A Woman's Role in Today's Society

Women in Medieval Europe lived the life one may expect them to live from the 5th and 15th centuries. We know today that women are treated equal compared to men (in most cases), and we also know that Women were not always given the freedoms that they have today. This was no different in Medieval Europe during these times. Women were expected to hold jobs in which they took care of children and tended the household, occasionally helping their husbands with crops during the busy part of the planting year (bl.uk). Also as we would expect, men had complete power and say in the relationship (wikipedia.org). Women lived a lot more different back in Medieval times than they do today, but it was their lifestyle, and they did what society asked of them, whether they wanted to or not.

Women and men are nestled into predetermined cultural molds when it comes to gender in American society. Women play the roles of mothers, housekeepers, and servants to their husbands and children, and men act as providers, protectors, and heads of the household. These gender roles stem from the many culture myths that exist pertaining to America, including those of the model family, education, liberty, and of gender. The majority of these myths are misconceptions, but linger because we, as Americans, do not analyze or question them. The misconception of gender suggests that biological truths no longer dictate our gender roles as men and women; they derive from cultural myths. We, as a nation, need

use of fighting for a vote if we have not got a country to vote in?"

In the early American colonies, women who had money, schooling, or special skills were sometimes able to hold the upper hand in their household. Unfortunately, most women in the patriarchal family, did not have as many rights. They were to perform different everyday jobs and were rightfully controlled by

Over the years women have made huge changes in their daily lives and culture. Today we see women running for president, they hold high positions in their jobs, and some of our leaders our women. Although life as a woman isn’t completely equal as a man, women continue to fight for the rights they lack. The start of change in women’s life can be traced all the way back to the Elizabethan Era. In Shakespeare’s time women might not have been seen like they have a lot of power, but in reality they were given more power than other parts of Europe. For example, Elizabeth I held power as the queen of England and really helped develop England when it came to religion. Although having a female hold power caused anxiety during this time to the public, women continued to influence the culture of the time. (Marvel 39). In the Elizabethan Era, women influenced culture by their life at home, their jobs,

In July 1848, the Seneca Falls Convention, held by Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott, became the first meeting to be held on behalf of women’s rights. It was at this convention that the Declaration of Sentiments was drafted, and modeled after the Declaration of Independence by asserting the equality of men and women throughout the document. This was to show that men were not the only one who had the right to equality, but also woman. At the time, not everyone, even women, believe in the the idea of women being equal to men because in this century it was believe women were fragile creatures who only live within the domestic and social sphere. Within the past few decades the role of women in America changed dramatically; they have right to vote, to education, to work, etc. Yet substantial inequalities remain between women and men.

Oceania is the vast swath of the South Pacific islands that lie beyond Southeast Asia. Divided into regions in 1831 by “geographical, racial and linguistic distinctions” by the French explorer Jules Dumont d’Urville (Kliener, p. 1104). While the islands were discovered by Europeans in the 16th century, it is clear that these Oceanic cultures and people existed far in advance of their discovery. Kliener states that these cultures and people “inhabited the islands for tens of thousands of years” (p. 1104). Expansive exploration and migration brought explorers to these islands through the 19th century, the likes of which caused various types of turmoil for the local people. While colonization and exploration caused riffs for the locals, it also

Modernism is the term of deviating from the norm. In the early 1900s, modernism influenced women’s role in society by providing more opportunities, jobs, and role models for girls today, in society.

In her essay, “Housewives and Homework: The Lacemakers of Narsapur,” Chandra Talpade Mohanty focused on how men sold products that women produced and profited from women’s work. The essay basically pointed out how work can be defined according to sexual identity. It made me wonder if American women are still perceived by men in society as being housewives even though some of us are doctors, lawyers, teachers etc. Is the work that women do seen as what Mohanty pointed out in her essay as “leisure time activities”? I think that to some extent men believe that women’s sole purpose on Earth is to be their wives/partners and to be good mothers to their children. Even though we “leisurely,” as Mohanty so

Throughout this paper I will be discussing the role of women in the American society. I will reference the importance of gender and gender inequality. The definition of gender aims to clarify for of all the historical framework of the topic, the role of women in the American society. The paper will lead from the role women were given around World War II and then transition into the role women can now choose in the American society today. Addition to the role of women I will also discuss the differences of how the genders are treated in the same places, for example work place. Men and women are culturally molded when referring to gender in the American society. The gender roles play a lead part into how the model family, education, and liberty are. The reason I chose to write about this topic is due to my strong belief that although I don’t agree with the characteristics society gave to gender, I do believe in gender equality.

In the early 1800’s, the life of women was that of many obligations and few choices. In this time period, a majority of the world, if not all of it was very much living a patriarchal society. “When modern historians and sociologists describe a ‘patriarchal society’ they mean that men hold the positions of power: head of the family unit, leaders of social groups, bosses in the workplace and heads of government.” (AboutEducation.com, 2015)

A women's role has changed tremendously and is making its greatest impact in our society today. Many years ago, women's contribution to society was limited and controlled by men. Women are standing tall and are playing a major role in many important areas. Women's role has changed at an accelerating rate and have part in areas such as Politics, Professional Training Jobs, Medicine,Business and Law. Formerly they were not part of any political matter, but they have advanced in many aspects. For example, women have attained power and have been growing in political office.

Despite being under the rule of a female monarch, women faced many inequalities and suffering during the Victorian age. Examples of these inequalities include not having the right to vote, unequal educational and employment opportunities. Women were even denied the legal right to divorce in most cases. As the Norton Anthology states, these debates over women’s rights and their roles came to be known as the “woman question” by the Victorians. This lead to many conflicting struggles, such as the desire by all for women to be educated, yet they are denied the same opportunities afforded to men. While these women faced these difficulties, there was also the notion that women should be domestic and feminine. There was an ideal that women should be submissive and pure because they are naturally different. The industrial revolution introduced women into the labor workforce, but there was still a conflict between the two identities; one of an employed woman, and one of a domestic housewife.

In the words of pop singer and ardent feminist P!nk, “Women have fought so long and hard for our rights and equality, and now all our attention is put on being a size 0.” P!nk’s hit song “Stupid Girls”, released with her 2006 album I’m Not Dead, provides a commentary on society’s perception of a woman’s role and how women respond to that perception. She rejects the foundations of the stereotype that women exist as subordinate to men, while challenging the behavior of women who conform to these societal expectations in order to please men. Although she composed the piece to encourage women to take pride in intelligence, the song has come under critique for “slut-shaming” by stereotyping women who focus on external appearance, labeling them as “stupid”. The piece simultaneously demeans and empowers women, demonstrating just one of the many flaws in the feminist movement that exist today.

The social role which I feel that I occupy and that I am going to focus on in this essay is the one of a women in this society. I believe I have been socialized into this role for numerous reasons. Throughout this paper I will explain how I think I have been socialized into this role.