Gender

Gender (Essay Sample)

Gender can be defined merely as all members of the same sex. The sex of an individual is either male or female. There are three types of gender; masculine, feminine and neuter. So gender is basically the fact that one is either male or female. A person’s gender is an act of nature. One is either born male or female. However, the term gender in modern society is used to refer the argument on the role of males and females in the society. In the past, the role of both male and female members of society was clearly defined. Men were the breadwinners of their families while women provided care for their children and the men who were their husbands. However, the structure of society has experienced drastic changes over the past years. The line that used to define the role of men and women in the society has been blurred; it is clear now that over time their roles have overlapped.

Society has changed now that the roles of both men and women are not clearly defined. In the modern society, men are no longer the sole providers of their families. Women in the society today work and provide for their families. This is because women are now economically empowered, most of them are now running big companies. Women now old many positions in the job market compared to the past when they used to stay at home. Women have displayed their ability to deliver in their workplaces, and in some cases, women have been said to have performed better than men. However, the transition of women from being housewives into the corporate world has not been smooth. Women have had to struggle for their position in the society today as equals with men. The discrimination that female employees used to face in the past has eroded with time. This is as a result of determination and hard work to prove to the society that women too can work. Women have worked their way to the top, and some of them are leading major corporations and big companies worldwide. Most of these companies have succeeded under the leadership of women proving that women can be as good as men if not better.

Equally, women are no longer the sole care providers for their children and husbands. In the past care provision was the role of women but the duty is no longer reserved for females. Now that women have joined the working class in the modern society, most men have chosen to stay at home and care for their children. Men have now taken on the role that belonged to women for centuries. Although men cannot breastfeed the children which is the primary reason why the role was reserved for women, they can provide care for a child in many other different ways. Research shows that men also excel in nurturing young children as primary caregivers. This has proven that men can also nurture a child and give them the same care a woman would provide. This gesture by men to take up a role that was previously dominated by women has helped women.

In the past years, men were portrayed as masters of some kind and women their subjects. Women were supposed to attend to the needs of their husbands and support them. This role included completing house chores such as washing clothes, cooking, cleaning the house among other chores. It was defined clearly that husbands were in charge in every household, their wishes were to be obeyed without any questioning. However, this role has shifted in recent years as men no longer have the superior role in relationships but considered equals with women. Relationships today are consultative, and both partners’ opinion is considered to carry equal weight, no partner is considered superior to the other. Today men and women are considered to be equals in a relationship. Men do not have the power over women anymore. In many cases, men carry out this chores that were considered to be the role of women. Men in society today cook, do laundry and even clean the house.

Women have had to fight for their place as men’s equals simply because of the way we were brought up. In the past, the role of men and women were clearly defined. Women were considered to be the lesser party. Most of these women who were brought up accepting traditional roles see changing gender roles in the society as a mistake or a threatening to men who dominate that particular society. But as early as the 80s, women had managed to challenge the role taken by men in the society. It is those women who stood up and fought for equality that made society better today. Their fight for gender equality gave women the ability to rise above the roles created to them by society. Everyone is given equal opportunities in society today. The limited options like access to education that were applied to women are no longer in effect. Women are now exposed to the same levels of education, knowledge and offered technical training equal to that offered to men. The society has experienced change over the years, and gender has been one of them. These changes have redefined the role of men and women in society and given women whose place used to be in the home equal opportunities as men.

In conclusion, over time the definition of gender has greatly evolved. From the above demonstration, the roles of men and women in society are significantly changing. The clear lines that were drawn between the roles of both men and women are disappearing with time. Men are no longer the family’s sole providers and women are no longer the sole care providers for their children as there is more responsibility sharing than there used to be in the past. There are no limits to the potential of women anymore. Women have stepped into what used to be perceived the role of men and vice versa. The society today has empowered the idea of equality, there is no superior gender anymore.