Gender Roles
Gender relations are not only present in major institutions but also that they are systematically important to them. In the school system, for example, a perfectly potential institution, the politics of gender play an active role. Through various activities offered by and run within the school, like dancing, sports, debate, art, and other extracurricular activities a distinct practice can be noted that begins to define and divide gender roles, conceiving rigid spheres of masculinity and femininity for its students to live by. Even the staff at such schools are subjected to certain gender regimes within their working environments. Practices ranging from class room attitude, discipline, and choice of subject matter, to administration and advancement through promotion, contribute in creating and shaping gender boundaries, a distinct separation between masculinity and femininity, a sexual division of labor under which the staff must function. In the realm of the family, gender has a marked role. Family is both an essential component and product of society. It is characterized by many deep, emotional and complex relationships. The sexual division of labor and gender structures plays a very precise role in family functions and well reco
gnized throughout society as a factor. According to Professor Dunn September 15, 1999 "We live in a patriarchy society where male domination rule and has been ruling for years". Some people might say "Men contribute less labor in the home while enjoying the services women provide as wives thus concentrating their efforts in paid employment". The sexual division sheds light on a woman's role in society and is ultimately determined by the man in his role and more importantly his wage, which itself is determined by his place in a capitalistic society. The notion of "women subordinated to men reappears in a long series of sociological researches on families in different countries, together with the ideology of masculine authority that support it". Career and wage influence domestic power, which in turn influences the division of labor. It is the male that attains the fruitful career, for it is his role in the family, while the wife is responsible for maintaining and sustaining the family in ways not fully recognized by but essential to capitalism. Women are limited in their career pursuits by responsibilities at home and dependency on the husband. This ultimately results in the polarization of male and female ability and behavior. Woman, limited by society and its treatment of men are forced to assume characteristics associated with family life and domesticity. The character of women is therefore confined to what restrictions and opportunities it is presented with by men. Society and family perpetuates this injustice and therefore creates a distinct separation in roles and enacts a specific gender structure by which men and women are essentially confined
Some common words found in the essay are:
Dunn September, , masculinity femininity, division labor, sexual division, sexual division labor, gender structure, role family, society ultimately, structure gender, institution street, structure power, gender boundaries,
Approximate Word count = 1119
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)
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