Do men face a stronger gender stereotype than women in America?
Question by Erik B: Do men face a stronger gender stereotype than women in America?
Women seem to be more free to wear cross-gender clothing and to act outside their established gender role. Consider how the media portrays men and women. It seems men are either the stereotypical macho man or the bumbling idiot. Men are less free to show their feelings. Women can be competent, intelligent, and athletic.
Also consider divorce rates: women are twice as likely to initiate divorce as men are. It seems to me divorce laws cater to women. A man can agree to have children but then the woman can divorce, usually get custody, and obtain financial support without providing a reason and without social stigma. If women want to be equal in the workplace should they also be equal in relationships? Perhaps my question is becoming over-broad.
Best answer to whoever adds the most to the discussion, regardless of if I agree with the conclusion drawn. Please state whether you are a man, woman, undecided, or other.
Best answer:
Answer by John A
I am a man. I know a few guys who are virtual slaves to their ex-wives and the state. These men work 80 hours a week because they must pay child support for children who they virtually never see as their former wives have moved out of state. There are cases galore where women have abused children, yet it is men who must walk carefully
around any child not his own. I know one guy who would make a great baseball coach for little league but this will never happen as one false accusation and he is a goner. His sin: he is a single man and our feminist sisters are always quick to point out what a danger such creatures are. I wonder how many men will never become Big Brothers because of their far-from-irrational fear of females making accusations.
How many kids are and will suffer because men are afraid to be around them without a phalanx of adults to ensure that nothing can be asserted. Middle class females who have never known anything but leisure pretend to have been put upon by the evil patriarchy when, in fact, their mothers and grandmothers lived sheltered lives, abusing those very African Americans whose backs they now ride into Affirmative Action entitlements. Though many psychopathic men love abortion because it means that they can get an enormous financial burden flushed down the drain, how many good men have suffered hideously as they await the word from Mount Olympus announcing that yes their child will be allowed to live after all.
And who can stand one more commercial where the moronic man cannot handle the simplest task whereas his wife and daughters are always prepared to handle every contingency. As a draft looms how many young men will get ground into dust while their female counterparts say, ‘draft, we don’t need no stinking draft.” Hillary now walks astride the world just frothing at the mouth to show how tough she is but at no time was she or will she be forced to sign up for any draft that may come. How dare she have run for president when there was no conceivable way for her to ever have seen action. Even the draft-dodging Geroge W. Bush could have been, through some gross oversight, sent into combat. Hillary and millions like her get to enjoy the benefits of their position on top of the heap, while not having to face the risks unless they so choose.
What do you think? Answer below!
January 12th, 2012 at 11:31 am
Many of the sentiments in this question are my own. I am a male, but I often find myself envious of females for the latitude society gives them in dress, in behavior, etc. Look at men’s fashion for example. It’s a uniform, people–not real fashion! I’m not gay, but I got real angry when I saw a news special not long ago in which kissing lesbians were cheered on but gay men kissing came close to getting arrested–a clear case of social gender bias! I have also heard that women can get away with removing certain items of their clothing in public that would get men arrested. There, I’ve vented–and it felt good!
January 12th, 2012 at 11:32 am
I am a women. I think that cross-gender clothing has become equal to both men and women. I also believe that it might be more acceptable for men to wear cross-gender clothes then it is for women. And i say this because you see a lot of the drag shows and even reality shows. I have yet to see any with fem ale’s who wear cross-gender clothing. I also think that as the years have gone by society has viewed different clothing as well as sexual preference as ok. You see straight guys wearing pink and other bright colors now. It’s not considered “gay” anymore so more and more people do it. I do believe that women have the upper hand when it comes to divorce. Women do have the upper hand when it comes to collecting assets through divorce as well as children. We are portrayed more as the “ones” who raise the children, cook, clean and take care of the household chores. That is not with just divorce, but with school, doctors etc… The first person they call is mom. I think that being equal should be an all around factor. Rights for children should be equal just like a women obtaining a job should be equal. We have to admit that equalness is not in favor of mainly women and I say this because men are portrayed as the “strong” men who do all the hard work. They are also the one’s who can find quick jobs while for a women it could take months before someone accepts her at a job. It works both ways. There are ups to being a women yes, but there are also downs and the same thing for a man. Society has catagorized gender so much I wonder if they will ever be able to look past it.
January 12th, 2012 at 11:34 am
I am a 15 year old female. I’m also just going to add some other things in here.
The truth is that society is never equal. Though women seem to have the upper hand in many things, society tries to adjust as it sees fit over time. Currently, there is a balance trying to be made. People are afraid that society will revert to its old ways, men will take the upper-hand and women will suffer as they did in the past. The stereotype is an unwillingness to risk things getting too out of hand and exert a bit of pressure so that women can retain at least some rights. Though it isn’t right to allow such a stereotype to be accepted, it is almost necessary at this time. Not everyone is as willing as you to be equal.
The world is pretty knew to the whole equality thing. In some societies, like the Bedouin societies of the Old World, women did have some rights and freedom, but, as is the case in many areas, they had outside influences help create a bias and deplete the majority of women’s rights. In much of the world, still, women do not have many rights. In cases such as the United States, society has advanced as far as recognizing that everyone should be equal, but a stereotype still exists because of the ongoing attempt to balance. The stereotype for women is probably just as strong but society is trying to make up for it by giving women the upper hand in some things such as divorce cases. It’s almost like compensation, though still wrong. Women still have harder times finding employment, and do not get paid as much on average despite having the same jobs.
Plus, the stereotype hasn’t always been the same. During Roman times, it was very okay to cry if you were male. In fact, men cried regularly. The kilt is made for men and in many societies, dresses, robes, makeup and wigs belonged to men. This recent trend that men are either macho or bumbling idiots is not common outside certain areas.
It’s all about balance and though we’re getting closer, the world just hasn’t reached its equillibrium yet, but is still striving to. As you can see; men are slowly becoming able to show feelings and wear colors such as pink without ridicule and women are slowly gaining acceptance as capable individuals.