How Gender Roles Changed in the United States Over the Last Century - Essay Example

Outline: Right to vote Women in the work place Birth control pill Sexual revolution Feminism Male responses to these changes Opinion Change in gender roles There has existed an aspect of male gender dominance in the American society for long. Many are duties being undertaken by male gender, which they could not, before the start of this century. The female gender on the other hand has gained recognition, freedom, and ways to make money, which they did not in past centuries. Gender roles refer to those duties and attitudes that are associated with a given gender, male or female (David, 47). Thus, in the society, there are those duties and responsibilities that were expected to be the preserve of either gender. However, this has changed over the last century; in a way that saw a certain gender, get involved in duties and responsibilities in could not traditionally. In America, there have been drastic changes regarding the gender roles, notably in the last century. Such changes in the gender roles have affected the American society all round, starting from homes, schools, workplaces and even the government. Most of these changes have seen the female gender become more and more empowered and greatly involved in all issues of the society, which were previously reserved for men (Bailey, 21). Consequently, the gender constitution of workplaces and schools has changed, having more of the female gender being incorporated in areas that were previously dominated by the male gender only. While such changes have been welcome by many in the society, there did not lack some quarters from which resistance was experienced. Nevertheless, notwithstanding the resistance, the change in gender roles in the American society has occurred anyway. Then right to vote is one such change in gender roles that has occurred in the American society, in the last century. Previously, starting from the colonial times, women were not allowed to vote. However, this changed in 1920, with the 19th amendment to the US constitution, which allowed all genders to be involved in voting, without any discrimination, based on their sexes (Jeffrey, 10). This right was fought for by women parties and associations such as the Women suffrage and the National Women party, which sought to have women allowed to vote. The fight for the right to vote was speed up by the World War I, which was referred to, as the war for democracy. After the war ended, women undertook several protests to have them indulged in voting. Although, their protests were ignored for duration of six months, consistency in agitating and protesting eventually made the government agree to consider their grievances (David, 113). Eventually, the government agreed on the 19th amendment, which allowed women to be involved in voting, for all elective posts, both in the government and other organizations. This has acted as a major step towards enhancing equality for all genders, in matters to do with decision making, as earlier, only the male gender would be involved in such decision making, thus instilling their will on the female gender (Bailey, 36). The right to vote has allowed women not only vote for the members of the male gender, but also the female as well. This has allowed them get involved and represented in all spheres such as political, religious, social, and economic. Another major change in the gender roles is the roles played by women in the workplace currently, compared to the past centuries. There has been a great increase in the number of women at the workplace, who accounts for 47% of the entire American workforce currently (David, 65). By the year 1995, the percentage of women who were working away from their homes had increased to a tune of 76%. By the start of the 20th century, women were not expected to be working and as such were meant to remain at home and undertake the domestic duties such as caring for children and performing other domestic chores such as cooking and washing. However, with increased access for education by the female gender, their involvement in the workplaces started rising. By 1970, 50% of all women in the USA were working outside their homes. This has been increasing gradually, eventually causing the attitudes and the policies in the work place to change drastically, from focusing on the male gender only, and encompass the needs for the female gender. The other aspect that has changed over female gender involvement in the workplace is sexual harassment, which was rampant for the members of female gender at their workplaces, at the early 20th century. This has changed, allowing such women many options to fight such vices, and gain equality with men at the workplaces (Bailey, 53). Sexual evolution is yet another aspect of change in the gender roles that has occurred in America. There has been a drastic change in the way the female gender is perceived in the US. In the past centuries, the female gender was perceived as weak, proposing that it needed dominance and guidance (Jeffrey, 18). Thus, it was expected that women should follow orders as given by their male counterparts. Another aspect that was most unexpected of women is their expression of sexual feeling. Good women in the society were not expected to express any of their sexual feelings, as this was associated with the bad women, who lacked morality. Since religion played a great role in this aspect, then it was men, who were meant to propose, suggest, and set standards for sex in the society, with the female gender only required to adhere to such set standards (David, 99). Sexual revolution of the 20th century marked a period of great societal and political changes that has eventually changed the perspective of the female gender. Thus, currently, sex and sexuality has become more acceptable in the society, even outside the boundaries of the heterosexual marriages. This is different from the past centuries, where sex was a preserve for a man and a woman who are legally married. Sexual revolution entailed the challenge of the traditional social norms, having the number of women who indulged in sex before marriage increase drastically between 1965 and 1975 (Jeffrey, 25). This has continued to increase, and more freedom for bisexuality and homosexuality has been achieved, which is openly expressed in public, as opposed to past centuries, where such activities and expressions were a taboo. Birth control pill changed gender roles, in that women were afforded a channel through which they would control pregnancy (Jeffrey, 32). This enhanced women engagement in all the affairs of the society at the same level with men, which was otherwise not possible. Earlier in the century, women could not seek for long-term jobs, as pregnancy kept interfering with their involvement, since it forced them to be on and off their jobs. Women would be forced to quit their jobs when they became pregnant, only to resume later after they have given birth and reared their children to a school going age (David, 122). The other alternative that was open for women was abortion, which had many limitations. Abortion was illegal for the great part of the century, thus limiting women from indulging in it freely. Additionally, the health risks associated with abortions were so high thus limiting the extent to which women could be indulged in this. With the introduction and legalization of the birth control pills, women can easily plan for their pregnancies, without being affected in their jobs and other engagements. Thus, the female gender has been afforded a channel through which they can participate equally in societal affairs, as does the male. The pills also allowed women to pursue their education without being interfered by pregnancy, thus allowing them to compete effectively with their male counterparts academically and in the job markets (Jeffrey, 24). Feminism is yet another aspect that has played a major role in changing the gender roles, where women have attained a platform to act at the same level with men, in societal matters (Jeffrey, 40). This aspect created a new wave of thinking regarding women and their domestic and sexual roles. This allowed more legislation to be passed in favor of women, which separated sexual indulgence and procreation. Such legislations included the legalization of abortion, which allowed women to terminate pregnancies, if they deemed them inappropriate (Bailey, 74). Women also gained great control over their bodies, courtesy of this movement. This movement also saw the creation of feminist institutions that would cater for the needs of the female gender, which was not the case of the male dominated institutions. This has by far served to afford the female gender greater freedom and have allowed sharing of domestic chores between the male and the female gender, which were only meant for the females. While the males have had a negative attitude towards this wave of female empowerment and the changes in gender roles, they have eventually accepted the change. This has been catalyzed by the effectiveness of women in leadership and other roles they play in the society, making the males approve of their achievement and even support them to higher offices. However, male dominance is still rife in the American society, more so in political leadership and job markets. In my opinion, the change in gender roles in the American society is an important and necessary aspect of social modernization. Works Cited Bailey, Ben: Prescribing the Pill: Politics, Culture, and the Sexual Revolution in America's Heartland. Journal of Social History, 1997. 20-84. Print. David, Allyn. Make Love Not War: The Sexual Revolution, an Unfettered History .New York: Taylor and Francis, 2001. 46-154. Print. Jeffrey, Escoffier. American Homo: Community and Perversity. Berkeley, Los Angeles, and London: University of California Press, 1998. 10-41. Print. Read More