Gender Roles Essay

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How can men and women be different? Everyone knows that there are some significant differences between males and females, even if those difference are physical appearances only. Others see both physical and social differences, emotional and intellectual differences between male and female. Gender roles, by definition, are the social norms that dictate what is socially appropriate for male and female behavior. In earlier times, American culture showed that it was common for women 's job to be a homemaker contrary to the males’ breadwinner role. Before the movement in the seventies, women were treated unfairly throughout history. This means that women have been seen as the ones who need to rely on people and the men are the ones who are the head of houses. In 19th century America, men and women were put into different categories known as the separate spheres. The spheres were known as the public and private spheres; and it was easy for people to figure out which gender went to which sphere. The men were seen as the ones more mature to handle the public while the women were the ones who were in charge of the house, children, and different chores; …show more content…

The argument begins with these two sides stating that the gender roles in society, are fair on both sides and they in fact discriminate against the two sexes. Men are taught to be closed-off in times of stress and women are taught to be helpless and needy. This is how our society expects men to behave. Maybe in the near future as a culture, we will use gender transcendence, in which we will abandon our general idea as to how we are seen as men and women, so that other aspects of life become separate and gender free. When we accept that men and women are equal, society will learn that men do not always have to be the breadwinners in the family, but rather women can accept roles to take pressure off of

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