Question for conservative/fundamentalist christians on gender roles?

Question

This question is not to insult, but more of a curious view, I noticed many conservative/fundamentalist christians reinforce gender roles and stereotypes and how the man of the house is usually quiet, unfriendly, seems to hold all emotion within and works a very masculine job (builder, woodsman, etc) and the woman/wife is almost always a homemaker or sews for a living.

My question is, how do you feel about:
men who sew and enjoy creative projects typically more associated with women (knitting, crocheting)
male fashion designers, ballet dancers and models
female athletes/wrestlers/boxers and career women
female builders and construction workers
male nurses and female pastors/church leaders

(I'm not bringing sexual orientation into this, so please no gay/lesbian commentary). I just want to see if conservatives/fundamentalists really do reinforce stereotypical gender roles or are they a little more open than they let on?

Answer 1

I think that if a man finds something that makes him happy (or any woman who can find something), he should do it. I think that women can do anything men can do, so why not the other way around? If a woman can be a welder or work offshore, why can't a man knit design clothes.

It annoys me when men of any sexual orientation are automatically called gay by dumb people who assume that men have to do something rugged to be "manly". I would much prefer a man who likes to fix up the house than one who feels he has to own me to feel like the "head of the house". (BTW, in my home, I'm the HOH. Ya heard?)

Answer 2

I am a career-oriented fundamentalist Christian women. I have no problems with women trying to be in business or construction. But, I will say that if God should give me a husband and a family I would want to stay home with my children. I think women (as a whole) are most happy in fulfilling role as wife and mother. And men (as a whole) are most satified when providing for their families.

God made two diffenent gender for a reason and gave them different desires and roles. I am not saying that men can't enjoy knitting. I am saying that God design things to work a certain way for a reason.

I do have problem however with women being pastor in a church. The Bible prohibits such things. But that is another question.

Answer 3

I agree that the man should be the final decision maker for the household just as Jesus is the final authority for the church. That being said, I do not wish my husband to hold all emotion in, nor would I have any issue with him being in non traditional male employment.

I am a career woman and I have no issue with that either. However, at this point, I also am a career woman out of necessity.

Answer 4

I think that men have a role and women have a role and they should not confuse the two...however, i do not think that men who sew or hold nursing jobs are any less "manly" than those who work in construction. As for women, if they are able to do the job and have the physical strength to handle it then: sure, why not? I don't think that women should try to force themselves into certain jobs just because of Womens' Rights...if they are not physically able to do the job correctly...that could put people at risk for injury..

Answer 5

Generally speaking, there are jobs that are more fitting for men, such as things that require more brawn, as well require more abstract reasoning and visual-spatial intelligence (which science tell is men are better "wired" for"), and less controlling emotions, whereas women's greater verbal skills and intuition make them more fititing for other jobs. Again, generally speaking, there are "hardware" and "software" differences.

Biblically men and women are shown to made uniquely compatible and complementary, even if in a somewhat symbiotic way. And only they are sanctified by marriage.

In Scripture, a women's role is primarily that of motherhood - no small task - but it does not strictly restrict women to soft feminine tasks, as the ideal women in Prov. 31 worked manual labor for her family. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=prov%2031;&version=47;

The major aspect is that man is to be the leader (sorry Hillary), and society works best when men take the lead, except temporarily in emergencies when they won't, (a running car is better than a dead truck). But basically men are to be men, and lead.

As regards your specific jobs, i would say that genders can do what they are physically and mentally fit for, as long as the job does not hinder ones primary job or role, thus things like ballet dancing is definitely not one of them for men (nor for women due to immodest clothing).

For the aspect of women pastors, see here:http://peacebyjesus.witnesstoday.org/WOMENPASTORS.html

And for the Mormon fantasy of a polygamist God, etc,: http://peacebyjesus.witnesstoday.org/JosephSmithVersusJESUS.CHRIST.html
www.utlm.org

Answer 6

We have people in both "camps" at my church--there's no pressure to conform to a stereotype (although no women wrestlers, sad to say). We have a lot of women athletes as many surf and paddle (I live in Hawaii). They look in great shape, which is great.

There are lots more male nurses now that the pay is higher--went to ER recently with a friend and almost every ER nurse was a male. We have one female pastor (cluster of churches) but have the equivalent of deaconesses.

Answer 7

I'm a Bible believing Christian.

You have a really strange perception of what Biblical Christianity is all about.

I've never observed what you are talking about.

For exmple one of my best Pastor friends works a secular job, he's a male nurse.

A Christian man lives down the street from me. His job: Third grade school teacher.

I think my friend your stereo is broken.

Why not visit a Bible believing church sometime and get to know us?

Pastor Art

Answer 8

I lived with a woman for 2 years. now with my new female for 6 months. I grew up with Latino mum and dad yet my mum and dad have been a competent occasion. they shared the chores. so I found out a thank you to prepare dinner sparkling stitch wash and iron. helped me out as quickly as I lived on my own. I do have faith a woman has a undeniable. forget approximately appropriate to the famous age, and feminism. whilst the sh!!T hits the fan, it falls on the guy of the dwelling house. factor sparkling! so which you will locate the hypocrisy of todays feminism to an quantity. yet in my dwelling house I prepare dinner consistently. My female cleans and that i help- consistently saturdays. I paintings on the automobiles and we swap with laundry. With my daughter i replace into dwelling house particularly and my ex travelled lots so i replace into the mommy and daddy. no biggie, I come from a huge kinfolk, I even have in no way hit a woman. i can be certain somebody dropping their endurance in spite of the incontrovertible fact that it relies upon on the region. That ain't me. I purely walk away and choose for a walk. Marriage is approximately union or maybe holding your identity, human beings forget approximately that. you're married yet you're nonetheless you and you may desire to benefit to enhance and admire your spouse or husband as they adjust in lifestyles with you. they could be your suited chum yet each and every has to maintain their guy or woman identity. Oprah reported it suited, "You gotta enable a guy be a guy and a woman be a woman".

Answer 9

Many women that want to make it in the world and have something to prove seem to put away their true femininity and become male like. It's sad and they are scary. Don't you think Hillary puts her pants on every morning like all the other men? There is a delicate balance between certain gender responsibilities, without which one has to be careful not to lose the gender identity.

If I go to a play to see Romeo and Juliet, I expect to see a man play Romeo and a woman play Juliet.

Answer 10

Just to point out, I believe orthodox persons of any religion harbor those same views. I am not defending Christians, but I am rather making the question more broad.