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Yang Cox

English 115

Professor Rodrick

December 06, 2018

Women and Society

Culture and society play a prominent role in the way that women’s identities are shaped.

Women are forced to conform and exhibit certain traits and characteristics to correspond with the

ideal image of what a “real” woman should be. When these expectations are not met, then they

are no longer respected and seen as a woman. This escalates enough, women conform to

society's image and stereotypes placed on them. Culture is another reason why women feel the

need to conform and accept to these paradigms that are forced upon them. It is difficult to reject

these paradigms because it is how women are taught to grow up and are enclosed into a realm

which they must live up to. As opposed to viewing the reasons as factors, they are built within

each other to make up the paradigm. Society is the realm which controls the culture then which

the culture creates these gender roles and sexual conventions. Gender roles, society, and culture

are built within each other like a Russian doll to force women to conform to rules and

expectations due to constant pressure.

Society is made up of the whole population including people in politics. Just recently for

the last 98 years, women were given the right to vote. On August 18, 1920, was the 19th

amendment adoption and the right to vote was granted to women. Not only has society placed

social restrictions on women, but in fact, politics to add on. Shortly after this amendment, this

was the commence of the women’s revolution. 1850 was the first National Woman's Rights

Convention. Now seen today, women are changing but still society is opposed to this. This is
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observed in the wage gap between genders. According to “The Gender Wage Gap: 2017;

Earnings Differences by Gender, Race, and Ethnicity”, by Ariane Hegewisch, in 2017 the

median annual earning for men was $52,146 as opposed to women's wage was $41,977. This

shines the light upon the gender unbalance in our society. The society and culture influences

gender roles plenteous, to enforce laws to maintain women in a cage forced to conform.

Another unbalance seen in the work force, is the gender stereotype job title. Nurses are

more women prominent and doctors are more men prominent jobs. Due to these views, men are

least likely to become nurses and creates the gender roles in careers. Society fundamentals came

from the great Aristotle, “The relationship between male and female is superior to inferior”

(Chinchankar). This established the thought process as how women should be perceived and

their role. The speaker, Ria Chinchankar, from the TedxYouth, “Gender Roles in Society”, stated

multiple studies done in Chicago, Washington, and even here in California, which proved how

society impacts women. A certain stereotype believed women perform poorly in math as

opposed to men and was put to the test. When asked to state their gender, women scored 12 ½

points. The same exact test was given with the only difference of disregarding gender

stereotypes, women scored a 15. This proved the stereotype threat which causes women to feel

and perform less due to how society’s perception on women are. The stereotype threat affects

women in all aspects. Inequality to work forces are created as seen in construction work,

computer programming, and other jobs where it is a man dominant environment. In addition,

Chinchankar mentioned the process during the 1600’s when the witch burnings occurred.

Women either conformed to the society, agreeing they were witches, or were condemned of

witchcraft and burned to death. This created fear that caused women to stay in their role and

place. In today’s society, it is similar to the social media shame which if a female wears short,

skin exposing clothes or posts a video acting in a provocating way, they are blasted with negative
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comments and are put to shame. All these actions, ideas, and images are what subdue women in

our society. Once again gender roles, society, and culture are together to condemn women to

conform.

Gender roles have placed specific criteria for men and women to follow over the years.

Without a surprise these criteria are followed and seen in an everyday life. Women are supposed

to play a caregiver role, dress feminine, act polite, and be accommodating. While on the other

hand, men are supposed to play the macho role, exhibit strong features, be aggressive, and bold.

These traits have led to strict views on women and creating stereotypical sexism. There are 4

types of gender stereotypes according to Planned Parenthood, “1) Personality traits — For

example, women are often expected to be accommodating and emotional, while men are usually

expected to be self-confident and aggressive. 2) Domestic behaviors — For example, some

people expect that women will take care of the children, cook, and clean the home, while men

take care of finances, work on the car, and do the home repairs. 3) Occupations — Some people

are quick to assume that teachers and nurses are women, and that pilots, doctors, and engineers

are men. 4) Physical appearance — For example, women are expected to be thin and graceful,

while men are expected to be tall and muscular” (“What are Gender Roles and Stereotypes?”).

Certain acts are required from each side of the gender roles to fit into their realm. The culture

enforces the traits into individuals who then influences the society and impowers gender roles to

be incorporated.

