Firstly, whether a family live in a symmetrical family or not will have an effect on the divisions of labour. March of Progress theorists (Liberal Feminists) such as Young and Willmott argue that family life is gradually improving for all its members, becoming more equal and democratic. For example, women now go out to work, just as men now help with housework and childcare. However Radical Feminists reject the ‘March of Progress’ theory, and argue that women remain unequal within the family. Anne Oakley argues that we still live in a patriarchal (male dominated) society, and therefore women occupy a subordinate and dependant role within the family and wider society.
As the former role was commonly seen as more valuable than the latter, this often meant that the husband held most of the power, such as deciding where they would live, how resources were distributed, etc. In theory, the distribution of power in the relationship has shifted due to both the integration of women into the workforce and the emergence of the “new man” who does a fair share of domestic labour. However, this is not necessarily borne out by the evidence. Dryden (1999) studied 17 married couples and found that women still do the vast majority of housework. This could almost be dismissed as a hangover from traditional values or the result of still-prominent stay-at-home mothers, except that it remains true when both members are working full-time, and even in some cases where only the woman is in employment.
This leads them to the working life where you work under capitalists and accept orders from superior employers. Therefore they prepare for your working life which benefits the capitalists, however Functionalists view is that the family teaches us the shared norms and values of the society, but not just the norms and values of the ruling class. Although Marxists further argue the family does this through punishments and rewards and being role models. Also Feminists believe that Marxists do not give more attention to the exploitation of women within the family for example, the family produces labour at low cost to the capitalist system as
The woman in the family, Parsons argues, is much more naturally suited to nurturing the family and providing emotional care. As a result household tasks are not equally shared. As the man has been out at work all day, Parsons argues that women’s role is to care for the house and do the majority of domestic chores. Feminists (in particular radical feminists) would argue that this is something done by men to benefit men. However, some sociologists oppose this argument.
My research will try to explain and discuss the differences in spiritual as well as cultural situations between men and women gender roles. Hopefully I will give the understanding of why woman have to obey the man in spite of the spiritual hierarchy and why woman continue to play the subservient role there. Gender roles differ in all parts of the world. These pivotal elements of obedience derived from a patriarchal society that expects women to play the subservient position. Is it fair for women to have the same rights as men?
A lot of times, men think that they should order for women, pay the bills, etc. But it the woman is more financially savvy, than the man should step aside and let the women do what she is better at. And just because most men are stronger physically, that does not mean that all men are. Some women are body builders, mechanics, etc. They have crossed the gender barrier and have proved that there isn’t a standard that women won’t live up to and surpass.
Throughout history men are seen as the “strong/tough ones”; the belief is that they should be paid more than women in order to support their families (Loney, 2005). Women often take time off from work to raise their children, which can interfere with their career path. Also, married women with children are more likely to leave their jobs, rather than women who are single and/or without
The effect that this recession had on society is monstrous. It essentially paved the way for female run industries, and shed a new light on what it means to be a man nowadays. There is absolutely nothing wrong with a man wanting to provide for his family, it would almost come as second nature to most people. Statistical information previously stated is evidence in itself to prove the facts that men did have a higher unemployment rate than women, but it is effect on society that became argumentative. Without a doubt, both men and women are equally just as hard working- they aim to achieve the same goals of providing for their family and living a comfortable financially stable life.
However, feminists believe the functionalist views assumes that all members of the family benefit, whereas feminists argue that policies benefit men at the expense of women. Feminists take a conflict view, they see society as patriarchal. They argue all social institutions including policies help maintain women’s subordinate position and the unequal gender division of labour in the family. They argue social policies are base on assumptions about what the normal family is. Eg if the state
By structuring the personalities of the young and stabilizing the personalities of adults, the family provides its members with the psychological training and support necessary to meet the requirements of the social system. Parsons concluded the family is more specialized than before but not in any general sense less important because society is dependant more exclusively on it for the performance of certain of its vital functions. Thus the loss of certain functions by the family has made its remaining functions more important. Not all sociologists would agree, however, that the family has lost many of its functions in modern industrial society. Ronald Fletcher, a staunch supporter of the family, maintained that just the opposite has happened.