Running Head: Gender Roles and Inequality Normal Versus Abnormal

Last Name 1

GENDER

Student’s Name;

Course;

Professor’s Name;

Institution Affiliation;

Date;
Gender Roles and Inequality Normal Versus Abnormal
Last Name 2

Gender is defined as cultural, social, and psychological meanings that are associated with

masculinity and femininity. Gender differences, that is, difference between males and females,

can be based on actual gender differences-men and women are actually different in some

abilities, gender roles- differences on how men and women are supposed to act-, gender

stereotypes- difference on how people think men and women are (Pitti, 2019). Examples of

behaviors of gender relations include; the traditional sexed-typed division of labor with women

serving as homemakers and caretakers while men serving as providers and protectors contrary to

the current world where women and men play almost the same role as women can still be

providers in many homestead in the world today. A better understanding of gender roles and

gender inequality as it relates to current evolving world can be seen in the rift between

evolutionary psychology and the biosocial model of gender relations. Life history strategies are

intermediate mechanism linking distal environmental forces to variation in gender relations. In

specific, traditional versus modernized gender roles are shaped by present-oriented versus future-

oriented which are sensitive to uncontrollable morbidity-mortality risks. Gender inequality stem

from a combination of present-oriented reproductive strategies adapted to high-risk environments

and dominance hierarchies resulting from societal competition. In addition some of the catalysts

that sped up gender relations specifically in the United States include; World War II in 1941-

1945, where millions of women entered the work force, Universal declaration of Human Rights

in 1948, Congress passes Equal pay Act in 1963, Policy change in 1987 where average women

earned $ 0.68 for every $1.00 earned by man.

Currently, many people stick to traditional ideas that states that men and women should

behave in ways that fall into specific categories solely determined on their gender. For example

many girls in our society today have been pressured to behave and dress in more traditionally
Gender Roles and Inequality Normal Versus Abnormal
Last Name 3

feminine ways by their mothers and sisters despite of their nerdy tomboyish nature since some

do not enjoy wearing things like earrings, high-heels, bright color or frilly clothes. Many mothers

in societies today would prefer their daughters being elegant or passive, on contrast, some ladies

in the societies today portray characteristics such as blunt, cynical, awkward and geeky which

are seen as not falling under the clear cut generalizations for females. Male or female gender

specific identity are irrelevant in the in the modern, civilized society. This is because gender

roles are social constructs developed over time and are not based on natural human behavior as

they evolved as way to organize the necessary task done in early human society. Some still lag

behind traditional gender roles because of the myths and beliefs that because gender roles have

been played for so long, they should not be changed and are now a key element to human

development.

Studies conducted have shown that some people often believe that gender-specific

expectations are necessary because each gender has roles they fulfill in the society; they are

necessary for society to function naturally (Ellemers, 2018). Moreover, others believe that gender

roles can never be abolished because of the biological differences between men and women,

traditional gender behaviors are simply in their “nature”. In the modern society today, there is no

need for traditional gender roles, because both men and women are able to do many of the same

necessary tasks, therefore making gender-specific behaviors irrelevant. These stereotypes can

negatively impact the society as they motivate people to condemn and oppress those people who

do not fit in the traditional gender roles. This makes many people to struggle to reach their full

potential, therefore it is critical that everyone be encouraged to follow and express their own

truth, regardless of gender norms, so that everyone is able to contribute fully in our society

today. Social expectations of each gender changes over time and often develop differently in in
Gender Roles and Inequality Normal Versus Abnormal
Last Name 4

cultures around the world as many of gender stereotypes we know today were not always present

in the past.

Social media today has greatly played a role in impacting on diminishing of gender-

specific behavior, it has proven to be a powerful mechanism in bringing attention to women’s

issues, galvanizing action worldwide and advocating to policy makers efficiently and effectively.

For instance, media nurture roles and behavioral traits through advertisements and photos where

women’s roles vary from childcare to workplace activities displaying women dependence while,

on the other hand, men are portrayed as more independent and less likely to express their

emotions (Steinsbekk et Al., 2021).

Gender Roles and Inequality Normal Versus Abnormal
Last Name 5

REFERENCES
Ellemers, N. (2018). Gender stereotypes. Annual review of psychology, 69, 275-298.
Pitti, I. (2019). Being women in a male preserve: an ethnography of female football ultras. Journal of
Gender Studies, 28(3), 318-329.
Steinsbekk, S., Wichstrøm, L., Stenseng, F., Nesi, J., Hygen, B. W., & Skalická, V. (2021). The impact of
social media use on appearance self-esteem from childhood to adolescence–A 3-wave
community study. Computers in Human Behavior, 114, 106528.