Gender Roles: A Thing of the Past?

Kaitlyn Solotes

After hearing some of the survey responses it was clear that people often mistake sex and gender to be the same thing. However, after our first introductory lecture it is apparent that these two subjects are actually very different. [1] Sex can be defined as the biological differences between a male and female whereas gender is the attributes that define a person as masculine or feminine. Usually when we think about gender it is our first instinct to expect a male to be masculine and a female to be feminine, but gender roles are quickly becoming a thing of the past. [2] Gender roles are a set of social and behavioral norms in which men and women preserve; these gender roles are often used to determine what is appropriate in the context of an individual in society. How to act, speak, dress, and interact with others is not as set in stone as it used to be. Instead, these cultural and social norms are trying to keep up with a rapidly changing America. What one person sees as masculine does not define masculinity for an entire culture and vice versa for femininity.

 

Walking around campus I can see the reversal of gender roles all around. Men should feel comfortable keeping themselves well groomed and nicely dressed without the fear of being deemed 'gay'; at the same time women should be able to dress in athletic clothing without being called 'butch'. The tastes and preferences of a an individual do not have to coincide with an old textbook definition of what masculinity/femininity is. Although what we see in magazines usually encourages typical male and female stereotypes, there are other forms of media that embrace the subversion of gender roles. [3] For example, in the film Fargo the main character and protagonist, Marge, is a full time police officer and mother-to-be. Seven months pregnant and on the trail of one of the town's most horrific murder cases, Marge proves that being a pregnant woman on the police force does not also make her weak. In fact, she is the most powerful and ambitious character in the movie; Marge climbs over snow banks, solves a murder mystery, and faces off against a criminal with a wood chipper all while breaking down the notion of gender roles. I mostly wanted to write about this topic because I don't believe that women have to keep a fresh coat of paint on their nails or keep to themselves during conversation. At the same time I don't believe men have to strive for the corner office or hit the gym five days a week; gender roles are simply changing and making room for the people who are or want to be a little bit of both.

 

[1] Moore, Crystal. "The Role of Sex and Gender in Sexual History." Class lecture, LBST 2101 History of Sexuality in America from UNC Charlotte, Charlotte, January 7, 2014.

[2] "Gender Roles." CliffsNotes Study Guides | Test Prep | Homework Aid | Written by Teachers & Experts | Trusted by All. http://www.cliffsnotes.com/ (accessed January 31, 2014).

[3] Fargo. DVD. Directed by Joel Coen. S.l.: Polygram, 1996.