Challenges to Traditional Gender Roles
By Tomazinho Cardozo
Parents have traditionally played very different roles, and until recently, the obligations and rights of each were backed by social sanctions. The female was expected to look after the young, and society protected her claim for support in this task.
It is for these reasons that many a time in the past a girl-child was not encouraged to go to the school and the daughters in the family were rarely included in the decision making process. Even in present times, mostly in the rural villages, the same treatment is given to girls and women. The evil of dowry system became a part and parcel of our society because the daughters in the family were never trained to be economically independent. They were considered as ‘burden’ and in order to take care of that ‘burden’ in the family of the husband, the dowry became more important than the girl at the time of marriage.
On the other hand, the male was expected to support and defend his wife and children, and society protected his claim to a job that would permit him to meet these obligations. Obviously the birth of a son in the family was celebrated with much fanfare and the son in the family was always considered superior to the daughter in the family. At the time of marriage the family of the son always called the shots and made exorbitant demands. Even today in some families such an attitude does exist. Two distinct roles and two distinct treatments for a boy and a girl in the same family!
Perhaps there were good reasons in the olden times that men were better suited for work outside the home and women at home. In earlier days the fact that the female could provide milk to her child was a good reason for the mother to stay near the baby and take care of the baby throughout the day. But this is no longer a major issue today because milk from other sources has been extensively used in the growth of children. The baby-sitters syndrome too does not require the mother’s presence with the child throughout the day. Thus the concept of traditional sex roles has undergone a drastic change.
In the modern context, the old concept of distinct roles to husbands and wives has almost been eliminated in the educated families while it is on the decline in the rural communities too. Education of women has played a major role in bringing this change. Numerous movements for the empowerment of women too have contributed immensely in creating awareness among women. The advent of technological inventions like radio, television, telephones, etc, has exposed the woman from rural as well as urban India to all the happenings including the empowerment of women taking place in any part of the world. As a consequence of this, we observe that the women living in the urban areas have no different roles as such compared to men. However similar status has not been acquired by women in the rural areas. And the main block on the road to empowerment of women in the rural areas is the man himself. His mind-set is completely closed to the fact that a woman can become the decision maker in the family.
Society is undergoing drastic changes at a very fast pace. Some years back, the women’s movement had demanded that women and men be given equal employment opportunities. Today it has not remained a demand at all on the contrary it has become a reality. Today not only men but women too are the bread-winners of the families. Many a time wives earn more than the husbands. This is the truth of the modern age. Thus the concept of distinct roles to husband and wives is out-dated. Accordingly men and women of today should have an equal obligation not only to support their families financially but also equal right in the decision making.
Furthermore, if a woman is to meet her obligations she must have a good deal of authority over the family. For example if she finds it necessary to move across the country to find a job, her dependents must not object to it and if possible be willing to go with her as we did with the man in the past. If she is to pay the bills, she must be able to determine the family budget as the man used to do earlier. If she is to perform well on the job, her dependents must protect her mood, her rest, and her health by providing her good food and other requirements, as we behave with the man performing similar duties. When the man was the sole bread-winner of the family in the past, the wives did take care of them with great respect. As the roles are undergoing changes, the mind-set of man too must undergo changes.
The head of the household is one who is responsible for the economic welfare of the family. He or she must be given enough authority and privileges to carry out this obligation. The requirements of modern living demand that both husband and wife should work. Hence both parents opt for employment in order to be financially sound. It is obvious that the two should share all the rights equally too.
However, it should be recognised that many women are still in an economically dependent situation while they look after the children at home. They too make a vital contribution to society in this role and have good reasons for preferring it to a career in this world of business. Moreover, many mothers are working because they have no option but to work. Thus any movement for true “liberation” will therefore demand the right to choose the opportunity to work and the opportunity to remain at home, depending on the situation.
Parents have traditionally played very different roles, and until recently, the obligations and rights of each were backed by social sanctions. The female was expected to look after the young, and society protected her claim for support in this task.
It is for these reasons that many a time in the past a girl-child was not encouraged to go to the school and the daughters in the family were rarely included in the decision making process. Even in present times, mostly in the rural villages, the same treatment is given to girls and women. The evil of dowry system became a part and parcel of our society because the daughters in the family were never trained to be economically independent. They were considered as ‘burden’ and in order to take care of that ‘burden’ in the family of the husband, the dowry became more important than the girl at the time of marriage.
On the other hand, the male was expected to support and defend his wife and children, and society protected his claim to a job that would permit him to meet these obligations. Obviously the birth of a son in the family was celebrated with much fanfare and the son in the family was always considered superior to the daughter in the family. At the time of marriage the family of the son always called the shots and made exorbitant demands. Even today in some families such an attitude does exist. Two distinct roles and two distinct treatments for a boy and a girl in the same family!
Perhaps there were good reasons in the olden times that men were better suited for work outside the home and women at home. In earlier days the fact that the female could provide milk to her child was a good reason for the mother to stay near the baby and take care of the baby throughout the day. But this is no longer a major issue today because milk from other sources has been extensively used in the growth of children. The baby-sitters syndrome too does not require the mother’s presence with the child throughout the day. Thus the concept of traditional sex roles has undergone a drastic change.
In the modern context, the old concept of distinct roles to husbands and wives has almost been eliminated in the educated families while it is on the decline in the rural communities too. Education of women has played a major role in bringing this change. Numerous movements for the empowerment of women too have contributed immensely in creating awareness among women. The advent of technological inventions like radio, television, telephones, etc, has exposed the woman from rural as well as urban India to all the happenings including the empowerment of women taking place in any part of the world. As a consequence of this, we observe that the women living in the urban areas have no different roles as such compared to men. However similar status has not been acquired by women in the rural areas. And the main block on the road to empowerment of women in the rural areas is the man himself. His mind-set is completely closed to the fact that a woman can become the decision maker in the family.
Society is undergoing drastic changes at a very fast pace. Some years back, the women’s movement had demanded that women and men be given equal employment opportunities. Today it has not remained a demand at all on the contrary it has become a reality. Today not only men but women too are the bread-winners of the families. Many a time wives earn more than the husbands. This is the truth of the modern age. Thus the concept of distinct roles to husband and wives is out-dated. Accordingly men and women of today should have an equal obligation not only to support their families financially but also equal right in the decision making.
Furthermore, if a woman is to meet her obligations she must have a good deal of authority over the family. For example if she finds it necessary to move across the country to find a job, her dependents must not object to it and if possible be willing to go with her as we did with the man in the past. If she is to pay the bills, she must be able to determine the family budget as the man used to do earlier. If she is to perform well on the job, her dependents must protect her mood, her rest, and her health by providing her good food and other requirements, as we behave with the man performing similar duties. When the man was the sole bread-winner of the family in the past, the wives did take care of them with great respect. As the roles are undergoing changes, the mind-set of man too must undergo changes.
The head of the household is one who is responsible for the economic welfare of the family. He or she must be given enough authority and privileges to carry out this obligation. The requirements of modern living demand that both husband and wife should work. Hence both parents opt for employment in order to be financially sound. It is obvious that the two should share all the rights equally too.
However, it should be recognised that many women are still in an economically dependent situation while they look after the children at home. They too make a vital contribution to society in this role and have good reasons for preferring it to a career in this world of business. Moreover, many mothers are working because they have no option but to work. Thus any movement for true “liberation” will therefore demand the right to choose the opportunity to work and the opportunity to remain at home, depending on the situation.
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