“Men and women are also expected to dress and groom in ways that are stereotypical to

their gender (men wearing pants and short hairstyles, women wearing dresses and make-up”

(“What are Gender Roles and Stereotypes?”). This states if for any reason women do not

conform and accommodate these set of rules, they are not the ideal women and even called

derogatory terms. There is also such case when these stereotypes are overwhelming. For women
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this is called, hyper femininity. “Hyper femininity is the exaggeration of stereotyped behavior

that’s believed to be feminine” (“What are Gender Roles and Stereotypes?”). This not only

forces women but gives them no other choice to conform and not rebel against it. Women are

enclosed, trapped within this so-called feminine figure that has been influenced by the circle of

culture, gender roles, and society.

Every culture has different set of fundamentals. For the most part, women in these

cultures are set to be submissive. In marriage, women are submissive to their husbands. This is

seen in Hispanic, Muslim, Asian, and other cultures. Asserted by Addeel Khan, from his article,

“Muslim and Asian Women Submissive or Society Submitting to Stereotypes?”, “As a Muslim

and an Asian I am disappointed at the perception among some sections of society that women in

Islam, or in Asian households, do not have a voice and are submissive. There are certainly

cultural practices in a number of communities - Muslim and non-Muslim, Asian and non-Asian -

around the world, which coupled with media stereotypes and unfortunate public statements from

those who should know better, help fuel the inaccuracies.” Women clean, care for children, stay

at home to please their husband. At the start of their childhood, girls are taught to follow these

roles and no more. This is what makes it difficult to change or know something different. It

becomes a lifestyle to pursue what was taught and seen when growing up. This ties gender roles

and culture tightly and is brought to the society to amplify.

Not only ethnic cultures play a role, but a developed westernized culture which has

structured the way women are viewed. This westernized culture has taught women to constantly

compare themselves with top models and look for that size 0 shape, have a thigh gap, be proana

which means pro anorexia, as stated by Meaghan Ramsey. Meaghan Ramsey brought out to light

many keys points in her presentation about, both women and men performance due to this

westernized culture. “Women and teens value themselves to the number of likes and views. Not
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only women but teens are under this constant pressure by culture” (“Why Thinking You’re Ugly

is Bad for You”). This is the root of the problem. Young girls are brought into this culture at an

early age, which they are beginning to develop and yet already being exposed to this pressure.

Image-obsessed culture is what drives women's self-esteem down, along with their performance

when given a task. It is proven that 17% of women do not show up for a job interview due to

lack of confidence or lack of self-beauty. Every judgement is taken heavily and seriously. Ethnic

cultures along with our westernized culture has kept and even expanded the oppression to

women.

Women throughout the years have been taught to be submissive, dress accordingly, act a

certain way, and conform. Cultures have shaped these girls to grow up to fit the women roles

right when they are born. Society constantly presses these issues and gives them no other choice

to choose from. When a female decides to go against these rules placed upon them, they are not

ladylike and are put to shame. Now gender roles just add on to this case. This reason is why

women have been forced on and stayed in the role. From personal experience, I am Ecuadorian

and Chinese. Both cultures involve women submissive and taught to be a housewife from an

early age. My mom was always in the kitchen providing food to the table. Whenever anyone was

sick, she was immediately there caring for us, making sure we recovered. When it was time for

school, she got us all ready, dressed us, combed our hair, and made sure we ate breakfast. When

it came to decision making around the house, it was surely my dad calling the shots. All the

financial situations, my dad would handle it. I first hand experienced how women were brought

up and the effect of culture, gender role, and society takes a toll on women.
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Work Cited

Addeel Khan. “Muslim and Asian Women Submissive or Society Submitting to Stereotypes?”

Leadership Magazine, March 08, 2016. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/muslim-asian-

women-submissive-society-submitting-stereotypes-khan. Accessed 05 Dec. 2018.

Ariane Hegewisch. “The Gender Wage Gap: 2017; Earnings Differences by Gender, Race, and

Ethnicity.” Institute for Women's Policy Research, September 13, 2018.

https://iwpr.org/publications/gender-wage-gap-2017/. Accessed 05 Dec. 2018.

“Gender Roles in Society”. YouTube, TED, June 22, 2015.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vz-hlV8o3y8. Accessed 05 Dec. 2018.

Kasende Glorious. “Women’s Role in Society”. Leadership for Christians, March 02, 2017.

http://leadershipmagazine.org/?p=12214. Accessed 05 Dec. 2018.

Meaghan Ramsey. “Why Thinking You’re Ugly is Bad for You”. TED, September 2014.

https://www.ted.com/talks/meaghan_ramsey_why_thinking_you_re_ugly_is_bad_for_yo

u?language=en#t-554199. Accessed 05 Dec. 2018.

“What are Gender Roles and Stereotypes?” Planned Parenthood,

https://www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/sexual-orientation-gender/gender-gender-

identity/what-are-gender-roles-and-stereotypes. Accessed 05 Dec. 2018.