Society has defined roles of people depending on various aspects. Arguably, the most influential aspect that is used to determine the roles of people in society is gender. Though changes in time has really changed the way community uses gender in determining how one conducts his or her life, gender still plays a significant role in our community. Women cannot engage in some activities while men view some chores as being specifically feminine.
While men have been able to develop themselves quite easily since historical times, women have had to endure various obstacles that have been specifically meant to deter their efforts. It is important also to note that the way gender is used in society particularly in public life is different among various societies. While women in most developing countries have limited public opportunities their counterparts from developed nations have higher chances.
To begin with, it would be important to define what is meant by gender and gender differences for that matter. While many people assume that sex and gender is one and the same thing, the same is not the case. Sex refers to inborn characteristics that are used to differentiate between a male and a female human being (Jiwani 175).
On the other hand, gender refers to the traits that society has associated with the fact of a person being a man or a woman. Society assumes that men and women have different physical and mental characters that require different treatment. In this regard, society has over years made people to belief that different roles and behaviors are expected of a person depending on whether the person is a man or a woman. It is important to note that gender roles and differences change over time and they are not the same among different cultures.
Gender influences everything including lifestyle of people. Moreover, gender has been used in some communities to regulate the access that people have to various resources including land, education, political power and financial services. Ideas about gender rule everyday lives of people in every sector of the society.
They determine the roles and responsibilities of people in the family and the community at large. Division of labor is based on gender differences as outlined in every community (Ghanim 92). Educational, professional and other opportunities of advancement are all dependent on gender.
It should be noted that throughout history, women have been disadvantaged as far as gender differences is concerned. Women have been made to believe that their work is only domestic. Yes, they are involved in production but their productivity is low with most of it going unpaid. There are a lot of obstacles that women come across in their endeavors to empower themselves.
Firstly, economic resources are usually limited for women who are then unable to have the economic power that will make their public life significant. In this regard, only few women have had the opportunity of making it to the public limelight. It is important to note that these obstacles were more pronounced in traditional times a reason as to why very few women were public figures then. Secondly, discrimination against women in employment is prevalent (Martin 117).
Women have limited opportunities on the ranks they can hold in various organizations or even the careers to choose from. This coupled with the limited opportunities that women have to access higher education has limited chances of women to participate on national issues (Bruckner 115). Nevertheless, women have in the recent years seen a reduction in some of the obstacles that hinder their participation especially in the labor market though the obstacles have not been fully eliminated.
Gender stereotypes continue to affect women in every sector of the society. In most societies, women are taken as weak people who are very emotional and therefore would not be able to deal with tough national issues. Consequently, people have been very skeptical when it comes to having women leaders. All over the world, women politicians face heavy challenges in their careers.
They first of all lack the economic resources that are necessary to mobilize the electorate to support them. Besides, people are rarely willing to support women candidates for any political seat. Moreover, women have always to double up as family overseers thus reducing the length of time they can dedicate to productive work. This reduces their income and thus economically impairs the women (Ghanim 67). It is also important to note that most employers pay women less compared to men for the same job description.
Due to the above factors, the number of poor women has been increasing over the years. While men go to work in the manufacturing or the mining sector where their income is higher, women are left to take care of the children and tender for crops. It should be noted that they lack resources to improve agricultural production thus their output in very low.
The disintegration of traditional social structures is not doing any good to women. They have become single mothers because of the increased divorce rates due to what has been described as modernity or westernization. Poverty becomes a burden to women than men because in the event that any family lacks the economic power to send all the children to school, the female children are forced to drop out so that their brothers can be educated.
Unfortunately, girls are forced into early marriages especially in developing nations and this totally halts any development plans they might have had. Similarly, even where education is available for both men and women, women find it hard to advance their education especially after getting married.
While nothing prevents men from furthering their education, women have to choose between taking care of their family and studying; the first option always prevails (Jiwani 127). Consequently, educational gaps between men and women are significant thus limiting chances of women to make their public life any good. The fact that this has increased dependency of women on men has actually worsened that issue (Wollstonecraft 35).
As noted there before, gender differences differ from one community to the other and from time to time. What was considered as feminine roles in the 1800s is not necessarily taken to be so nowadays. What Asia considers as roles of men in society or national aspects are not necessarily the same in other parts of the world especially North America. In Asia, poverty levels are high than they are in North America.
Consequently, discrimination based on gender is so rampant in several Asian countries. In all aspects of the economy, the Asian culture has made women to play second fiddle to men (Andersen 6). Cultural stereotypes were impended in social structures historically and this has made women economically underdeveloped compared to women. Nonetheless, discrimination based on gender differs from cultural background to another. Women have limited access to education and medical institutions and this has hindered their enhancement.
Domestic violence is much pronounced in some cultures. Women are exposed to violence early in life given that early marriages are very common. It is important to note that due to low average levels of income, literacy levels among women are low in many Asian countries. Consequently, women usually do not compete favorably with men on several aspects. As a result, most women are relegated to be just doing house chores and other low paying mostly part time jobs.
