Gender Organic and Sexual Contrasts Among People - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 10 Words: 3046 Downloads: 9 Date added: 2019/04/26 Category Sociology Essay Level High school Tags: Gender Roles Essay Did you like this example? Gender alludes to the organic and sexual contrasts among people, which are generally physiological and anatomical. Most individuals only recognize two gender types, which are the male and female gender. The term Gender role generally describes an arrangement of social and conduct standards or obligations viewed as proper for people of a given sex. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Gender: Organic and Sexual Contrasts Among People" essay for you Create order Gender roles and the jobs performed by each gender vary broadly. This emerges in light of the fact that gender roles are developed and supported socially. This social-cultural development of gender roles and jobs performed by each gender may mirror the regular desire of each gender. There has been considerable disparity in gender roles over cultural and the past period, and all gender roles are culturally and historically reliant. Much of academic work and researches on gender roles addresses the dispute over the ecological or genetic causes for the development of gender roles. Gender roles have always been an issue of contention in the society. This is because, since the commencement of life, man dominated over the woman and this has been stereotyped for ages. From the creation period, it can be witnessed that the role of that the man was bestowed with as far as the family was concerned, man was the final decision maker, the only person to rely on in terms of security and the breadwinner. On the other hand, the woman was bestowed with the role and responsibility of taking care of the home. Her role was to give her husband beneficiaries and to take care of the family through her food preparation, stitching clothes for them, nurturing the young, nursing the sick among other minor roles. This ideology has undoubtedly been passed on through generations up to date. However, as time went by and especially with the launching of the wars across borders, this long trend took another direction because of the fact that the men had to move out of the house and leave the family under the care of the mother. Consequently, the mother was left with the responsibilities that the husband is always entangled with. This was apparently the beginning and embrace of change in the American society. Todays development and remarkable transformation as far as social, political, and economical values are concerned can utterly be credited to the significant roles that the women and men of America played since independence. Notably, there has been a paradigm shift in the roles and responsibilities between the men and women of today. However, even after the American Revolution, and with the shifting of roles in the social structure, women were still regarded as weak creatures, in consequence, they were not allowed to take part in jobs that were considered to be hard, rather such jobs were only relevant to men in the society. Women were given jobs such as working in big offices headed by men to work for them as secretaries, bar attendants or waitresses, and tailors, but were not allowed to play a part in any important job especially where the main task was about making key decision apropos the situation at hand. Women were raised to believe that they were not as viable as the men were, and that there were some careers that they could not perform. However, this has changed over time through the introduction of innovation and additionally generous substantial work from womens activist battling for the privileges of woman in societys public eye. Today, women have taken on big jobs to manage big firms as chief executi ve officers, managers, and other top rated jobs. Women have even gone to the extent of running their own companies as they have gone to school and indeed meet the required criteria for qualifications in many jobs that could otherwise be given to men. All this is given credit to the women of civil rights who advocated equality and persistently appeared in many civil rights movements to rally the support of the constitution for equal treatment of all genders. For instance, a female chief executive officer-Meg Whitman leads one of the leading computer hardware developers-the Hewlett Packard. Economic developments have greatly contributed an imperative role in the change of roles taken by men and women in the contemporary society. The economic trends have proved too demanding, and women have to work in different fields that were considered to be only dominated by men such as the construction of houses, driving of commercial vehicles among others in a bid to help their men financially. This is because, at some particular point in life, situations grow hard and life becomes too expensive that it demands women to engage in small jobs to supplement the revenue that men earn from work. This has changed everything accordingly since women have discovered that given the same chance as men, they could also succeed in their careers as well as continue helping out in the home. Today, women work on a similar podium as men. Women are contending with men in all occupations, and some even earn more than men in their workplaces do. Accordingly, Klein (2007) asserts that women have adopte d the role as breadwinners for their families as some have even been able to raise their own families as single mothers in the event of divorce of a deceased husband. Women have stopped sitting at home and have realized their potentials and developed ways of embracing their roles as wives and mothers while they also cling on their careers. Certainly, today, there is no explicit role that is meant for a man or a woman. Both seem equal in all fronts as many continue to advance to greater heights in competing with men, probably showing the men that what they can, women can do it as well. For example, some women in the United States