Traditional Gender Roles Essay

Gender roles have always had a significant impact on the lives of both the men and women in many different societies. By traditional notions, men are supposed to be more masculine and provide the financial wellbeing of the family, while a woman’s traditional role is being a homemaker by taking care of the children, cooking, cleaning, and looking after husband’s wellbeing. However, times have changed and so have the traditional gender roles that society once idolized. In the 21st century, both men and women were called to enter the workforce due to the driven force of capitalism. Capitalism has brought new opportunities for females to work and become independent financially. It has given women an opportunity to transfer from the traditional

In most cases women, only being a homemaker is not able to help the family’s financial wellbeing. Therefore, they are motivated to enter the workforce due to the demand for capitalism: thus, this will change family structure because then children must be more independent and family time doesn’t come first anymore due to the calling for efficiency. Both men and women must learn to be a fast pace workers meeting up with workforce deadlines. This would establish capitalist values abolishing the civil value of family importance as discussed in “The Taste for civilization: Food, Politics, and civil society” by Janet A. Flammang. On the other hand, Arlie Russel explains how capitalism takes quality time away from family members, and how it continues to affect people’s connection by making money as the quick solution to most issues and needs. Capitalism partially plays a positive role in society by giving women an equal chance to enter the workforce alongside with men and having chances at different opportunities. However, it still plays a negative role when it comes to family time and showing civil value qualities like thoughtfulness and

Most people view capitalism to have a a negative impact on the economy. However, that is not fully true, because due to the demand for capitalism, women are now able to also work and obtain financial stability. Women are no longer just tied down to being a homemaker but also a contributor to the economy. As Flammang writes, “My argument sounds new relative to a feminist claim that women should get out of the kitchen and into the workforce (123).” In Flammang’s essay, she points out both the positive and negative impact of capitalism and how it helps women gain their independence to work but at the same time still stresses the break-down of civil values. She discusses that women’s independence to work can be beneficial to some women because not all women want to be tied down to the traditional notion of being a homemaker while the man provides for the family. However, she still points out that the art of conversations and affection is dying in the household whether it’s a man or women working outside. These civil values are important to families and communities as it shows kindness and friendliness towards one another. Hochschild further complicates the idea of capitalism by writing, “Capitalism is not, then, simply a system in the service of the family and community; it competes with family. When we separate our fantasy life of family