Gender Roles
Have you ever heard of the terms pink jobs and blue jobs ? It wasn’t long ago when men and
women held traditional roles at home and in the workplace. Women were the primary caregivers
and homemakers and men were the sole bread winners .Wars and women’s rights changed how
average households are run. When traditions go out the window, gender roles are the first thing
to go. In many parts of the world, households are now dual income.Two adults share the bills and
the chores. Women go back to work after having children. They are educated and hold careers
similar to their spouses. Children are raised by a village of helpers. This includes childcare workers,
extended family, and community services. Single parent families are more and more common.
Some families are run by two men or two women. Many people opt to stay single. Was life easier
when gender roles were specific? That depends who you ask. As humans we are always looking
for a happy medium. We want what we don’t have and we have what others want. This is one
personality trait that men and women share. Who takes out the trash in your family?
QUESTIONS
1-Do you see yourself as a typical man or woman? Why or why not?
2-In your country are the responsibilities of a mother the same as the responsibilities of a father
to their families?
3-What are the responsibilities of a father to his family?
4-What are the responsibilities of a mother to her family?
5-Are fathers capable of carrying out the duties of a mother and vice versa?
6-Are there different expectations for sons and daughters?
7-What habits are deemed as appropriate for men but inappropriate for women?
8-What behaviors are deemed as appropriate for men but inappropriate for women?
9-What jobs are deemed as appropriate for men but inappropriate for women?
10-Are more doctors female or male in your country?
11-Are more nurses female or male in your country?
12-Are more professional musicians female or male in your country?
13-Are more teachers female or male in your country?
14-Are more truck drivers female or male in your country?
15-Are men and women equal in ability and intelligence?
16-What things can either men or women do that the other cannot do and why?
17-What type of clothing do men wear?
18-What type of clothing do women wear?
19-Can men wear women's clothing or can women wear men's clothing? Why or why not?
20-Can men wear pink clothes?
21-Is it OK for men to cry?
21-Is it OK for women to cry?
22-What do people think of men or women crying?
23-What would people think of a man who backs down from a fight?
24-What would people think of two women involved in a fist fight?
25-Is it OK for men to appear sad?
26-Is it OK for women to appear angry?
27-Is it OK for men to appear weak?
28-Is it common for women and men to take part in sporting activities? Do they take part in the
same type of sporting activities?
29-In your home, who does the cooking, cleaning and household chores?
30-Is it possible for women to join the army in your country?
31-Is it compulsory for men and women to join the army in your country?
32-Do women swear a lot?
33-Are there more male or female managers and executives? Why do you think this is?
34-What jobs do men do and women not do in your country?
35-Who is regarded as the head of the family?
36-Should boys and girls be brought up differently?
37-Should boys and girls be treated differently on the part of the parents?
38-What would happen if your parents changed their place for one day?
39-How would the world look like without men?
40-How would the world look like without women?
41-When a woman and a man are together, who does most of the talking? What makes you
think so?
42-Can a man and a woman be only friends?
43-Do men/men friendships differ from women/men or women/women friendships? How?
44-Who do you think has life easier, girls or guys? Why?
45-Are you happy being the gender you are?
46-What would you like to do that you can’t do now if you changed gender?
47-Are men and women very different?
48-Do you think men and women have different brains?
49-Are there different laws in your country depending on your gender?
50-Can people in your country change their gender under the law?
51-Why do you think some people want to change their legal gender?
52-Why are Gods generally seen as being men?
53-Do men and women live in different cultures?
54-Is it OK for boys to play with girls’ toys and vice versa?
55-Are men or women bigger risk takers? Why do you think so
56-Why do you think men are more aggressive than women?
57-Are there differences in the ways men and women communicate?
58-Do you think men or women are happier?
59-Are their different barriers for men and women at work?
60-Are gender roles changing in your country?
61-Do you prefer working with men or women? Do you prefer to have a female or a male boss?
Give your reasons.
62-Some bars or nightclubs offer free entry to women on ladies’ nights. How do you feel about
this practice?
63-Should a man hold a door for a woman because she is a woman? Why might this practice
annoy some women?
64-Has your country ever had a female leader? Does the gender of a leader make a difference?
65-Do women face more barriers to succeeding in business than men?
66-Should women be able to fight on the front-line in the military? Can you think of any reasons
against this?
