Gender Roles In My Family

Life has its way of turning an individual’s attention to better understanding the overall course of life. One may experience different transitions, and turning points as well as particular life events and family experiences that may influence the developmental trajectories of life. The Moore Family- Ed, Jessica, Derrick, Terrance, Debbie and Barbara- all have stories that have unfolded over a period of time. One of the useful ways I will attempt to explain the Moore’s family stories, and the relationship between time and human behavior, is the life course perspective. The life course perspective maintains that chronological age, relationships, common life transitions, and social change shape people’s lives from birth to death (Hutchinson, 2013). Timing is very important.

After analyzing the hit TV show “Leave it To Beaver,” I noticed how different the gender roles, both male and female, are portrayed much differently than our modern-day gender roles. For example, in the YouTube clip: “Beavers Big Contest,” it seemed that the mother was staying home, cleaning the house, folding the laundry, etc. while the father was working all day. As mentioned in chapter 3, the husband was most definitely responsible for the families’ economic survival. We still have these kinds of situations today, but there are also many more families where the roles are reversed and the family is depending on the woman for their economic survival. Aside from that, the family relationships that were observed also seemed slightly different than the relationship I have with my family. For example, everybody in the family was present. Moreover, there wasn’t any separation or divorce. Today, divorce in families is much more common and often expected. Also, Beaver would always refer to his father as sir. I know that my family does not use the terms ‘sir’ or ‘ma’am’ while addressing each other. I also haven’t seen

My concept of gender roles are very different from my parents. To compare; my father believes that a women should stay home but if the father couldn’t provide then the women should work. While this view isn’t completely negative, it is a very

However, the boys were viewed as “that’s just how boys are”. The gender roles were clearly reflected within out household. Boys had the expectations of getting a good job and provide for their family when they married. Girls were to get married, cook/clean and maintain the household, take care of the children and always remember that they were the moral compass of the family unit.

Women gathered food in groups; they had their own societies for ceremonial activity. They raised their children together until the children were about six or seven, at which point boys generally were sent to spend time with male relatives to be taught their roles in life. Girls remained with their mothers, learning the roles that they would eventually endeavor (Finch 44).

In this session, I will discuss the gender roles in my family. The definition of gender role is the degree to which a person adopts the gender-specific behaviors ascribed by his or her culture (Matsumoto, D. R., & Juang 2013, 156). For example, traditional gender roles recommend that males are aggressive, angry, and unemotional. It goes further and explains that the male should leave the home every day to make a living and be the main wage earner. The traditional gender role for the female purpose is to stay at home and care for the children. It explains that the female is to be nurturing, caring, and emotional (Matsumoto, D. R., & Juang 2013, 156). These traditional roles for female and male are the opposite of one another. It is believed that the culture is likely to influence our perception about gender role in a family. In my family, my parents utilize the traditional gender role. Growing up, my father went to work every day and my mother stayed home with me and my sister. I believe my parents were influence by their parents and their culture to be traditional gender role parents. My father explained to me that they chose traditional parenting role because both sides of the family utilized traditional parenting gender roles. I believe my parents felt pressure to obtain the gender roles of the mother staying home with the children while the father worked. However, when my younger sister was old enough to go to school, my mother started to work. It was believed that when

There are traditional gender roles for both men and women that where designed to define the difference between genders. Males are expected to separate themselves from anything deemed feminine such as dolls. They should also have a successful occupation, one that provides not just for them but also a family. Finally men should display a demeanor of confidence, toughness and self-reliance while not expressing emotions or being sensitive unless the male desires being humiliated. Females should be attentive, physically attractive listeners who shower their male counterparts with affection after every accomplishment. She also should put her families, to include children, need before her own. It is also important to note that the traditional woman is not competitive as that is a trait reserved for males. Stressors accompany individuals trying to fulfill what are conceived traditional genders by place restrictions on expanding outside what is preconceived. Depression, confusion, and hopelessness can result as persons try to adhere to what is deemed acceptable by

It is easy to be blind to how different peoples lives are from each other. We are so fixed in our habits that we forget to think about how every one of our actions is influential to other individuals. As I have practiced thinking like a sociologist over the course of four months, I have practiced looking at the world with a bigger lens rather than my narrow-minded viewpoint. C. Wright Mills coined the term “the sociological imagination,” which is the importance of viewing the world as a whole and how everyone plays a part in it. We can not just rely on ourselves and our own experiences to know what the world is all about. Being the second youngest of eleven children certainly doesn’t seem normal, but the area I grew up in, my household

With the passing of my mother, I no longer reflect on , defining gender roles within my family anymore. My father role was now the financial provider and homemaker. He took me to school every day, made sure I had dinner each night and when I needed

I personally liked the article for this particular discussion, because it portrays the same way gender roles are developed and played out in American families. However, it is sort of the opposite of how Katniss lives her life in District 12. Essentially, American families will have a male head of house hold with a wife and a couple of children. Therefore, the man will conduct the heavy lifting and the woman is usually taking care of the house work. Furthermore, the gender roles of our society can correlate with how Katniss lives if the man dies and the woman has to take on the role of head of house. She would have to learn to do the heavy lifting so to speak. Katniss learned to hunt and protect her family because their was not a man to fulfill

It appears that toys play a significant role in molding a child’s identity. It seems that pretend play, including social interaction with other children utilizing the pleasures of toys, can shape and influence characteristics that lined up with what is considered gender appropriate in the Western Culture today. The toy section at the local retail store is actually a reflection of narrative taking place in today’s society. It is a puzzle piece that completes an image involving a description of a script with many characters, yet a limited amount of roles.

Families over the course of life face hardships and changes as a natural and predictable aspect of family life.

has begun to form. When we meet a new person, we are instantly judging whether they are male

Gender roles, the public image of being a particular gender that a person presents to others (gender roles, n.d.), have seen many changes through the years, especially in families. The changes can be seen in many aspects, including television shows, from the traditional family in the I Love Lucy sitcom of the 1950s to the plethora of shows about women and men who balance working and family life of the 2000s. A traditional family can be defined as “… the ‘natural reproductive unit’ of mom, pop, and the children all living under one roof… (Ball, 2002).” The 1940s, a period dominated by this type of family, were primarily a time of single-income families where the father was the ‘breadwinner’ and the mother the ‘homemaker (Hayghe, H.V., 1990).’

Today we live in a world that continually stresses to us that, "All men are created equal." While this sounds great at face value, further inspection tells us that this is far from realistic and sadly may never be. One can examine any aspect of society whether it be race, religion, language, level of education, sexual orientation or economic status and notice that there are numerous characteristics and factors of identity that enable others to treat others differently. This truth may not be pleasant or make one feel all warm and fuzzy inside, however it is our society’s reality, however dismal it may be. Even if the statement above as to the equality of all men were true, how about women? Clearly women have made tremendous strides towards