To challenge gender roles is to challenge the values that are taught to children. There are examples of matriarchal societies, in past and present, that naturally cause different gender roles to be taught than the roles that are present in America.
*NERD ALERT* In one of my favorite episodes of Star Trek, the crew arrives at a planet that is controlled and governed by the women of the society, and naturally Kirk swoons the leader off her feet and instantly her values shift to those of 1960's America.
In the U.S., the discourse contained in the "Disney" or "chick-flick" fall in love and/or fairy tale style movies are an embedded part of our culture, they reflect and enforce the expectations and values of our society. They define to us at a subliminal level our own gender roles. There are plenty of movies (and T.V. shows) out there that use discourse to challenge the traditional idea of gender roles.
I suppose another way of challenging gender roles through discourse is the use of neutral gender words like "their" and "s/he". But, I think that usage feels uncomfortable and impersonal at times. Also the gender neutral words really only work on paper and not in spoken language. Gender and language have deep roots within each other.
Do men and and women really want to be treated as exact equals? Isn't it polite for a man to hold a door open for a woman, or has that now become rude, suggesting an amount of inequality?
Shifting gender roles are apparent today in that for the first time in U.S. history a female is a serious contender for the job in the White House. I think I have sensed an underlying feeling in listening to some radio talk show hosts (which is a form of public discourse) that the Presidency is and should be a man's job, but I think that is a feeling of older generations, I feel there's a good chance I will vote for Hillary Clinton. I think, people of younger generations have been socialized into being more accepting of the man in a woman's job or vice-versa through the challenging of gender roles in public discourse, but it is really hard to pin point exact examples of it happening.
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3 comments:
I think that you bring up a good point about how people can use neutral words. I also agree with your comments about how males and females don't necessarily want to be equal. You bring up good points that have opened my eyes to how people could challenge gender roles.
I think discourse can affect the gender roles of a society. As you pointed out, we may not be totally ready for a gender equal society in all aspects. yet i think the main focus of many of those who are for gender equality is in areas such as schooling, work and other areas where women can be on an equal level with the men. But of course there will alwys be times and situations where equality is not always needed or wanted.
I wonder what the values of a matriarchal society would be. Would it be a more peaceful world, as is often claimed?
According to Greek legend, the warrior women of the Amazons cut off one breast in order to better draw a bowstring.
The matriarchal Iceni of ancient Britain drove the Romans out under the leadership of Queen Boadicea, who burned London to the ground. (The uprising was revenge for the rape of Boadicea's daughters, and quite justified, I think.)
Didn't Hillary vote for the war in Iraq and urge her husband to bomb Kosovo? (Neither quite as justified.)
So what was that female-dominated planet on Star Trek like?
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