As you are reading about Family Myths in chapter 7 of your textbook, keep in mind the belief of heteronormativity and why this belief continues to perpetuate this “ideal” nuclear family image.
Think of your own relationships you have made over the years, if it be friendships or romantic partners, and apply what you know about heteronormativity to these specific relations you have created. Have you engaged or disengaged in relations with a person purposely by how they enact their gender roles?
Keep in mind your definition of family while you read myth #2: The U.S. Family is in Decline
Consider why we set standards for how things ought to be.
The ideal nuclear family tradition has been challenged for decades now with the new generation of families. An example I found that puts this idea into perspective is from a Netflix Original Series called Easy, where they talk about a study done on couples gender roles. The study talked about in this episode concluded, “couples who observe more gender normative roles, have more sex”. This sparks up a conversation between a few people at a party and leaves a married couple in question about their own personal life situation. The attached reading, Housework, Gender, and Sex: It’s Complicated, talks about the study that is mentioned in the clip I will be sharing with you on Monday. While reading this article, think about how such a conclusion could be made by the distribution of housework. Does doing the dishes turn you on? Or having your partner do them turn you off?
(***UPDATE 11/8/16***)
On Monday, we started off brainstorming a definition and synonyms for the word "ideal". I kept referring back to this list because I believe these myths and gender norms in place for males and females are obscene due to the reality that we can't uphold anyone to a perfect standard. The nuclear family was a picturesque, fantasy like idea for families to emulate post industrialization. As research goes to show, this was a very hard dream to capture for most people. The myth that a family needs to be nuclear was debunked, simply because it was an unreachable goal for many. We talked about why we need standards for how we should be and how we should act, which are our gender-role scripts. Some say typical guy gestures, such as opening the car door for a lady was considerate and appreciated. On the other hand, some spoke out saying they don't find themselves purposely engaging or disengaging in a relationship with another person due to typical gender roles and stereotypes. It seems like people would prefer genuinely forming relationships out of common interests rather than seeking out relations intentionally, which I would have to agree. Holding people up to standards doesn't allow room for change or growth. Some commented that culture affects how we view certain gendered stereotypes and how they continue to be enacted, for instance the mother cooking for all the men in the house and not asking for help, only if another female was present. Even though many are transitioning from the traditional setup, we see culture plays a big role in family dynamics. We discussed how Disney movies portray these ideals of women and relationships and what being in love should look like. This pressures girls into wanting the big white wedding. I asked for some suggestions on how Disney could possibly portray another vision for young children to look up to, something maybe with more of an egalitarian relationship or those that identify with the LGBTQ community. Movies like Mulan, The Princess and the Frog, Zootopia, Brave, and Frozen all deviate from the typical Disney princess movies.
From the clips we saw in class, did it surprise you that the couple questioned their happiness after it was made aware to them that the “couples who observe more gender normative roles, have more sex”. For this couple, the distribution of housework was nontraditional and the wife was the bread-winner of the family.
Do you believe happiness is measured by playing out normal gender roles?
How should we measure happiness in the household?
What better evidence could be concluded from studying the LGBTQ community in this research on distribution of housework measuring happiness?
(Don't feel like you have to comment on all questions, just bring what ever thoughts you have to the table)
The next section in the textbook goes on to digest parent-child communication and the issues within. Here is an article that goes beyond researching this dynamic.
"Exploring Parent-Adolescent Communication About Gender: Results From Adolescent And Emerging Adult Samples." -Marina Epstein and L. Monique Ward
http://connection.ebscohost.com/c/articles/61265226/exploring-parent-adolescent-communication-about-gender-results-from-adolescent-emerging-adult-samples
Marina Epstein and L. Monique Ward are scholars who look at parent-communication within the institution of family. They believe parents shape their children's behaviors, interactions, gender- related attributes and gender ideals. This is a prominent notion since our families are our first socializers. Ward and Epstein point out that parents are contributing to the breakdown of traditional gender norms by sending more egalitarian gendered messages. These messages help promote an equal view of the sexes and include positive reinforcing behaviors that could be shared within the family. Parents direct communication of gender values for their children is an important area to study.
