Gender Inequality Essay, Research Paper
Gender inequality is amongst us all in any given society. Although gender is not as simple as may seem. Gender comes into play along with a number of different aspects such as sex, gender and gender roles. Each of these aspects play a significant part when speaking of the different social problems encountered by men and women. Sex makes up the biological differences; of male or female. Gender is the socially learned behaviors that are attached to the sexes (Henslin, p. 322), which create Gender Roles.
Gender roles constitute the attitudes and behaviors that are expected of males and females in a given culture of society. It is these gender roles that give the impact of gender inequality amongst the male and the female sex.
Gender roles are not given at birth, as ones biological sex, they are to be learned and taught amongst those surrounding one at an early age, and the society and culture one lives in. Gender roles are mainly learned and taught by those who have raised them, namely their family. Ones family has the biggest impact on how to perceive their gender. This is because a family institution passes on values and beliefs that are taught and learned to accept at an early age. Although it is not those who raise one whom are to blame for gender inequality. Gender inequality begins during the history of how evolution caused us to be segregated of the two groups of male and female. As an outcome of these gender roles came the affect of gender inequalities, in Family households and in the Workplace. As my research hopes to show, that I believe gender inequalities are learned through ones family and are reflected in the workplace.
History of how evolution taught us to have Gender roles
The history of how we came to be starts in the early ages of the Homo erectus. It is the age of evolution that we see significant changes in the male and female body. At this age we see that the bodies of males and females differed slightly, due to bone structures. Trends in the division of labor were established early in evolution and became amplified with the emergence of the big brained Homo erectus. A bigger brain necessitated a size increase in the birth canal and female pelvis. These and other physical changes exaggerated sex differences in the division of labor relative to the hunting vs. gathering stages (Joseph, p. 35). This era of the evolution of humans, shows how the female is the nurturing, due to her birth canal and reproductive organs, and the male is the hunter due to his difference of body from the female. So with the assumption in mind that the female has the ability to reproduce, we assume that she is the gatherer because of her lack of physical strength, and that the male is the hunter due to his inability to reproduce, gives him more advantage of physical strength. In these Hunter-Gatherer societies, pregnant women stayed permanently in certain areas taking care of children, and collecting and preparing food. Men were in charge of hunting and defense. Given the scarcities of resources in these societies it might have been possible that the effects of biological difference were most extreme, determining the sort of activities of men and women. A study conducted by R. Joseph Ph. D, found that female primates produce more social and emotional vocalizations and engaged in more tool use and gathering activities, whereas males tend to hunt and kill (Joseph, Ph. D, p. 35). With this division of labor amongst those of the relative primate family, which has the closest representation to humans, reflects how both male and female grow to have their own set of roles, dating back to the time of Homo erectus hunter gatherers.
Working with the aspect of growing roles, the mere fact that male and females distinctively have their own set of roles, will reflect on their reproduction of children. Gender role theories noted by leading sociologist and psychologist suggest, That an individuals attention and behavior are guided by an internal motivation to confirm to gender-biased sociocultural standards and stereotypes ( Halonen and Stantrock, p. 184). This occurs in children as young as one year of age, in which boys wear blue and are offered masculine toys, and girls are dressed in pink, and are adorned with feminine toys. Which is believed that aggressive behavior is socially accepted with males, and a more passive approach is use with females. These roles of masculinity and femininity are a factor of sex-role learning that begins during early childhood (Davidson and Neale, p. 237). A survey conducted by the graduate students of the sociology and gender class found that 70% of those surveyed listed their parents as a primary source for learning about sex and gender. This concludes how there is no doubt why male and female gender roles are learned at such an early age.
Gender Inequality in the Household
Since gender roles are learned at a young age, women and men find themselves fitting into where they should be in a family institution. In a family women hold most of the responsibility in keeping it together and the men are known to be the financial breadwinners of the family. Women take the role of the mother, the nurturer, the caretaker, the cook, the cleaner and the lover. This is an overwhelming amount of work that she must take on, but in the long run the male takes the credit in his nature of supporting the entire family. Since we have these expectations of women and men, we underestimate the ability to try new things. For example, if a woman goes out to get a job, she will be segregated against because of her gender. And it is also assumed that men will not handle the household responsibilities as a woman. With this gender inequality in the family life, men and women are treated differently beyond their home. Women are out of the house doing her part of the shopping and men are out working getting things done and getting paid for it. It is this aspect of getting paid for work that is over looked in the female perspective. Women do not get paid to hold the responsibility of the household; they receive the acknowledgment that she is doing what is taught of her. This is a gender inequality that affects mainly the women. This underestimation of women in the workforce, implies to society that she is out of place and is treated so in such an institution.
