Women in the workforce in the 1970's in comparison to today - Research Paper Example

?Introduction The divisions that are within society are based first on the labels which are created among individuals. The issue of gender is one of the areas which have created divisions and labels, specifically based on the stereotypical differences between men and women. These definitions and stereotypes have led to expected gender roles in society, most which have developed because of superficial relationships to gender. However, this issue is one which doesn’t realistically construct the identity of individuals. When looking at “Who’s in Charge Here’ with the Mary Tyler Moore show, it can be seen that gender identity is one which is based on the gender stereotypes and definitions created in society. The result is a construction of both gender and boundaries based on stereotypes, as opposed to realistic expectations. The issue of gender roles in society is one which was first seen with the 1970s show and continues to be a part of society today. Gender Roles from Moore The episode which shows the gender differences in the Mary Tyler Moore show is “Who’s in Charge Here.” The differences in gender are noted specifically with the news room that Mary is working in. The gender expectations are first divided by those who hold the power within the news room, including the new News Producer, Lou and the News Director, Murray. Within this episode, the gender roles are divided first by the divisions in which the males have more power and Mary remains in the same situation. However, it is quickly found that Mary is only holding to this role because of gender. The power positions which both men have cause Mary to not only complete her work, but also to do the work of Murray and Lou because they don’t understand the situation. By the end of the episode, it is recognized that the positions need to be reconsidered based on qualifications, as opposed to the gender expectations from the news room (Sandrich, 1972). Stereotypes of Gender The episode demonstrated by the Mary Tyler Moore Show is one which constructs identity based on gender and gives the divisions and roles based on this stereotype. This particular concept is one which hasn’t changed today and continues to be a component in which men and women are divided. The gender differences come first from the idea of competition in which each individual divides according to the individuals who are considered the most powerful in society and create a competitive attitude toward what is occurring. These gender differences are further divided by the power which one holds in relation to the stereotypes and the competitive spirit which is supposed to be a part of the gender. This construction of stereotypes is one which is defined specifically by the patriarchal shaping of society. It has been found that the matriarchal society has the same concept of competition among women because of the environment which is created for survival. The stereotype of gender is one which becomes constructed specifically because of the social order which is in a given culture (Gneezy, Leonard, List, 1637). The stereotypes which have been created within culture are furthered by the expected places in which women and men should have. The concept of work, within the traditional role for women, is one which most were not considered as capable of doing. The main role of women in the patriarchal society was based on the stereotype of staying in the home and caring for the family while men worked in a given office. This created a position with both in society, specifically with the stereotypes and expected gender role that was in society. Family obligations is found to become secondary for men while women often have to adapt to the concept of work structures that require shifts in how one works. This particular stereotype is one which is acted among the majority of individuals in society and is referred to as gender – typing, which one debates about specific roles because of gender (Gustafson, 513). The episode with Moore shows this, specifically as Mary has difficulty deciding if she wants a better role in the news room because of her obligations. This is followed by the gender – typing of what the men are able to do and what Mary has to fulfill to balance this out, similar to taking the obligation of looking after her main space, or home. Stereotypes of the 1970s and Today While the patriarchal society still remains dominant in today’s society, the concepts which women such as Moore pointed out have begun to alter the stereotypes and gender identity among women and men in society. The attitudes toward women in the mid – 1970s was known to have several conflicts attributed to the traditional woman who was required to stay at home. A current study conducted, (Loo, Thorpe, 903), questioned gender roles by showing differences in attitudes between the 1970s and the 1990s. When measuring the differences, it was found that both men and women believed that women were more liberal in the 1990s than in the 1970s. The ability to join the work force, not to be a traditional house wife and the opportunities presented were expected to be a part of life and were shown to continue to move to extreme liberalization. This particular study stated that by the mid-1990s, the gender gap had lessened with roles between men and women (Loo, Thorpe, 903). Even though there is a sense of liberalization among women in the work force and with opportunities, the gender identity remains the same and continues to draw divisions. This has now turned into the concept of “doing gender” in which each set of individuals is expected to have a specific role and attitude. While