When thinking about how to answer your questions about the gender norms within couples and such, I truly believe that when it comes to relationships- something that is different for each couple- we shouldn't be judging our own relationships by the traditional heteronormative roles that society has created. I think that if you are in a relationship, regardless of if you're playing out 'normal gender roles' or not, if you feel as if you and your partner are growing and evolving into better people because of one another, then you shouldn't worry about any of the presumptions concerning norms. Once you start to think about the things that may be considered abnormal to the normal gender roles within a relationship, it will only lead to feeling insecure within that relationship. We should measure happiness within the household by equal effort to maintain the relationship, chores, and other tasks without thinking of who should be doing what. As long as each person is contributing to the things necessary to maintain the household, such as providing income to pay the bills or cleaning the house or cooking, it should not matter who is doing what. If conflicts arise, it should be dealt with in a respectful manner and not be based on the normal gender roles considering that there are now a lot more nontraditional households and relationships in todays society. I think that we'd benefit greatly from studying the LGBTQ community in this research on distribution of housework measuring happiness...This is because since they've already went against this heteronormative relationship, they've established how to divide the household chores and income by other means rather than doing 'what they are supposed to do'. We should be researching and conducting studies on more LGBTQ couples because they've already went against what is seen as 'norm' and don't care to consider what is the gender norm because of this. They've established their relationships solely based off attraction, and common interests rather than setting up standards for one another based on their sex. Happiness should be measured by the amount of growth this person provides for you. Ask yourself if this person is bettering you and helping you evolve into the person that is better than who you were yesterday. Somebody that supports you regardless of if you go against the heteronormative belief of what is 'normal' or 'natural'. Disregard any socially constructed norms as long as you truly feel happy within your current relationship and are supportive of each other regardless.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your statement on how we shouldn't worry about any of the presumptions concerning norms within relationships. I still see to this day friends looking for "the right guy" but sometimes it's unattainable. I heard a friend on the phone tell her boyfriend, "You're the guy, you should be buying me flowers unexpectedly if you REALLY love me". Instead, she bought her own because it just makes her happy.
DeleteI think you pose great questions in regard to our discussion on Monday in class. In regards to your first question, "do you believe happiness is measured by playing out normal gender norms", I do not believe that happiness is measured by gender norms. I have two happily married gay aunts who, at least from the outside, are happy and enjoying their lives together. They do not conform to the normal gender roles--both gay and both do not dress to the standards of their sex. They both work and do not have one specific "bread winner". They now have an adopted son and have plenty of family get-togethers. For the question "did it surprise you that the couple questioned their happiness after it was made aware to them that couples who observe more gender normative roles, have more sex", it did not surprise me. I think that people are too insecure with themselves, for the most part, that if they don't conform to the societal norm, they feel that people will think that they are either weird or not normal. For people like this, what other people think about them is highly important. Once they hear that couples who display more heteronormative roles have more sex, they start to think "oh well me and my partner only have sex once a month, and I'm a man who does the dishes, so there must be something wrong with this". In reality, I believe that people should be more comfortable doing whatever they want to do. Perhaps the reason they aren't having sex is due to some other issue, not the way they gender themselves. For the question "how should we measure happiness in the household", I do not believe that happiness in the household should be measured. There are many different aspects that contribute to a persons happiness-- who they surround themselves with, what they do in their spare time, problems that they are facing, etc. We should not link a person's happiness to whether they "cisgender" themselves or not.
ReplyDeleteLike the textbook reading speaks about, the ideal nuclear family is in decline and for all of the right reasons. Families are not only made of a husband and a wife, but can be made of a husband and a husband, or a wife and a wife as well. Just because the husband isn't the bread winner and the wife is, does not mean that the couple is not happy. As one of our classmates brought up in class, if the statement "couples who observe more gender normative roles, have more sex" were true, than that would mean that gay and lesbian couples do not have sex, which is false and unrealistic.
I genuinely enjoyed your topic, April!