Gender Inequality affect in the workplace
By reason of family impact on gender roles, gender inequality plays a big part in the workplace. These problems are the lead factors that separate the males from the females. Gender inequality is mainly noticed in the work place. These include sex segregation, differences in authority, and inequalities in promotions and pay. According to Reskin and Padavic, there are three dimensions involved in gender inequality: sexual division of labor, devaluation of jobs labeled as women s jobs , and social construction of gender on the job. Many factors contribute to the inequality experienced by men and women, such as sex differences in preferences and productivity, cultural beliefs, men efforts and employers actions.
Discrimination is tied in with gender inequality and is what causes problems in our workforce. Career discrimination in women is seen in the discouragement of entering certain fields of work, such as the sciences, mechanical, engineering, police and administration fields (Schmolling et al. 33). The term women s work is often thought less prestigious than jobs held by the opposite sex. This is a form of devaluation of female s jobs. Women are hired into less desirable jobs and one a job becomes associated with women, it is devaluated in the organizational context ( Tomaskovic-devey, p. 24). Segregation not only depresses the wages of women; it circumscribes their goals, aspirations, and options (Stone p. 408). Many women tend to choose jobs labeled as women jobs such as teachers, nurses, social workers, or librarians, in order to succeed within their occupation. This puts down females in the workplace, due to the gender roles learned. Women were grown to be the more feminine, and men as masculine. Due to this assumption that men and women are of different spectrums, it is believed that women cannot do what the men do and vice-versa, so acknowledgment when one does cross over shows in the lack of credit one receives in trying to do the unexpected. It is found and researched that with the same amount of educational background, women hold less supervisor positions and receive lower pay for the same job as men; further more, women are receiving a mere sixty-nine percent of what a man makes at the same job, up to only 4.6 since 1955 (Lauer, p. 275). Furthermore, promotions are variable by sex and class: men have more promotions than women and more of them take place at the top of occupational hierarchies where women are less well represented (Walby, p. 25). Traditionally, a woman s gender role in society is of a homemaker; a man’s gender role is that of the financial breadwinner. Due to that role that is embedded into our society pertaining to males and female gender, women are the largest minority, due to these gender inequalities in the work force.
By having this separation of the sexes through gender inequalities, we learn that it is a social problem that should be resolved. Gender inequality is a social problem, and guidelines that can be followed to begin an elimination of this social problem. First of all there should be more child care center for working mothers, to help enable mothers to work and have their children taken care of at the same time. Secondly, establish family leaves laws, so a mother is not threatened with the fact of being accused of child neglect or endangerment. Thirdly, there must be changes in education so that women and men are not socialized into subservient or dominant gender roles. Fourthly, affirmative action programs should be established in the workforce, so that government funds would be withheld from employers who do not comply with the guidelines. Fifth, establish comparable work with comparable pay, equal pay for equal work among men and women. Sixth, sexual harassment laws need to be enforced so that men are not dominating women because of their power. Finally, equal employment opportunities should be administered throughout the states to guarantee equal education and equal economic fairness among the different sexes.
Although these guidelines are farfetched, it gives society a foundation to start on the equalization of gender inequality. Since women tend to be the largest minority regarding gender equalities in the workforce as well as in the households, gender inequality will always be a social problem. It is a social problem that has changed somewhat in the past years, through women having some gain, there continues to be great gaps in equality in the workplace and in family institutions. Until these gaps are bridged, equal pay, promotionability, and recognition for equal work will remain a roadblock for most career-oriented women in society.
Другие работы по теме:
Feminism Essay Research Paper Of what historic
Feminism Essay, Research Paper Of what historic and contemporary concern is it that the architecture profession has been, and continues to be, strongly male dominated in Australia (currently 90% of registered architects in NSW are men). Ideally, what proportion of the profession should women occupy and why?
Sex Vs Gender Essay Research Paper Group
Sex Vs. Gender Essay, Research Paper Group D: Sex Vs. Gender A person is born either male or female, however according to Mead the roles of males and females are conditioned by that person’s given culture. There were two articles studied by Group D, the first one tries to prove that men or women can be the aggressive sex, while the second article deals on which sex talks more and why.
