Written by Payton Snyder, Elements Writer
In workspaces, in homes, in schools, in sports, and in the public eye everyone is treated differently. One of the many criteria that people are judged on is gender. Our societies as a whole have been taught gender roles since day one. Most people have heard sentences similar to “that’s not very lady like” or “you need to just man up.” People who are not male or female often fall under dangerous stereotypes as well. It is very important that all of our societies recognize the different ways people are treated for
something they have no control over.
The first place mentioned was the workspaces. One of the main differences for people of different genders in workspaces is the wage gap. For example, on average, between all races, women earn 82 cents for every $1 a man makes. Unfortunately, that gap is much larger for people of color. Some of the reasons that this wage gap exists are differences in industries and jobs, differences in years of experience, difference in hours worked, and, most importantly, discrimination. Gender-based pay discrimination has been illegal since 1963 but is still very frequent today. Discrimination is also what caused the differences in industries worked, years of experience, and hours like how women are expected to take “female jobs” and to stay home to cook, clean, and take care of kids.
That brings me to how the genders are unequal in the public eye. Let’s start with men. The expectation for men is incredibly unreasonable. Men are forced into the role of being tough and strong. That they have to get good jobs, and bring in money. Expected to be tall, excessively masculine, and be emotionless. This is harmful. If men are made to have the mentality that this is the only way they can be accepted in the world, their self esteem will be damaged if they do not meet those expectations.
On the other hand, women are expected to take certain jobs like secretaries, teachers, librarians, and nurses. They are expected to have that perfect, ideal hourglass body shape, they have to be stay at home moms, be quiet and submissive, they aren’t supposed to play sports and they can’t be politicians. Society tries to keep women in a very small box. They try to limit what women are truly capable of and if they don’t fit their exact description, then they are told to fix it and change who they are. Women are put under so much pressure to be perfect little dolls that they forget the true potential they possess.
Similar things apply to anyone who isn’t either male or female. If those people don’t present themselves as perfectly androgynous then a lot of people wouln’t accept them. A lot of people don’t accept them already but if they don’t meet certain stereotypes then people just assume they are confused and try to give them a certain label
If people don’t meet society’s impossibly high standards they get scolded but that’s not their fault, it’s ours. We need to get everyone to just put gender roles behind them and accept people for who they are regardless of gender. That’s going to be the real battle but one we can and will win.
Brewer, Holly. “List of Gender Stereotypes.” HealthGuidance. N.p., 27 Dec. 2011. Web. 21 Aug. 2020.