The role of women in society has always been an issue throughout the ages and throughout Western Europe, and more or less all over the world. Before the age of the Enlightenment, or the Dark Ages, women were always seen as secondary to men in all aspects. Most reasons were religious while others were just the way life was then. By the late 18th century, at the time of the French Revolution and the continuance of the Enlightenment era, the role of women in society began changing drastically as the lights of the world were now open with this brand new enlightened era. Women began holding jobs, yet still did not receive the same privileges as men. By the time the Industrial Revolution came along in the 19th century many more jobs were opened to a woman in the work force. Reforms began in all areas throughout the 19thand early 20th centuries as women were gaining more and more rights and acceptance into everyday life. By the time the 20th century rolled around and throughout, no longer was it thought that women belonged in the home (although few still feel that way), yet many women began serving professional jobs as doctors, lawyers, and politicians. Now today some of the most successful people in the business world are women, as women have even began there own companies. Many changes occurred during the Enlightenment period of the late eighteenth century. For instance, more and more emphasis were placed on the family as the eighteenth century passed. There were three groups of urban women in the eighteenth century, lower-class, middle-class(the Bourgeoises in France), and the upper-class or the aristocracy. The work of married women differed if you lived in the city or in the country. In the country the women could be seen as literally carrying the heavy weight of the plantation for her husband. In the city a wife of a merchant may run the household finances and might even take part in her husband's business. In France women fought alongside men in urban revolutionary activities. It was the job of women to buy food for the family, and when they became unable to do this, the situation became intolerable. For Bourgeois women there were many changes. Marriages that had been arranged in the past became more of a romantic relationship as well as economic. Mothers stayed at home and cared for their children more. Female education and t... ... middle of paper ... ... League Baseball shut down during the war, a woman's professional baseball league was created that wound up lasting twelve years. Many women joined organizations such as the red cross to help aid wounded soldiers of war. Ever since the end of World War Two women have become more and more involved in the business world. Especially today with the computerized technological advances many women who are secretaries have becoming well versed in the computer era creating a new path for women to follow. Though the role of a mother can never change to her children most woman spend the bulk of their day working in the business world only to have enough time to be with their children and keep the family peace around the house. In what has a become a dramatic change for women in the Western world women can now be seen as equal to men in most areas if not all. It all started with the age of the Enlightenment, the age of reason, when people began thinking rationally, and it has a become a 300 year process. Rational thought and technological advancements as well as many other issues have changed the role of women in our society today and all across the world.
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Show MoreAs women started working, patriarchal control of the family was upset (Faragher 400). Women were now bringing in income just like the men were and to them this was empowering. They now longer depended on a man to survive. Now that women were working many also wanted an education beyond high school. Women started going to college and with a better education were able to further increase the interest of the women 's rights movements (Knight 361). Despite these advances women still were not close to gaining equality to their male counterparts. However they did gain more control of the family’s well being.
In the class Psychology of Women, the film Makers Project: Women Who Make America was shown. The film supplied background information about the treatment of women before, during, and after the Women’s Movement. As a result of the Women’s Movement, there has been a vast amount of changes impacting society.
Roles for women in society have changed from century to century. There were centuries were women were put on a pedestal and were expected to obey their husband and if not they had to other means to provided for themselves, or more like the present century were women are just as equal as men and are independent as ever. There is a author by the name of Kate Chopin who lived in the times were women were expected to obey their husbands but had the mindset of a time, more like the present, were women could be more independent.
From ancient years to the middle of 20th century being a woman meant being a housewife. Women were repressed. Not only they did not have any rights, except to stay home, do the housework and care for a husband or children, women were considered only a half of human being. As one Russian saying says: "It would be very funny, if it was not so sad." Nowadays, when there are so many feministic coalitions, it is hard to imagine that once upon a time, females were not considered a part of society.
Throughout the years, rights between both genders has changed and provided women more equally rights similar to men. It took women hundreds of years to gain the same or similar equality as men, and even now there is still inequality in the workplace. Men originally treated women like objects and extremely poorly. It is known that during the Renaissance time period, society was a patriarchal society, in which men were the primary authority. Women were forced to live by rules and standards that were unfair and unreasonable in both the household and in the workplace. Women should have had the same rights as men instead of being treated as a minority and known as incapable for being independent because they did extreme amounts of work that were unrecognized.
“Women’s roles were constantly changing and have not stopped still to this day.” In the early 1900s many people expected women to be stay at home moms and let the husbands support them. But this all changes in the 1920s, women got the right to vote and began working from the result of work they have done in the war. Altogether in the 1920s women's roles have changed drastically.
