Gender Roles

Essay by itsjuslibCollege, Undergraduate March 2007

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Within the last thirty years, women have entered the workforce in record numbers. Today, it is more likely to meet a woman who works outside of the house than to meet a woman who stays home. Females today are in management positions and many other professions that were previously reserved for men. As the number of females who enter the workplace increases, the gender differences are becoming more obvious. I feel that these kinds of roles are something that children learn as they grow up.

Gender roles are the behaviors that society says are correct for boys and girls. Gender biases or stereotypes are often the foundation of gender roles. I believe that society in general sees women as inferior to men and this idea of women being inferior is something children learn early on in life. The roles we play are taught to us at a very early age by our parents and also by society.

Young boys and girls are dressed in gender specific colors, given certain toys depending on their gender and given different behavior expectations. When looking at children's rooms you see that for the most part the girls' rooms have more pink, dolls, and domestic type toys; boys' rooms have more blue, sports equipment, tools, and vehicles. As far as chores go it appears that boys are more likely to have more physical labor type chores, such as throwing out the trash and mowing the lawn, while girls are more likely to have domestic type of chores such as cooking and doing the dishes and laundry. This assignment of household chores by gender leads children to categorize certain types of work with gender. Boys are often pushed to do well in sports while girls are pushed to be nurturing and family-oriented. As children grow up...