Food for Thought on Valentines Day
The topic of gender roles is difficult to elaborate on for many people yet it is becoming increasingly popular in today’s society. For generations the norms of a particular culture or religious group have seemingly be set in stone, in recent times there have been advancements, rather, greater levels of acceptance by many. Julia Serano, author of “Why Nice Guys Finish Last,” makes assertion that men and women can be of equal roles in the modern day. This is possible, however, there is a lot to be done to ultimately change the current mindset that men are seen as the active predator/oppressor individual, whilst women are more passive/opressed and are viewed as prey. The ideas of coming generating must change
…show more content…
Though they may be conscious of this, it is high likely that male children and teenagers are picking up the predator/prey mindset through their peers as they interact on a day to day basis. It can also be acquired through social media, movies, and tv shows which can influence people of all ages. A potential solution to this would be to implement a new teaching style in the education system, that promotes and supports the ambitions of female children and teenagers both academic and otherwise, while their male male peers are encouraged to follow through with their ambitions and work along side female classmates with the same interests, while maintaining equal respect among each other. In other words, encouraging interactions with the opposite sex. This will ultimately engrain the idea within each child, that both males and females are viewed as equals. To stop the spread of the predator/prey mindset through various media outlets, networks should implement restrictions on content. What can be viewed as distinguishing men and women by portraying inappropriate stereotypes, and exploiting the predator/prey mindset should be banned. Any trace of this mindset can heavily impact those who observe it, especially those of a developing mind, therefore a restriction on such content will prevent it’s expansion. From the combined efforts of media and social networks, an emergence in mutual respect will soon follow. Once this …show more content…
A man does not have to fear not being attractive, a “good guy,” or an “asshole,” and women do not have to be viewed as “whores”or “virgins” and seen as prey. Serano argues for a world that “women are allowed and encouraged to be sexual without having to be nonconsensually sexualized...and men can be respectful of women without be desexualized”(421). Most adults are using their smart devices on an everyday basis, and social media has proven itself to be a key player in the spread of information. With the advent of social media, adults can raise awareness for and promote equal roles in society for men and women through popular pages like those of celebrities. The local and national government can also promote such a lifestyle. Conventions and seminars are often used to raise awareness for a certain cause. Such events can be sponsored by the state to help adults change their perspective, leading to a change in mindset. As long
In the society we live in, gender plays a great role, is not biological rader it’s refereed to as a social behavior pattern. It is constructed on male and female character and traditional beliefs. The society has often reflected its passion on gender roles. For instance In the media today women are given roles that suit men which makes them challenge men for their right, they are represented as entertainment for men, women are likely to be the source of leading news stories nowadays.
The idea that teenage boys should act a certain way towards females is usually instilled in them at a young age. According to Devor, “ Femininity must be expressed through modes of… action which communicate weakness, dependency, ineffectualness, availability for sexual or emotional service, and sensitivity to the needs of others” (Devor 6-7). In other words, men have to place women on a lower pedestal because of a woman’s so called “needs” (Devor 6). The “needs” that women express are feminine characteristics. The characteristics of females listed by Devor, does not show any sign of power or dominance. Since society believes gender is a patriarchy, females have no influence and need attention. This shows that men adjust their actions around women, since they believe that women need special attention. Furthermore, if a male possesses anything non-masculine,
Gender roles are a staple construct of human civilization, designating the behaviors and lifestyles that society expects out of its participants, with gender as the defining characteristic. Historically, females have been at the forefront of the conversation, with feminism regarded as the principal solution to the well-established issue of gender inequality. However, this is foolish. To truly mend the gender inequalities forged by thousands of years of human interaction, both genders have to be acknowledged. Both males and females are equally constrained by gender roles, however the effects of this constraint are in differing fields. There are studies showing that females are at a disadvantage economically, in the workplace, while other studies
Well what is gender and what do we mean by gender roles? “Gender describes the socially-constructed roles and responsibilities that societies consider appropriate for men and women” (World Health Organization). All people on earth are affected by gender and the stereotypes that surround it. A person should be able to choose who they want to be and not be scared. Things are changing. According to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, “same-sex sexual harassment extends to where the victim is singled out due to failure to conform to accepted gender stereotypes” (Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP). This is very important for everyone to know and understand. It allows people the ability to express themselves in any way they choose, without the anxiety or fear of being harassed for their decisions because they are a certain gender. This has only o...
Since the beginning of time there has been an ever present divide between the male and female genders in every way. From politics all the way down to expectations, the common denominator in categorizing who takes care of what has always been decided by gender. In earlier times this divide led to the strict and often harsh treatment of women, but as time continued and the emergence of equal rights and feminist movements arose, the divide between the two genders has since begun to close, and has led to better relations between men and women.
