally both of them decide to hide evidence to protect their peer. These examples are important for showing that women can cope with the tasks and duties of men.

Additionally, both writers want readers to make their conclusion about the ending of two plays. Instead of providing detailed information about the later life of the characters, Ibsen and Glaspell prompt the audience to think about the possible ending of two plays. For instance, the readers of Susan Glaspell’s play do now know whether Mrs. Wright was acquitted or found guilty of her criminal trial.

Similarly, in A Doll’s House , Nora leaves her husband, but the author does not tell what happens to her in the future. Finally, both plays involve similar symbols that represent the female protagonists and the injustice that they have to struggle with. In Trifles, Mrs. Wright has been described as “kind of a bird herself” (Glaspell 1054) by Mrs. Hale.

Moreover, broken birdcage indicates that this woman could be confined in various ways. For instance, she could not attend any social event since she was made to wear shabby clothes by her husband. In the A Doll’s House, Nora is described as “little lark” and “squirrel” by her husband by Torvald (Ibsen 1259). The doll house is literary symbol of Nora’s life.

Just like what she said to her husband, Torvald: “Our home has been nothing but a playroom. I have been your doll-wife” (Ibsen 1259). Yet, one can also identify some important differences between these literary works. Both Mrs. Wright and Nora break the law, however, the reason is different. Mrs. Wright kills her husband to protect herself because she is afraid that her husband will eventually hurt her.

In contrast, Nora violates the establish behavioral norms in order to protect her husband. Just as she says:“Is a daughter not to be allowed to spare her dying father anxiety and care? Is a wife not to be allowed to save her husband’s life? I don’t know much about law, but I am certain that there must be laws permitting such things as that.” (Ibsen 1270).

Even though both protagonists challenge dominant gender roles, their value and attitudes of these people differ significantly. Mrs. Wright wants to cope with the conventional gender roles that are imposed on her. However, the cruelty of her husband prevents her from achieving this goal. To a great extent, she is forced to kill his husband.

In contrast, Nora seems to be quite different from that of Mrs. Wright. At the beginning, she is a happy mother with three children. Although she wants to pursue liberty, she still acts as a good wife who takes care of the family. Torvald’s reaction to secret makes Nora decide to leave her husband. At some point, it becomes cumbersome to predict the complex personality of Nora. Although she is expected to be ‘doll’ in her husband’s house, she refuses to accept that role.

Also, the writing technique has some difference. Instead of depicting main characters directly such as in A doll’s house, Glaspell uses indirect way to portray female protagonist. The main character Minnie does not enter the stage. This is another distinction that should be taken into consideration.

These literary works show how conventional gender stereotypes can be challenged. The authors demonstrate the liberation of the female protagonists who get rid of the bonds that are imposed on them. Thirdly, the writers focus on the conflicts within the family since these conflicts are driven by different perceptions of gender roles. Furthermore, the narratives in both plays are structured in a similar way.

For instance, the authors want to create suspense and prompt readers to think about the later life of the main characters. This conflict has been explored many writers living in the twentieth century (Schechet 61). The gender roles have been challenged in two main ways in both A Doll’s House and Trifles . It is common message that comes out clearly when both plays are presented to the audience or readers.

Traditional conventions are challenged not only by Nora and Mrs. Wright. Other characters also act in this way. For example, Mrs. Peters and Mrs. Hales solve the murder case and hide the evidence in effort to save Mrs. Wright. Mrs. Linde works for her family and persuade Krogstad to help Nora. By focusing on the actions of these people, the authors want to demonstrate that patriarchal view on family and society has been undermined.

These literary works are important because they explain the way in which women try to cope with gender discrimination and oppression. Susan Glaspell and Henrik Ibsen describe the experiences of women who struggle with this injustice. Most importantly, they writers show how they oppose to the tradition according to which only males can play a dominant role in family or society.

Works Cited

Glaspell, Susan. “Trifles.” The Compact Bedford Introduction to Literature . Ed. Michael Meyer. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2009. Print.

Ibsen, Henrik. “A Doll House.” The Compact Bedford Introduction to Literature . Ed. Michael Meyer. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2009. Print.

Schechet, Nita. Narrative Fissures: Reading And Rhetoric , New York: Fairleigh Dickinson University Press, 2005. Print.

• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2020, June 30). The Change of Gender Roles. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-change-of-gender-roles/

"The Change of Gender Roles." IvyPanda , 30 June 2020, ivypanda.com/essays/the-change-of-gender-roles/.

IvyPanda . (2020) 'The Change of Gender Roles'. 30 June.

IvyPanda . 2020. "The Change of Gender Roles." June 30, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-change-of-gender-roles/.

1. IvyPanda . "The Change of Gender Roles." June 30, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-change-of-gender-roles/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "The Change of Gender Roles." June 30, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-change-of-gender-roles/.

• "A Doll’s House" by H. Ibsen: Do Desires Have a Gender?
• Semiotic Analysis of "A Doll’s House" by H. Ibsen
• Positive Role Model in "A Doll's House" by Henrik Ibsen
• The Ultimate Irony: "Othello" by Shakespeare
• Are the Witches Responsible for Duncan’s Death?
• The Trojan Women and Everyman
• Shakespeare and Honor in his History Plays
• Brecht’s views on Drama

Home — Essay Samples — Sociology — Gender Roles — Gender Roles: How Differences Shaped Our Identities

Gender Roles: How Differences Shaped Our Identities

• Categories: Gender Differences Gender Inequality Gender Roles

About this sample

Words: 1128 |

Published: Feb 11, 2023

Words: 1128 | Pages: 2 | 6 min read

• Kail, R. V., & Cavanaugh, J. C. (2000). Human development: A lifespan view. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Thomson Learning.

Cite this Essay

Let us write you an essay from scratch

• 450+ experts on 30 subjects ready to help
• Custom essay delivered in as few as 3 hours

Get high-quality help

Prof Ernest (PhD)

Verified writer

• Expert in: Sociology Social Issues

+ 120 experts online

By clicking “Check Writers’ Offers”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy . We’ll occasionally send you promo and account related email

No need to pay just yet!

Related Essays

1 pages / 734 words

1 pages / 512 words

3 pages / 1325 words

5 pages / 2303 words

Remember! This is just a sample.

You can get your custom paper by one of our expert writers.

121 writers online

Still can’t find what you need?

Browse our vast selection of original essay samples, each expertly formatted and styled

Related Essays on Gender Roles

John Steinbeck's short story "The Chrysanthemums" is a poignant exploration of gender roles, isolation, and the longing for fulfillment. Through the character of Elisa Allen, Steinbeck delves into the complexities of a woman's [...]

Edith Wharton, a famous American novelist, and playwright, is known for her works that depict the life of the upper class of New York during the early 1900s. Her writing style often highlights the themes of love, marriage, and [...]

Gender stereotypes have long influenced career choices, particularly in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields. This qualitative essay undertakes an in-depth analysis of the impact of gender stereotypes [...]

Communication is a fundamental aspect of human interaction, serving as a means to convey thoughts, emotions, and information. The way individuals communicate is greatly influenced by their gender, resulting in variations in [...]

Domestic violence, or intimate partner violence, is a widespread problem that affects people of all genders, ages, and socio-economic backgrounds. It encompasses various forms of abuse, including physical, emotional, sexual, and [...]

The ancient Greek city-states of Athens and Sparta were powerful and influential societies in the classical world, each with its own unique customs and traditions. While both city-states valued the contributions of women to [...]

Related Topics

By clicking “Send”, you agree to our Terms of service and Privacy statement . We will occasionally send you account related emails.

Where do you want us to send this sample?

By clicking “Continue”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy.

Be careful. This essay is not unique

This essay was donated by a student and is likely to have been used and submitted before

Download this Sample

Free samples may contain mistakes and not unique parts

Sorry, we could not paraphrase this essay. Our professional writers can rewrite it and get you a unique paper.

Please check your inbox.

We can write you a custom essay that will follow your exact instructions and meet the deadlines. Let's fix your grades together!

Get Your Personalized Essay in 3 Hours or Less!

We use cookies to personalyze your web-site experience. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .

• Instructions Followed To The Letter
• Deadlines Met At Every Stage
• Unique And Plagiarism Free

If you're seeing this message, it means we're having trouble loading external resources on our website.

If you're behind a web filter, please make sure that the domains *.kastatic.org and *.kasandbox.org are unblocked.

To log in and use all the features of Khan Academy, please enable JavaScript in your browser.

