In this patriarchal society only men could prosper. Women were refused schooling; they were merely taught how to cook, clean and look after the needs of men and children. They were assigned their gender roles and were held subservient. In the 1998 novel Deadly, Unna? by Phillip Gwynne, Gary "Blacky" Black lived in a community where men were predominant. There are very few female characters present throughout the novel, the women’s purpose was to give advice and tend to the children or even to be a simple love interest. At many points, his mother is seen doing chores such as laundry and cooking. Of the family’s eight children, the eldest daughter and third child, Sharon, is the main child seen helping their mother with household tasks. This reiterates the roles women are forced to fulfill only valuing them for their ability to complete tedious housework. Through the use of gender normative roles, we face a degrading view and use of female characters and therefore women in general. To strive in an equal society a woman should not be confined to a household. She should be allowed to acquire any job she wishes and if she chooses to be a housewife, we should support …show more content…
Their kids often reflect their parents’ attitudes and will often value similar objects or traits. Just as a child will inherit blue eyes or brown hair, they will look at the world from the view of their parents. If they do not, they may choose to ignore what they know as they only want their parents’ love. Similarly, they will hate unfamiliar types of people or treat certain unobtainable characteristics another way to that of which is a socially accepted norm that exists within their family. The saying “boys will be boys” is a good instance of gender favouring. Imagine a young father asks his twin children, a boy and a girl, to help him clean. The son complies but the sister does not. The children’s grandmother, who would be sitting at the table, sternly tells the daughter to clean. Now, what if the boy denies to help? The grandmother laughs and smiles, claiming: “Boys will be boys.” Is this a fair way to raise children? We are so easily influenced by our parents it perpetuates the sexist ideologies further into the future. Unless we freeze the cycle it will only continue. All we need to do is accept that gender favouring exists; it’s the first step to change.
To truly be the Australia we are known as we must stop maintaining our stereotypes. We can be accepting to all no matter their gender or sex. It may take some time and it may be painful but it