women have gained a sense of dominance through work and lifestyle, there is an expected attitude related to sexuality, looks and appeal, as well as the general attitudes about life that women and men have. The family roles, amount of education, work expectations and the way in which both women and men approach their lifestyle are proponents of the stereotype of “doing gender,” in which specific actions and reactions are naturally provided while the image of women and men in society remains divided by different gender roles created in the media and society at large (Wolin, 111). Doing Gender The concept of changes in stereotypes from the mid-1970s and into today has altered because of the liberalization of women and the changing roles and expectations. However, the gender roles continue to dominate different lifestyles. While the labels have changed, the main divisions continue to occur into what is known as the institution of gender. This creates a concept of doing gender, in which one practices being male or female by the expected roles within society. Whether this is related to the traditional housewife or divisions by the way in which one looks, there are general differences which continue to create labels within society. The concept of doing gender becomes based on what one does and says within society. This becomes a structure in which women or men fall under and which creates a construction based on relationships which one has and the expected roles which are in society. Gender then becomes a practice that is reinforced by both men and women in contemporary society while creating a list of expectations of how men and women should interact within society (Poggio, 225). While the sense of liberalization is a part of the construction of women in doing gender, there are also conflicts which arise in the expected roles of both men and women. Women are now able to receive education easily, have the ability to work toward a career and can accomplish the same tasks as men. However, when looking at doing gender, the stereotypes continue to persist with both genders. Most women are now faced with a glass ceiling in which their expected gender role in the work area or among the educational field is to work up to the top of the field but to always have a position that is less powerful than men. Women are seen more as mid-range managers while men hold higher positions than men. This is combined with differences between the masculine and the feminine and how each individual is perceived. For instance, one who is more masculine will be more competitive and aggressive, which opens more opportunities for a higher position, even when women are more qualified. These same expectations and concepts relate to various segments of life and create the institution of gender that continues to divide individuals within society (Paechter, 253). Even though there is an institutional showing of similarities, the inequality and the stereotypes between times continue to persist in a similar manner. The main division is based on the construction of a hierarchy of power, which consists of levels of inequality that are in the work force. There are specific patterns of inequality which have not changed through time and which continue to associate with the ideals of what one should hold within society. This is inclusive of barriers that are created, relations in terms of power and the identity which one is supposed to hold according to societal standards. The inequalities within organizations, institutions and in the structure of society remain prevalent and haven’t changed through time, specifically because of the patriarchal society which creates specific demands and associations with gender in the public and private space (Acker, 441). Conclusion The concept of gender is one which is not only based on the basic differences between men and women. The construction of gender is one which has been built because of boundaries, stereotypes and expected labels that are made within society. This has created an institution of gender which creates to boundaries and the inability for women to achieve the same ideals as men. Within this construct, is the idea of doing gender, in which individuals act the part of being a gender within society. Even though women today are recognized as having more opportunity and gaining a sense of liberalism, the idea of doing gender persists with the image, opportunities and expectations of women that are in society. Similar to Moore’s display of the gender division, there are associations with the individual expectations, power structures of men and women and the stereotypes which continue to divide various genders, despite the individual capabilities of men or women. Works Cited Acker, Joan. “Inequality Regimes: Gender, Class, and Race in Organizations.” Gender and Society 20 (4), 2006. Gneezy, Uri, Kenneth Leonard, John List. “Gender Differences in Competition: Evidence from a Matrilineal and a Patriarchal Society.” National Bureau of Economic Research 77 (5), 2008. Gustafson, Per. “Work Related Travel, Gender and Family Obligations.” Work Employment and Society 20 (3), 2006. Loo, Robert, Karran Thorpe. “Attitudes Toward Women’s Roles in Society: A Replication After 20 Years.” Sex Roles 39 (11), 1998. Paechter, Carrie. “Masculine / Femininities / Feminine Masculinities: Power, Identities and Gender. » Gender and Education 18 (3), 2006. Poggio, Barbara. “Editorial: Outline of a Theory of Gender Practices.” Gender, Work and Organization. 13 (3), 2006. Sandrich, Jay. (dir). Who’s In Charge Here? Universal City: California, (1972). Wolin, Lori. “Gender Issues in Advertising.” Journal of Advertising Research (43), 2003. Read More