Comparing Cultural Gender Roles

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Gender and the ways gender is portrayed in society varies from culture to culture. Gender roles have changed drastically, especially during the 20th century and continue to evolve to this day. For years now there have been preconceived notions about genders and the roles each one should play in society, home, workplace, etc. Most times gender roles are associated with stereotypes and previous gender roles. Gender role plays different parts in religion, culture, society, time periods, countries, etc. Women rights and power varies in time and location and it is very interesting to look at the events, cultures, and customs that were taking place in that particular time period to get a better idea of the gender role concept.

During my readings and research I came across a journal article published in 1989 from the Vanderbilt Law Review. Gender Discrimination and The Transformation of Workplace Norms, by Kathryn Abrams touches on the advancement and equality that women have achieved. When speaking on the achievements, future achievements, goals of the feminist movement, Abram states that it is the, “interaction between feminist theory and the practical experience of women” (Abrams), that has brought awareness to the issue. This article stresses the long road and achievements that the feminist movement has made and how far it has come compared to the past. She also touches on how in the past women were excluded from all but a handful of historically female jobs. During this analysis she makes a rather simple, but powerful point that caught my attention, she states, “As a group, women possessed the varied physical and intellectual qualities necessary to litigate cases, draw up budgets, and dig ditches. Thus the exclusion...

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...even J. Kless. "Socialization to Gender Roles: Popularity among Elementary School Boys and Girls." Sociology of Education 65.3 (1992): 169-87. JSTOR. American Sociological Association. Web.

Eccles, Jacquelynne S. "Sign In." Psychology of Women Quarterly. Blackwell Publishing. Web. 07 Apr. 2011. .

Martin, Carol Lynn. "Attitudes and Expectations About Children With Nontraditional and Traditional Gender Roles." Sex Roles 4th ser. 22.3 (1990): 1-15. Periodicals Archive Online. Web. .

Valenzuela, Abel. "Gender Roles and Settlement Activities Among Children and Their Immigrant Families." American Behavioral Scientist. Sage Journals Online, Jan. 1999. Web. 07 Apr. 2011. .

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