Today's Role of Women - Essay Example

Role of women From the current of affairs it is clear and evident that the role of women has changed. The role of the modern woman in the society today is very different form that of the traditional woman. In the past women were regarded as being inferior to men and they had little or no say in the society. In some societies they were only to be seen and not heard. The typical lifestyle for most families was for the men to go to work while the women stayed at home. Women were traditionally regarded as housewives and homemakers, having roles related with bearing and raising children and finally performing domestic chores or activities like cleaning and cooking. Over the last century, much has changed regarding the position and role of women in the society. We are beginning to see women assume political responsibilities, women in the employment sector and other sectors that were considered the domain of men. This has slowly erased the gender stereotypes that facilitated the existent of gender roles thus propagating gender neutrality (Weeks 9). This is a scenario where there is no indication or restriction by gender. This paper will therefore examine the changing roles of women socially, economically and politically. Socially, the traditional roles of women involved bearing children and raising them. Other roles were domestic activities and chores such as cleaning and cooking. To achieve all these, marriage was a prerequisite. Therefore, the art of seduction was solely reserved for men. Today very few women engage in these activities. Technological advancement and the involvement of women in the workforce have really played a major role in exempting women from their traditional duties. The advent of sperm banks due to advancement in technology has really threatened the existence of the basic social unit which is the family. Women nowadays are more independent than in the past. With sperm banks they are able to get pregnant without the help of the men and this has led to the increase in cases of women who are single mothers or are divorced. This has given them the opportunity to choose how they want to live not like in the past where pressure from the society could force them in marriage. Equality is also another aspect of freedom enjoyed by the modern woman. In the past women were discriminated and had fewer rights and freedoms compared to their male counterparts. Women had little or no say over issues that touched their families and the society. Today women are treated equally to men. Today the modern woman has the choice to stay at home and become mums or do whatever they please. Legal reforms and implementation of policies have really influenced the social role of women. These policies and reforms have contributed to the advancement of women socially. For example, one of the policies is Title IX which helped women to start being recognized in sports and other related activities (Goldstein and Kenney 506). Introduction of legislations that surround sexual assault and domestic abuse and other related crimes against women have really contributed in empowering women in the society. The laws have gave them safety and confidence to champion for their rights and voice their opinions. Economic empowerment of women began during the Second World War. During the war a large proportion of the men were involved in the fights and this necessitated the involvement of the women to step in and fill the void. This made the women to start working away from home hence marking the beginning of the changing roles of women in the society. After the war many women continued working in the industries as it brought some sense of importance in their status in the society. From here is when the women started advocating for their rights through feminism which advocated for equal rights for women. Education has also contributed immensely in the empowerment of women economically. Educational opportunities advanced to the women following the war gave them chance to attend colleges. They therefore earned degrees and developed skills that enabled them occupy management positions that were a reserve of the men. Education has continuously helped the women to join the workforce thus, changing their roles as opposed to in the past. Increasing equality in the wages and compensation of men and women has further encouraged the women to join the workforce. Earlier on the salaries and wages of women were not the same like for their male counterparts. Other services that exist in the society today like preschool programs and day care services have granted women opportunity to join the workforce. This has given them freedom and can now work away from home without the worry of tending to their children. Politically, the role of women is changing and this has been demonstrated by the rights and freedom to join politics and hold political posts. One of the political freedoms the modern woman is enjoying is the voting right. In the past women were viewed to be inferior hence were not allowed to vote. But after the many early twentieth century protests that advocated for feminism, women were later granted the rights of voting in 1918. This only allowed those who were above the age of 21. Men on the other hand voted at the age of 18. It was until 1928 that the women were given equal rights to vote. This led to change in their political role. In the recent past we have seen women engaging in politics and expressing political ambitions just like their male counterparts. This has led to many women assuming political posts and even becoming political leaders of nations contrary to early practice which did not allow women to voice their opinions. Women in leadership like Hillary Clinton, German chancellor and the Brazilian president are all examples of women in the political arena. The masses are also slowly accepting and appreciating the leadership skills of those women in leadership positions. Sexism refers to the discriminatory or abusive behavior towards members of the opposite sex. This is what for a long time has propagated women inferiority in the society hence subjecting them to discrimination and abuse in the society. To be able to combat this social evil appropriate strategies and measures need to be put into place. This will involve dealing with attitudes and behaviors of individuals as these are the determinants of propagating sexism in the society. One of the strategies would be to transform the young and innocent minds of children. Children should be socialized in such a way that they grow knowing difference in gender is nothing to do with inferiority or superiority. This will help bring up individuals who are free from gender stereotypes and are able to accommodate and appreciate the opposite sex. Another suggestion is to do away with gender stereotypes displayed in the media in form of movies and commercials made regarding interaction and existence of the two sexes. Policy reforms and legislations that promote gender equality is the way to go to combat sexism. This will help empower the gender that is more disadvantaged and protect it from exploitation and abuse by the opposite sex (Eagly and Sczesny 8). It would also prescribe penalties for those violating the rights and freedoms of the others. Public campaigns advocating for respect for the opposite sex in the media is also another way to create awareness those likely to become offenders and victims of sexism. In conclusion it is evident from the text that the roles of women have significantly changed overtime. Today the modern woman has equal rights to that of the man unlike the traditional woman who was regarded to be inferior and had no voice both in the house and the public arena. The changing roles have widely been attributed to advancement in technology, education opportunities to the women, and finally the many reforms and legislations advocating for feminism. Works cited Goldstein, Joshua R., and Catherine T. Kenney. "Marriage delayed or marriage forgone? New cohort forecasts of first marriage for US women." American Sociological Review (2001): 506-519. Eagly, Alice H., and Sabine Sczesny. Stereotypes about women, men, and leaders: Have times changed?. American Psychological Association, 2009. Weeks, Jeffrey. Sex, Politics and Society: The Regulations of Sexuality Since 1800. Routledge, 2014. Read More