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Gender stereotypes and their development
Female role in the home
Societal norms and gender stereotypes
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There is a perpetuating cycle of benevolent sexism that reinforces damaging stereotypes of women. According to benevolent sexism, woman is defined in relation to what man can do for her, in return for behaving in certain stereotypical ways. Benevolent sexism insidiously enhances inequalities between men and women, white women and women of color. Specifically, it rewards women for their servitude to men, white men specifically. Women serve men for protection, and black women serve white women for a place to live or for payment. It is not just in the work that women do, rather it exists in personal interaction and social hierarchy. There are ways that women can, however, usurp benevolent sexism for their advantage. Because of the benefits of …show more content…
In using the positive qualities of the “housewife”, i.e. caring, loyal, hard working, women can expand their terrain into careers, using the same characteristics. Instead of being homemakers, women can pursue other ventures with the same vigor and concern as they would for their families and homes. The first step in combatting benevolent sexism, however, is to acknowledge where it exists, which is difficult, as “women, as compared with men, consistently reject hostile sexism but often endorse benevolent sexism” (Glick and Fiske 109). Hostile sexism is explicit sexism, such as cursing and abuse of women. Women must find reward in other places that are not damaging, such as in the love of their children or the security and success of a job. This is not to say that being a homemaker is always detrimental to women. If a woman finds empowerment and independence in her household duties, then good for her. It is, however, vital for women to analyze their situations and break free from stereotypes that may be oppressing them from personal, intellectual, and civil growth, or even harming their physical or mental
Women were also led on to believe that housewifery and motherhood were the only two occupations available to them. In most girls’ lives, ...
Being a woman I will always be at a disadvantage to men and other women who are white. Men and white women are seen to be superior by society. Peggy McIntosh, American radical feminist and anti-racism activist, stated in “White Privilege and Male Privilege,” “…I have noticed men’s unwillingness to grant that they are over privileged in the curriculum, even though they may grant that women are disadvantaged” (McIntosh 140). Men are in denial that they are over privileged and does not admit it because of society. Society make men believe that they are superior then women. I think it is wrong because I am a woman and if I wanted to be a CEO of a company, it would be harder for me become one than it would be for a man. Even if I do become one through hard work, I would still be paid less than any men who are CEOs and I would be seen as a bitch. I feel that if I can do anything any other man can do, I should get paid the same by my abilities and not by what my sex is. Not only are women less privileged than men, but also white women. “I can turn on the television or open to the front page of the paper and see people of my race widely and positively represented,” stated McIntosh (142). She doesn’t worry about people seeing her as a problem because she is white. On the television or in the newspaper, African Americans have a negative representation and are seen as the “problem” of today’s
Throughout most of recorded history, women generally have endured significantly fewer career opportunities and choices, and even less legal rights, than that of men. The “weaker sex,” women were long considered naturally, both physically and mentally, inferior to men. Delicate and feeble minded, women were unable to perform any task that required muscular or intellectual development. This idea of women being inherently weaker, coupled with their natural biological role of the child bearer, resulted in the stereotype that “a woman’s place is in the home.” Therefore, wife and mother were the major social roles and significant professions assigned to women, and were the ways in which women identified and expressed themselves. However, women’s history has also seen many instances in which these ideas were challenged-where women (and some men) fought for, and to a large degree accomplished, a re-evaluation of traditional views of their role in society.
Contention (Introduction): At the beginning of the 1950's women faced the expectation that they must become a housewife. Towards the end of the 1960’s, women started to believe that
Blatantly sexist laws and practices are slowly being eliminated while social perceptions of "women's roles" continue to stagnate and even degrade back to traditional ideals. It is these social perceptions that challenge the evolution of women as equal on all levels. In this study, I will argue that subtle and blatant sexism continues to exist throughout educational, economic, professional and legal arenas.
Women are faced with extreme pressure and alienation in their career fields, and on average earn less than men. Men, on the other hand, face similar pressure, while underachieving compared to women academically, and facing more dangerous occupations. Clearly, this system benefits no one. Michael Kimmel illustrates this point in “A black woman took my job': Michael Kimmel argues that it is in men's interest to work for gender equality.” The title itself emphasizes how the fight for gender equality will benefit both genders. He discusses how sexism is harming men by narrowing their worldview (2). Slaughter, Ullman, Kaplan, Dorment, Knestaut, and Miller all agree with Kimmel to some extent. They all agree gender equality does not exist. When all these perspectives are brought together, it becomes clear that it is in the best interest of both genders that the fight for equality is still pursued. Hopefully, one day women will earn as much as their male counterparts and be equally represented in both careers and intentional unemployment, and men will be attaining higher education goals and employed in less dangerous occupations, and both genders will be relieved of some of the pressure to dedicate 100% of their time to both a career, and a
From the very beginning of history, women were portrayed to be insignificant in comparison to men in society. A woman 's purpose was deemed by men to be housewives, bear children and take care of the household chores. Even so, that at a young age girls were being taught the chores they must do and must continue through to adulthood. This ideal that the woman’s duty was to take charge of household chores was then passed through generations, even til this day. However, this ideology depends on the culture and the generation mothers were brought up in and what they decide to teach their daughters about such roles. After women were given the opportunity to get an education and treated as equals, society’s beliefs undertook a turning point on women’s roles in society. Yet, there still seems to be a question amongst women in search of self identity and expectations from parents.
