gender roles
A look at the evolution of gender roles, from Leave It to Beaver, paternity leave, female breadwinners and more.
I'm Sorry I'm a Man
I'm sorry I'm a man. I do know that as far back as I can remember I've been this way. I was born this way. Please queue the Lady Gaga music, thank you. No, I was not born with female parts, nor have I ever felt any need to undergo a surgery. This won't be a plot-twist essay. I'm too boring for that. I was merely born male. Let me explain.
By Kristian Romero7 years ago in Viva
Me Too, Caveated
Today on Facebook, several friends of mine posted a copy/paste update that read like this: "Me too. If all the women who have been sexually harassed or assaulted wrote "Me too." as a status, we might give people a sense of the magnitude of the problem.
By Yumi Yamamoto7 years ago in Viva
When in Disgrace with Fortune and Men's Eyes
The title of this piece is the first line of Shakespeare’s Sonnet 29, which is analysed in detail here. The poem itself doesn’t have much to do with this topic, but taking the first eight lines in isolation, it sounds a lot like how it feels to be a woman in a male-dominated workplace:
By Katy Preen7 years ago in Viva
A Mile in Her Feet
It started out as a joke, really. I was attending one of my best female friend's bachelorette party and as a part of the low-key celebrations, the plan was to go to the salon to get our nails did. I didn't really feel like disappearing midway through the day so I agreed to go with. After all, I had heard about men getting manicures and pedicures and absolutely loving it.
By C.E. Zulin7 years ago in Viva
The Panopticon of the Patriarchy
The patriarchal society lived in today is commonplace. Women find themselves constantly shorted in conditions ranging from violent rapists found innocent to girls told to cover their shoulders in school so as not to distract the boys in the room. These circumstances are a direct result of a panoptic mechanism abducting the idea of masculine power as dominant over femininity and fixing it into society so subtly that people rarely notice or have the ability to protest it. Foucault presents the central idea of Panopticism in Discipline and Punish: power is “visible and unverifiable,” (555). The sexist society in the United States exhibits these symptoms. For example, as Berger shows the reader in Ways of Seeing, men are visibly seen as favorable in art. However, it is essentially unverifiable because there is no sure way of knowing the inspiration, the intent, or the impetus behind the artist’s painting — consciously or subconsciously. Foucault’s presentation of the Panopticon directly represents and results in the relationship between male and female in today’s society as shown in Berger’s work, Ways of Seeing. As Berger puts it, “Men look at women. Women watch themselves being looked at” (47).
By Amelia Clare Wright7 years ago in Viva
Where to Find Support for Your Ambitions Being a South Asian Girl
Having a specific goal in life requires one to be committed, dedicated and motivated. However, in some cases, the commitment and dedication are present, but the motivation and support are lacking. This is very common, especially in the Southern Asian culture, being a girl in particular. It doesn't matter where you live, whether, in Asia or the West, it still happens everywhere around the world.
By Aleesha Ahmed7 years ago in Viva
Being a Woman in 2017. Top Story - September 2017.
Women have come a long way from what we were associated with many years ago. However, some people still believe that we should still be associated with the times of the past. This may be because it is what they have learned and what they have believed in, but it might also be that they don't want to change from the past.
By Tanisha Dagger7 years ago in Viva
The Awful Truth About Fake Geek Girls
They stalk conventions in skimpy costumes, spending money on geeky merchandise, all to sink their claws into and seduce an unsuspecting Real Geek Boy. They'll flutter those fake eyelashes as they slink into a conversation on the latest installment of your favourite video game franchise, but don't let them fool you, they aren't
By MissieKatjie7 years ago in Viva
Androgyny Within the Media
Androgyny has always been a female-centred word. Despite its definition being a mixture of the two stereotypical gender norms, dressing in an androgynous fashion always seems to be centred around women donning a tuxedo, or cutting their hair in a style fashionable for men. It is not until now the dictionary definition of the word is being portrayed within society. Hegemonic masculinity is heralded as the epitome of the male, and it seems that until recently anyone that escapes this binary is shunned or outlawed. More so now than ever, these previous ‘outsiders’; the men embracing the fluidity of fashion and culture are rising. ‘Its boring to make clothes marketed to one group of people’ Patric DiCaprio of Vaquera New York believes, unusually, all his designs are unisex, placing him on a pedestal as one of the pioneers of the androgynous movement, saying no to the restricting stereotypes of societal norms when it comes to gender, that can often have traumatising effects on people struggling with their gender identity. Yet, things seem to be moving forward in the case of ‘androgyny’ or gender fluidity being a male and female inclusive word; the first male ‘CoverGirl’ (whose name seems ironic or contradictory given the circumstances, as ‘girl’ suggests this is a female-exclusive brand) James Charles is seventeen from New York and runs a youtube channel focussed on makeup and other typically ‘feminine’ habits, but this does not mean he identifies as anything other than male, as does Jaden Smith who regularly is snapped by the paparazzi wearing skirts, which is seen as ‘unusual’ by many mainstream press houses, despite them often placing women in suits or with pixie cuts as centre pieces in fashion articles.
By Daisy Gaunt7 years ago in Viva
Gender Stereotype
Stereotype is typically defined as a simplified generalization about members of a particular group. And, gender stereotype is a widely adopted concept about different gender attributes. The way our society portrays women as inferior to men in toughness, whether it is courage, physical strength, or intelligence expresses a common gender stereotype. Such portrayals are often carried out by propaganda, entertainment, communities, and cultures in general as we experience it or see it around us. And the reasons for the persistence of a belief that women are inferior to men in toughness are due to scientific prejudices based on biological differences, social barriers of domestication, and the influence of multimedia.
By Beena Patel7 years ago in Viva
We Are Queens
Before we are born, our parents have the opportunity to know if we are male or female. This gives them the chance to plan for the color of the nursery, clothing, toys, and more. Boys will get a blue-themed nursery, trucks and toy cars, and clothing with "boy" slurs and dinosaurs. Girls get a pink-themed nursery, dolls and teddy bears, and clothing with bows, flowers, and polka dots. This begins what our society calls gender roles.
By helianthus 7 years ago in Viva