Gender Roles
Like actors on the stage, each of us plays many roles. The list is almost endless; parent, child, student, worker, pedestrian, or teacher. Gender roles are assigned to us on the basis of our biological sex. These roles contain sets of expectations for both what we are supposed to do and what we are not supposed to do. Gender roles are assigned early in life. Children quickly learn that they are girls or boys and act accordingly. Adult gender roles are complex, involving both personality and behavioral characteristics. Women are traditionally expected to be passive, warm and supportive. In contrast to men, who are expected to suppress their feelings, women are encouraged to express emotions openly. Men are supposed to be strong, independent, and self-controlled, while women are thought to be more dependent and in need of emotional support (Hoffmann). A man's role centers around his work and his responsibilities as a provider. The traditional role of women, on the other hand, is to run the home and take care of the children. The movement of women out of the home and into the workplace has shaken the old notions about the natural differences between men and women. In the past, people who did not fit the expectations for their ge
The problem is not simply that women are not given the opportunity to be leaders in many religious organizations (Gamble). The male role has traditionally been centered on work and providing for the family. These traditional roles and stereotypes are still a powerful force in our society, and their consequences will be with us for a long time to come. The number of women participating in politics has grown more acceptable over the years. In addition, there is a strong feminist movement within most organized religions that is working to change the gender inequalities that continue to exist. Despite the male's advantage in physical strength, females are clearly the healthier sex. nder where shunned and ridiculed (Diamant). As we have seen, the male is given the dominant position. This same gender inequality is reflected in our basic institutions. Politics has traditionally been considered a man's business. They are also more susceptible to some diseases, and they mature more slowly than females (Suter). Yet despite such troubling problems, there have been many positive changes in recent decades. As children get older, different expectations for boys and girls become even more obvious. Studies have been conducted of children exposed to high levels of males of male hormones in the womb because of a hereditary defect in the function of the adrenal gland and of children exposed to high levels of a female hormone given to mothers because of difficulties in pregnancy (Lippa). Male characters are shown in such active and prestigious roles as lawyers, physicians, and authority figures, while women are more likely to play mothers, secretaries, or helpers.
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Acceptance Essays
