Gender Roles In American Society

Introduction Not only our family, but our friends, teachers, and society influence and shape our beliefs and views about gender roles (“Gender Role Theories”, n.d.). Children observe how their elders and others around them behave and often emulate what they see. Over the last couple of decades in the United States, gender roles have changed tremendously. This may be attributed to numerous deep cultural changes that were altering the stereotypical roles of women in American society in the 1960’s and 1970’s. Many women were just entering the paid workforce and families were now having two sources of income. Along with this, the family dynamic was also changing as there was now a need for men to take on more chores and responsibilities that …show more content…
With the organization of feminists groups and the passage of legislation such as Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, women let society know that they were more than just housewives and mothers, they were equal to men and would no longer tolerate being treated as inferior individuals (Walsh, 2010). Where women once aspired to get married and take care of a family, they are now managing major companies and running countries as the role of men has changed with the number of stay-at-home fathers on the rise.
Bobbie Black Bobbie Black was born November 29, 1938 in Philadelphia, PA. Her father George served in WWII in the Navy before marrying her mother Cecilia. George was a milkman who delivered fresh milk and cream to local residents and her mother worked part time as a sales clerk at Wanamaker’s Department Store in downtown Philadelphia. She has one sister and two nieces that she keeps in touch with who still lives in Pennsylvania. She was raised Catholic and was fortunate enough to attend an all-girls private school in the 1950’s even though her parents were not wealthy. Growing up, her family resided in a small rowhouse in a quiet neighborhood with her parents, sister, …show more content…
He said that he is happy that women have more opportunities now than they did when he was young. Most women stayed at home when he was growing up. Boys were raised to believe it was the man’s place to earn the money and put food on the table. Men made the important decisions in the family especially when it came to finances. There were only a few women who worked in the steel mills while he was there. They stayed in the office area and mainly answered the phone and other secretarial duties. Back in the 1950’s and 60’s, Joe said that he recalled seeing female workers in restaurants, stores, and schools. Although, he feels that women should be the ones that stay home and take care of domestic duties and the children because he thinks they are better at it, he does not object to women furthering their education and working. When asked about women in politics, he laughed and said “Sure. Why not.” When asked about the changing gender roles for men, he said that he felt that men should still be the head of the family and the primary breadwinner. He has seen more and more children being raised without a father and feels that it has become more acceptable due to the “evils” of television and people being too busy to hold them accountable. He also felt that women are becoming less moral and are not as interested in getting married before having