World History Project - 1750 to the Present

Course: world history project - 1750 to the present   >   unit 4.

• READ: A World Tour of Women’s Suffrage

READ: Changing Gender Roles

First read: preview and skimming for gist, second read: key ideas and understanding content.

• What were “Victorian” ideals of gender roles, according to the article? How did they spread around the world?
• This period saw the rise of the “new women” in Europe and America. Who were “new women”?
• What kinds of impacts did European imperialism have on women in Asia in this period, according to the author?
• How did women in Nigeria attempt to use their traditional roles as mothers to protest British taxes and colonialism?
• How did the rise of Marxism (socialism) create potential for change in gender roles?
• According to the author, did nationalism create new opportunities for gender equality, or not? Explain your answer.

Third read: evaluating and corroborating

• This article begins with the spread of European-inspired “Victorian” gender roles. How were these ideas expressed in new nation-states being created around the world? What does this tell us about empire as a community?
• This article also looks at the spread of ideas like nationalism and socialism as forces that could challenge Victorian gender roles, but only to a certain degree. What does this tell us about the role of networks in spreading new ideas about gender, and their limitations?

Changing Gender Roles

Introduction, changing gender roles in asia, nationalism, socialism, and resistance.

"The women stole the hats [of the British men ], then they rubbed their naked bottoms over the faces and bodies of the chiefs and their court officers, who had dispatched the census takers. The demonstrators moved on to the towns and attacked British merchants whom they held responsible for the declining price of palm products and the high costs of imported goods. When the Yoruba troops, members of an alien ethnic group, were ordered to attack the women, the women turned their backs and mooned 2 ‍   the soldiers—challenging them to 'shoot your mothers.' The soldiers shot down 18 women in a massacre that alerted the British to anti-imperialist sentiments, which would increasingly intensify" (Kaplan 178).

• “Gender” and “the sexes” are not the same thing. The World Health Organization defines gender as something that “refers to the socially constructed characteristics of women and men—such as norms, roles and relationships of and between groups of women and men.” In contrast to this is the traditional biological definition of the sexes as male and female.
• When you “moon” someone, you show them your bare bottom. Aren’t you glad you read footnotes now?

Want to join the conversation?

• Buy Essays Online
• Buy admission essay
• College Essay Writing Service
• Economics essay writing service
• Law essay writing service
• College paper writing service
• Research paper writing service
• Term paper writing service
• PowerPoint presentation homework help
• Write my book report
• Assignment writing service
• Lab report writing service
• Programming assignment help
• Statistics assignment help
• Article Critique
• Annotated bibliography writing service
• Case study writing service
• Coursework writing service
• Dissertation Writing Services
• Speech writing service
• Thesis writing help

Compare and Contrast Essay

The traditional gender roles that are still present in society today are often reflected in both the portrayal of men and women in modern television shows and films. Such genders roles for women include her being the companion of the man, and being loyal and unwavering in her support in most common situations, while being restricted to being passive and supportive rather than active. In contrast, the presented role of the man is that of being active, and achieving goals. Both of these traditional gender roles are broken, with each gender demonstrating the conventionally associated attributes of the other gender in earnest all over the world, in complete contrast to any set formalism. However, there still lies many traditional perceptions, such as women being a physical object of desire, which is something that still resounds heavily in modern media.

In many films, even right up to the present day, woman are often depicted on conventional female roles, such as being supportive, where their primary job is to support and uphold their man while he adventures and gallavants. Just because the role is not nearly as active, and mainly supportive, does not mean the role is unimportant and insignificant however, but men are usually the ones to make the decisions, while the woman is relegated to the court-side. In the 2001 film Pearl Harbor Kate Beckinsale's role lies at the heart of a struggle by two competing men for her affection. While they take on the active role in fighting the war, she stays in the permissive role, waiting for fate to act itself out in deciding her future. It is interesting to see that she stays with the one who survives. The fight over her presents the idea of male possession, and this can be seen as a primal instinct of man, to have control over the important resource. Although the main characters are all courageous, the typical role of man and woman is still easy to see.