Yes, I believe that the household should be run organically and let the duties fall on who ever wants them. How could the distribution of housework cause more or less happiness, unless one partner neglects it in all. That's when you'll find yourself having less sex if you're not providing anything to a happy home. But I do see why, once made aware, an insecure person/couple can be effected highly by these results of the study.
DeleteYes, I agree April!
DeleteHi April,
ReplyDeleteI believe that while happiness is not measured by playing out traditional gender roles, it is important for the members of a couple to have a working system of how to accomplish goals within their household. I think the couple from the TV show you showed us was reacting defensively, as any other couple would if they felt their sexual relationship was being questioned by outside observers. It didn’t surprise me that their friend’s implied accusation of their failing sex life made them feel self-conscious.
I think that happiness in the household does not need to be measured by anyone who is not living in the household in question. All couples and all households are too different to have a prescribed set of rules to achieve success as a family. I also don’t believe that a well-thought-out division of chores or frequent sex are necessarily the markers of a successful household.
I think that including members of the LGBTQ+ community could have a huge impact on this study. Perhaps we would find that there is no correlation between division of chores and happiness/frequency of sex - only that a functional household in which things are done in a way both parties see as fair matters.
If there was a study conducted with LGBTQ+ members I think the whole statement “couples who observe more gender normative roles, have more sex” would be debunked.
DeleteAbsolutely! Great job again on your presentation.
DeleteApril,
ReplyDeleteGreat job on the presentation! I don’t necessarily believe happiness is measured by playing gender roles because I’m sure there are plenty of families who have switched gender roles and are perfectly happy. The clip from the Netflix series Easy, along with your article opened by eyes to the idea that some men are insecure if they perform the more “womanly duties”. However I don’t think that this would lead to less sex within the couples. I took this quote from the article “What Carlson and his colleagues discovered is that, in fact, there are ‘no significant differences in sexual frequency and satisfaction among conventional or egalitarian couples.’” I think that we should measure happiness within the household based on less material things, such as the healthiness of the children rather than which spouse is in what field. I think that studying the LGBTQ community in this setting would be a great idea since the gender roles would be harder to find. All couples are different but you might find between a gay couple that one man takes care of the children more than the other. While discussing this in class, the point of one partner has a less important job than the other was brought up. I agree with that completely because one parent will have to stop what they are doing to take care of their child in need, but I don’t believe that it has to be the man or the woman, if it works in your relationship then do what you have to do. I really enjoyed learning about this topic and you did a great job teaching it to the class!
Alexandra R.
I agree with your point that happiness within a family shouldn't be measured by material things or which spouse is bringing home the money, and rather put emphasis on growing a healthy family, although situations are sometimes inevitable. I found that within my sisters own family dynamics, her and her husband at different times were the so called "bread-winners" and that didn't really make much of a difference. But no matter what, that house was run by my sister. She needed it to be how she wanted, so I'd say my sister overall is the dominant one in that relationship.
DeleteHi April,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your lecture last week, it was both informative and interesting. I found it thought-provoking to note that the concept of the nuclear family emerged from the industrial revolution when the idea of manliness was proven when the man of the house could provide for his family without any other support.
On a further note, and in response to your question; Do you believe happiness is measured by playing out normal gender roles? I think that happiness comes when a person is doing what they believe is right for them and at the same time feels appreciated for that role that they have undertaken. When I observe, and analyze my on life, I will admit that I don’t always love washing dishes and doing laundry, and in fact I very often hate it. However, it is just one of those things in life that needs to get done. If I would compare how I feel about this role to how my husband would feel if he undertook it, I believe he would not only be truly very unhappy, I would also be unsatisfied with how he completed it. So, while I don’t always love fitting into that typical gender role of being a housewife and mother, in another way I do love it and feel a sense of accomplishment and pride in my home.
again, thanks for your presentation.
Myriam
Observing one's own situation definitely puts things into perspective because although we'd love to have an organized, equal system in our households, it's usually hard to do that. You bring up a great point about feeling appreciated for your work you're accomplishing. I believe that the simple fact of your partner noticing and realizing your hard work in the house makes the situation that women do most of the housework more prideful for us. I think couples would be happier if their hard work is seen by their partner and appreciated!
