Gender Roles Essay - 2315 Words

Each society has binary oppositions as in masculine and feminine roles and the established values have little to do with nature and everything to do with culture. Moreover, the ideals and distinctions of masculine and feminine activities and behaviors are reinforced and redefined through powerful social norms of any particular period. In Medieval and early Modern Europe societies, gender roles were clearly defined by the strong prevailing social structure of the period and were constantly changing because of historical circumstances. For example, in the Greek ancient city of Sparta, masculinity as an ideal was strictly associated with the characteristics of being physically powerful, loyal warriors while femininity was related to marriage†¦show more content†¦The agoge taught boys survival and fieldcraft skills as a means to protect the city-state from invasions. Moreover, once a male turned twelve, the men in charge of the training regiment enforced the practice of pederast y (homosexual) because the most important masculine trait for men to possess was the ability to show steadfast loyalty to one’s military unit. This type of male custom had to be performed because the city-state believed this was the only way to ensure warriors formed a complete and unbreakable bond with each other and united the city-state. At the age of twenty, Hughes states that males received their rite of passage to warrior status and he now has acquired the privilege of going to the common mess and sharing a syssitia, a common meal, with the other seasoned warriors. While masculinity was associated with physical strength and loyalty, the ideals of femininity in Spartan society focused on taking care of the household duties while also spending countless hours perfecting their bodies and oratory skills through vigorous drills and training. Accordingly, Hushes asserts that Spartan women boasted about how they were as physically fit as their male counterparts and flaunted their oratory skills when out in the public area. Additionally, Hughes states that after marriage a woman’s gender role consisted of giving birth to as many healthy males as possible—the next generation of strong, fitShow MoreRelatedGender, Masculinity, And Gender Roles1380 Words   |  6 Pagesenvironment, but is instead, viewed from the perspective of women themselves. They are not observed from outside in, but from the inside out. At the same time, Danzon reverses and thus subverts the classic representations of gender, while relocating and challenging gender role s. Unlike the common representation of women in former Mexican cinema, femininity is not defined as being an opposition to masculinity in the film. In fact, men almost rarely appear. When they do appear, they appear as constructedRead MoreThe Role Of Socialization And Gender Roles852 Words   |  4 PagesINTRODUCTIOn tell me what you are focussing on†¦..family and theirgender roles Socialisation is the process by which a child learns to respect his or her environmental laws such as norms, values and customs. Socialisation helps the infant gradually become self-aware and a knowledgeable person, skilled in the ways of the culture into which he or she is born. Children within the primary socialisation of the family learn a great deal from parents and other care givers such as grandparents, grandmothersRead MoreGender Roles And Gender Role844 Words   |  4 PagesGender Roles can be defined as roles society expects people to play on account of their sex life. Like all roles, gender roles are made up of sets of expectations, so they can be thought of as sets of expirations, so they can be thought of as sets of expectation that are attached to sex.(pp: 220 John E. 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RegardlessRead More Gender Roles Essay864 Words   |  4 PagesGender Roles The affects of gender roles on people greatly change the way the society runs. According to the Websters dictionary the definition of gender are the behavioral, cultural, or psychological traits typically associated with one sex, and the definition of role is a character assigned or assumed. The key word in this definition is assumed; therefore, whether you are male or female, you know what role you must play in society. Traditional gender roles are beneficial