Gender Roles

The number one predictor of how you will be treated in life is determined alone by your gender!

Role: A part that one plays; expected patterns of behavior. Gender Roles: Behaviors/tasks that indicate a person’s gender, (male/female).

What are some expected roles Women have? What are some expected roles Men have?

Traditional Roles   Look back in history and think about how gender roles have always been perceived:   Woman: Stays home to take care of children, she cooks, she cleans, she does laundry, etc.   Man: Goes to work, he does not do any housework, he takes care of the yard, he takes care of the car, etc.

World War II changed everything!  Women HAD to be sent to work. They started out in the factories doing hard labor.

Nontraditional Roles: Behaviors/tasks not usually “assigned” to a specific sex or gender. Gender Discrimination: Prejudicial treatment because of a person’s gender.

1955 Housekeeping Monthly The following is an excerpt from the May 1955 issue of Housekeeping Monthly titled The Good Wife’s Guide.

The Good Wife’s Guide 1. Have dinner ready. Plan ahead, even the night before, to have a delicious meal ready and on time for his return. This is a way of letting him know that you have been thinking about him and are concerned about his needs. Most men are hungry when they come home and the prospect of a good meal, (especially his favorite dish), is part of the warm welcome needed. 2. Prepare yourself. Take 15 minutes to rest so you’ll be refreshed when he arrives. Touch up your make-up, put a ribbon in your hair and be fresh-looking. He has just been with a lot of work-weary people.

3. Be happy and a little more interesting for him. His boring day may need a lift and one of your duties is to provide it. 4. Clear away the clutter. Make one last trip through the main part of the house just before your husband arrives. 5. Over the cooler months of the year, you should prepare and light a fire for him to unwind by. Your husband will feel he has reached a haven of rest and order, and it will give you a lift too. After all, catering for his comfort will provide you with immense personal satisfaction.

6. Be happy to see him. Greet him with a warm smile and show sincerity in your desire to please him. 7. Listen to him. You may have a dozen important things to tell him, but the moment of his arrival is not the time. Let him talk first-remember, his topics of conversation are more important than yours. 8. Make the evening his. Never complain if he comes home late or goes out to dinner, or other places of entertainment, without you. Instead, try to understand his world of strain and pressure and his very real need to relax.

9. Make him comfortable. Have him lean back in a comfortable chair or have him lie down in the bedroom. Have a cool or warm drink ready for him. 10. Don’t ask him questions about his actions or question his judgment or integrity. Remember, he is the master of the house and as such will always exercise his will with firmness and truthfulness. You have no right to question him. 11. A good wife always knows her place. How Have Things Changed Today?

Prejudice: Making a decision or prejudgment before becoming aware of the facts. Stereotyping: A perception of people based on first impressions; usually inaccurate.

Non-Traditional Roles   What are some non-traditional roles for women?   Doctors, lawyers, construction, mechanics, coaches, architects, truck drivers   What are some non-traditional roles for men?   Nurses, secretaries, designers, stay at home dad, librarians

The Status of Women   The five best countries in which a female can be born, reared, educated, employed, married, and spend her life are: 1-Sweden4-Germany 2-Finland5-Norway 3-U.S.   The five worst countries are: 1-Bangladesh4-Yemen 2-Mali5-Pakistan 3-Afghanistan  Even though times have changed, there are still countries in the world who hold onto the old definition of what gender roles “should” be.

  Female life expectancy:   Sweden: 81 U.S.: 79 Bangladesh: 49   How many die before their 5th birthday?   Sweden: 1 in 167 U.S. 1 in 91 Bangladesh: 1 in 5   How many won’t survive child-bearing years?   Sweden: 1 in 53U.S. 1 in 38 Bangladesh: 1 in 6   How many marry by the ages 15-19?   Sweden: less than 1 % U.S.: 8% Bangladesh: 69%   How many children do the women have?   Sweden: 1-2 U.S.: Less than 2 Bangladesh: 5 or 6 The Status of Women, cont.

  How many girls are in school?   Sweden: ALLU.S.: ALL Bangladesh:1 in 3   Female college enrollment:   Sweden: 37%U.S.:59% Bangladesh: 2%   How much of the paid work force is female?   Sweden: 49%U.S.: 45% Bangladesh: 14% The Status of Women, cont.

Your Role?   You need to think about what you believe when it comes to gender roles.   What do you want your role to be?   Your spouse’s role?

 Does Disney participate in gender stereotyping? Think about the fairy tale movies you’ve seen? What are some gender stereotypes you’ve observed?

Assignment   Turn to the Fairy Tale page.   Go through and try to remember the names of all the fairy tale characters.   After thinking about each of these characters, can you think about their gender roles?   What is the typical female Disney role? Male role?

The Work Force   More than ever, the world holds many opportunities for women.   Economic realities show that 80% of women who start out married will be single by the time they reach their 60’s.   The average married woman is in the work force 28 years of her life.   The average unmarried woman works about 40 years of her life.   Only 1 in 10 young women will marry, raise a family, be supported by her husband, and live to maturity with that husband.