DeleteApril,
ReplyDeleteI loved your presentation! From the clips we saw in class, It did not surprise me that the couple was questioning their happiness after they found out that couples who "observe more gender normative roles, have more sex." It made them analyze their relationship and it made them question whether or not their relationship was suffering because of these roles. I do not believe that happiness is measured by these gender normal roles because every relationship is different. Some couples will be perfectly happy with the woman being the bread winner and the man staying at home. It all depends on the relationship. I also think that the way people are raised play a huge part in whether are not they are happy with the gender normal roles. For example, in most Latino households (like mentioned in class) are dependent on the woman of the house to do most of the work and the man is the sole bread winner. In other cultures, the work may be equally divided. Now, let's say that a woman of a culture that is work is equally divided and a man from a Hispanic household are in a relationship. This might cause some distress in their relationship because the man might think that his partner has to do the work because it is how was raised. While the partner may argue that it should be divided. This might cause them to be unhappy. It really depends on the relationship, what they believe in and most importantly what they are comfortable with. Happiness can be measure by many different things. I think a good way to measure happiness would be by talking to the families and seeing how well they communicate with one another and how they generally feel about their family. The family could state how they feeling about their members performing certain tasks or how comfortable they feel just talking to one another. I think that studying the LGBTQ community and their gender roles would be interesting to know about because there is not a lot of information on it. I would have so many questions. Fro example, do they have certain gender roles? Do their cultures influence these gender roles?
You did a great job! I learned way more about the gender norms that families are placed under and what society thinks an "ideal" family household should look like.
That's very interesting thinking about same-sex couples and their assigned gender roles. If they come from different cultures and household norms, there can be a divide in how they think the house and the duties should be run. Who gets to win that fight and what cultures norms do they get to follow. I guess for anyone it's all about understanding, growth, and acceptance. Without these traits, it will be hard to come to a peaceful conclusion.
DeleteHey April,
ReplyDeleteI liked how you brought up the idea of the “ideal family” as many desire this concept of ideal. I actually do not think that there is an ideal family, as every family has something that is going on with them and something that could be different within their dynamic. However, this does not mean that families cannot love each other and be satisfied within their family. I actually was not surprised that the couple in the show questioned their happiness and their family dynamic because as I said, no family is ideal. I do not believe that happiness is measured by our assumed gender roles. If all the family members are content within their own roles, then they should be happy. If they are not happy, then they should be able to modify those roles in order to be happier without being alienated for it. That is how I think we should measure happiness in the family; just the level of comfortability and contentness within the family structure and the people one is with. I actually really liked the topics and questions you brought up because they were very engaging and this whole idea of gendered roles is very relevant today.
Yes, I believe that no family can really fit this ideal standard. All families should be counted for, no matter the make-up of the family. The love and support from a family is whats important, and happiness will come when there's equal treatment in the household. I think it's hard for people to get out of their habits (gender roles), so it's hard for people to adjust but as long as partners give it a chance, fair treatment can be achieved.
DeleteHi April,
ReplyDeleteFirst I just wanted to compliment you on your presentation! It was extremely informative and entertaining, you kept me very engaged. As for the question you asked, I don’t think that happiness is measured by playing out gender norms. Everyone is different and while some men love being the stereotypical single source of income, others don’t. Likewise with women; some love being housewives and others would rather work and make their own money. I think it is all dependent on the couple itself. Personally, I think that happiness should be measured by doing what you enjoy the most and by splitting responsibilities. My parents are both Italian immigrants and very stereotypical when I was growing up (my dad would work, my mom would take care of the kids and the house). It is something that was expected from the culture and society around them at the time. Regardless of culture, I feel it is important to work together and to split work. I feel that heteronormative gender roles can add stress to the relationship if they are taken too seriously. If a woman makes more than her husband, for example, he will probably be more likely to be insecure rather than supportive.
Yes, I believe that even though the guy may not be making the money, they still can possess the stereotypical father roles in the house. I agree with the stress that comes from enacting these gender roles. As Butler says it's a performance, the standards of how to be and how to act can add stress and leave a person or a couple unhappy.
