Gender In 'A Good Man Is Hard To Find'

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Throughout the years, how is it that society has come to place such strict and absurd expectations on how a certain gender should act or be treated? Those that identify as female are supposed to act prim and proper, they’re supposed to dress a certain way and they’re allowed to express their emotions without receiving a negative reaction; those who identify as male on the other hand is supposed to be rough and rugged, they’re allowed to dress however they want but are not allowed to show any sort of emotion without a negative reaction from society. Who are we to truly say what is right and what is wrong in such a vast and overpopulated society that is so focused on what everyone else is doing and what everyone else should be doing based on …show more content…

Though depending on the time period the plot of the story was meant to take place in, in today’s society it can be a bit of a problem. Of course people are allowed to dress how they please and do as they please to an extent in today’s time, but the notion of women needing to dress in a certain fashion needs to go. Not only does the issue of self-esteem come up when arguing about the topic, but not everyone can afford the lifestyle of fancy, expensive clothing. Men, while they do have it rough in some aspects of life, have it easier in the area of appearance. They’re supposed to be muscular and rough looking. If a man were to dress in more casual clothing and looked like some sort of slob, no one would bat an eye while a riot would break out in the streets if a woman were to do the same. Not only are the standards of what one should wear are vastly differed between the two sexes, the difference between what they’re allowed not to wear is also unfair. Men are allowed to walk around shirtless and aren’t going to be penalized for it where as a woman who decides to take her top off is going to likely get some form of punishment and be looked down upon in some aspects. The only argument that people have against this exact topic is the fact that female breasts are a sexual organ. But alas, they are not. Their intended purpose was to feed and nurture their …show more content…

Despite the privileges that men hold over women in so many areas it truly is a miserable thought when you realize that just because a man is supposed to be this strong, silent warrior that they’re unable to express their emotions. Though not as strongly stated within O’Connor’s story it can be seen in a way if you truly dig deep. The story may focus primarily on the grandmother, but not once does Bailey truly speak up and tell his mother what he truly thinks or feels. Really the only emotion that’s “okay” for someone who identifies as male to show is anger. Too often if a male is seen crying they’re told to stop being a cry baby, or even to stop being such a girl. This in itself truly shows how the world views the female population for the fact that the female gender is used as a sort of insult. In every aspect of life everyone should be treated equally, especially when it comes to the mere difference of one’s biological

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