Traditional Sex Roles

 

 

Hwang Chang Bae

Untitled, 1996

Mixed Media on Korean Thick Paper

72.7 x 60.6 cm

 

 

 

 

 

 

Traditional Sex Roles

 

Women’s awareness of the value of life brought about many changes for the past four decades after the women’s movement. Many women are more interested in individual achievements, rather than keeping the traditional female role, housewife. While women extend their role in the work force, they are short handed in housework. Consequently, the nuclear families want men to expand their roles; sharing the housework and raising children with their spouses. Therefore, traditional sex roles are no longer relevant in today’s working environment.

 

During our mother’s generation, the traditional female roles were completely dedicated to the entire family. However, today’s women have discovered their precious contributions not only inside the house but also out in the world. It is important not only for women’s fulfillment but for the world’s benefits. Especially, a woman’s touch is needed in many neglecting areas, such as shelters for the refugees or orphanages where a mother’s love is desperately wanted. Mike McGrady’s essay, “Let ’em Eat Leftovers,” illustrates from the personal experience of trading roles: a house husband versus a working wife. It explains that how hard the endless housework is; moreover, how it undermines woman’s undiscovered abilities. Furthermore, McGrady gives us the idea that women should go out into the world and find their great capabilities for their valuable lives, even though family members hate to lose the “unpaid servant in the family.” (93)

 

However, since women are being exposed to the professional working world, it creates many difficult problems to overcome. Arlie Russell Hochschild’s essay, “The Second Shift,” displays the difficulties of today’s female roles. For instance, mothers are working full-time jobs, but no family members are helping them in housework. Therefore, working mothers continue to work at home, the second shift, after they come back from work. Moreover, Hochschild is concerned about the negative consequences that might occur; because of the traditional sex roles, unhappy marriages end in broken families. The Writer suggests that whether male or female, many working parents need to work on their extended sex roles with mutual balance. Therefore, extended sex roles are practical performances for both male and female in many tasks rather than being tied to one gender role for today’s nuclear families.

 

To discuss the gender roles, we can adapt the idea, “Find a need and fill it,” from Karen Anderson Holcomb and Sarah Standerfer Groves, authors of “Certain Call: Missions Dramas and Choruses for Youth and College Students” (Barstow). This is the missions project for the young people; they discover the truth in a creative way while they are practicing dramas on the stage.  It suggests the idea that both male and female participate and practice cross-gender roles in their daily lives; they learn how to apply the other side of traditional roles and fit them into their extended sex roles. If we apply these methods: participating in the extended sex roles and practicing the cross-gender roles, both male and female know how to find a need and fill it in today’s multi-task sex roles. Furthermore, we can acquire more possibilities of happiness and comforts of life. It is no longer a cliché but suitable for today’s home environment.

 

Surely it is time for male and female of well being to extend their sex roles and support both positions. Traditional sex roles confined them only to one narrow minded area, yet extended sex roles liberate them from the double loaded duties. The more we reach out open minded, the more we achieve fulfilled lives in both attaining individual goals and strengthening families. Thus, traditional sex roles are no longer relevant in today’s society.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Works Cited

 

Barstow, Sammie Jo. “Drama, worship resource has strong missions thrust.”

BP News. 5 Jul. 2000 <http://www.baptistpress.org/bpnews.asp?Id=6131>.

Hochschild, Arlie Russell. “The Second Shift.” Between Worlds: A Reader, Rhetoric, and Handbook. Ed. Susan Bachmann and Melinda Barth.

4^th ed. New York: Longman, 2004. 84-90.

McGrady, Mike. “Let ‘em Eat Leftovers.” Between Worlds: A Reader, Rhetoric, and Handbook. Ed. Susan Bachmann and Melinda Barth.

4^th ed. New York: Longman, 2004. 84-90.

 

 

 

 

 

Stacy S. Rhee

Dr. S. Waterworth

English 1A 6309

July 14, 2004

 

 

 

 

 

Deep Blue Calm by Nell Whatmore

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Keane - Somewhere only we know