There are obviously many examples of programs and films that take the idea of traditional gender roles and puts them under question, but putting characters in unexpected roles and positions. This acts to show that women and men are able to compete equally in situations that would have before been associated primarily with either the man or the woman. In such roles women can be seen to rival male aspects, and exceed the male ability to be independent, intelligent and dominant. Take the 2006 film Bandidas, in which two local Mexican girls stand up to the antagonists by doing something very active - stealing from banks. While they share traditionally female characteristics, they are still able to go from one successful bank robbery to the next. They get help further in the film by the policeman Quentin, while being male, comes across as very meek in comparison to the heroines. This film clearly shows that women can be as successful as they want to be, and can handle difficult and threatening situations just as readily. However, the presentation of this in the film appears a little forced, and comes across as an exploitation of the gender issue to gain more popularity and profit. Had this been a film with male heroes the film would have attracted far less attention, and the producers clearly understood this.

Finally is the issue of gender roles and sex. While our traditional views of gender roles are now known to never accurately reflect a given individual, male or female, women are still often portrayed as physical objects of desire. This is rife for the female gender, and is not nearly as common for the male gender. It does not have to be explicit either, because a woman's looks in securing a role for a film is still by far the highest priority, while the looks of a man, while increasing in importance in the movie industry, is still much less correlated to the chances of securing a role. For example, if we take Meril Streep, whose gifts as an actor, and recent Oscar win for her portrayal in The Iron Lady cannot be disputed, would she have had the same chances in her career had she been any less than attractive? In Bandidas, it comes as no surprise that the two females are extremely good looking. So their human qualities that define them as heroines are outweighed by desire to exploit the traditional view of man's weakness to sex, and not only that, but this makes some of the questionable acts they undertake in the movie much more acceptable because of their looks. In 1990's Pretty Woman, the character of Julia Roberts is first noticed because of her beauty, and it is only after this point that her personality is able to impress. This again raises questions of whether it is still simply about looks.

So, gender roles in society are still actively supported by media, while other examples show that breaking the norm shows that genders are in no way confined to these tradition roles that were once set. The problem is that in trying to present the falseness of traditional roles, it is ironic that many producers are still following presets established by traditional roles, for example using sex to sell in Bandidas - while hiding under the cover of breaking traditional female roles, they are clearly showing that they believe in traditional male roles. New female roles also use shock tactics to surprise, which is again exploiting traditional views. Double standards are wide-rife, and they must be eliminated for the emergence of true equality.

Bibliography

Pretty Woman. Dir. Garry Marshall. WGA, 1990.

Pearl Harbor. Dir. Michael Bay. WGA, 2001.

Bandidas. Dir. Joachim Roenning, Espen Sandberg. WGA, 2006.

• Paper writing service
• Term paper help
• Dissertation writing services
• Amendments $30
• Title page $5
• Bibliography $5
• E-mail delivery $10
• Formatting $10
• Plagiarism check of each writer
• True Quality
• Guaranteed Privacy
• Satisfaction guarantee
• On time delivery
• No hidden charges
• 24/7 Live Support

Unique offer for a first-time customer

Send us your email and receive it

Done! Check your email for the discount

Check Promotions and Spam folders if you can`t find the letter.

We use cookies. What does it mean? OK

Men VS Women Gender Comparison Essay Example

There is a great debate in many countries about whether men and women are equal. Men’s rights activists argue that there is discrimination against males, such as the belief that “males can’t be good mothers.” Women’s rights activists argue that males need to understand and respect their female counterparts. Who do you believe? The following essay sample will examine this topic from both perspectives.

Essay Sample On Men Vs Women Gender Comparison

• Thesis Statement About Difference Between Male And Female Essay
• Female Vs Male Essay Introduction
• Main Body – Gender Equality Man V/S Female Essay
• Conclusion Of Gender Roles