of America have immensely joined the army leaving their husbands at home to take care of their children while others have become engineers, pilots and many other jobs that were considered relevant for men manly during the past years. Men have also changed in the roles they partake as it witnessed in todays life whereby, men are increasingly taking up jobs in avenues that were earlier considered a womans realm. Today, we have men as outstanding chefs, designers and tailors among other fields of jobs that were regarded as womens. Indeed, men have acknowledged the inevitable changes that have transformed the society and made it as it is today. Even in many of the American families, men take the initiative of cooking for the whole family regardless of the wifes presence. This is because, people have realized and acknowledged that all people are equal and no task is explicitly designed for a particular gender. Consequently, young boys have even learnt how to cook and prepare certain meals that only women knew how to prepare before. It is not a surprise to encounter such a scenario in the contemporary society since men have wholly embraced the roles that were once considered to be dominated by women. Lang (1998) confir ms that men also engage in laundry and dishwashing regardless of the presence of their women as it has become imperative for people to share chores. Furthermore, many men express contempt and satisfaction helping their wives while they are available at home. The revolutionary nature of the social structure of gender has been gradual and more definite with people realizing the reality that they need to share work in a bid to live well. Before, men took up womens roles out of obligation but societal changes have demanded men to engage in womens roles even when they have their wives to do the same roles. It is was believed that only men can engage in some games such as Tie Kwon Do , football, wrestling among other famous games known to be participated only by men. However, today, women have actively taken a keen interest in such games and they compete amongst themselves. For instance, a few decades ago, there used to be no women playing football as it was only meant for men. Times have changed and up to today, there are football clubs known to belong to women. Furthermore, just like mens football world cup tournament, women also have their own world cup football tournament that is held differently from that of men. In addition, women have also taken part in the key roles in football that would rather be dominated by men. Women referees are seen in the pitch even in the mens football games. Notwithstanding the active participation in various dangerous games that are only believed to be for men such as the American vintage among other games. Additionally, women have been seen participa ting in Olympic Games, which were considered to be for men. Women have unrelentingly fought by all means for equality and this could be the time they have become even with men where they no longer fear to engage in heavy tasks despite the fact that it has often been an obvious notion that women do not fit in certain games and/or sports. They consider a fair ground competition with men while trying to prove them wrong that whatever they can be good at, women can as well be part of the same. In the past, only men were able to go to grammar schools and achieve a college education if their families could afford to support him. However, education today has completely changed enormously owing to the change in the role that men and women of today undertake. Klein (2007) clarifies that unlike in the early days where women were taught at home about management skills, and later on graduate to teach others; today women are taught the same skills that were taught to men giving them the same chance and opportunity to favorably compete in the same job market. Women are well informed and acquitted about their rights and hence they are able to make sound and informed decisions regarding the track they wish to pursue in their lives. Through education, gender inequality has been done away with and has often discouraged stereotyping where both men and women have learnt to value each others outlook as they both count in different perspective. Besides, the financial independence has pushed many women to work hard in schools and colleges in a bid to succeed and look for good jobs that will make them have the financial freedom. Women have felt the need for financially independence even when they get married. Therefore, most women have joined many colleges and have been employed in different organizations before they get married. This has been necessitated by the fact that there have been numerous changes in the family values and moral crumble that has overwhelmed the todays society as far as divorces among other immoral behaviors are concerned. The effect of this is that women feel that they need a backing plan in the event where their marriage fails to work. Education that was once seen as an area only meant for men has become widely reliable by women of today. Women have embraced education not only in America but also in many parts of the globe as they have realized that education is the perfect weapon to fight men and a favorable means of getting even with men. In the past, only men were allowed to participate in government and be elected as leaders. Men were the only people who were given chances to participate fully in their civil rights such as the freedom to participate in voting. Women were not considered to take any decision as far as taking part in election was concerned. Women were not allowed to exercise their voting rights nor were they allowed to take up any leadership position. That is, men filled all leadership positions and the political dynasty viewed women as interlopers who had no right to take any active role in leadership. Nowadays, have realized that they can potentially take up leadership roles and lead others well just as men do. For instance, successful women such as Hilary Clinton and Condoleezza