Gender Roles in Different Cultures Essay Example

of these expectations have changed. In 2015, Saudi Arabia passed a law stating that women have the right to vote and that same year they were able to run in elections like their male counterparts. Six years later a woman was finally appointed as a government minister. As for marriage, men are able to have multiple wives, but women are not. Divorce for men is as easy as saying “I divorce you” three times, literally that is how men in Saudi Arabia divorce their wives, but for women the process of divorce is long and painful. The woman loses custody of her sons and/or daughters, if they are a certain age, to her ex-husband.

Completely opposite of the gender role ideology of the Islamic society is Ancient Egypt. Women and men were equals and respected the same. Women had the same rights as men. Both sexes held similar positions of power. Of course women were most likely to cook and make clothing while men went out and fought in wars and provide food, but they were still respected in their roles. A woman could be a pharaoh just like a man could. Instead of major gender roles, there were classes. In just about each class the roles between women and men were respected equally

Application

Gender roles definitely play vital role in my life. As a teenage female, I am not allowed to do the same things that teenage males are able to do, for “safety” reasons. Growing up I wasn’t allowed to spend the night with a female friend if she had older brothers. I always had to tell my mother of my new friend’s family members,

who lived with them, and what their gender was. I understood that she was worried about me being taken advantage of, but it was honestly annoying. Girls being overpowered by men. An unfortunate gender role norm for me at that age. Another gender role norm for me is that I am not allowed to walk certain places by myself. I frequently visit North Carolina Central University on the weekends and I must admit that the surrounding area is known for being a little sketchy and dangerous at night. I’m not allowed to walk alone around that area so I have to have my boyfriend walk me to and from certain places on campus. 91% of rape victims are female. My chances of being assaulted, trafficked, and/or abducted are too high to walk the streets alone at night. That’s my gender role norm. If I were a boy that would be different and even my mother said so. As a young woman, my gender role is much different than that of my brother’s and/or father’s. I have to be protected 24/7. I have to be alert at all times. I have to face the fact that as a female I am more vulnerable in today’s society and I have to be aware of my surroundings majority of the time just to stay safe.