Gender Selection Essay Research Paper The Future
Gender Selection Essay, Research Paper The Future is here The idea of being able to choose the gender of a child has not always been around. This controversy did not come about until recently because now we have the technology to perform this act of sex determination. Some say that we should be able to choose the gender of our children.
Dream World Essay Research Paper Dream WorldIn
Dream World Essay, Research Paper Dream WorldIn the nineties, the number one advertisement that sells products is sex. Face it, sex sells. Consumers buy the products that catch their eye and having sex as an advertisement source, surely helps. MTV and gender ads are linked in a big way. In gender ads such as “Bongo jeans” and “Revlon”, beautiful models are featured and that makes people watch the commercial.
The Gender Gap Essay Research Paper When
The Gender Gap Essay, Research Paper When a girl falls down, her parents immediately give their hands. However, when a boy does, his parents expect he rises for himself without their help unless he is very little and weak. Despite most parents’ saying that they do not want their children to behave and think in stereotypical ways, they treat their children differently based on the child’s gender.
Gender Essay Research Paper On July 19
Gender Essay, Research Paper On July 19, 1848, one of the most important conventions for womens’ rights was held in Seneca Falls, New York. This was the first convention of the kind ever held. Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony were the main hosts. Their purpose was to convince the American citizens, men and women, of the inequality of women s current position in the American society.
The Difference Between Men
& Women Essay, Research Paper Having been a member of the female gender for almost twenty years, I?ve come to realize the differences between men and women are like night and day.
Turner Thesis Essay Research Paper Fredrick Jackson
Turner Thesis Essay, Research Paper Fredrick Jackson Turner developed the thesis that the American West created and reinforced the American ideals of: equality, democracy, opportunity, and individualism. I disagree with Turner?s thesis and feel that the American West created just the opposite. It created a period of inopportunity and inequality especially between the rich and the poor classes of the time period.
Gender Roles Essay Research Paper A View
Gender Roles Essay, Research Paper A View on Gender Roles While having read “The Yellow Wallpaper”, by Gillman, I have realized that much is to be said about early roles of women and how psychology tied into them. The hardships of the lives of women were not dwelled upon as if it were a man’s life. Most if not all of the females of this era had specific gender roles that were followed.
Facism Essay Research Paper Throughout time the
Facism Essay, Research Paper Throughout time the debate upon which is the best system of government has been ongoing. Somewhere between the realms of democracy, socialism, fascism, communism, and monarchism lies the answer to the perfect system. Traditionally speaking, North America has always tried to remain democratic.
Feminism Essay Research Paper Feminism PaperThe goal
Feminism Essay, Research Paper Feminism Paper The goal of this paper is to describe and analyze gender inequality, focusing on the history of feminist ideas. I will start with a basic overview of the entire feminist movement, and will then analyze feminism more specifically. In this analysis I will focus on the different types of feminism.
Social Inequality Essay Research Paper As we
Social Inequality Essay, Research Paper As we prosper through time, inequality is slowly less evident. A lot of people don’t realize that although things are improving with time, inequality is still prominent in our society. The people that are failing to realize that there still is inequality, are the fortunate ones.
Gender Role Reversal Essay Research Paper Throughout
Gender Role Reversal Essay, Research Paper Throughout one’s life each of us face new obstacles due to the progression of the life cycle. Many of these so-called obstacles we encounter are from the many role demands that each one of us has to fulfill. As we get older our lives take on new roles, such as being a: wife, parent, school teacher, etc.
Gender Inequality Essay Research Paper Many people
Gender Inequality Essay, Research Paper Many people have many different viewpoints on the question Are the sexes separate and unequal? First I will talk about the historical views, In China the people have the opinion and feel very strongley about it that women are not to be praised or even recognized. In China being a women is like being a prisoner of society.
Gender Inequality Research Essay Research Paper Gender
Gender Inequality Research Essay, Research Paper Gender equality is a broad topic with many different angles that can be examined. For my part in this project I chose to research the changing perspective on gender inequalities in schools. I
Human Sexuality Essay Research Paper Explain the
Human Sexuality Essay, Research Paper Explain the components of Human Sexuality. In your explanation include the definition of Gender we constructed in class. The components of Human Sexuality differ, of course, with every individual. With the different components of sexual behavior, attitudes and values related to sexuality, intimacy, gender, gender of assignment and reassignment, gender identity, gender role, gender orientation, social orientation, erotic orientation, and affectional orientation determines our sexual identity.
