Lit Review Final

docx

School

Colorado Mesa University *

*We aren’t endorsed by this school

Course

382

Subject

English

Date

Jul 2, 2024

Type

docx

Pages

Uploaded by AdmiralMaskElk48

Westmoreland 1 Makayla Westmoreland Professor Davis English 112 13 April 2023 Literature Review - The Gender Role Continuum Gender roles are social constructs that develop and evolve over time. These roles are often dictated by the needs of a society and its environment. Therefore, gender roles vary significantly, depending on the time period and/or religion. Throughout time, humans have faced many different challenges. These challenges forced us to adapt and conquer. The simplest way to face these problems was to take advantage of our biological makeup and our psychological strengths. As the world progressed, our gender roles began to change. From early humans to traditional views, to how we play out gender roles today, society constantly evolves to what roles fit best. Gender roles are defined by the needs of society. Neolithic Gender Roles Humans are chromosomally born male (XY) or female (XX) unless born with chromosomal abnormalities like Turner’s Syndrome or Klinefelter’s Syndrome. The chromosomal differences between males and females cause biological differences. One key difference is the increased levels of testosterone in males. Higher levels of testosterone are linked to more aggression, strength, competitiveness, and visuospatial abilities (Mcleod). Biological differences led to natural gender roles. Gender roles developed during the neolithic era to solve problems encountered by our hunter-gather ancestors to help them survive

Westmoreland 2 and reproduce. The gender role division was an adaptation to the challenges they faced every day. “The two sexes developed different strategies to ensure their survival and reproductive success. (Mcleod)”. Men became the hunters due to their speed, agility, and visual perception, while women grew food, made clothing, and tended to the children. These tasks were seen as equally important, therefore both genders were viewed equal (Nash). Traditional Western Gender Roles As the technology increased, the roles of men and women evolved to adapt to the new ways of life. Women stayed within the home or settlement more, making clothes and tending to more domestic tasks. Traditionally, western societies viewed women more nurturing than men. This belief created a feminine role in which women should only act in ways that nurture. “One way that a woman might engage in the traditional feminine gender role would be to nurture her family by working full-time within the home rather than taking employment outside of the home” (Blackstone). Men, however, needed to be masculine. They were the leaders of the house, the breadwinners. Men provided for their families financially and made important decisions for the household, taking on a more dominant role. Men worked in the fields to grow food, domesticate animals, and hunt. “While children and women did tend to the fields with the men, they were often not as physically capable as the men, and thus began to be valued as less (Nash). The role of the man in western society was more valued than that of the woman. During this time, women had a more submissive gender role. As late as the 1950’s, magazines in the United States were releasing articles directed to women on how to serve their men. In “The Good Wife’s Guide” women were directed to “listen to him”, “have dinner ready”, “prepare yourself”, “touch up your makeup”, and “don’t ask him questions” (Pechar).

Westmoreland 3 Gender Roles Today Gender roles have undergone significant changes in American society over the past few decades. Susan B. Anthony fought for women’s right to vote in 1869. This right was not procured until 1919. The Women’s Suffrage Movement fought for economic and political equity and social reforms (Anonymous). This movement led to another evolution of gender roles. American society slowly gave more women more rights and more independence. More women began working outside of the home and contributing financially to the family. As society and technology changed, the defined gender roles also changed. Women no longer needed a stronger more dominant man to provide for them. There are more single women in the United States today than ever before (Seramount). Women could be educated and join the workforce. “…in many of the modern societies today, there is no need for traditional gender roles, because both men and women are able to do many of the same necessary tasks, thereby making gender- specific behaviors irrelevant (Nash). Family dynamics have changed. In the United States, there has been a societal shift in gender and parenting roles. More fathers are staying home caring for the home and children while mothers are working outside the homes being the breadwinners. In 2021, 2.1 million fathers stayed at home, an 8% increase since 1989. During the last 50 years, dads have become more active parents. Men are spending more time with their children and helping more with the household chores (Kelly). Gender roles today are much more fluid. American society has become more accepting of non-traditional gender roles. Conclusion Sex is something a person is born with, biologically male or female. Gender, however, is something that is learned through societal norms. The evolution of gender roles has been a complex and ongoing process that has varied significantly across time and place. Throughout

Your preview ends here

Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version

Access to all documents
Unlimited textbook solutions
24/7 expert homework help

Westmoreland 4 history, gender roles have taken on many different ideals and needs. Cultural and historical factors play a role in shaping how society views gender and the roles assigned to men and women. While in the past gender roles have been rigidly defined and based on biological sex, societal changes such as industrialization, urbanization, and the rise of feminism have challenged traditional gender norms and paved the way for more fluid and diverse expressions of gender.

Westmoreland 5 Works Cited 10 Banneker 2016, Written By: Joy Nash Grade. “Gender Roles in Modern Society - One World Education.” One World Education -, 23 Aug. 2020, https://www.oneworldeducation.org/our-students-writing/gender-roles-in-modern- society/ . Anonymous. “Women's Suffrage in the Progressive Era: Progressive Era to New Era, 1900-1929 : U.S. History Primary Source Timeline : Classroom Materials at the Library of Congress : Library of Congress.” The Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/classroom-materials/united-states-history-primary-source-timeline/ progressive-era-to-new-era-1900-1929/womens-suffrage-in-progressive-era/ . Kelly, Jack. “The Rise of the Stay-at-Home Dad.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 8 Dec. 2022, https://www.forbes.com/sites/jackkelly/2022/12/07/the-rise-of-the-stay-at-home-dad/? sh=240c6ceb7921. Mcleod, Saul. “Biological Theories of Gender.” Simply Psychology, 16 Feb. 2023, https://www.simplypsychology.org/gender-biology.html . Pechar, Raegan S. “Gender Roles: Then vs Now.” Raegans TED Talk Blog, 17 Mar. 2017, https://sites.psu.edu/toptedtalks/2017/03/17/gender-roles-then-vs-now/ . “Single Women in the Workforce.” Seramount, 27 Aug. 2021, https://seramount.com/research/research-report-single-women-in-workforce/ .

Lit Review Final

Related Documents