DeleteHi April!
ReplyDeleteI loved your presentation, too. You did an amazing job and you understand the topic really well. I think you pose really interesting questions and I don't think anyone properly knows how to measure happiness. Happiness is an abstract notion and gender norms are social constructions, so if we did agree that gender norms makes us happy, do we really know what makes us happy at all? Essentially, if we think we derive our happiness from abstract social and historical constructions then how do we know what makes us happy without those constructions? It’s a similar question to Butler’s, “How we define a performance?” It’s a question drenched in theory that poses more questions than answers.
However, I do not think gender norms makes us happy, nor can they measure our happiness. How would people in relationships and families measure their happiness without invasive gender norms? To me, gender norms are artificial therefore if a woman claims they’re happiness is derived from her femininity then is she really happy because of it? Her happiness is based off a social, abstract construction that molds her to think what her femininity should be. Would she understand what made her happy without the social constructs of nuclear families, gender roles and separate spheres? I hope she would, and as we have seen today more people are breaking gender conventions.
Like the textbook said, nuclear families are on the decline. Attempting to reach for an impossible, idealistic family image is unattainable. The cis-gender, heteronormative white Protestant family that certain politicians may want us to emulate contrasts with the beautiful diversity in America. This is why I do think it would be beneficial to have more research on LGBTQ couples, but we would have to ensure research would include more subjects than white gay men. Similar to how white feminism doesn’t account for intersectionality enough, there is a complaint in gender theory and queer studies that white gay men are the dominant LGBTQ narrative. Researchers would have to promise diversity within their studies, because many times the problem with research is that it doesn’t account for diversity at all.
For your last question, “What is natural and what is normal?” I have no idea. One of the many, many problems with social constructs is that it strips away authenticity. We may not know at all what is natural or normal because those notions have been contorted to fit a heteronormative, cisgender agenda. This is why women, gender and queer studies are so important. They help us ask these questions and make us aware of our place in the world.
I agree, and I hate that we have to follow these gender social constructs. It's defining and it limits people to claiming a side, or a certain role. When thinking of gender as a performance, it really leaves it open ended, how do we enact the proper gender roles, as well as living up to the ideal family model. It really goes against what America stands for; diverse people.
DeleteApril,
ReplyDeleteI just wanted to start off letting you know that your presentation was awesome! You kept us all engaged and this topic was extremely interesting. But to answer the questions stated above:
Do you believe happiness is measured by playing out normal gender roles?
I do not feel like happiness is measured by playing out "normal" gender roles. I feel as if gender roles do exist, but it doesn't matter who is doing the certain tasks based on gender as long as the tasks get done. For example, in my family, my parents took on the normal gender roles for years until my mom got a job. Their happiness seems to be the same as its always been, although they split what needs to be done inside the house as well.
How should we measure happiness in the household?
I feel like happiness in the household should be measured on things that go further than just doing tasks around the house, or who makes the most money. Happiness should be measured by the amount of time a family can spend together, and how much EVERYONE is putting in to help what is going on. Gender roles are only important to an extent, but happiness should not be measure on which roles are being done more, or better.
What better evidence could be concluded from studying the LGBTQ community in this research on distribution of housework measuring happiness?
I feel like the LGBTQ community would be so helpful in looking into the research of a "normal" family. We could look into the gender norms and come to a conclusion that the gender you are doesn't depict what you should be doing around the house or how much money you should be bringing in to the household.
I learned so much from your presentation! Thank you
I totally agree with your statement that gender doesn't depict what you should be doing, because how could that be? You do what feels right, no matter of your gender/sex. In regards to how happiness is measured, I agree the quality time is most precious and brings a lot of happiness to a couple when they can see each other more frequently, rather than a couple that has different schedules regarding work.
