Gender Roles in Society and Relationships

Male and female roles in society have changed frequently over the generations. The separation between the genders has blurred as humanity moves into the 21st century. It is useful to understand the roles of genders in the past in order to gain insight into the magnitude of the re-definition of gender roles within society.

During the life of my great grandparents and even my grandparents for that matter men were the providers in relationships. Men would work from the wee hours of the morning to the fading of the day to see that their families had the items they had needs for. Everything owned and everything purchased was done so by the sweat of the man’s brow. Today however that is no longer the case. Women are becoming highly successful as providers for their families as well as their counter-parts. The hours in today’s job are no longer sun up to sun down but they are long and grueling just the same while both husband and wife work to see that their family has the items that they need. Although many of the traditional roles for me have changed, most of the still feel the pressure of fulfilling the three P’s: Provider, Protector, and Procreator (Corey & Corey, 1976)

A hard fight for equal women’s rights and respect has lead to women having a redefined role in 21st century society. If anything, as the years march on women are becoming more important to the governing of the world than men. More women than men graduate from college and a higher percentage of women make up the managerial force in the country. Men now are willing to take on the role of homemaker. Roles in society are shifting towards being based on desire and aptitude more than gender.

Gender roles are one of the most important distinctions in society. In almost every culture, the males have some dominance over females. AS of 2012, this role is slowly being shifted in many countries as gender equality becomes more prevalent. In previous eras, the traditional role of the breadwinner and provider was fulfilled by men while the women’s traditional role was to bear children, cook, clean and maintain the household. When economies shift, both genders experience empowerment and a loss of status based on the demographics of the shift. More women than in previous generations have taken on the aspect of provider and many men have taken on the responsibility of caregiver.

Roles have not only changed in the relationships after a family is formed but also in the area of dating as well. Back in the day it was unheard of for a woman to ask a man on a date and it was never even thought about that she could propose marriage! Men were responsible for imitating any form of a courtship. The woman’s only part was to accept or decline the offer she had been presented with. Today however it is becoming more and more common for a girl to ask a guy to go out to catch a movie, hit a club, or just hang out. It is still not common occurrence for women to propose marriage so men are still left largely with this step in the courtship.

Roles in relationships have changed largely from what they used to be. Look around you and you see women in many areas that was once predominately or completely men. You may also encounter vice versa and the man be taking on a task that only women used to do. Changes for better or for the worse can only be told in time.