Abstract
The writer explores the changing definitions of gender roles but discusses how women, even if they work full-time outside the home, are still perceived as having the primary responsibility for taking care of the home and family. In order to better understand the idea of gender roles and how they affect families in which the mother works outside the home, this writer interviews a couple where the mother works and the father stays at home with the children. The writer describes this specific situation in detail and how both parents have adjusted to their new gender roles. The writer emphasizes the positive aspects in people shifting gender roles and breaking traditional stereotypes.

From the Paper
"In our society today, men and women tend to perform distinctly different roles which are based solely on their biological gender. Sex roles are defined as a set of behaviors and characteristics that are standard for each gender in a society. Sex role stereotypes are beliefs held by many about those behaviors and characteristics. These stereotypes often become the roles. Society often forces people into certain roles simply by promoting that those roles are proper and thus enforcing them. In general, the roles that are most often seen in modern Western society stipulate that men should be domineering, aggressive, and superior at the math's and sciences, should become successful in their careers, and should control and suppress their feelings. Women, on the other hand, are supposed be submissive, nurturing, gentle, better at languages and the humanities, emotional, and desirous of nothing more than a happy family and a husband to provide for her, while she remains at home and tends to the house and children (Biological and Sociocultural Views and Consequences of Gender Stereotyping, 2002).
"These sex-typed roles are carried on and reinforced by the mass media and society in many ways, some obvious and others more subtle. "However, there is a previously widely-held point of view, somewhat less popular recently, that gender roles are the result of innate biological differences between the sexes; that men are naturally better-suited to hold positions of power, for example, and that women are more suited to look after the home and children" (Biological and Sociocultural Views and Consequences of Gender Stereotyping, 2002)."

Tags:stereotypes, socialization, housework, childcare, career

Abstract
This paper looks at the many changes that have taken place over the years within the family unit. It studies in particular how changes in attitude and law with regard to religion, industry, contraception, work ethic and rights for women have affected changes in gender roles within families.

From the Paper
"The family is widely considered the most important of all social institutions as this is where socialization begins for children, and gender roles are established. Since the 1950's evidence and accumulated data suggests that there have been many changes within the family unit stemming from changes in attitude and law with regards to religion, industry, contraception, work ethic and rights for women. I shall be looking in to these areas in depth to see the extent of change that gender roles within the family unit have undergone over this period due to these elements.
"In the 1950's there were many studies in to families as social institutions. In Dennis, Henriques and Slaughter's book Coal is our Life (1956), the focus is on a mining community in Yorkshire, where most aspects of life were dominated by mining. Here, the men worked and were actively involved in political and trade union issues, and when not working, debating or rallying spent time socializing in the pub."

Tags:sociology, gender roles, family, socialization

Abstract
The paper demonstrates how in times of crisis, or in unusual circumstances, traditional gender roles are often ignored, or at least relaxed. The paper focuses on three particular examples from American history; the Suffragette Movement of the First World War era, the Second World War, and the Women's Rights Movement of the nineteen-sixties and nineteen-seventies.

From the Paper
"In times of crisis, or in unusual circumstances, traditional gender roles are often ignored, or at least relaxed. Looking back upon American history reveals that this has occurred several times, but three particular examples are considered by historians to be the most important and significant: the Suffragette Movement of the First World War era, the Second World War, and the Women's Rights Movement of the nineteen-sixties and nineteen-seventies."

Tags:gender, roles, changes

Abstract
In this article, the writer discusses evolving gender roles within Canadian society. The writer looks at changes in the labour force in Canada and notes the increasing numbers of women. The writer argues that while men are no longer the sole breadwinners, they do retain significant economic dominance in Canadian households as in the labour force as a whole.

From the Paper
"The statement that in Canadian society men are no longer considered the "sole breadwinners" nor women only fit for "domesticity" is an assertion that, upon initial review, appears incontrovertible. After all, the rise of the dual-income family and the increasing prominence of women in the paid labour force is a widely recognized phenomenon in Canada as in most western countries. This being said, however, upon closer review it may be argued that the situation in terms of gender roles in the Canadian economy and labour force is not quite as clear as this statement would suggest."

Tags:women, work, family

Abstract
This paper discusses how, like most religions, gender roles are an important part of both Christianity and Judaism. It shows how both of these religions have very specific roles for men and women, which constitute key theological areas of both faiths and how, because Christianity arose out of Judaism, some of the gender roles are similar. It also looks at how Christianity has some unique gender roles of its own. Further, how the gender roles in both Judaism and Christianity have changed and evolved over the centuries.