DeleteI think you brought up such a great question when you asked "What better evidence could be concluded from studying the LGBTQ community in this research on distribution of housework measuring happiness?" because I think a lot of information could be brought to light from researching this. Couples of the LGBTQ community have gone outside of the heteronormative household where these gender roles are applied. With couples of the same sex being together, there is no such thing as if you are a woman your role is to be in the kitchen and vice versa. It would be interesting to see exactly how members of same sex couples distribute the work in the household versus heterosexual couples. I believe it would be based more on the workload of each individual versus what society says they have to do. Instead of the happiness in the household being measured by societies standards, I believe they in most cases would do things in their own way that works for their household an their family the best. If this is true it would show how much society has an impact on people and their perception on relationships families as a whole.
ReplyDeleteI agree it would be interesting to see what housework falls on each partner. It's kinda like taking on the roles you enjoy doing. I agree that the distribution relies on how heavy of a workload each partner has, and with same-sex couples these roles could be taken on by who ever wants them.
DeleteHey April,
ReplyDeleteyour presentation was awesome and I think that you presented your research clearly and in a way that kept the whole class engaged...
1. Although I don't personally don't believe happiness is measured by playing our normal gender roles, I do believe that most couples are under this false pretense. Like you mentioned, both women and men feel pressured to fit this socially created "ideal" in terms of how men & women perform their specific rules. Both men and women feel obligated to do certain gestures (like you said men opening car doors for women and women being responsible for dishes/cleaning/cooking). But on the other hand, if the roles were to be reversed both genders would find it extremely bizarre to performing tasks of the opposite sex.
2. I think we should measure happiness in the household based off of how we communicate with each other. How we speak and treat people is a reciprocation of how we are spoken to and treated. If everyone speaks to each other with kindness, then the overall atmosphere of the household is better. Happiness could also be measured by how much time we spend with each other. By spending more time with family members, a greater sense of trust and communication is formed and therefore happiness is more likely to be present. But then again, I don't think happiness can necessarily be measured, but rather there is a clear distinction of whether or not happiness is present.
3. I think there has been minimal research of the LGBTQ community and because it is such a new community and is becoming so much more common. Today, I think gathering evidence from this specific community will not only broaden our perspective and overall opinions on how things "should" and "shouldn't be."
Thank you again for such an awesome class!
I do believe that when the roles reverse, like girls opening the door for the guy, that would come across a little strange, and I think that's because of that false idea in our heads. As much as were in a transition and trying to be accepting, these traditions are still on our mind. It will take a long time for them to not be so apparent. I like your point on communication and happiness. It really makes a situation 10X better when you can communicate clearly and what you want to your partner when you can. I think it's the most important trait to possess.
DeleteApril,
ReplyDeleteGreat presentation last week!
The term “ideal” is very difficult to break down because everyone have different point go views. Personally, it means something that reaches the expectation set by themselves. For example, my ideal grade for a class would be an A because it is the goal I set for myself. Similarly, the definition of an “ideal family” is different for everyone. For many people, an “ideal” family is the nuclear family which consists of a heterosexual couple, a son and a daughter, and possibly a dog. But I grew was as an only child by a single mother, therefore I view things differently. I believe everyone has an idea of their “ideal,” however reaching that ideal is not possible. As human beings, we expect too much from others and from ourselves.
As an only child with a single mother, I was able to relate a lot with the show called Gilmore Girls, which is about a single mother and her daughter as they face family and relationship challenges. Similar to my own relationship between with my mother, I often watched the show and looked at it as my definition of an “ideal” family. However, I realized that due to the cultural differences and age difference, my relationship with my mother is nowhere near the mother-daughter of Gilmore Girls. With time, ideal expectations and hopes also change with time.
On the subject of your presentation, I wanted to share that I believe the desirable “ideal family” is unachievable. I do not believe that happiness is measured by gender norms but rather through the way family members communicate and share responsibilities. happiness is a combination of how satisfied you are with your life (for example, finding meaning in your work) and how good you feel on a day-to-day basis.I was raised by a single mother who was the breadwinner in our small family of two. She raised me all on her own; my mom taking on all responsibilities didn’t have an issues on the level of happiness and satisfaction of our relationship. The older I got, I began to help my mom out with chores which helped bring us closer by communicating with each other. Although I didn’t grow up with a father figure, through constant communication and the sharing of chores, my mom and I have reached a level of mutual understanding and satisfaction with our way of life.
