Gender Roles and Identity
Gender vs. Sex Sex = the biological differences between males and females. Gender = the role of a male or female in society (gender role), or an individual's concept of themselves (gender identity).
Gender Roles in Society Varies based on the society and can change over time. Patriarchal societies much more strict than liberal ones in distinguished gender roles.
High-heels Initially designed for upper-class men while hunting on horseback. As women began wearing heels, men’s heels grew shorter and wider while women’s heels got taller and thinner.
“Gender-appropriate” outfits
Pink vs. Blue In 1918, Earnshaw’s Infant Department, a children’s fashion and product magazine, stated: "The generally accepted rule is pink for the boys and blue for the girls. The reason is that pink, being a more decided and stronger color, is more suitable for the boy, while blue, which is more delicate and dainty, is prettier for the girl“ (italics added).
Pink = girl, blue = boy Not until 1940 that the color and clothing designation we use now was seen. American consumers decided that baby girls should dress like the mother and boys like the father.
How Gender Roles have Shifted Education: 60% of college degrees go to women (forbes.com) Stay-at-home dads more than doubled since 1989 (cbsnews.com) In 2013, 40% of households with children under 18 listed a woman as earning the primary income compared to 11% in 1960 (PEW Research Center).
Cultural Pressures on Women Shouldn’t travel alone or be out after dark. Should look happy/smile all the time. If you don’t, you are labelled as having a “RBF”. While our society is more “sexually free” than before, women still receive unflattering labels if they sleep around too much.
Looking “Put Together” Women without makeup on more often get asked if they’re sick or if something’s wrong. In media, larger women are more often cast as a humorous character rather than a romantic interest.
Cultural Pressures on Men Must be a good provider/lover while also not caring what women think. Should “look good” without seeming like they tried or cared; be physically strong. For straight men, can’t appear to be gay – less severe a threat than it used to be, but also more constant than before.
“Wanna go?” Willingness to fight physically, with fists or other weapons, to defend one's honor (or the honor of one's lady, country, sports team, etc.) is more central to how men are taught to see manhood.
“Big boys don’t cry.” Never show emotions, whether through whining or crying. Less likely to have close same-sex friendships than females as they grow older.
Clarification on Feminism The belief in equality for men, women, and transgender people. It is NOT meant to be the promotion of women over men, nor is it necessarily the rejection of traits considered more feminine in order to be viewed as an equal.