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 A person’s gender role is established at birth, consolidated in childhood and adolescence, and can still be modified in adulthood. Leaving aside cases of serious gender incongruities (to be discussed in another course), we see that even for ordinary women and men, the concepts of femininity and masculinity have been changing in the last few decades and continue to change at this time. Where these changes will eventually lead us, is hard to predict. In the meantime, however, an increasing freedom to choose has brought increasing confusion.
It is no longer clear what a “real woman“ and a “real man“ are “really” like. There is now wide agreement that the roles of obedient housewife and commanding patriarch no longer fit the times, and the stereotypes of “passive” females and “active” males have long since been rejected. However, the alternative gender role scripts that are being offered today are too varied and change too fast to provide stability. For women: The sensuous seductress and fashion model, the “working mother”, the selfless caregiver, the smart business woman, the corporate executive, the political activist, or, after all, the homemaker and center of the family. For men: The “house husband”, “softie”, and faithful homebody, or the “playboy” and “ladies’ man”, the fearless adventurer, daring entrepreneur, ruthless manager, reliable breadwinner and “strong, silent type”, or the understanding soul mate, ardent lover, adoring spouse and caring father, or the cool professional who generously helps his wife with the dishes, etc.. Behind this variety of offers, there is also often the unspoken assumption that, ideally, all of these roles could and should be combined.
All of this has made it difficult for both sexes to find a role that will not only satisfy their own inner needs, but also enable them to find and live with a suitable partner. Indeed, gender role insecurity can and does also affect a couple’s erotic behavior.
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Women at work
In the course of the 20th century, women began to succeed in many jobs that had formerly been reserved for men. Among other things, this changed the traditional female gender role. |
