Social Stigmas and Gender Roles Essay Example for Free

Social Stigmas and Gender Roles Essay Social stigmas accompany every one of life’s categories – especially male and female. Gender-based stereotypes – existent since the beginning of time – help in both the advancement and hindrance of the sexes and of society. Gender roles helped create society. They generated a world in which the man went out into the world in order to work and provide monetarily for his family while the woman stayed in the home, working hardly to accomplish the couple’s domestic responsibilities and to raise the couple’s children. This traditional notion of the roles of genders enabled families to function in history; however, in the modern-day era, this notion only thwarts progress. As women travel out into the work place, they are not treated as the equals of men. The societal perception of the weak, lesser woman still remains, preventing women to become truly equal. On the contrary, gender stereotypes also inhibit the growth of men, causing them to feel compelled to follow the traditional definition of masculinity. Gender should be seen as fluid (with personality characteristics and preferred hobbies that can be demonstrated and admired by both sexes), rather than as a rigid set of characteristics needed to be met. Societal expectations of gender differences should not be forced upon people. Gender roles played a big role in the formation of history. In prehistoric times, women gathered food near their home while their male counterparts hunted for game. While searching for food, the women took responsibility over the children and the cleaning of the house. These roles followed men and women into modern times. The man – venturing out into the world – was always considered to be stronger and worldlier, while the woman was considered to be innocent and naive. During the nineteenth century, women were denied the right to vote because it was seen as something that would tarnish their innocence and disrupt the so-called Cult of Domesticity. Women were also denied the right to vote because it was assumed that they would vote for the same candidates as did their husbands and brothers, thus essentially doubling the vote of the male population (Cayton). Roles that once were beneficial to culture – as during the prehistoric times when necessary labor could be unquestioningly divided between the sexes – now hinder from expansion the very society they created. The same gender ideations that existed in the times of the prehistoric human still determine a lot of today’s social and cultural characteristics. These roles and preconceptions are dramatically outdated and obsolete. In a world where a woman can be the breadwinner of her family, she should not be looked down upon simply because her cells code for XY chromosome sex characteristics. Vice versa, men should not be expected to be perpetually tough and strong. Men who do not fit the mold are immediately ostracized and ousted from society, mocked for their â€Å"feminine† traits. However, personality characteristics should not be assigned to different genders. The association of certain inherent qualities with one gender over the other causes a schism in humankind, separating people into two groups of male and female. The mere grouping of people based on common characteristics leads to the assumption that all people in the category must abide by the decided upon characteristics, or said person will be seen as an anomaly and ousted. The necessity to conform places an undue pressure upon the citizens of the world. This stress manifests itself in a myriad of different (sometimes harmful) ways: a person may become depressed or even suicidal. Many people, in response to intense societal pressure break laws and attack others (such as when people rape or murder others, based on their gender or sexual preferences). Societal perceptions of man and woman should be eradicated; they are much too outdated, specific and assuming for a self-proclaimed â€Å"progressive† society. Although it is clear that current gender roles are extremely outdated and inapplicable, many people still enforce them. Why does this coercion to conform occur? People from all walks of life buy into the theory that men should do certain tasks and women should do others. Why does a world so partisan about most issues suddenly join together in a crusade to maintain the tradition of the separation of genders? Many people enforce gender roles simply because they are accustomed to such notions. People generally fear the idea of change rather than the aspect that should be changed. Meaning, people fear more the act of change rather than the results of change. The masses usually do not like learning how to accept the new. Fear also fosters intolerance, which then leads to the alienation of the people who have the undesirable trait or traits. Some religions also heavily discourage the expression of traits that deviate from the social normal. Not only are expectations of each gender detrimental to society in an economic sense (as women are often not treated equals in the work force and thus not offered the same occupational and pay opportunities), but they also greatly harm society’s social integrity. Women are often victimized for their gender, through crimes as heinous as rape and murder. These cr imes are most often committed because women are seen as weak and sinful creatures, according to old notions. In the Bible is the story of Adam and Eve – the first humans ever to grace the Earth. One day in the Garden of Eden – the cradle of civilization – Eve was seduced by a snake to eat the red apple, the very fruit she was instructed by God to avoid. Eve then coerced Adam to eat the apple as well, and both were punished by God’s wrath accordingly. Whether the Bible tells the truth is up for debate; however, the influence of this book is irrefutable. Religions all over the world follow the word of Genesis as if it were law, reaffirming the belief that women are lesser, irresponsible beings due to the supposed actions of Eve (The Bible). Due to the belief that women are sinful creatures, an excuse – a duty – arises for the mistreatment of women. Men, usually those who have a mental illness, rape and otherwise attack women because they see something inherently wrong with all women, and see it as their duty to correct it. Society pressures men to be macho, thus giving them the twisted idea that they need to victimize women to be so. America’s notion of manhood is â€Å"pitiful,† convincing men that they must be violent and oppressive to be considered men (Theroux). Many women fall victim to female genital mutilation (otherwise known as FGM). Many governments of the world turn a blind eye to this awful human rights violation. One hundred to one hundred and forty girls worldwide are victims of female genital mutilation (WHO). Female genital mutilation occurs usually because women are not respected in society. According to traditional values, males are stronger and more powerful than are females. This notion contributes to why, in some cultures, the genital region of a female is sewn shut. This way the male has to forcible penetrate the female during sexual intercourse, asserting his dominance as a man. Yet in other cultures, the clitoris is removed from the female anatomy before she reaches puberty. This atrocity is committed because the people of these cultures want to preserve the innocence of women. Society expects women to be innocent, pleasant creatures, contributing to some extremes like female genital mutilation. In a gain for the equal rights movement, women can fight in the armed forces (in America, at least). However, this win did not solve all of the problems of women: although they can enlist in and fight for the armed services, they are most often not treated as legitimate soldiers. Not only to they not receive the respect they have earned, but they are also victimized by their fellow soldiers. In 2009, over 2,900 women in the armed forces reported being raped. Out of the 2,974 women who reported a rape or sexual assault, only 292 women even got their day in court, and even fewer got justice. In addition to these shocking statistics, it is estimated that another 80% of women in the military endure a sexual assault but are too scared to report it (Couric). In addition to the rampant nature of rape in the military, officers make it extremely hard for women to report the abuse. The attacker is usually a person of a higher rank so when a victim speaks out, she is disbelieved more than would be for a civilian. These rapes occur for the same reasons civilian rapes occur: men see themselves as of high statuses than those of women. That notion goes back to the prehistoric notions of man and women, and the presumed societal differences between men and women. Women are not taken seriously because of their gender, and thus men try to put them back where the men think they should be through rape and other suck attacks. Although most people see women as getting the short end of the stick as far as societal pressures are concerned, men lose some of their individualism through expectations enforced by society. Males are seen as inhuman, almost, expected to be emotionally stoic and stolid regardless of their situation. Men are traditionally deprived of the privilege of spending time with their children. They are forced out into the cutthroat world of business and finance, giving them little time to spend with their families and forcing them to become the macho, stoic men they are supposed to be. All men do not fit these characteristics; each person has their own personal characteristics that create their being. Personality characteristics should not be associated with a specific gender; the way a person acts is not determined by his or her sex. Men are pressured to be very macho, which leads to them attempting to overpower women and commit many different crimes against them. Also, men portrayed in advertisements are not the average man and the two specimens do not have the same characteristics (Ehrlich). The societal pressure to conform to a specific gender makes many people feel very isolated and alienated from their communities. Lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and transgendered people suffer a lot of backlash from society for expressing their true selves. Lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgendered people (LGBT) discover – from early childhood – that the world is not sympathetic to their plight. LGBT teens are bullied, in schools all across the country and all across the world, to the point of suicide. Many feel forced to keep their sexual orientation a secret. Transgendered people especially are tormented for expressing their true character. A transgendered person is someone who feels that they were born in the wrong body; a male feels like a female and a female feels like a male. Recently, more and more studies have been discovered that say that gender is more fluid than it is rigid: for instance, a boy can still want to be a boy anatomically, but he may want to partake it traditionally more feminine activities (Gash). These people feel extremely alienated because of they believe gender is a personal decision. Some transgendered people can feel like a woman one day, and a man the next (Gash). LGBT people further show why society should not push its expectations upon its citizens. Because of the blind hate and fear society projects, LGBT people are ridiculed and tortured all over the world. This form of bullying is one of the most ruthless forms in existence. Researchers show that LGBT teenagers are at greater risks of suicide and depression than are any other category of people (Soulforce). This country was founded on the soul principle of freedom. If even one person doesn’t have the freedom to express him or herself, can the nation ever be truly free? The Constitution of the United States of America was founded to promote and ensure equality amongst its itizens and amongst the citizens of the world. The preamble states that there are certain inalienable rights that cannot be taken away from the people by their government: life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. If the pursuit of happiness of some citizens is halted because of the pressures and preconceived notions about gender and sexuality, how can Americans claim to live up to the promises of the Constitution (Attendees of the Constitutional Convention). In the Gettysburg Address, late President Lincoln made a speech dedicating a cemetery to fallen soldiers. In the speech, the President referred to a government that was â€Å"of the people, by the people and for the people. † This quotation refers to the fact that the government of the United States of America was founded in order to help the people of the United States of America, and the people first (Lincoln). However, with a government that increases intolerance by throwing around old notions of what a man is and of what a woman is, how can the youth change the future? Gender roles – although previously useful – should not be implemented in today’s modern society, because they only lead to havoc and inequality.