Not very many women are found in influential positions in society. This is because not only are women less educated but they are also made to believe that higher job positions require a lot of time which they do not have. The fact that extended families are an order of the day in most Asian countries, the role of women is made more difficult. Women have to take care of the in-laws, children and the extended family at large which highly reduces the time they have to engage in other activities (Pizan 176).
In their role as family caretakers, women are supposed to shelf any dream or ambition that they may have for the sake of the family. In this regard, whenever the family does not agree with anything a woman wants to do, she is obliged to surrender it. Women in other Asian countries for example Pakistan are viewed as commodities that can be owned by men.
Therefore, when a woman is married she automatically becomes a property of her husband who determines what she can or cannot do (Andersen 16). It is important to note that men have used this chance to adversely limit the opportunities that are available for women.
Moreover, men solely dominate the process of decision making both at domestic and national levels. As a result, women have been culturally trained to respect anything the man says no matter how wrong it may sound. This cultural believe has made women subordinate to men and ensured that women do not succeed in life. Religion has also been used to reinforce the misconceptions about gender differences in Asia.
Among primitive ideas that have been advanced by religion is that women are supposed to adhere to what their husbands say without question. This has subjugated women into being servants of men. All these have worked against women who have now found themselves at the periphery regarding almost every issue (Pizan 177). However, there has been increased lobbying for women rights and gender equality in recent years across Asia.
On the other hand, North America has really developed especially in the years following World War II. Though traditionally women were supposed to remain at home and take care of the family that has really changed. Ancient behaviors and attitudes have really transformed making the presence of women in various national issues common.
Women have seen increased employment opportunities compared to other parts of the world. There is increased information about sexual harassment and gender equality among the countries of North America. As a result, programs have been instituted that are aimed at ensuring that women have the same opportunities as men. This has increased the number of women working in various sectors of the economy.
Nevertheless, it should be noted that women still earn low salaries on average than their male counterparts for the same job descriptions. On the same note, it can be noted that there are very few women politicians in North America. This is because people still have the stereotype that women cannot make good leaders.
Specifically, United States of America has never had a woman president since independence. Some studies have shown that women rarely get opportunities to become managers in either public or private corporations. There are some restrictions that are put in place to ensure that women cannot rise beyond given levels.
It is important to note that though many things may have changed regarding the way gender is viewed in the American society, some ideas have remained predominantly the same. Women are still seen as the people responsible for taking care of domestic chores. Though nowadays men assist their wives in doing house chores, the bulky of the job is done by women.
It is the role of women to prepare their children for school every morning while men simply wake up and prepare themselves for work. In case of any medical situation involving children, it is the women who are expected to attend to the same and even stay out of work if need be.
There is increasing understanding between men and women and cases of domestic violence are minimal in North America compared to Asian communities. Relationships at work places have been improved with all employees treated equally. Educational opportunities are equally available for both men and women who are ready to study.
Since women no longer have to take care of house chores single handedly, they have increased opportunities of enhancing their education levels. Moreover, women are not restricted on the type of employment they can seek which has seen women join careers that were preserved for men. The hours that women can work have increased because men are willing to assist women in house chores. This has increased the income of women averagely as well as raising living standards of families.
Nevertheless, there are sporadic cases where women are reported to be disadvantaged. Some men still think that women cannot be able to individually make good decisions. Therefore, these men are not ready to share any success they achieve with women either at work place or at home. Men still hold key positions in various economic sectors and women fighting for these positions face challenges given that they lack the necessary resources.
Gender stereotyping is a reality that we have to deal with in our society. Various cultures in the world define roles of people depending on whether the person is a man or a woman. In all these, it is women who have been on the receiving end. Increased educational levels will go a long way in enhancing gender equality.
Both men and women should be given the same education in the same institutions to give them equal competing opportunities (Wollstonecraft 36). It is important to note that in economies where women are empowered, living standards are high. However, traditional roles have greatly changed in various cultures with the wake of globalization which is more or less integrating the world.
Works Cited
Andersen, Margaret L. and Howard F. Taylor. Sociology: Understanding a Diverse Society. Stanford: Cengage Learning, 2006. Print.
Bruckner, Hannah. Gender Inequality in the Life Course: Social Change and Stability in West Germany 1975-1995. Piscataway: Transactions Publishers, 2004. Print.
Ghanim, David. Gender and Violence in the Middle East. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO, 2009. Print.
Jiwani, Yasmin. Discourses of Denial: Mediations of Race, Gender, and Violence. Vancouver: UBC Press, 2011. Print.
Martin, Terry L., and Kenneth J. Doka. Men Don’t Cry—Women Do: Transcending Gender Stereotypes of Grief. New York: Taylor and Francis, 2000. Print.
Pizan, Christine De. “The Treasure of the City of Ladies.” Reading the World: Ideas that Matter. Michael Austin. New York: W W Norton & Company Incorporated, 2010. 175-184. Print.
Wollstonecraft, Mary. “On National Education.” Reading the World: Ideas that Matter. Michael Austin. New York: W W Norton & Company Incorporated, 2010. 35-38. Print.