For the past century, the United States of America has made countless advancements in technology, medicine, and many other fronts. As a society, it has advanced at an incredible rate, becoming a major world power in an incredibly short period of time. The biggest barriers that America is working on are currently taking place within its own borders; civil rights and the battle for equality have men and women of every race up and arms. Specifically, the fight against sexism is the most modern struggle in America. Discrimination against women is harmful to both men and women; it holds women back into a useless position and forces men to take the brunt of the work. Men are expected to work, but women are almost expected not to, and instead "be nothing more than dangling, decorative ornaments--non-thinking and virtually non-functional” (Chisholm 4). There is progress to be made in the American society in its attitude and treatment of women. Gender inequality continues to be a social problem in the business, family, and personal lives of women.
Now let's talk about this. A characteristic of a woman is their event to stand up for what is right even if that means sacrifice. What I mean about sacrifice is that things do not come easily for African American women, they have obstacles such as: making less money than men, not being able to get a certain job because of gender, and even not being able to get a certain job because of being African American, so you see women do not have it easy. For example, as stated in an "Internet source", female workers in the United Kingdom earn 27 percent less as an average compared with male workers. So you see females are being discriminated everywhere. Also in an internet source it is stated that in a 100 percent of the total workplace, 54.3 percent are males and 45.7 percent are females. Basically, companies feel that females are not capable of completing the tasks that males take forth. For example, if a woman was to go to a job interview inquiring about a construction job and her competition...
Benevolent sexism is often betrayed as chivalrous behavior towards women, however it is sexist because women are viewed as people who need men to protect them. People who are benevolent sexist believe men are supposed to keep women safe and secure. For instance, if a woman is walking down the street with a man and a car is coming the man is supposed to make sure the woman is safe. In other words, men are supposed to risk themselves to make sure women feel safe and protected. Benevolent sexism is an issue, because it displays gender inequality. In other words, women are put on a pedestal because they are viewed as fragile. Benevolent sexism is different from hostile sexism, because women are not viewed as weak. Hostile sexism is viewed women who use seduction and other methods to control men. In other words, women are viewed negatively because hostile sexist believe they are challenging traditional gender roles. Women who do not conform to benevolent sexism are often viewed negatively, because they are not allowing patriarchalism to continue. Overall, hostile and benevolent sexism differ and views often affect
Men have dominated the workforce for most of civilization up until their patriotic duties called away to war. All of a sudden, the women were responsible for providing for their family while the men were away. Women went to work all over America to earn an income to insure their family’s survival. Women took all sorts of jobs including assembly line positions, office jobs, and even playing professional baseball. When the men returned home from war, the women were expected to resume their place as housewives. The women who had gotten a taste of the professional life decided that they wanted to continue working. Thus, the introduction to women in a man’s working environment began. Women were not taken seriously at first, because they were stepping into a “man’s world”.
UnderstandingPrejudice.org defines benevolent sexism as a “knight-in-shining armor ideology that offers protection and affection to women who conform to traditional gender roles”. Many don’t see this as an issue because it seems romantic, even helpful. This is not the case because it suggests that women are weak creatures in need of saving. Benevolent sexism pushes toward gender inequality and offers these “traditional” things that women “should” want. Benevolent is a sugar-coated hostile sexism and often fools women that it is not discrimination against them.
She is expected to live under the shadows of her husband commands and seize the stereotype of "the ideal housewife." A women’s identity is define by the idea of her gender and the internal forces that force her to fallow this notion. In many cases, the simple idea of pursuing a political career causes dismay in society. However, in order for a woman to achieve a level of equality that is just, there must be a change in the infrastructure of the women’s role, politically, and economically. In the article “Autonomy and the Struggle for Female Identity: Implications for Counseling Women,” McBride strongly declares, “Much of the feminist literature over the last 20 years has focused on the injustices done to women in our society, the need to validate women for their differences from men, and the need to move toward equality politically, economically, and socially ” (McBride 22). McBride concurs with the idea of providing women a place in society to encourage social acceptance in their work, and help them shape their own positive identity in their respective fields (22). This is not an issue that has risen in our society recently, but is an issue that we have taken for granted, and seen as a normal aspect of a women’s
In the past, many people believed that women’s exclusive responsibilities were to serve their husband, to be great mothers and to be the perfect wives. Those people considered women to be more appropriate for homemaking rather than to be involved in business or politics. This meant that women were not allowed to have a job, to own property or to enjoy the same major rights as men. The world is changing and so is the role of women in society. In today’s society, women have rights that they never had before and higher opportunities to succeed.
Gender inequality all began because of the patriarchal society back in past centuries. Some people, mostly males, are still having issues and concerns that our society is not so much male dominated anymore. Today females have a lot more freedom and opportunities in the employment fields especially in occupations that people have always stereotyped men to have. Altman and Pannell (2012) state that, “Domestic work, weather paid or unpaid, has long been socially defined as women’s work.” (p. 293). Ever since the 19th and 20th century, women have been stereotyped as household employers and men have always been the financial providers in society. Men used to be viewed as physically and mentally stronger than women, and claim that th...