Thank you for your wonderful and interactive presentation. Once again, great job!
You bring up such a great point when you say everyones definition of ideal is different. Our wants and needs in life vary according to what we see as good enough, or as a perfect image for us. Just like you said the family dynamics of the show Gilmore Girls you looked up to and wanted. It's what were exposed to and what we see in the media as predominantly what we want and crave.
DeleteHi, April! Your presentation was wonderful! For me, the word "Ideal" is something that people dream of. I am Japanese, so I would talk about how Japanese think in this post.
ReplyDelete1. For the first question, I think that is true. Happiness is measured by playing out normal gender roles. My ideal family is that there is kind father, two kids and a big dog. Both I and my husband work every day. My ideal family is very different from my Japanese friends because in the Japanese culture, women should do tedious house chores every day to keep houses clean and raise children. The tradition is taught in schools and by parents also, so most Japanese people think it is their happiness. Some of my friends already got married. They said that they are now very happy for not working at the companies so that they get no stress; also they are very happy with raiding children. They dreamed for long time to be like that now, so they are now pretty much fulfilled. For me, it sounds like very boring, but for most Japanese people, it is true.
2. House chores are kind of tasks for people who protect their house all day. Traditionally, it is women. My grandparents taught me that women should not talk about what men do in the companies because that is none of our business. Also, men should not come into the kitchen because kitchen is the women's workplace and men just have to wait for meals coming out. Today, more and more women desire to advance to the society and work, so not many people think like that now, but still huge amount people who think something in traditional way, the households are their tasks and when they finished, they could become very fulfilled.
3. I have some friends who are gay in Japan, and they said to me that when they do some house chores, they are happy because they always desire to be a woman. When they do some traditional roles of women, they feel like they become a woman. However, on the other hand, from the pressure of the society, even if the people who are men want to be like women do not want to do what men do, they must follow what the society decide for men. There are so many traditional gender roles, but to adjust to the new society and people, the view should be removed.
Happiness is not measured by playing out gender roles. Some people do find happiness in this because that’s how they were raised, in a society that thinks the gender roles is how everyone must act. In Aprils presentation she showed a video with a married couple who didn’t follow the traditional gender norms of the woman taking care of the kids and the man making the money so when they were called out on it the male started double thinking it, having grown up in a society where the male is suppose to provide. The data used in the article presented also didn’t take a lot of important things into account such as childcare and economic standings which can be some of the biggest parts of some peoples lives. The LGBTQ community can be a perfect example of why gender norms don’t need to be followed. If they followed them then the gay or lesbian couples wouldn’t be able to function properly. The Graff and Birkenstein text describes a nuclear family and tells how it is only a myth that this is how a family must survive. It is a myth, families come in all genders with all different kinds of people who take on different roles. There is no one idea or definition of what a family is, each culture throughout time has different ideas on that topic and how they should run. Happiness in the household should be measured in how content people are with the way the house is run, it doesn’t have to be the gender roles but they could have other roles that fit them better. Happiness is measures in how much people want to be there, not necessarily for the people but for all of it.
ReplyDeleteI believe happiness can be achieved by anyone in any gender role. For a long time, happiness has been regarded as the greatest good that a person could hope to achieve. Binary or non-binary, happiness seems to be a thing that everyone is looking for. Happiness in the household is just one avenue that people can search for happiness. It is difficult to measure happiness in the household, but I believe that happiness can be achieved if both or all people in a relationship contribute to housework or childcare. When people share responsibilities that are usually gendered, they de-gender those responsibilities and alter the narrative of how tasks are gendered, making everyone happy.
ReplyDeleteI liked how you referenced the Disney movies in your presentation, as many people ignore the obvious gender stereotypes that are constantly depicted in their films. It is important to start gender education at a young age and it is crucial that this education not only occurs in the classroom, but across media as well. Children learn much more about their world outside of the classroom and the media holds great influence in how children perceive gender and the roles it perpetuates.