Abstract Gender issues have become a topical issue of late with various groups advocating for gender equality and equity. Problems associated with gender stereotypes have also tended to feature strongly. This article looks at the subject of gender stereotypes in the wider society that we live in, its impact and possible ways of changing peoples’ mindsets. This article will also be supported by pictorial presentations based on some newspaper and magazine cuttings. What are gender stereotypes and how are they conveyed in our society?
Gender roles refer to the set of social and behavioral rules that are considered to be socially appropriate for individuals of a specific sex in the context of a specific culture, which differ widely between cultures. There are different opinions as to whether observed gender differences in behavior and personality characteristics are, at least in part, due to cultural or social factors, and therefore, the product of socialization experiences, or they are due to biological and physiological differences. Views on gender-based differentiation in the workplace and in interpersonal relationships have often undergone profound changes as a result of feminist and/or economic influences, but there are still considerable differences in gender roles in almost all societies. It is also true that in times of necessity, such as during a war or other emergency, women are permitted to perform functions which in "normal" times would be considered a male role, or vice versa. Gender is used to describe those
(Media Awareness Network) Stereotypes can be problematic, reducing a wide range of differences in people to simplistic categorizations. This transforms assumptions about particular groups of people into realities. Mass media, such as movies, television, magazines, newspapers, books, music, and computer games, both reflect and shape gender roles. (Knox) Women and men are usually depicted as having extremely different roles in society, evident in the way media portray them. (Al-Ghafari) Some gender roles confine both sexes to traditional duties and responsibilities.
Masculinity is a subjective term, and in most cases it is influenced by one's perception and culture (Cullins, V.2012). According to Connell (1995), Masculinity can be interpreted as a choice in which one is made in respect of dressing, behavior, and physical appearance. This essay will critically examine masculinities as it relates to men's labor perception and his work environment based on the findings of Simon Cross and Barbara Bagilhole. This paper will explore the statutes of men in non-traditional male occupations e.g. (childcare providers, nurses, hair dressers) and will also examine the impact of these “feminine” occupations in men's manhood and how these men view their masculinity as they are doing what is generally regarded as “women's work”.
(Boundless) A reoccurring theme has been the difference among men and women in leadership is communication and the relationship with followers. Another reoccurring theme is men have been represented as more goal and task oriented and women
Gender role change Aspects of the male and feminine roles have been easily tied together under the social-constructs heading for many years. The inter-relationship of both genders is a root cause for these social-constructs. Social-constructs have been placed into a hierarchical social system and invented and/or constructed by a number of different participants, who are already part of the system. Gender roles are currently changing as women are adopting masculine traits and have joined the bandwagon of their male counterparts to work where males have shown their dominance in the past. The normal characteristics that relate to femininity are softness and tenderness, prompting society to perceive a delusional falsehood that women are weak, unable to defend themselves.
Just the Way We Are Everyone thought that there are similar differences between males and females. Both genders are different through their social, emotional and intellectual qualities. Gender roles influence women and men in virtually every area of life including family and occupation, but are women and men subject to different roles or behavior expectations? Gender role by definition is,” the public image of being male or female that a person presents to others.” (Dictionary.com). In early American culture it was common for a women’s job to be an obedient housewife in clear contrast to the male’s duty to be a job holder.
Since we don’t realize that others’ styles are different, we miscommunicate with each other causing problems and conflicts in conversation. Conflicts are influenced by our gender and experienced everyday in the workplace, public, and private settings. Men and women both have many different conversational ways. The common ways among us men often involve “using things such as joking, teasing, and playful put-downs.” We can sometimes come across as hostile and arrogant when we aren’t trying to be. The conversational rituals common among women are often ways of “maintaining an appearance of equality, taking into account the effort of the exchange on the other person, using up effort to downplay the speaker’s authority so they can get the job done without flexing their muscles in an obvious way.” Women use conversational strategies to avoid appearing conceited and take another person’s feelings into account.
Women are under a constant pressure to adhere to roles that are specific to their gender and so are men. The woman by norm is relegated to the private domain and is allocated the affective role, while the man has full access to the public domain for he plays the role of the bread-winner. Devdutt Pattanaik, in his book, ‘The Pregnant King’, strives to show how gender plays an important part in defining roles and relationships, while at the same time also accounting for the interesting change in gender roles of men and women, which appears extremely contemporary and unthinkable at the time and context in which the story is set. Based at the time of the Mahabharata, Pattanaik’s ‘The Pregnant King’ brings forth a wide new range of ideas that are exceedingly modern in nature. These ideas question the societal norms that privilege the men and not the women, the norms that prevent both men and women from adopting occupations and indulging in activities that majorly interests them.
“Effect of Language on Gender and Ethnic Groups” It is widely accepted that Language has a profound effect on how we perceive and interact with the world around us. It is a major component of culture. The degree of which language influences culture or culture influences language is still in debate. However it is likely that both processes occur. Differences in dialects can highlight social differences between men and women and between different ethnic groups.