Gender, in simple terms, refers to what people do as ascribed by society, and in accordance with their sex or sexuality. Women, even today, in most cases, participate or carry out different roles as men. Earlier, in most cultures around the world, women were known to carry out household chores and take care of the children while men looked for sources of income and food for the family. Gender has also presented as a way for men to maintain their power and exercise their dominance over women, given that women have solely been dependent on men for income and livelihood in most cultures and most cases. People are born into a society where they get to perceive and learn of the various societal symbols and meanings. A boy has to wear different clothing as a girl and cannot participate in certain activities or chores ascribed by society for girls, for instance. The paper discusses the topic of gender through the functionalist, conflict, and interactionist sociological perspectives.
Women have become more involved in society in modern times, securing top corporate positions, becoming leaders, living independently and getting similar educational opportunities as men, among other areas. It, however, remains clear that gender as a notion and some of the gender roles ascribed to men and women still stand, and most people would not go against them ( Lindsey, 2015) . In most cultures and most families, women still carry out most of the household chores while men provide for the family. Men are still perceived to be dominant to women in many areas. For instance, men are often expected to pay for dinner bills during dates or courtship. It is still treated as an absurd thing to spot a man or boy in a dress or skirt.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
In the past and even today, people have been able to survive, coexist, and live comfortably by defining and dividing roles among themselves. Sex is the basis of gender in the society. Girls or women, especially in the past, in most cultures, took care of household chores such as cooking and taking care of the young ones while boys and men hunted and looked for various sources of food and livelihood ( Lindsey, 2015) . The functionalist perspective looks at society and defines gender in this way. The functionalist perspective says that gender roles and the structure of the society, concerning gender and its roles, is crucial for the coexistence and survival of the society. Gender, according to this perspective, works to maximize social efficiency, thereby enabling the society to function as a whole. Someone has to stay behind to take care of the home and the children and cook food for the rest of the family. Another person has to look for sources of livelihood to ensure the family does not starve. Boys have to be raised in the line of men, to become men and the same applies to girls. This social order works to ensure the survival of the society.
Feminists are the leading opponents of the functionalist perspective, given the fact that it neglects issues such as the suppression and oppression of women. The traditional family structure itself suppresses women and reduces them to subordinates and housekeepers.
Power always want to exert control over others. The conflict perspective sees gender as a way for men to exercise power and continue to remain dominant over women. The conflict perspective considers the society as composed of unequal groups of people ( Lindsey, 2015) . The inequalities lead to conflict and may give rise to the changes in society. Women have been held back, throughout the olden days, denied opportunities that were availed to men and confined to house chores. Men could go out, as far as way wanted, have mistresses, or marry more wives, while women sat at home waiting. In the recent past, women were denied education and later denied to attend certain classes regarded only for boys or men. Women had to rise and fight for their rights given the oppression and effects of gender inequality, which they suffered.
The sex of an individual forms the basis of their gender. A boy gets to wear outfits of clothes designed for boys. A girl wears only a girl’s clothes as well, at least in most cultures. Boys and girls grow up and get to learn about their specific gender roles and ‘freedoms.’ Boys in most cases, do not spend much time in the kitchen or get interested in house chores. It is common learning that women are treated differently as men. Boys buy gifts for girls to impress them, just like men are expected to pay for dinner or drinks during dates. In most cases, a man gets to be the one to propose to a woman, finance a wedding and provide for the family afterward. Even those who fight for gender equality may still find themselves in societal traps of gender and have to follow the norms. According to the interactionist perspective, everything presents as a symbol, that reinforces the idea of gender and gender roles ( Lindsey, 2015) .
Conclusion
Gender is a societal creation that divides roles, creates dominance or power, and is reinforced through the use of symbols and daily interactions. From a functionalist point of view, gender seems convenient for maximizing social efficiency. The conflict perspective defines gender as an opportunity for male domination while the interactionist perspective suggests that gender is reinforced through the use of symbols and daily interactions.
References
Lindsey, L. L. (2015). Gender roles: A sociological perspective . Routledge.
