Consideration of Gender Roles and Family Divorce - Essay Example

Gender Roles and Divorce

People should reproduce, grow, and develop from one stage to the next. For this to occur in a socially, humane, and legally responsible manner, engaging in a happy marriage and forming a family is essential. Indeed, a family is the foundation of society since it plays a significant role in the continuity of a generation and the human race through procreation. Previously, the family was mostly peaceful in a male-dominated community where females neither had a say nor contributed actively in communal activities and practices, save for the assigned gender-based roles such as home caregiving, and much more. Traditionally, society bred men entirely as breadwinners and family protectors, while women as home caregivers and child-bearers performed and fulfilled various domestic chores with zeal and dedication (Atkinson, 1987). They were to remain respectful and submissive to male counterparts for harmonious relations. However, with the emergence of feminism, disharmony crept in earnestly in many families following society’s failure to respect and fulfill various prescribed traditional gender-related roles and obligations; hence, a notable contributing factor to the high divorce rates witnessed in communities, as shown clearly underneath.

A Brief Overview of Gender Roles and Divorce

Male and female genders should either coexist or relate in harmony as envisaged during creation times for the benefit of the family and society. As already hinted above, the family and community were typically in harmony. However, unfortunately, over time, things took a drastic twist, which considerably affected and still affects communities today. First, with the onset of feminism and its subsequent fruition, dramatic shifts and turns in gender roles and responsibilities became inevitably apparent, and this formed the genesis of disharmony in the family and a subsequent spike in divorce rates (Hawke, 2007). Secondly, the successful fruition of feminism or feminist movement tended to destabilize the status quo in the traditional patriarchal societies, with women becoming potential and reliable breadwinners after successful formal education.

After securing lucrative formal jobs in various sectors of the economy, women became financially and materially independent. They could comfortably own property and raise children with little input from their male counterparts (Atkinson, 1987). That further fuelled family tension and an upsurge in divorce rates as witnessed currently. Thirdly, joining mainstream labor forces as full-time employees, women had little time left to perform traditionally assigned domestic chores as they dis the case previously, and this formed a potential source of conflict, which led to a marked increment in divorce rates such as witnessed today.

Fourthly, perceptions of equality between the male and female genders eventually challenged the status quo, leading to status and power struggles in the family following the need to head households by women and become equal partners or, to some extent, more potent than men (Hawke, 2007). Similarly, an imbalance in parenting or parenting gaps following the prolonged commitment of both parents in the workplace also caused future dysfunctional families and high divorce rates. In general, failure to fulfill the traditionally assigned gender-based roles and responsibilities as required contribute immensely to the high rates of family disputes and subsequent divorce following the reversal of gender roles and obligations.

Formal Education and Its Contribution to Gender Roles and Divorce

Previously, formal education in society was a preserve of men to enable them primarily fend for their families. Traditionally, the society assigned the role of a breadwinner and household headship to men while caregiving to women. Consequently, men had to excel in education and secure lucrative jobs in various sectors of the economy to fend for the family successfully; hence financial power was necessary. However, the concept of feminism and gender equality opened freedom for both genders to access formal education. After acquiring formal education and professionalism, women began to challenge their male counterparts, especially concerning equal rights and affirmative action (Randles, 2016). Women demanded their rightful place or space in society caused competition or power struggles in the family, threatening the traditionally assigned gender-based roles and responsibilities. Eventually, this spiked up frequent disharmony and subsequent high divorce rates in families, as is the case today.

The Feminism Movement and Contribution to Gender Roles and Divorce Rates

Before the period of feminism, society complied fully with the assigned gender roles and obligations without questioning. Men were to fend for and protect families while women were in charge of caregiving and child-rearing. In other words, females had the home and kitchen as their main territory, and they termed this as open discrimination (Mann, 2013). Despite allegations by female gender concerning suppression and oppression from the notable patriarchal society, harmony largely prevailed. Women complied with social norms and depended on men for economic or financial support. However, with feminism taking root, women became empowered materially and financially. They felt equal and similar to their male counterparts, especially with advanced educational achievements. Upon excelling in education, some secured employment opportunities, and earned attractive salaries and wages. Some had better remuneration packages than men, and this empowered them financially. With better educational attainments, incomes, and financial independence, the reversal of family roles and responsibilities occurred, bringing family friction among conservatives.