Thesis Statement About Difference Between Male And Female Essay It can be observed that whether you are a man or a woman both are equally competent in their respective domain(s). However, there are certain key differences between the two genders which make them unique from each other. Female Vs Male Essay Introduction The essay is about the differences and comparisons between men and women. It talks about how they are different but also similar in many ways. The essay goes into detail about what each gender has in common and also explains why men and women are different. Get Non-Plagiarized Custom Essay on Female Vs Male in USA Order Now Main Body – Gender Equality Man V/S Female Essay The most common difference between the male and the female is their physical power. The men are comparatively longer in height and heavier in weight than women. It proves that men are stronger than women. In terms of muscles also, men are stronger than women. Women are more emotional than men. Men take everything practically whereas women connect most of the things with their emotions. The next difference is about their intellectuality and brain structure. The researches show that men carry mental mathematical calculations better than women. Whereas women succeed when it comes to showing emotional intelligence level. Men are still offered better employment and compensation as compared to women, instead of the fact that women are equally active and showing intelligence in their work and they also take the responsibility of their house on their shoulders. Many employers prefer to hire men instead of single women or mothers as they think that men can work for a longer duration as compared to women. Also, the differences can be noticeable between men and women by their way of communication. Women talk more openly than men. Women are more humble and gentle when they talk as compared to men. Women talk by their heart whereas men talk by their mind and only convey the manipulated things. The friendship of boys is stronger than girls as most of the girls are selfish little or more. But girls give more importance to their relationships than boys. Men never talk about their weaknesses and vulnerabilities whereas women never deny showing their weaknesses. This proves that males are more aggressive in nature. Males also show competitiveness in their relationships, therefore they always avoid talking about their weaknesses and emotions. Females tend to avoid arguments whereas males are most likely to indulge in the same. The reason is that men always want to prove that they are right. Men are likely to talk more in public and avoid talking in private. But the case is the opposite for women as they talk more in private. When it comes to showing emotions, women are more emotional than men. Women are usually not able to handle much pressure and use to break down their emotions in such situations. Men cry very rarely as they relate it with weakness. Women behave politely as compared to men. Women show their emotions and feelings whereas men show their anger. Men are very tough and considered as the main provider of their family whereas women are sophisticated and if they work too, their salary is considered as extra income. This is the reason why some jobs are only made for men. But this is been changing over the past many years as women are giving competition and equating themselves in every field. There are not any proves until now about the hormones that make differences between male and the female. The difference is only made due to socialization that only considers the world as male-dominated and women are made to look after their house and children. According to science, there are also chromosomal differences between men and women. The human body is made to contain 23 pairs of chromosomes, 22 are similar in both male and female, the difference comes in the 23 rd pair. In the 23 rd pair, the women contain two X chromosomes whereas men contain 1 X and 1 Y chromosome. Buy Customized Essay on Female Vs Male At Cheapest Price Order Now Conclusion Of Gender Roles In the end, we can say that all the differences between men and women are because of their appearance and society. There are not any laws that differ from men from women. They have rights equal to that of men. But both of them have different capabilities, hobbies, physical properties, etc. Hire USA Experts for Female Vs Male Essay Order Now

The Above Sample Is Plagiarised! Don’t Worry We Will Generate New For You!

If you need more compare and contrast essay samples then you can ask the writers of Students Assignment Help to write them for you. They can write a flawless and finely written comparison essay according to your choice. We have the most qualified team of writers.

Our expert is here to resolve all your essay writing difficulties. Our team of Professional Essay Writers finish all your task within the given time and presents the best essay examples help. We provide free essays. You can even get scholarship essay help or College essay writing from our expert online essay writers .

Explore More Relevant Posts

• Nike Advertisement Analysis Essay Sample
• Mechanical Engineer Essay Example
• Reflective Essay on Teamwork
• Career Goals Essay Example
• Importance of Family Essay Example
• Causes of Teenage Depression Essay Sample
• Red Box Competitors Essay Sample
• Deontology Essay Example
• Biomedical Model of Health Essay Sample-Strengths and Weaknesses
• Effects Of Discrimination Essay Sample
• Meaning of Freedom Essay Example
• Women’s Rights Essay Sample
• Employment & Labor Law USA Essay Example
• Sonny’s Blues Essay Sample
• COVID 19 (Corona Virus) Essay Sample
• Why Do You Want To Be A Nurse Essay Example
• Family Planning Essay Sample
• Internet Boon or Bane Essay Example
• Does Access to Condoms Prevent Teen Pregnancy Essay Sample
• Child Abuse Essay Example
• Disadvantage of Corporate Social Responsibilities (CSR) Essay Sample
• Essay Sample On Zika Virus
• Wonder Woman Essay Sample
• Teenage Suicide Essay Sample
• Primary Socialization Essay Sample In USA
• Role Of Physics In Daily Life Essay Sample
• Are Law Enforcement Cameras An Invasion of Privacy Essay Sample
• Why Guns Should Not Be Banned
• Neolithic Revolution Essay Sample
• Home Schooling Essay Sample
• Cosmetology Essay Sample
• Sale Promotion Techniques Sample Essay
• How Democratic Was Andrew Jackson Essay Sample
• Baby Boomers Essay Sample
• Veterans Day Essay Sample
• Why Did Japan Attack Pearl Harbor Essay Sample
• Component Of Criminal Justice System In USA Essay Sample
• Self Introduction Essay Example
• Divorce Argumentative Essay Sample
• Bullying Essay Sample

