Mrs. Parker
AP English III
21 April 2017
Male, Female or Human? American history includes previous generations of strict gender roles whichthat create a wife responsible for all household duties as the man makes money to support his family. While the lines are blurred in society today, there are still obvious pressures on men and women to fill these traditional roles. There is a widespread belief that women are better at nurturing roles, leaving men without credit for their contributions at home. Men, on the other hand, feel obligated to make more money than their wives, creating a relationship that expects women to be less successful. Gender roles cause both men and women to appear inferior in contrasting ways as unnecessary …show more content…
With models and celebrities sporting high-end makeup, expensive clothing, and photoshop, it is impossible to compare. This issue has exponentially grown as television and social media have taken over the lives of Americans; a woman cannot get away from constant comparison. Even if a woman is intelligent, kind, and healthy, American culture often does not look past “a fat nose and ugly thighs” (Source G). The heartbreaking poem in Source G is not an exaggeration as many women would rather end their own life than try mold they are forced into. Gender roles hinder the confidence of women through the pressure of unrealistic …show more content…
Unfortunately, fathers are given little praise for their contributions to the household because nurturing is considered a woman’s job. Men are continuously portrayed as incompetent fathers, creating an unfair image that degrades the importance of a male figure in a child’s life. Source E discusses the poor portrayal of men in children’s books in contrast to the comforting care shown by mothers. Of twenty popular books in a public library, four pictured a much less-loving father. In fact, only three books showed an equal treatment of the two parents (Source E). This negative image of fathers can also be seen in many popular television shows, movies, and comics, such as the one depicted in Source A. This image illustrates a woman responsible for the most important obligations while the man does not carry any of this load. As the media is busy portraying a “super-mom,” males are kicked to the side by inaccurately showing a father that is unable to contribute to the family in a nurturing