The media's everlasting stereotypes are always impacting the gender roles in society and expectations of each sex. These Media portrayed 'ways of life' have negatively impacted the business world, politically, and in a learning environment.
Women are expected to be submissive and stay at home to care for the husband and family. But when they try to enter the business world there are negative associations with the woman because she's not at home taking care of her family and house. Then people think that she may not have a family, alert the press. Often times, when women started entering the workforce, there was something wrong with them and they were viewed negatively in society. Also, in business women are still expected to be submissive when the only way they can get ahead is by asserting themselves and working hard but if they do that, women are considered wenches. They cannot seem to win in the business world, because its the "man's place." A man seems weak if he is beaten by a woman. The TV shows like Leave it to Beaver, show that women belong in the kitchen and men working, these bombardments make it very hard to counter the dominant culture.
In politics women are often to stand there and look pretty while supporting their husbands. It is very hard for a woman to earn respect from the opposite gender in politics. Men see women as figureheads in politics, it is perceived that they don't actually do anything. Women have a hard time earning respect as a serious candidate because to men, they are too emotional. Other women seem to favor women in politics depending on party association, personal beliefs, etc but seem less apt to support them publicly so they aren't mocked by men. Men have always been in politics so they are perceived as the ones who should be there. After the recent president election, Sarah Palin became a joke and it was very difficult for Hilary Clinton to get much respect from male voters.
At school it seems a little easier for men and women to compete more as equals. There are some girls who are as smart as boys and some boys who are as smart as the girls. Boys still view women as submissive but respect their intelligence a little but more often their figure. Girls are told to wear skimpy clothes and the ads with popular fashion make it hard for guys to respect them.
Overall in the professional setting, it is hard for women to earn respect because of media generated sex roles and the man feels pressure to be the breadwinner and make a lot of money.
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I would have to agree that women who work do have a harder time earning respect. Women in engineering often face old fashioned men who seem to think "this is no place for a woman". Women have to earn their place amoung men like this, but, I think that once we do earn our respect, it will be kept.
ReplyDeleteLike you said, in school girls and boys are treated much more equally. Sure, we still have our views, but our respect for the oposite sex seems to be more important than how we personally think others should act.
I liked your points, they were extremely interesting and a little controversial. :)