Get Free Assignment Quote

Enter Discount Code If You Have, Else Leave Blank

Traditional Gender Roles in Society

How it works

Various authors have developed studies aimed at assessing the issue of gender equality. In every society, there is a suggestion that men and women should be different in terms of roles, motivation, and masculinity among others. Different objects and practices pass different messages regarding gender equality. Such messages can encourage accommodation or resistance to gender practices among children or adolescents. This paper focuses on analyzing gendered messages of practice in celebrated sports, school-based learning practices, stories and toys that target adolescents and children.

The Primary purpose of the assessment is to determine what the objects or practices teach children about gender. It will also determine whether the practices or objects encourage accommodation of or resistance to traditional gender roles.

Parents are using sexist toys as gifts to their children. This practice encourages accommodation to traditional gender roles as it exposes both boys and girls to feminism at a young age. When a child is born, they know nothing about their environment and also tend to forget quickly (Oakley, 2016). The introduction of the children to sexist toys has a significant impact on the perception of the children regarding the roles they should play in society (Oakley, 2016). The Barbie doll is one of the examples of sexist toys that parents use (Oakley, 2016). This toy depicts a woman with a beautiful body and hair and suggests that Barbie should look like a doll. A common perception by society is that the toy is a representation of what an ideal woman should look like. Women grow up being tought that their role is to remain looking perfect or in other words like a Barbie and to please their male counterparts. Any attempt to reject the doll is seen as a move against the values the doll presents in traditional society.

Men, on the other hand, are raised believing that they should own certain types of dolls. Such dolls include ones that handle guns, drive fast vehicles among others. They are forbidden from owning and playing with toys that are considered to belong to girls, such as a Barbie or a kitchen set. The use of sexist dolls can be deemed to be an encouragement to the traditional gener roles and a barrier to gender equality. It introduces wome and men to different roles at a very young age, and changing their perceptions of the future becomes difficult. Preferences of genders are shaped when people are young as a result of feminism. Fausto-Sterling (2005) challenges both feminist and biomedical theories, in his study about the composition of human bones. The author notices that there is a difference between the composition and strengths of bones in each gender. This may explain why men and women have been considered different for a long time. The exercise of using different toys supports traditional gender roles we have set in society.

The practice of encouraging children and adolescents to wear various types of clothing can also be considered to pass a message to both children and teenagers. The modern society prefers boys to dress in a particular way that is different from the girls (Oakley, 2016). This is also the case when it comes to girls. For example in one incident, a girl known as Claire breaks up with his boyfriend and tries to dress like a man, to try and change her feelings (Oakley, 2016). She says that men are easily tricked compared to women as they fail to notice her gender as a result (Oakley, 2016). When she sends a picture of her dressed as a man to her boyfriend, she seems not impressed to be her dressing (Oakley, 2016). This information shows that women are not allowed to wear as their male counterparts. The girl later chooses clothes that are feminine to please her boyfriend. The practice of clothing passes a message that supports the traditional gender roles whereby men and women were considered different in their dressing.

The division of work is another field that reflects gender roles in society. Here, men seem to have been left out of the conversation as it relates to the roles they play in society. Men are known to take up manual jobs to provide for households in contrast to women. Most of these jobs expose them to risks that have in the past resulted in injuries. While it may be seen as if they have taken all the opportunities at the expense of women, men are exposed to risks that make them die earlier than women. This may be considered an important issue when it comes to defining inequality. According to Corbett et al (2014), there is no ideal definition of gender. The authors state that the definition of gender is not related to femininity, masculinity, female or male. The roles allocated to genders have been hindrances to gender equality for the last few decades. The perception that men carry out the difficult tasks has continued to dominate in society. It has become increasingly difficult to incorporate women in sectors that are meant for men due to resistance from society. The perceived roles of men and women in the work environment can be considered to accommodate traditional gender roles.

