What it means to be a woman in society By Sabrina Rourke

Two types of women They are considered “perfect” and “acceptable”. If their not like this, then its because their supposed to be a mother type of woman.

Motherly type Back in the day, even after 1920, women were expected to be a house mother. If a woman had gotten a job, then it was looked down on because it was supposed to be for the man. The male has always been the dominant figure. Physical work was supposed to be for the male because they had the physique and strength.

Motherly type (cont.) Women were expected to have children because they were made for it. If, they didn’t have children then they were criticized right off the bat. Women were the only gender that could reproduce physically, it seemed to “be a waste” if they didn’t. They had the body to with-stand it and it was expected by society. “Bring up the possibility of educated white women choosing not to have children and you'll be met with intense hostility” (Filipovic, 2013).

Motherly type (cont.) “He thought it very discouraging that his wife… valued so little his conversation” (5). Women were supposed to be something like a slave to their husbands. The house was cleaned and prepped for the husband. The woman was supposed to be quiet when the husband had gotten home, just to give him peace. Then she was supposed to ask him how his day was and what was interesting, knowing, from him, she could get the gossip from around town. But Mrs. Pontellier didn’t care about social roles such as these because she grew up uninfluenced by them. She was gossiped about because she didn’t go along with the social roles. She clung to Robert and Madam Ratignolle was one of the people who talked about her.

Motherly type (cont.) Women were supposed to raise the children, while doing the cooking and cleaning. Unless you were rich, the wife would have to take care of the house while the man was at work, and then the woman was supposed to please the man by staying quiet unless he spoke first. After all, so says society, the man works to help them, so the wife should take care of her husband back.

Type Two The other type of woman is the one who seems flawless in society. They are considered “popular” now a days. They draw the attention of everybody, males and females. This type of woman is okay in society because she isn’t married and doesn’t have children.

Type Two (cont.) The “Ideal” woman is somebody who has clear skin, which is soft and has no trace of blemishes or pimples. It isn’t common for all women to have soft, smooth skin. But that’s what sells the product, and make the women want to be like everybody accepts.

Type Two (cont.) If you want to be acceptable in society, then you would have to have big boobs and hair that isn’t flat. If females don’t have big boobs then their body is judged because it isn’t what every guy wants. If their hair isn’t “free” enough then it means their too lazy or “not in style”. “…she carried herself unwitting like a goddess of Victory” (Chopin). If a woman is not confident with her body, then it is easy for society to lay them on the ground, and crush their dreams.

What it means… To be a woman in society means that you’re a mother, who stays in the house all day. Taking care of the children all day, unless they went to school. Cooks and cleans all day for her husband to come home to a clean house with a hot meal and quiet children. If you have children but don’t tend to them, then you are talked about until either, you have no friends or you return to the social group you were supposed to be in. To be socially accepted by society, and to not be a mother, then you would have to be more like a super model. Your skin has to be flawless, with big boobs and free flowing hair. If a woman is neither of each, then they are ostracized and talked about until they change, if they do.

References Chopin, Kate. The Awakening. New York: Dover, 1993. Print. Chopin, Kate. The Story of an Hour. "HIV Among Pregnant Women, Infants, and Children." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 10 Jan. 2014. Web. 04 June 2014 Irvine, Chris. "EU Wants to Ban 'sexist' TV Commercials." The Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group, 05 Sept. 2008. Web. 04 June 2014. Jaimy. "Life's a Feast: 01/01/2011 - 02/01/2011." Life's a Feast: 01/01/2011 - 02/01/2011. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 June 2014Filipovic, Jill. "The Choice to Be Child-free Is Admirable, Not Selfish." Theguardian.com. Guardian News and Media, 16 Aug. 2013. Web. 04 June 2014 Shiera. "Jeena: Gender Stereotypes- Where Do They Come From?" Jeena: Gender Stereotypes- Where Do They Come From? N.p., 04 Mar. 2012. Web. 04 June 2014.

References Smith, Kevin. "Decaying 'Walking Dead' Ads in Berlin Target Female Viewers - Robot 6 @ Comic Book Resources." Robot 6 Comic Book Resources RSS. N.p., 22 Nov. 2013. Web. 04 June 2014