Maria Corradi
“The Problem with Gender Roles and Ranking”
29 March 2013
Living in a world that is constantly changing, it seems like the only constant that remains
is the way we judge others. As individuals, we are surrounded by magazines, television
commercials, movies, and other types of media that portrays a certain image of how people are
“supposed” to look and act. Have you ever wondered where this mentality stems from? This
idea that men are only supposed to live and act in a certain manner, in a way that is clearly
distinct from that of women, is a result of the way men and women are taught gender roles.
When it comes to gender equality, the problem lies in the gender roles and ranking that society
has imposed for generations. Not only do gender roles and ranking mask the many similarities
that men and women share, they are also damaging to individuals who do not lie specifically on
one end of the “masculine/feminine spectrum.”
When referring to society, I am referring to the majority of conservative individuals who
cannot fathom an overlap between male and female gender roles; those individuals who only see
a “black and white” world. These are the same individuals who oppose gay marriage, because it
goes against everything they were taught, and now believe. Oftentimes, society does not see the
“gray area” on the “masculine/feminine spectrum.” In their minds, a man must act according to
his gender role, and a woman must abide by her role, there is no in-between. With this being
said, the root of the problem lies in the way gender roles are taught to us at such a young age.
Geert Hofstede, a Dutch researcher who devoted his career to studying culture and the
dynamics between masculinity and femininity gives a distinct definition for each subject.
According to Hofstede, “Femininity stands for a society in which social gender roles overlap.
Both men and women are supposed to be modest, tender, and concerned with the quality of life.
Masculinity stands for a society in which social gender roles are clearly distinct. Men are
supposed to be assertive, tough, and focused on material success while women are supposed to
be more modest, tender, and concerned with the quality of life (Hofstede).” In addition, men are
supposed to avoid weakness, vulnerability, and any aspect of “sissy stuff” that expresses
femininity. To be a man is to not be a woman (Shaw and Lee 113). By impressing these roles
onto individuals at such a young age, it becomes harder for them to think and feel for
themselves. Rather than learning to discover and embrace who they are, individuals are taught
who they are “supposed” to be. Again, this is reinforced through written media, and even more
so today through the use of social media like Twitter and Facebook.
The manner in which gender roles are taught, shape the way many individuals lead their
lives. Choices that pertain to how to dress, what relationships one enters into, and what career
path one decides to embark on all stem from which gender role one was taught. For example,
society views cross-dressing as wrong. It is unnatural for men to wear women’s clothing and act
feminine. The same goes for women who dress like men. Society places further stereotypes on
individuals who partake in this behavior by saying, “Any man that expresses femininity through
their fashion is homosexual,” or any woman who acts like a tom-boy or dresses like a “butch”
must be a lesbian. If individuals veer from society’s “black and white” image of the world, or
do not distinctly align on one end of the “masculine/feminine spectrum,” then they are not
accepted by society.
The impact of teaching such rigid gender roles at such a young age becomes visible when
individuals consider their career paths. Due to the fact that men are taught to be ambitious,
assertive, tough, and focused on material success, many men choose careers in business, lawenforcement, in the military, or as professional athletes. They are taught to choose a career
where their masculine qualities will further develop. However, what happens if a man decides to
choose a career outside the realm of his gender role? The movie “Meet the Parents” is a great
example of this. In the movie, Ben Stiller meets his future in-laws. His soon to be father-in-law
is a retired CIA Agent, a career that is male-dominated, and deemed by society as, “just for
men.” In contrast however, Ben Stiller is a nurse. While he was accepted into medical school,
and could have gone on to become a doctor, which would have aligned better with his gender
role, he chose a female-dominated profession. Throughout the movie, he is ridiculed for this
choice, and his judgment is questioned. Why would a man want to work in a female-dominated
profession, when he could have been more ambitious and become a doctor? According to
society’s standards, something must be wrong with him. Men are not supposed to be tender or
show compassion, that is what women are for. The same sense of judgment is used against
women too. Due to the fact that women are taught to be tender, compassionate, and concerned
with the quality of life, society does not see it fit for women to work in male-dominated
professions such as in business, law-enforcement, or in the military. “Gender roles that associate
women, the home, and domesticity reinforce the assumption that housework and childcare are
women’s work (Shaw and Lee 391).” In conjunction with society and their gender role, women
are supposed to work within the home. Many people in society also unfavorably view women
who work outside the home, specifically working mothers. Again, in society there is no “gray
area.” So when women choose to get married and start a family, they are simultaneously
choosing to stay home and take care of their family, according to society’s teachings. They
should not yearn to work outside of the home, in “Corporate America” for example, because
their family should be their upmost priority. Just like men are oftentimes ridiculed for being
“stay-at-home” dads, mothers who choose to work outside of the home are often viewed as
selfish.
For the women who work outside of the home, their efforts and contributions are still not
given as much credit as those made by men. Women are still paid less than men, most of the
time they receive less promotions than men do, and in the workplace they are oftentimes
subjected to sexual harassment. Society should remember World War II, when women were a
vital part of America’s workforce. While the men were fighting overseas, it was the women who
kept things going at home. They replaced the men in factories and proved that they are just as
capable as men. Today, women should be viewed in the same way, and treated like a vital asset
to any place in which they work.
Living in a world that is constantly changing, it is about time for society’s “black and
white” perspective to change with it. In today’s world, there is much more of a “gray area” than
many people would like to see. As time goes on, and the individuals who do not lie specifically
on one end of the “masculine/feminine spectrum” begin to start families, this area will only
continue to grow. I am not saying that we can simply do away with gender roles completely.
There are differences between men and women, that is just the way it is. However, instead of
teaching individuals that they must live according to their gender role, it should teach them the
importance of embracing change. “It is change, continuing change, inevitable change, that is the
dominant factor in society today. No sensible decision can be made any longer without taking
into account not only the world as it is, but the world as it will be (Hofstede).” Society needs to
accept the fact that gender roles from the past will no longer have a bearing on the way people
live in the future because they will be irrelevant. We cannot move forward if we continue to
adhere to and teach gender roles from years ago. What makes our country great is not the fact
that we are all the same, our country is known as “the melting pot” for a reason. It is the
differences that we share that make us stronger. When it comes to gender equality, the problem
lies in the gender roles and ranking that society has imposed for generations. Not only do gender
roles and ranking mask the many similarities that men and women share, they are also damaging
to individuals who do not lie specifically on one end of the “masculine/feminine spectrum.” If
society would teach individuals to embrace change and differences as much as they have taught
them to adhere to their gender roles, we would live in a much better society. While it is hard for
many to imagine a world without today’s gender roles, a world where homosexuals and lesbians
can get married for example, society needs to accept the fact that a change is coming, and it is
only through change that we as a society will grow.
Works Cited
Hofstede, Geert. "Gender Roles." 2011. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gender_role>.
Shaw, Susan M., and Janet Lee . Women's Voices Feminist Visions. New York: McGraw-Hill,