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Janely Aguilar
Jon Beadle
English 115
30 October 2016

Societys Expectation of Women

Even though women have gone to great lengths to overcome the gender biases against
them, it seems as though society will always consider them lower than men. Men and women
have been seen as different and therefore should not be treated equally in terms of work or
education. In the Van Heusen advertisement for ties, it portrays women in a derogatory manner
showing how men are valued more than women, leading to the imbalances between both
genders. Stereotypes of women still linger in todays society that will only continue to further
encourage the expectations of them belonging in the household and men in the workplace to
future generations.
In society, men have been shown to be born leaders, whose role in the family is to earn
money, while women have been portrayed that their place is in the house taking care of daily
chores. The Van Heusen advertisement about ties shows a man on a bed in a relaxed position as
his wife is bringing him food. He has a carefree look on his face because his wife is treating him
like a king by bringing him his food when he gets home from work. The woman is shown on her
knees waiting on her husband hand and foot like a servant. The image supports societys norms
of how women are expected to be well-behaved and listen to what others say. She is shown in a
submissive way while the man is shown to be the dominant one between them. The man is
wearing a tie, making one assume that he just got off work and went home where his wife would
have prepared food for his return. The stereotype about men being the breadwinner in the family

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is shown here, as well as how it is believed that women belong in the kitchen. The ad also
includes a slogan that reads, Show her its a mans world, and based on the imagery it is telling
people how in a mans world womens only job is to care for her husband and the house while
he is out working. It supports the expectations that womens only responsibility should be to
cook, clean, and take care of their husband in society.
Once a person is sexed they are constantly being influenced to learn and behave as
expected of their gender. In Judith Lorbers article she states, In social interaction throughout
their lives, individuals learn what is expected, see what is expected, act and react in expected
ways, and thus simultaneously construct and maintain the gender order (Lorber, 27). The Van
Heusen advertisement is seen by many, will influence young children how they are supposed to
behave and act. This creates a limited mind set for children because they will grow up in a
society where they are supposed to follow what is expected of them. By continuing to promote
such advertisements that only influence children to learn the gender norms, it will make children
believe that a society where only womens only role is to care for her husband is correct.
Gendered norms and expectations are enforced through informal sections of genderinappropriate behaviors by peers and by formal punishment or threat of punishment by those in
authority (Lorber, 28). Due to societys expectations of both genders, parents will teach their
children from a young age how they are supposed to conduct themselves, limiting their freedom
to choose how they want to be identified as. Parents will find means to impose the behaviors they
believe to be correct based on the social norms. It is stated, ...where there is inequality, the
status women...is usually held in lesser esteem than the status of men (Lorber, 29). The Van
Heusen ad demonstrates the difference in position between men and women, by men being
portrayed as the hardworking man earning money while the women is portrayed as the typical

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housewife whose only responsibility is to cook, clean, and take care of her husband. Society
holds many expectations of a person once they are gendered and according to their gender they
will be seen and treated as such, even if one is degraded more than the other.
The roles of men and women have been set and they must be followed according to
society. In Aaron Devors article he states, Body postures and demeanors which communicate
subordinate status and vulnerability to trespass through a message of no threat make people
appear to be feminine (Devor, 41). The women in the advertisement demonstrates vulnerability
and submissiveness by being on her knees when bringing the food over to her husband who is
leisurely lying on a bed. It clearly shows the roles that society has enforced, which is that women
should only care about their children, house, and husband. When someone demonstrates
expansive postures and gestures [it] insinuate[s] that a position of secure dominance is a
masculine one (Devor, 43). The man in the ad is shown with his hands on the back of his head,
while lying in a relaxed position, demonstrating a demanding posture. Compared to how the
women is on her knees, it is shown how the one who is dominant between them is the man. It is
expected of men to emit a dominant aura around them because they are the one who will be
working outside of the household earning money for the family. Women are not supposed
express a dominant attitude because social norms dictate that they should demonstrate a
submissive aura. Devor states, It seems most likely that gender roles are the result of systematic
power imbalances based on gender discrimination (Devor, 43). The inequality between both
genders is shown in the ad because the man is being displayed as the authoritative one in the
relationship. The man is wearing a suit, while the woman is wearing typical housewife clothing,
which usually consists of a floral or patterned dress with an apron; it demonstrates the roles they
are given by society that they are expected to follow. After a person is labeled as male or female

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they are continuously influenced to behave in a feminine or masculine manner. These behaviors
are viewed as completely different therefore a person of an opposite gender should not exhibit
the actions of the other gender. As a result of these gender expectations, it also influences the
way men and women are viewed, how one gender is valued higher than the other.
Although societys influence on people has made it for them to grow up in a world full of
gender norms it's been shown how life would be like if roles were reversed. In Charlotte
Macdonalds website it shows a visual image of a role reversal of the gender roles, where a
woman is the one working while the men is cooking, cleaning, and caring for the children. It
shows how life would be disastrous if men were to take on the role of women. The woman is
shown to be the authoritative one between them based on her stance, also by the way the man is
shown to be quite frantic because he is creating a mess of everything. It shows how women can
also be the breadwinners of the family, as well as demonstrates mens dependency of women.
This visual cartoon shows how even when roles are reversed between men and women, it still
reinforces the idea of how men are not capable of taking care of children and the household. It
does demonstrate how women are capable of not only taking care of their husband and children,
but that they can also work. In Rad Drawbridges article, it shows how women and mens roles
are practically chaining them down not allowing them to be able break free from those
expectations of them. A man and woman are shown in photo-board cut-outs where the man is
wearing a suit and the woman is wearing classical housewife outfit. This demonstrates how these
gender roles are forcing them to act and behave as how society expects them to. By continuing to
enforce such expectations of men and women will only lead to a world where men dominate the
working field and women stay at home caring for their kids, husband, and daily chores.

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Society continues to encourage these expectations of men and women forcing them to
learn and to conform themselves into how they are expected to. These expectations of them
causes one gender to be viewed lower than the other, leading to imbalances of power in
workplaces and at home where men are viewed above women. As a result of this imbalance men
are expected to be leaders and dominant while women are expected to be followers and
submissive. Advertisements such as Van Heusen will only continue to further influence children
into conforming into society's norms and expectations. Our society should begin to view women
and men as equals in work fields and not enforce such expectations that only degrade women of
their full potential.

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Work Cited
1. Judith Lorber Night to His Day: The Social Construction of Gender Composing Gender,
edited by Rachel Groner & John F. Ohara, 1st Edition, Bedford/St.Martins, 2014, United States
of America
2. Aaron Devor Becoming Members of Society: The Social Meaning of Gender Composing
Gender, edited by Rachel Groner & John F. Ohara,l, 1st Edition, Bedford/St.Martins, 2014,
United States of America
3. Phillip-Jones Corp. Van Heusen, 1951: Show her it's a man's world. Sexist Vintage Ads, Jim
Edwards, 2015, www.businessinsider.com/sexist-vintage-ads-2015-9/#heinz-1950-the-ad-beginsmost-husbands-nowadays-have-stopped-beating-their-wives--, Accessed 13 Oct. 2016
4. Alexander Turner Library, Role Reversal Story: Women and men, Charlotte Macdonald, 2011,
www.teara.govt.nz/en/cartoon/29214/role-reversal, Accessed 17 Oct. 2016
5. Rad Drawbridge Trapped by sexism Story: Women and men, Charlotte Macdonald, 2011,
www.teara.govt.nz/en/document/29257/trapped-by-sexism, Accessed 17 Oct, 2016