In my opinion, gender roles exist because we are “conditioned” to do so since a
long time. Historically, we have adapted more or less the same perception
towards each gender, and although there have been many positive reforms, the
influence of that “conditioning” still has a long way to eventually become more
balanced. For example, since our childhood we are cultured to reflect our
gender. Young girls generally play with their tea sets and dolls, while young
boys play with action figures or try some physical sports. It is not that they
are not interested in the things of the other side, we have seen great women
athletes as well as male fashion designers, but we are shaped by the views
passed on from generation to generation. That is why I think gender roles exist.
Analyzing the above facts closely, we can
say that gender is something “learned” to a large extent. The values and norms
about how a person belonging to a particular gender should behave are revealed
to us since our childhood. We are introduced to the things that are feminine or
masculine in nature, and are directed towards the relevant ones. Then, we are
exposed to the attributes like “strong”, “emotional”, “rough”, and “caring” to
name a few, that ultimately make us aware of our association with particular
gender. And, basically those things shape our thinking for the rest of our
lives.
Gender roles clearly create inequality in
the society. Until and unless the gender roles stress on the superiority of a
particular gender, there will always be inequality. Imagine if a man is running
a race with complete independence while a woman is carrying children, household
works and economic dependency on her back, would it be a fair race? This is
certainly the case in many developing countries where gender roles have
increased the responsibilities but limited the opportunities for women. So, as
long as the gender roles remain conservative, we can never expect a wise
solution to inequality.
© Dixit Bhatta 2013
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