If you Google the term “gender roles”, here’s what you will find.
A gender role is a set of societal norms dictating the types of behaviors which are generally considered acceptable, appropriate, or desirable for people based on their actual or perceived sex or sexuality.
Take a moment to think about one of those old, black and white films — you know, the ones where the husband comes home from work with a briefcase, to find the wife cooking and taking care of the children. For years, this is what was considered socially acceptable for women. This is what women were expected to do.
To many, discrimination by gender is considered nonexistent. Sure, the stereotype of the wife who cooks and cleans has changed a lot, but gender roles still play a huge role in society. They’re still very much present in today’s day and age.
No, I’m not “another angry feminist” (also, feminists have a reason to be angry. But that’s a topic for a different post). Let me tell you that gender roles don’t only exist for women. Men are affected by it, too.
Think about this for a second. Women can easily walk outside wearing jeans and a shirt: apparel that was once considered mens wear. But would a man wearing a skirt be socially accepted?
I won’t even answer that one for you.
And before you dismiss the idea as silly and unrealistic, look at these pictures of men rocking skirts.
Why do gender roles still play a role in our day and age? Why are people expected to act a certain way because of a biological factor?
We need to start raising boys and girls the same way. We need to stop associating minuscule things like colour to a gender. Let people be who they want to be!