In the last 50 years, the role and social functions of women have dramatically been changed due to extreme desire of women to fight for their rights and freedoms. The emergence of feminist movements allows male society to reconsider their attitudes to the roles of women. Specifically, the conventional views on women as mothers, wives, and friends have been blurred with the emergence of emancipated movement leading to the professional equality of women.
More and more females occupy leading positions at the top of managerial ladder by brining in confidence in other women. Significant advances have been achieved by women in educational, industrial, and social sphere. Despite the valuable contribution that women made to the development of society, the role reversal between US men and women is demonstrated most explicitly and painfully in the working class, having significant cultural and political consequences for the development of the American society.
So far, it was hard to imagine that women can occupy the leading positions in industrial, scientific, educational, and political spheres, since men were traditionally believed to be the most suitable for these professional areas. Nowadays, these stereotypes have been blurred and, as a result, a plethora of advances has been introduced to various social and cultural spheres.
In particular, because male prevailing society prevented them from learning, “knowledge…make[s] them question the binding power of the conventions and believes which…would show them how to achieve their freedom” (Barnes, 2009, p. 22). Education, therefore, was the only path to achieve privileges that men had. Moreover, women’s desire to gain advantage over men led to the achievement of the economic independence, as well as advances made in industrial spheres.
The criticism of gender differences has touched on the changes in top corporate positions that were previously taken by men. Thus, the shift of power from men to women has allowed the latter to possess greater control of middle management positions. The statistics shows that “women now hold 51.4 percent of managerial and processional jobs – up from 26.1 percent in 1980” (Rosin, 2010, n. p.).
Because of ongoing suppressions, women activated their aspirations to go through the barriers and acquire professional credentials to prove their knowledge is a valuable asset to the development of society. Thus, women have managed heighten the corporate performance and, therefore, each firm thinking beyond stereotypes ad interested in profits succeeded significantly in recruiting high-potential and skillful women.
Role reversal of American men and women have significantly affected cultural and political atmosphere in the United States. Clair (2011) emphasizes, “given the trends of pushing economy and society, this domination seems like a last gasp of a dying age” (p. 147).
Though male professionals hold about 15 job categories, women have captured the rest, including nursing, teaching, manufacturing, etc. Therefore, the role reversal has made women dominate and become even more independent and confident. As a result, women have become less reliant on men and, as result, the latter are now less independent and resolute.
In conclusion, the advances in various facets of societal development have posited women to higher professional positions. Advances made in education, industry, and leadership has significantly feminized the modern culture. Men become more development on women’s culture and companies encourage gifted and promising women to apply for their positions.
References
Barnes, E. (2009). Woman in Modern Society. US: Echo Library.
Clair, M. (2011). So Much, So Fast, So Little Time: Coming to Terms with Rapid Change and its Consequences. US: ABC-CLIO.
Rosin, H. (2010). The End of Men. The Atlantic. Web.