Question- What are gender roles?

Answer -

Gender roles are those roles which are expected of men and women on the basis of their gender. Gender roles have been passed down through generations. From the age of three, children are able to start knowing the differences between girls and boys. They realize these differences on the basis of the work done by the parents and the nature of their environment. Traditionally many societies believed that women are better than men in parenting; hence the traditional view about women’s gender role states that women should behave in a manner that is nurturing. One way for a woman to engage in her traditional gender role may be to work full-time at home and support her family, rather than working outside the home. On the other hand, according to the traditional view of gender roles, men are expected to become leaders in the future. Therefore, the traditional view of gender roles in relation to men suggests that men should be the head of their household, providing financial resources in the household and that important family decisions should be made by men.

The same approach is still dominant in many areas of society, although an alternative perspective of traditional beliefs about gender roles has found continued and widespread support in the twenty-first century. Different epistemology has provided many perspectives on gender roles. The ecological perspective on gender roles suggests that gender roles are formed by interactions between individuals, communities and their environments. In other words, while the individual is playing his part in creating gender roles, so are the physical and social environments within which people act.

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