From the Paper
"Women, as keepers of the house and home, had special tasks to perform when preparing for the Sabbath. On Fridays before sunset, they had to work hard to finish the cooking and clean the house ("Women's Role in the Rituals"). They set the table for the first Sabbath meal and put all things that remind people of work out of view, as no work is permitted on the Sabbath. The woman of the house lights two candles on a table and says a prayer of blessing for the family; when this is completed, the Sabbath has officially begun ("Women's Role in the Rituals"). This is one of three ritual acts specifically given to women to perform in the traditional Jewish religion. Afterward, the man of the house blesses his children first sons, then daughters and then blesses his wife. The family then begins the first meal of the Sabbath. The last meal of the Sabbath is concluded with another prayer from the woman of the house."

Tags:sabbath, torah, home, church, ministers, rabbis

Abstract
This paper discusses "The Simpsons," which is the longest running primetime cartoon on American television. The author looks at how this show reflects and challenges stereotypical gender roles such as father knowing best, work, and education. The author explains the conditions under which "The Simpsons" was originally developed and how the content of typical family programming changed over the decades with the political ideologies of the time. The author also compares "The Simpsons" with other TV family shows, with respect to the frequency with which male and female characters appear, whether the plots revolve mostly round the male or female characters, and the themes of marriage, education, and how gender roles are perceived by the characters themselves. Each of the members of the Simpson family is looked at in detail, and the paper concludes that "The Simpsons" weaves traditional family values with contemporary criticisms of the limitations those same values create.

From the Paper
"The conditions under which The Simpsons were originally developed help to shape the issues the show was able to tackle in its program. Timing was critical in the evolution of The Simpsons. In the 1950's family life on television seemed to only be diverse in terms of where the family lived, be it in the suburbs or the city. Shows often played up the neighborhood social bonding aspects from America's past in order to reach a broader audience."

Tags:program ideological broadcast, sex life, stay at home mom, MENSA dysfunctional identity icon

Abstract
The paper reveals that in times of crisis, or in unusual circumstances, traditional gender roles are often ignored or relaxed. The paper illustrates this phenomenon by looking at the Suffragette Movement of the First World War era, the Second World War and the Women's Rights Movement of the nineteen-sixties and nineteen-seventies.

From the Paper
"The Suffragette Movement of the early twentieth century, which culminated in American women winning the right to vote, had been slowly gaining support among women for decades, but little progress was made until the First World War. This global conflict swept away traditional beliefs and values, and produced a brief era of idealism and liberalism. Millions of American women challenged prevailing attitudes about gender roles and rejected the centuries-old conviction that they should play no role in politics or government simply because they were women. (Collins 304-305)"

Tags:women, politics, votes, equality, Suffragette, Movement

Abstract
The paper analyzes the primary facets of gender change that occurred from Rosie the Riveter and then to Lucille Ball in this media study of World War II media approaches towards women. The paper discusses how a dominantly male media often used women in the factories of WWII, as the men in these positions were usually off fighting the war, however, after the men returned to the war, women were forced back into submissive roles as housewives.

Tags:math, media, gender

Abstract
This paper explains that the terms "masculinity" and "femininity" are the most difficult to define because the popular explanation of these terms generally has more to do with gender stereotypes than any definable quality of social behavior. The author points out that many social scientists and psychologists argue that it is healthier to be "process-oriented", by choosing behavior based on what is appropriate to the person's needs and the situation at the time, rather than to be "role-oriented" by choosing behavior appropriate to the role society has given them regardless of the situation. This paper emphasizes, that to break the cycle of gender typing, it is necessary to change the popular conception of gender, beginning with the individual, proceeding through families and affecting institutions such as schools and the workplace.

From the Paper
"In American society, early sexual contact is considered more desirable or at least acceptable for boys than for girls. Thus, in a 1989 study of 16 to 25 year-olds in Los Angeles, the average age for first intercourse among boys was 14.9 years, while girls were a year behind at 15.9 years of age. However, this difference has been narrowing in recent years as more girls become sexually active at a younger age. Men's tendency to be more sexually active is related to the traditional assignment of sexual virility as a quality desirable in men. According to the ideals of Western culture, males are supposed to desire sex and take the initiative in sexual activity. This leads to problems in a role-oriented sexual relationship, where women often report attaining less satisfaction in sex due to society-enforced passivity."

Tags:stereotypes, child, process-oriented, sex, culture

From the Paper
" Myths are not falsehoods or fairy tales, but uncontested and generally unconscious assumptions that are so widely shared within a culture that they are considered natural. Biology determines whether we are male or female, culture determines what it means to be male or female, and what sorts of behaviors and personality attributes are appropriate for each gender role (Strate, 1992, 248).
As Joseph Campbell has shown in his pioneering work on mythology, The Hero With A Thousand Faces, there is a method to what seems random. One can study stories from many different cultures and different historical periods, and find a similar structure in each tale. Campbell calls this "the hero's journey," and it goes like this: (1) the hero is taken from his.."

Tags:GENDER, SEXUALITY