INTEGRATED ACTIVITY

THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN

MEN AND WOMEN IN SOCIETY.

By Andy Linares
Stereotypes about men and women in society
What Are Gender Roles and
Stereotypes?
• Gender roles are stereotypes
regarding attitudes, attributes,
and actions imposed on men
and women based on gender.
• These characteristics are then
attributed to every person of
that gender, often causing
individuals harm and distress.
• Gender roles perpetuate
inequality and greatly affect
minorities that may not be in a
position to reject these
stereotypes.
• Although at first glance many of
these gender stereotypes may
not seem harmful, they often
cause damage anyways.
EXAMPLES
• A common stereotype is that
women should be nurturing
mothers and caregivers.
• Other common gender roles are
much more hurtful and
discriminatory, such as men
having sexual ownership over
their wives.
• NOTE: Naturally, these aggressive
stereotypes have been getting
less and less prevalent. Yet, they
are still common in certain parts
of the world.
What Causes Gender
Roles?

• Experts often discuss the origin of gender

roles — while many attribute them to
biological factors, others point out that it
all comes from sociological aspects.
• Whatever may be the case, it’s clear that
gender roles as we know them today
mostly originated during the Victorian era.
• The Victorian era, which comprises most of
the 19th century, was characterized by
strong ideas regarding the roles of each
gender in society. Mostly, men were
expected to present themselves in public
spheres, such as politics and business.
Women were expected to stay at home,
taking care of the private sphere.
• While not all women and men abided by
these stereotypes, the majority of them
did, meaning that those who didn’t were
seen in a bad light. For example, the
term “New Woman” was often used to
insult women who fought for their right
to higher education and voting.
• Another key element in the history of
gender stereotyping is Marxism, which is
the cornerstone of many postmodern
philosophies. Marx, in his theory, saw all
humans as equal, without regard for
gender or class.
• However, this battle wasn’t entirely
successful. Gender stereotyping is still
prevalent across modern societies, as
Victorian gender roles haven’t fully
disappeared yet.
What Are Some Modern Examples of Gender Roles in Society?

• Women in the kitchen. One of the most common and hurtful stereotypes is that
women should be the ones taking care of the cooking. For example, while men
are expected to leave the house to work a job, women are expected to welcome
them back with prepared meals.
• Domestic chores. In the same vein, some societies also expect women to take
care of most of the chores related to the household. Because they should be the
ones staying at home, things like cleaning, taking care of the kids, and similar
tasks fall to them.
• Masculinity. The idea of masculinity is a stereotype imposed on men, as they are
expected to be strong, muscular, and tall. Personality-wise, this stereotype
dictates that men should de dominant and aggressive, never leaving room for
more measured or sensible thoughts.
• Work and aspirations. Men are often expected to occupy hard and public jobs,
while women are thought of as being more suited for nurturing jobs. For
example, one might think of men as pilots or doctors, while women may be
expected to be nurses or teachers
How Do I Overcome Stereotypes?
• Overcoming the gender roles
assigned to you can be a difficult
task — yet, it’s an important step
to avoid feeling oppressed by
these topics.
• One of the most important aspects • Join your children for an activity that’s not
of overcoming gender roles is
education. Children are sensitive
to ideas such as stereotypes, so it’s
crucial to make them understand,
through teaching and playing, that
women and men are equal.
You can try to:
• Assign chores equally among your children
— for example, try letting your son cook and
let your daughter help you with fixing
something.
usually associated with your gender — if
you’re a man, you could try getting your
nails done with your daughter.
• Give an example of how to deal with gender
stereotypes — many people are used to not
giving respect to an authority figure if she’s a
woman, so try giving the opposite example.