Shifting Gender Roles
A period when we saw a change in gender roles was
World War II. During this time, men were sent out to fight the war, while many
others stayed back and worked at the factories that produced wartime items. For
example, factories that built cars transitioned into planes and military
vehicles. But at some point, there just weren't enough men to work at
factories, at which point women, for once, began being pressured into working
in factories. This is an example of how economic and political factors
influence gender roles instead of biology.
This isn't the only time in history where women had to take
on crucial roles in society. Another example of women taking charge, quite
literally was in Ancient Greece. Spartan women had rights like property
ownership and physical training (I don't know if this is considered a
right...).
A rather weird take on this is that single parent families.
Single family whether it be only mom or dad still have a functional family
where one parent is gone, does that mean that it's not possible to fulfill take
care of themselves or the kids. No, of course not. We see some parents take on
the role as the mom or dad, going out to earn money or taking care of the
kids.
These are examples of how gender roles are something that is
socially constructed rather than biologically determined. Why this is. Well not
quite sure, but what we do know is that over the world countless cultures and beliefs
have developed that have now shaped the world into how we women and men should
be and their roles.
Arguably, world war 2 is what made the big turn, especially
in the US where women were sort of normalized to go to work instead of staying
home.
Evan, I liked your analysis of gender roles changing from World War 2 because of the lack of manpower available domestically. I think nowadays because of the many pushes for complete gender equality since WWII, gender roles are more fluid and that leads to the more single parent households because they can take on the traditional roles of both.
ReplyDeleteWow, the shifting of gender roles is something I never would’ve expected you to cover. I do still believe there is a biological aspect to it, and that social constructs were created using our primal natures. But as time goes on, and we no longer need to fight for survival like normal animals, perhaps those roles really will be up for interpretation.
ReplyDeleteEvan this is amazing. Your blog effectively highlights how historical events, like World War II, shaped gender roles by necessity rather than biology. The mention of Spartan women is really good because it adds depth, showing variations in gender roles across cultures. The point about single-parent families is a fresh perspective, reinforcing the idea that roles are adaptable. Really good job!
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