Gender Roles

The Article “The Left Hand of Darkness: Gender Roles in Society” is not only a consideration of a novel but also provides opinions about female and male roles and stereotypes in society today. The article addresses the cliché statements that women are the “mother” men are “father”, and whom is “more capable” of supporting. This article also provides ironic facts, because it says that men are stereotypically providers for the family, but the women are the main structure and real providers of support for the family. While this article focuses on the main roles that male and females play, another article called “The Social Roles of Men and Woman” provide disturbing scientific facts and strikingly realistic definitions of what we think roles in our society are. The author quotes, “Obviously, this psychological mechanism can operate only as long as the behavior of men and women does not transgress the generally accepted limits. Every society tries therefore to prevent such transgressions by calling the socially defined gender roles "natural", eternal, and unchangeable. Any person who refuses to accept them is persecuted as a deviant and punished as an offender not only against society, but against "nature" itself”. Although this article does have facts, its confidence seems to create a voice of science and not biased opinion, unlike the opposing article. Although both articles represent the difference in gender roles in our society, it is clear that our realization of these issues has many different sides. Article one, opinionated, or article two, frightening and scientific, both provide thoughtful statements.

"The Social Roles of Men and Women." Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin - Institutsserver. 23 Mar. 2009 .

"The Left Hand of Darkness: Gender Roles in Society." Socyberty. 23 Mar. 2009 .