With women in attractive formal employments, they spent much of their time in the places of work. That did not give them ample time to address the culturally assigned roles and responsibilities, as was the case previously. Eventually, this displeased the male counterparts or husbands who sometimes had to attend domestic chores reserved traditionally for women by the conservatives. That amounted to some friction and conflict, hence destabilized marriages. Similarly, some women earning better salaries than their husbands do, disrespect, and need to grab power from men or husbands crept in, especially as perceived by the conservatives (Mann, 2013). That formed a potential source of dispute since men preferred or wanted the power and respect upheld as happened before the advent of feminism. Moreover, since employed women worked and simultaneously offered essential care services to the family, resentment set in among them. They felt overworked and demanded assistance from men concerning family care and related domestic chores, which men felt did not fall within their assignments. That bred heightened disputes and subsequent high rates of divorce.

Similarly, more educated and employed women alongside better remunerations than men do bring about considerable strains in family relationships. Women tended to undermine such men since they fell short of financial power. Such husbands usually found it hard to meet the financial demands or obligations, causing significant threat or strain in the family relationship. That prompted high women earners to support their husbands financially, which amounted to shared responsibility, hence the reversal of roles, upon reversal of roles and responsibilities, disrespect, frustration, and stress set in, especially among conservative husbands or men. That led to frequent family-related violence, which ended in high rates of divorce (Randles, 2016). Concisely, employment enabled women to become independent, leading to frequent friction in the family and divorce, even on flimsy grounds or proven faults from women.

Gender Equality and Contribution to High Divorce Rates

The Feminist movement fought for and entrenched gender equity in liberal societies. It allowed both genders to get into formal employment either for necessity or by choice. In line with the feminism theory, the reversal of gender roles and responsibilities is a healthy and welcome practice in society, especially among the liberals. However, the same elicited a different reaction from the conservatives who usually stand in the way of feminism and the envisioned change (Clarke-Stewart & Brentano, 2006). In real sense, men and women have different strengths and weaknesses, which cannot make them serve equal roles and responsibilities, especially before the traditionalists' eyes.

Moreover, in an institution including marriage, there should always be a substantive head or leader to give it direction as required. Traditionally, males were the heads of families who led and spoke on behalf of families. However, with the dawn of feminism, females, especially those who had more financial or economic power in families, tended to overpower their husbands. That bred embarrassment, discomfort, and stress among traditional patriarch men, hell-bent on being in charge of households at whatever costs, thus this was a significant source of dispute, violence, and subsequent divorce in various families (Hawke, 2007).

Contribution of Parenting Gaps in Gender Roles and Divorce

Nature and nurture usually play a crucial role in family relations and divorce among communities, especially families. Children usually emulate adults or caregivers, and what the neighborhood provides immensely shapes their character today and in the future (Randles, 2016).

Consequently, a child born and bred under unpredictable or irresponsible circumstances or environments usually mature to become irresponsible and vice versa. For example, a child brought up in an environment where parents frequently use alcohol, psychoactive drugs, and substances, compounded with violence, are more susceptible to become irresponsible and violent, thus cause divorce in a future family, and the reverse is true (Clarke-Stewart & Brentano, 2006). When both parents engage in formal employment opportunities, they may lack adequate time to guide and nurture their children in a responsible manner so that they can emulate responsible parenting from them, thus the parenting imbalance.

Conclusion

The family is the basic tenet or unit of a community where women and men should display love, care, and belongingness for a responsible child upbringing. In many societies, socialization processes assign specific roles and responsibilities for respective genders. In other words, men were traditionally breadwinners and family protectors, while women were entirely home caregivers. Unfortunately, with the feminist movement in place, many changes emerged in the family, influencing society's conduct via reversal of gender roles and responsibilities. Despite bringing about equity in gender and women empowerment, it triggered some social issues associated with gender role reversal, such as divorce, which immensely destabilized families. In reality, with the dawn of feminism, disharmony crept in earnestly in many families following society's failure to respect and fulfill various traditional gender-related roles and obligations; hence, a notable contributing factor to the high divorce rates witnessed in communities as the paper clearly show.