During the age of hunter gatherers and the Agricultural Revolution, men were assigned to hunt and protect their family while women put their energy into looking after children and domestic duties. At that time, roles were vital to survival because they were underdeveloped, without technology, and protection. However, in the present, there are more opportunities, jobs, and sources of empowerment for all genders letting everyone have the freedom to follow their aspirations rather than being bound to gender roles. For example, more women attend college than men in our present than before; thus, placing women almost equal to men. Women can earn a degree and secure the same jobs as men making anyone a leader in a company, community, or family unit.
Women and men are nestled into predetermined cultural molds when it comes to gender in American society. Women play the roles of mothers, housekeepers, and servants to their husbands and children, and men act as providers, protectors, and heads of the household. These gender roles stem from the many culture myths that exist pertaining to America, including those of the model family, education, liberty, and of gender. The majority of these myths are misconceptions, but linger because we, as Americans, do not analyze or question them. The misconception of gender suggests that biological truths no longer dictate our gender roles as men and women; they derive from cultural myths. We, as a nation, need to do severe critical thinking about this delusion of gender, how has limited us in the home, media, and education, how it currently limits us, and what the results of the current and future changes in gender roles will be.
From as far as we know it, gender roles have existed in our society and still plays a huge role in societies across the globe. Throughout history, women were often portrayed as weak, unintelligent, sentimental, and useless. Women have been perceived as a homemaker, they had to take of their children and take care of their households. Men, on the other hand, are portrayed as money makers, strong, smart, and noble. Patriarchy has been very common in our society. Even today, many families live in a social system where males have the primary power, father-like figures have authority over women and children and are predominate in roles of political leadership and social privilege.Throughout history, women have been faced with violence, isolation,
These societal roles have been changing for decades now. Traditionally, the men would have to go to their prestigious jobs outside of the home, serving as the sole breadwinner for their family. Women, on the other hand, were left at home to take care of the kids, do the household chores, and have supper ready by the time their husbands got home from work. On the off chance that a woman did work during this time, it was as a secretary, a nurse, or other type of stereotypical female
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.
A women's role has changed tremendously and is making its greatest impact in our society today. Many years ago, women's contribution to society was limited and controlled by men. Women are standing tall and are playing a major role in many important areas. Women's role has changed at an accelerating rate and have part in areas such as Politics, Professional Training Jobs, Medicine,Business and Law. Formerly they were not part of any political matter, but they have advanced in many aspects. For example, women have attained power and have been growing in political office.
The role women play in today’s society is a drastic change from the previous role. Women used to be confined to the superiority of the man. Physically, mentally, and emotionally abused, belittled, embarrassed, and silenced. These are just a few examples of the emotion from the isolated treatment of the past. A woman’s role in today’s society is more valued than ever before.
Society has stamped an image into the minds of people of how the role of each gender should be played out. There are two recognized types of gender, a man and a woman, however there are many types of gender roles a man or a woman may assume or be placed into by society. The ideas of how one should act and behave are often times ascribed by their gender by society, but these ascribed statuses and roles are sometimes un-welcomed, and people will assume who they want to be as individuals by going against the stereotypes set forth by society. This paper will examine these roles in terms of how society sees men and women stereotypically, and how men and women view themselves and each other in terms of stereotypes that are typically ascribed, as well as their own opinions with a survey administered to ten individuals. What I hope to prove is that despite stereotypes playing a predominant role within our society, and thus influencing what people believe about each other in terms of their same and opposite genders, people within our society are able to go against these ascribed stereotypes and be who they want and it be okay. Through use of the survey and my own personal history dealing with gender stereotyping I think I can give a clear idea as to how stereotypes envelope our society, and how people and breaking free from those stereotypes to be more individualistic.
Society’s outlook on people in general changes constantly. Gender does not exist naturally but involves socialization and learned ideals and behaviors. Each individual becomes accustomed to their gender roles based upon expectations of society regarding what is and is not acceptable or proper behavior for men or women. Those within our social circle, family, friends, teachers, religious organizations, location, and even the media, all contribute to the social process of accepting one's gender role within society. Especially in today's society, both men and women are restricted in terms of their gender and how they can act physically, mentally, and emotionally without being judged or ridiculed. So, to me, that raises the question, are men more restricted than women? In some ways I believe that they are. However, I believe there are ways women are restricted just as much as men.