Traditional gender roles?

Question

Given the tendency to blur traditional gender roles in todays society, are we harming or helping our children by not holding to the traditional roles of the past?

Topgalant, I mean gender....

Answer 1

No I believe we are actually helping them. It was always a "Mans' World", which was very stressful for the men and stressful for women as well. The sexes were not equal, and men would be made to feel like thay were less than a man if he didn't do "A mans' job", and a woman was looked down on for not "being a woman and staying in her place". So I think we are doing the right thing by "blending traditions"........The times they are a changin : so we better change with them.

Answer 2

I think roles are not really that important as far as harming a child.

We are learning that some women actually belong in the workforce and are not good as a homemaker. Some men find working in the corporate world miserable and are opting to stay home.

Our society has been changing in various ways (especially in the last 50 years!) and will continue to change.

Children are extremely adaptable and if are loved and respected, can adjust to 'whatever'.

I think that the low Emotional Intelligence ,in most societies, is more harmful than anything else! These school massacres are a direct result of low E.Q. in parents and offspring.

Someday, this will be recognized, but I think it will only happen when someone with wisdom and clout takes action.

Answer 3

It helps in some ways and hinders in other ways...

When men were responsible for paying the bills, and women stayed home and raised the children, this made for a strong environment for the development of children. It made husbands and wives more dependent upon each other. Divorces were rare as a result.

However, it also created artificial barriers which limited the contributions individuals could make to society. People are more independent now. Children are also becoming more independent at an earlier age as there are so many dysfunctional families.

Answer 4

This is one of the most interesting questions I've seen here. The answers are also interesting, accurate, and even surprising. It's been my small observation that many men still think they have the better deal and "women's work" is boring. One thing that surprised me in reading the answers is how many women said positive things about the work they do and how satisfying it can be. I've worked outside the home in high tech industries that housework can't hold a candle to as far as complexity, and interesting subject matter and I like the stimulating environment. I would go bonkers trying to raise kids. I would also go bonkers with fear if I had to fight in a war. I agree that roles are changing, but there is still a lot of social pressure for people to look or act certain ways. For example, women can wear just about anything, but a man could lose his job, family, even his life, if he wore women's clothes in public. I think I'll ask a question about this sometime. I also see how men can benefit financially from their education and work. Many women still try to marry someone who can support them. Even so, if they don't benefit enough financially from the marriage, and outlive their spouse, then they may have little money, or education to rely on when they get older. She may not have had good paying jobs long enough to get social security so she may face poverty. It's a tough question to answer, but a good answer can help many people. Perhaps the best way to get by is to not worry about things you can't change and learn to get along as well as you can with what you have available (i.e. talents, knowledge, possessions, whatever.)

Answer 5

An interesting perspective for women to hold. In some cultures, women are not permitted to speak their mind, receive education and engage in day to day activities.

The modern view of a woman is not the traditional gender role.

Are you sure you want to advocate for this perspective.

Until recently, women in North America were expected to tolerate a cheating husband, the weekly beating and his alcoholism or gambling. Even the children were to remain silent if they were sexually abused.

A traditional woman in North America didn't smoke in public, expose her ankles, engage in or enjoy sex and "obeyed" her husband and her father.

A traditional black woman was excluded from college and university until just the last few decades.

A traditional women was financially dependent on her father and her husband so that she could never leave an abusive situation.

Until recently, a woman who left an abusive situation also lost custody of her children.

Answer 6

Children need a mom's nurturing, comfort, and guidance. Latchkey kids are kind of abandoned to their own devices which might include risky experimental behaviour or perhaps they feel a kind of lonliness. No advice, just an honest opinion that traditional is best. Choose wisely all.

Answer 7

By celebrating the "nontraditional" gender roles we are helping children to understand the diversity of society. Putting everyone into a straight jacket of conformity can only hurt our children.

Answer 8

It is obviouse we are harming them. Just look at society today compared to how it was say in the 1950's. We have much more crime, whether it be sexual crimes, hate crimes, whatever.

Answer 9

First of all, there is SEX which is what you have physically and then there is GENDER which is what you have mentally.

Do you mean Sex or Gender in your question?