Jealousy In Gender Essay Research Paper The
Jealousy In Gender Essay, Research Paper The Influence of Jealousy in Men and Women in response to Infidelity Jealousy can be defined as ‘ a fear and rage reaction fitted to protect, maintain, and
Title IX Essay Research Paper A Brief
Title IX Essay, Research Paper A Brief Overview of Title IX and how it effects both Men and Women Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 is the ?Federal law which prohibits sex
Single Mothers Living Below The Poverty Line
Essay, Research Paper The perspective I have chosen is the social-conflict theory. The social-conflict paradigm is a framework for building theory that envisions society as an arena of inequality generating conflict and social change. This type of analysis focuses on the inequalities within our society and the conflict that they cause between the advantaged and the disadvantaged.
Rousseau Origin Of Inequality Essay Research Paper
The Origin of Inequality In Rousseau s Discourse on the Origin of Inequalities , Rousseau tries to explain the birth and evolution of inequality between humans dating back to savage man in the pure state of nature. Rousseau proposes that it was not man that progressed toward inequality as much as it was the state of nature itself.
Gender Projects Essay Research Paper Gender biases
Gender Projects Essay, Research Paper Gender biases are prevalent in today s scientific world, although they are not always seen by society. To increase awareness on gender biases, Suzanne Kessler and Emily Martin write two independent articles on how gender stereotypes permeate the scientific community.
Gender 2 Essay Research Paper GENDER
Gender 2 Essay, Research Paper GENDER Gender can be defined as the sex-role that a person takes on according to guidelines or standards instilled in us by society. One can be a male or female biologically, but still be perceived as the opposite sex due to the way one may think or present him self or her self. Whether or not we are born with certain biological traits different in male versus female is the nature versus nurture question that has been around for years.
Lack Of Education Leads To Inequality Essay
, Research Paper Lack of Education leads to Inequality Poverty, as it is identified, in the grossly underdeveloped areas of Africa and other developing world countries cannot be compared in likeness to poverty situations faced by those in Canada and the United States. In these rich countries the poor are characterized as those who have a comparably low level of income, usually measured in the relative approach, one-half the median income whereas poverty as it is faced by those in developing countries is a matter of survival with little or no hope for escape.
Freud Essay Research Paper Freud
Freud Essay, Research Paper Freud’s Personality Theory The development of gender roles in deifferent forms of feminsm gives us a revealing overview of Freud’s personality theory. It is relatively
Society Genders Evaluation Essay Research Paper Nadine
Society Genders (Evaluation) Essay, Research Paper Nadine 04/02/01 ENG. 1B Mrs. Garcia TH 6-9pm Society Genders What gender are you? A female or a male, what ever the classification may be, how do you then distinguish your gender role in society, and what factors help you come to a conclusion of your representation.
Gender Stereotype Essay Research Paper According to
Gender Stereotype Essay, Research Paper According to the writers in chapter, “Gender Stereotyping And the Media”, gender stereotypes are harmful to men and women. Gender stereotypes set impossible standards for men and women that lead to unhappiness, loneliness and possibly violence towards themselves.
Gender And Information Technology Essay Research Paper
Gender and Information Technology Information and communications are playing an increasingly important role in economic and social development. Meanwhile, the recent developments in communications technology have progressively reduced the barriers to communicating over distances.
Unfairness Essay Research Paper UnfairnessIt s funny
Unfairness Essay, Research Paper Unfairness It s funny how we grew up saying sticks and stones my break my bones but words will never hurt me . It s all too sad because that is not true. It is unfair that people are treated unfairly because of the way they look or how they act or the color of their skin. Race, gender and inequality are major issues in our society.
Annotation Of Psych Article Essay Research Paper
Emily W. Goldfrank Assignment 3-3 11/14/00 Annotations Wegner & Crano, 1975 Subjects consisted of 144 students, equally divided with respect to race and gender, from a large Midwestern university. Experimenters consisted of 12 college students, also equally divided with respect to race and gender. Each experimenter tested 3 of each race-gender combination.
Genders Essay Research Paper The early childhood
Genders Essay, Research Paper The early childhood socialization plays a major role in a person’s life. Socialization is best described as “a process by which a society’s values and norms, including those pertaining to gender is taught and learned”. This is perhaps the first thing that a child goes thought.