The emphasis on feminism in magazines meant for teenagers are barriers to feminism, which focuses on changing the lives of the girls. For example, women in magazines are portrayed as being stereotypical. Such messages are likely to cause resistance as the boys continue feeling demoralized. There is also confusion regarding the roles of the boys in the society as the mothers are likely to discourage boys from participating from different activities. As the society hopes to achieve gender equality, such messages are accommodating old traditions that are against gender equality. Shapiro & Williams (2012) explore the risks of gender stereotype messages related to women math abilities. Such messages are likely to hinder gender equality in society. The messages in the magazines and advertisements, therefore, encourage accommodation of traditional gender roles as opposed to gender equality.

The participation of both girls and boys in sports such as athletics has had significance in influencing the perception regarding gender roles. Both girls and boys participate in similar sports in schools (Pfister, 2010). This was not the case in the past the sports world was men dominate and women were limited from any sports activites. Weman were depicked as being on the sidelines as cheerleaders and supporters. Various studies and theories have been developed regarding the differences in gender. For example Corbett state’s that the definition of gender is not related to femininity, masculinity, female or male. There are many situations where these descriptions do not seem to apply and hence the authors consider gender to be something like color, to identify or differentiate individuals. Such studies may be considered to have contributed to the participation of women in sports. The inclusion of both men and women in sports passes an essential message to teenagers and women. The message is that both men and women have equal capabilities. It, therefore, rejects the inclusion of traditional roles of gender in contemporary society.

This paper has highlighted different practices and events and their roles in influencing gender perceptions. Teenagers and children are exposed to different events, toys and stories. Each of these elements is likely to carry a message that supports the traditional gender roles. Various gender-based philosophies can also be utilized in analyzing these events and messages. The hypotheses present messages that are useful and can be used to verify the influence of the messages and events on gender perception.

• Corbett, K., Dimen, M., Goldner, V., & Harris, A. (2014). Talking sex, talking gender—A roundtable. Studies in Gender and Sexuality, 15(4), 295-317.
• Fausto-Sterling, A. (2005). The bare bones of sex: part 1—sex and gender. Signs: Journal of Women in Culture and Society, 30(2), 1491-1527.
• Oakley, A. (2016). Sex, gender and society. Routledge.
• Pfister, G. (2010). Women in sport–gender relations and future perspectives. Sport in Society, 13(2), 234-248.
• Shapiro, J. R., & Williams, A. M. (2012). The role of stereotype threats in undermining girls’ and women’s performance and interest in STEM fields. Sex Roles, 66(3-4), 175-183.

Cite this page

Traditional Gender Roles in Society. (2021, Feb 24). Retrieved from https://papersowl.com/examples/traditional-gender-roles-in-society/

"Traditional Gender Roles in Society." PapersOwl.com , 24 Feb 2021, https://papersowl.com/examples/traditional-gender-roles-in-society/

PapersOwl.com. (2021). Traditional Gender Roles in Society . [Online]. Available at: https://papersowl.com/examples/traditional-gender-roles-in-society/ [Accessed: 9 May. 2024]

"Traditional Gender Roles in Society." PapersOwl.com, Feb 24, 2021. Accessed May 9, 2024. https://papersowl.com/examples/traditional-gender-roles-in-society/

"Traditional Gender Roles in Society," PapersOwl.com , 24-Feb-2021. [Online]. Available: https://papersowl.com/examples/traditional-gender-roles-in-society/. [Accessed: 9-May-2024]

PapersOwl.com. (2021). Traditional Gender Roles in Society . [Online]. Available at: https://papersowl.com/examples/traditional-gender-roles-in-society/ [Accessed: 9-May-2024]

Don't let plagiarism ruin your grade

Hire a writer to get a unique paper crafted to your needs.

Our writers will help you fix any mistakes and get an A+!

Please check your inbox.

You can order an original essay written according to your instructions.

Trusted by over 1 million students worldwide

1. Tell Us Your Requirements

2. Pick your perfect writer

3. Get Your Paper and Pay

Hi! I'm Amy, your personal assistant!

Don't know where to start? Give me your paper requirements and I connect you to an academic expert.

short deadlines

100% Plagiarism-Free

Certified writers