Topic 3: Gender Inequality

1. Gender inequality has long been the focus of feminist. According to White (2007, p.
121) feminism “is a broad social movement which aims to challenge and overcome
this persistent inequality”. As a result, feminism has struggled to bring equality for
women. For this reason, inequality between sexes is evident throughout history and
is also still prevalent today. The purpose of feminism is to extend equal rights for
women. Such as the right to vote, right to work, right to own property and so forth.
Despite this there is still a strong presence of gender division among male and female
in our modern society, especially in regards to stereotyping gender roles.
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2. Gender division is evident in the practices of gender roles. But firstly, let’s examine
the term gender. Gender is “social roles: the roles to be played as either man or
women in our society” (Arvanitakis, 2009, p. 73). Hence, gender does not simply
exist, but must be done, and performed. Initially, through this we see the dichotomy
thinking against gender creating gender division among males and females. For
instance, the above table clearly portrays the division of gender where males are
seen as active, strong in comparison to women being weak and passive. Obviously,
this binary thinking illustrates a strong categorise relationship between male and
female. Additionally, the diagram shows that males are often seen as better
individuals than women resulting in gender inequality.
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3. Secondly, gender division originated from the practices of gender roles. According to
Lindsey (2011, p. 4) gender roles “are the expected attitudes and behaviours a society
associates with each sex”. Therefore, gender roles are accompanied with one’s action
whether they express a masculine manner or a feminine manner. Additionally, gender
roles are closely intertwined with social norms and social expectation. Social norms
are not merely about how one’s express their gender roles, but rather “about how
men and women should behave” (Arvanitakis, 2009, p. 74). For this reason, gender
roles are clearly a conditioning developed by societies and cultures. This condition is
reinforced by the social norms of how one should act according to their biological sex
and through what is seen as an appropriate way to act as men and women. Thus,
gender becomes a tool to the surveillance of societies.
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4. In the perception of Western societies, feminism has seemed to achieve its goal.
Women are seen as liberated and in fact women have become equal to men. But in
actuality, gender inequality is still in effect within societies, with the reinforcement of
gender division. Evidence of gender division derives from childhood through
parenting practices. For example, the moment of a child is born; parents are already
assigning their children these ideas of gender division as either a boy or a girl. By
giving gender colour clothing and many more gender items such as nappies and pink
clothes for girls and blue for boys. Another aspect that is clearly evident within our
everyday living practices is assigning gender-stereotyped toys to young children.
According to Cherney’s (2006, p. 718) article “girls most often play with feminine or
neutral toys, whereas boys play primarily with masculine toys”. As a result, parents
influence seem as a foundational ground to reinforcing gender division, because they
are likely to buy these gender type toys for their children. Thus, parents are
continuously conditioning their children to adopt and accept their gender roles. So,
children will likely to grow up and carry this gender division ideology for the rest of
their lives, leading to gender inequality overall.
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5. Sameness vs. differences debate
Examining this debate has come to conclusion that inequality towards women
originates from childhood. Children are growing up in societies with an environment
that is constantly gender divided. Therefore these children will be more likely to hold
a dichotomy notion in gender in which they will develop an idea of patriarchal belief
against women, seeing males as more superior or better than women. As a result,
viewing both sexes as difference entities. Hence, this is said to hold a link with the
concept of socially constructed system.
Gender as a social constructed
All in all, everything about gender is socially constructed. These include the
dichotomy of gender, gender division, and gender roles. All these ideas are not
naturally occurring concepts but rather a constructed system. So gender inequality is
developed from this socially constructed view that is designed by societies and
cultures. Subsequently, social construct for Arvanitakis (2009, p. 32), “is a
phenomenon that is constructed (or invented) by members of a particular culture or
society”. Thus, it is not something that is naturally occurring but rather assembled by
norm and expectation that revolves around masculinity and femininity.
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