Basic stereotypes of women in the workplace, in modern day america.

Essay by sykodramaUniversity, Bachelor'sA+, May 2002

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Stereotypes in Society

Despite the overall acknowledgement that change needs to take place, society still identifies people according to constructed stereotypes. In the western culture we tend to associate people with being masculine or feminine and if we cross over the boundaries set up for our sex then we are going against the norm. We put pressures on each sex to identify with certain characteristics. It's as if someone set down one day and decided that in order to completely separate man from woman that two lists of characteristics would be made and they would fall under different sides of the spectrum and there was no compromise; man could not be woman and woman could not be man. Women are characterized to have all feminine traits that are considered to be weak and nurturing, while men are given a list of masculine qualities and are told to be strong, powerful and the protectors.

Throughout history women have taken on the role of housewife, mother and nurturer. Women are stereotyped to stay at home and take care of the house. It has been the woman's job to have a hot dinner on the table at he same time every night, the laundry done and put away and to have all school activities for the children set up on a perfect schedule, which means that a woman has to have children. "Motherhood is still considered to be a primary role for women, and women who do not mother children are often stereotyped...as selfish," as if having a child defines your character as a person. It has been the woman's job to worry about everyday responsibilities in the home without relying on help from anybody else, and the moment it seems that women break out of this role "mainstream magazines put her...