I’ll explain how and give sample answers I made, basically like a for and against
structure, start with defining the main term given, “symmetrical is the extent to which
things are equal for example symmetrical roles are when the women and man’s role are
equal in a society,"
A brief intro, "families today are increasingly symmetrical due to changes from different
aspects occurring over the years".
“Give at least 4 points for the supporting, in each point just develop it and use
connectors like furthermore, going on, "starting off there are more privatized families,
these are families that focus on the home life than work life, so both men and women can
share roles equally and men can engage in housework with the wife this shows that roles are
more equal.” Point 1
“Also, there are more dual worker families, as more women go into paid work there is greater
financial independence and status, women tend to sway away from the traditional gender
roles, due to this type of families roles are more equal and the family is more symmetrical.”
Point 2
“Going further, families have more labour-saving devices, and can even afford the expenses
of a helper, this way the women in the family do not need to engage in housework as there
are devices there to help her and even a helper, meaning that women don’t take up the
expressive role of a housewife and roles can be seen as more equal .” Point 3
“Society is also more tolerant, and roles are flexible, in the family, the roles can even be
negotiated between the husband and wife leading to greater equality of roles, also there is
less pressure from relatives and other members in society to take up traditional gender roles,
as the society as the family is becoming more symmetrical .” point 4
Likewise, for against "Although the family today are becoming symmetrical, the
changes have not fully been made there is still unequal roles in the “Society
“Firstly, there is a dark side of the family, the family has its negative aspects, women in a
family can go through domestic abuse and violence in a family, where there is an oppressive
and exploitative relationship, these are not equal roles, the woman is the one not benefiting
from it, even men coming back from work can who feel alienated in their workspace or
angered can take out that temper on the wife .” Point 1
“Also, women have a triple burden, women have to do paid domestic and emotional work in
the family, which men do not have to go through, even the men who do domestic work take
on the less boring and simple tasks like helping serve out food while women do boring and
repetitive tasks giving them no sense of achievement, these are not symmetrical roles.” Point
2
“Furthermore, there is still a strong sense of traditional gender roles in societies, in the south
Asian minority in the Uk there is hold strong traditional gender roles of the women playing
the expressive role being a housewife and the man taking on the instrumental role as a
breadwinner, these roles are not equal as the women’s work has low status and man benefit
more, so in minority groups like the South Asians families are not symmetrical .”
Point 3
“Lastly, in the feminist view, the family is patriarchal, the men are in control and have the
power, so roles cannot be equal, the women are oppressed in the family so much that it
leads to an increasing number of lone-parent families and higher divorce rates. In the warm
bath theory, the man comes back home from work and the woman responsibility is to take
care of him and nurture him like a baby, feminists like the radical feminists believe that as
long as there is still an exploitative relationship between the man and women roles can never
be equal." Point 4
Then end it with a conclusion and state if you are for our against, e.g. "in conclusion, families
today are becoming symmetrical as more women go into paid work and there are more
negotiated roles but changes have not fully been made and they are still some negative
aspects of the family like the dark side of the family hurting women and a strong sense of
traditional gender roles in minority groups, taking on the feminist view families are far from
being symmetrical as the family is patriarchal and beneficial to the men. Roles cannot be
equal" hope this helps lol.
This is how I answer mine it doesn’t have to be like this always I guess