Is there too much emphasis on gender roles today? What is gender and how much of gender roles is established by the media and social constraints? Is it easier being a man or a woman in today's society and why? How and why is it that different being a man or a woman in today's society?
In today's society there is emphasis on gender roles of both men and women. Gender roles are stereotyped mainly by the media and society. Throughout boys development they tend to be raised by the extreme stereotypes. The boys are mainly given trucks, legos and athletic toys. As they further their development, they are pushed towards sports and fast cars. They compete in things like getting the hottest girlfriends and being the strongest. Men are supposed to be the tough, and the rock in a relationship with a women. The "popular ideas about masculinity seem to have stagnated" ('Men are stuck' in gender roles'). Slowly men have been able to become more feminine but "men remain rare in stereo-typically feminine positions." ('Men are stuck' in gender roles). Through every stage leading up to adulthood boys are taught to be the man with the general phrase 'stop acting like a girl' to program them into acting tough and thinking women are weak. As for a girl in today's society, it is more acceptable to act like a tomboy and/or a girly girl. Being a girl now, it is more common to run a family, take care of a household, and own a business or be a boss. "More than 80 percent of the jobs lost during the recession had belonged to men, which led to women holding the majority of jobs in the United States for the first time ever " (Are men and women's roles in society changing?). When a women want to dress like men it is considered socially acceptable now days. But when a "6-year-old [boy] is [wearing] a dress, people think there's something wrong with him" (Are men and women's roles in society changing?). Women can now be viewed as an authority instead of an underdog because society has evolved and switched the gender roles around a little. Giving women more authority than in previous times. Because of societies change of views on women over the past hundred years or so, it is now easier to be a women in society because they are less pressured to become what society wants. They have been showed what they are to act like in the past since birth. Although now, society says they do not pressure children into having a specific gender role, their actions show differently. Society has been portraying gender roles onto the world for generations. It is easier to be a girl because they are able to push the gender roles away from themselves while the men are still being pushed into certain activities and stereotypes. Because "if a little girl is running around on the baseball team with her mitt, people think, 'That's a strong girl'" (Are men and women's roles in society changing?). They think that girls who disregard gender roles are strong and independent. Which is what boys are supposed to me. However, if a boy was to " boys make fun of other boys if they step just a little outside the rigid masculine stereotype" ('Men are stuck' in gender roles, data suggest). This shows that boys are not allowed to step out of societies stereotypes and "several studies have found that bending gender stereotypes in childhood is tied to worse anxiety for men than women in adulthood." ('Men are stuck' in gender roles, data suggest).
In today's society there is emphasis on gender roles of both men and women. Gender roles are stereotyped mainly by the media and society. Throughout boys development they tend to be raised by the extreme stereotypes. The boys are mainly given trucks, legos and athletic toys. As they further their development, they are pushed towards sports and fast cars. They compete in things like getting the hottest girlfriends and being the strongest. Men are supposed to be the tough, and the rock in a relationship with a women. The "popular ideas about masculinity seem to have stagnated" ('Men are stuck' in gender roles'). Slowly men have been able to become more feminine but "men remain rare in stereo-typically feminine positions." ('Men are stuck' in gender roles). Through every stage leading up to adulthood boys are taught to be the man with the general phrase 'stop acting like a girl' to program them into acting tough and thinking women are weak. As for a girl in today's society, it is more acceptable to act like a tomboy and/or a girly girl. Being a girl now, it is more common to run a family, take care of a household, and own a business or be a boss. "More than 80 percent of the jobs lost during the recession had belonged to men, which led to women holding the majority of jobs in the United States for the first time ever " (Are men and women's roles in society changing?). When a women want to dress like men it is considered socially acceptable now days. But when a "6-year-old [boy] is [wearing] a dress, people think there's something wrong with him" (Are men and women's roles in society changing?). Women can now be viewed as an authority instead of an underdog because society has evolved and switched the gender roles around a little. Giving women more authority than in previous times. Because of societies change of views on women over the past hundred years or so, it is now easier to be a women in society because they are less pressured to become what society wants. They have been showed what they are to act like in the past since birth. Although now, society says they do not pressure children into having a specific gender role, their actions show differently. Society has been portraying gender roles onto the world for generations. It is easier to be a girl because they are able to push the gender roles away from themselves while the men are still being pushed into certain activities and stereotypes. Because "if a little girl is running around on the baseball team with her mitt, people think, 'That's a strong girl'" (Are men and women's roles in society changing?). They think that girls who disregard gender roles are strong and independent. Which is what boys are supposed to me. However, if a boy was to " boys make fun of other boys if they step just a little outside the rigid masculine stereotype" ('Men are stuck' in gender roles, data suggest). This shows that boys are not allowed to step out of societies stereotypes and "several studies have found that bending gender stereotypes in childhood is tied to worse anxiety for men than women in adulthood." ('Men are stuck' in gender roles, data suggest).
Sources:
- http://articles.latimes.com/print/2013/dec/26/local/la-me-one-way-gender-revolution-20131227
- http://people.howstuffworks.com/men-women-roles-changing.htm/printable
- https://www.boundless.com/psychology/textbooks/boundless-psychology-textbook/gender-and-sexuality-15/introduction-to-gender-and-sexuality-75/gender-roles-and-differences-296-12831/
Photo Credit:
1. http://crazyhdsource.com/a-gifted-man-s01-720p-webdl-dd51-h264ctrlhd.html
2. http://thewowstyle.com/50-best-black-and-white-photography-to-get-inspire/
- http://articles.latimes.com/print/2013/dec/26/local/la-me-one-way-gender-revolution-20131227
- http://people.howstuffworks.com/men-women-roles-changing.htm/printable
- https://www.boundless.com/psychology/textbooks/boundless-psychology-textbook/gender-and-sexuality-15/introduction-to-gender-and-sexuality-75/gender-roles-and-differences-296-12831/
Photo Credit:
1. http://crazyhdsource.com/a-gifted-man-s01-720p-webdl-dd51-h264ctrlhd.html
2. http://thewowstyle.com/50-best-black-and-white-photography-to-get-inspire/