Society places males in one category and females in another category, although some say it could be detrimental to one if they are not sure what role to identify with or how to be accepted. An article stated by Sara Reese, “Making kids to stick to gender roles can actually be harmful to their health. States a researcher did a study that observed fourteen years old interactions over a three month period. “Usually we think of gender as a natural and biological, but it’s not... we actually construct it in ways that have problems and largely acknowledge health risks.” Several things Pereia found were aspects of what one would consider bullying today. For example, she observed girls who loved to play sports sometimes avoided them all together because it would be “the famine thing to do” Pereia said, “All of the girls were within very healthy weights, but they were all striking their intake of food in some way, so what we 're really talking about is fourteen year old girls who’s bodies are changing and developing, depriving themselves at every meal.” They boys in the study felt they had to prove themselves in some form or fashion. Pereia stated, “All faced intense pressure to demonstrate the extent of their manliness”. Today’s studies give one another a difficult time or poke fun for the smallest thing. Bullying is more prevalent today because of how society’s outlook. Girls and boys both struggle in middle school with their changing in their bodies. Their hormones change and they are changing into adolescents. Never the less the metamorphic change of their bodies is one thing, but being accepted is another aspect to take into
‘Boys will be boys’, a phrase coined to exonerate the entire male sex of loathsome acts past, present, and potential. But what about the female sex, if females act out of turn they are deemed ‘unladylike’ or something of the sort and scolded. This double standard for men and women dates back as far as the first civilizations and exists only because it is allowed to, because it is taught. Gender roles and cues are instilled in children far prior to any knowledge of the anatomy of the sexes. This knowledge is learned socially, culturally, it is not innate. And these characteristics can vary when the environment one is raised in differs from the norm. Child rearing and cultural factors play a large role in how individuals act and see themselves.
Gender roles are the roles an individual associates being, which is either male or female. An individual’s gender role is heavily influenced by the gender roles they were exposed to when growing up (Gender & Gender Identity). In some cultures, men portray a female gender role and vise versa. Gender roles are given to an individual because they start as early as childbirth. In modern society, those who display the opposite gender role are usually frowned upon as they do not “fit” into societies expected behaviour. In Cinderella’s society, men were expected to work while the women were expected to take care of children, cook and cl...
Gender roles are unavoidable at any stage of your life. They are taught to you by parents, conveyed in the media, practiced and honored in organizations and supported by our government. No matter how many feminist groups attempt to bring the two sets of gender roles for males and females together, there will always be the unwritten expectations that males and females are taught. Boys will always play with guns and girls will always play with dolls. As long as this occurs, the ambitions for boys and girls will be directly related to the stereotypical form we are taught. It is up to the families, media and peers to use the gender roles appropriately.
As a child develops, their surroundings have a major influence on the rest of their lives; if boys are taught to “man up” or never to do something “like a girl”, they will become men in constant fear of not being masculine enough. Through elementary and middle school ages, boys are taught that a tough, violent, strong, in-control man is the ideal in society and they beat themselves up until they reach that ideal. They have to fit into the “man box” (Men and Masculinity) and if they do not fulfill the expectations, they could experience physical and verbal bullying from others. Not only are friends and family influencing the definition of masculine, but marketing and toys stretch the difference between a “boy’s toy” and a “girl’s toy”. Even as early as 2 years old, children learn to play and prefer their gender’s toys over the other gender’s (Putnam). When children grow up hearing gender stereotypes from everyone around them, especially those they love and trust like their parents, they begin to submit themselves and experience a loss of individuality trying to become society’s ideal. If everyone is becoming the same ideal, no one has a sense of self or uniqueness anymore and the culture suffers from
Activities, interactions, and responsibilities are assigned to classes, such as Wife, Handmaid, Martha, or Angel, and there is little to no overlap between the classes. Gender roles are much less specific in today’s society, but gender roles do exist. West and Zimmerman’s “Doing Gender” explains what some of these gender roles are. People assume facts about people to be true based on the gender that they are; a man is automatically assumed to be a good leader while a woman is usually considered bossy when they work together. A baby dressed in pink is always a girl and is a “sweet princess” but a baby dressed in blue is obviously a boy and is told that he is “strong” and “a fighter”.
Since the beginning of time, the perception of gender roles had always been a part of everyday life. In society today, gender role is viewed as a “set of societal norms [that dictate] what types of behavior are generally considered acceptable, appropriate, or desirable” [Wikipedia] based on somebody’s perceived or born gender. In the nineteenth century, a movement has abrupt that is the “advocacy of women 's rights on the grounds of political, social, and economic equality to men” [Google] known as feminism.Within America and Vietnam in the nineteenth and twenty-first century, gender role is not viewed as universal, but each country has a different set of behavior, belief, norm, and value when it comes to the role of male or female. How does
...Gender stereotypes do not only target women, contrary to popular belief. The largest issue facing boys and, ultimately, young men in our society is the amount of emphasis placed on women whether it be through literature, propaganda, or equality. The modern society tends to place so much emphasis on women’s suppression that the majority of citizens forget about men’s equality. School-age boys should be given the option to read male-oriented literature rather than that of the feminist era. Women’s rights propaganda should either be eliminated or that of men’s rights should be added to counteract all of the negative things said about them. Finally, young men should have the right to choose their learning environment, whether it be in a classroom or outdoors. All of these things should be incorporated into society in order to end unfair discrimination against young men.
for young and old people. Gender roles are as apparent in movies and TV sitcoms,
Gender is an important aspect of our social life; it comprises of power relations, the division of labour, symbolic forms and emotional relations (Connel, 2000).