Rice among others have set a perfect example for young upcoming female leaders. They have revealed to the world that women can make it irrespective of their femininity and in the field of leadership; they have disapproved th e long held catchphrase that women cannot lead men. In addition, the colonial society was intensely patriarchal, whereby men enjoyed power in both private and public life. They had the mandate to make decision as well as solve disputes within the family. However, Lang (1998) agrees that this role has also been transferred to women, as women feel confident and strong enough to make decisions. In the early days, women were beaten up by their husbands, disrespected in the home before the children who grew up exposed to violence and turmoil of their mother, and their contribution was barely regarded to be significant. They had no chance to make any key decision, which was exclusively done by the husband and men in the society. However, women of today are more vocal in the home, and they now have the mandate to make sound decisions apropos the family. Furthermore, In the past, women had no right to own property and therefore, they had no role of taking care of any property. Property ownership was only bestowed to man had the role of taking care of the property to ensure its safety and security. The children of belonged to the men and the women could not call the children their own while the father was still alive. In todays social structures, women own their own property ranging from land to businesses. They have the role of taking care of their own businesses as well as have the right to call their children their own. For instance, some women nowadays prefer to bare their own children, raise, and take care of them without the help of a man. In such a scenario, women have had to take care of their children, meet their need, demands and aspirations in life just like the father would have done. In addition, women have had the opportunity to inherit their fathers property unlike in the past when only men were eligible for such a beneficiary. The notion that a woman does not own anything in the family is long forgotten and their contribution for the success of the family has become very important to an extent that men have valued their presence. Men have positively endeavored to acknowledge the contribution that their women have towards the success of the family through the regular support that the mother has to her family. This has even given birth to the prominent catchphrase that behind every successful man, there is a woman behind. There are even certain cases where women have resorted to adopting children from their biological mothers and taking the responsibility of providing all necessities for the children. For example, a popular film star-Angelina Jolie has legally adopted more than two children who she provides with everything as if they were her own born children. The changes in the society have also contributed to the emergence of gay fathers. Today, more and more gay men continue to live their lives in the open without any traces of fear. Gay men have often sought to establish enduring, loyal, and affectionate relationships and like heterosexual couples, gay couples are beginning to start families of their own and certainly live a life they wish to pursue. With the escalating numbers of gay fathers in todays society, it is possible that, such individuals are prone to dividing the work as far as childcare is concerned. Just like other heterosexual families, gay fathers will have to accept the responsibility of taking care of the children, as would have their biological mother(s). Mothers were entrusted with the roles and responsibilities of cooking for the family, however, in such a scenario, the gay father is liable in ensuring that the child gets motherly care without mistreating or mishandling the child. Besides, the fact that they are gay men justifies the fact that the role of genders in America has changed drastically. Men of this nature have, therefore no otherwise than to embrace the roles that are meant for women. This has contributed at a greater extent on the changing roles of the genders not only in America but also in different countries and continents. In conclusion, the foregoing discussion has clearly unveiled that the role of the genders has greatly contributed to the growth and development of the United States since it gained his independence from the British. Men and women who fought for their liberty made a significant impact to the todays common American citizen. With the dynamic nature of the society, peoples roles have shifted in such a way that what the other could not do in a few decades ago, they now freely engage and participate in them. The report reveals that, even after the remarkable American Revolution, women had no freedom to engage freely in economic activities to earn themselves a living. However, a few elite women advocated equality through organized civil rights movements that saw a true revolution that was indeed revolutionary. Today, roles have completely reversed as people advance into very sophisticated ways of life characterized by numerous unpredictable changes. As far as the social, cultural and politi cal setup is concerned, both sexes have increasingly competed for the key roles within some particular areas of interest because of the fact that both men and women have learned to thrive within the same environment. The adoption of man is said to be equal to man as women become more aware and aggressive to embracing the roles that were considered to be dominated by the male. On the other hand, changes of situations have demanded the adjustment of roles undertaken by men and this has seen a dramatic change in the roles that men engage in. for instance, the report has clearly depicted that indeed, men have also shifted into roles that were considered part of women. In the clubs, there are waiters and waitresses serving people and even in the kitchen, men are seen to be the best chefs and cooks unlike it was in the early time.