Gender Role Theory

Some claims about the intellectual capabilities of men and women that are inherently sexist and false were used in the past and are still used today as reasons why genders are separated. This form of logic, an assessment of gender as a whole with no solid evidence to back it up, has poisoned the waters of America and caused harmful conventions. Many scientists have identified this phenomenon, saying, “Sometimes a single claim lodges itself firmly in the public consciousness as a fact and, despite the best efforts of concerned scientists, remains a deeply entrenched belief ” (Rippon 13). This mirrors the pattern that sociologists and psychologists have coined in Gender Role Theory. From a young age, children act in a specific manner per their gender. Some believe that it is simply because of those pesky little X and Y chromosomes that determine how we act.

However, the Gender Role Theory involves the narrative that the gendered tendencies that form in each person are not because of biology but because of societal expectations. It suggests that humans learn appropriate behaviors and traits from societal interactions and cultural norms. Gender Role Theory often regards the division of labor as a major factor i

n why and how humans act based on their gender (Johnson). Women were put in the caregiver role and men were put in the provider role, which in our current time means that they are the breadwinners and high-achieving professionals. This may be why men were accepted in education and women were not. The men wanted to keep the women subservient instead of allowing them to become the providers in the family. Although not all men uphold these beliefs, some “willful oppressors” go out of their way to keep women beneath men and out of positions of power (Pfeiffer 220).

The perception of women throughout the United States’ history was that they were not equal to men. Women only gained the ability to vote in 1919. Women were not allowed to attend universities until the 20th century. Women were not allowed to have credit cards in their name. Women were not seen as intellectual equals to men.

Although we have done away with most of the sexest laws, restrictions, and social norms, the past is still fresh in our minds and the people who participated in the sexism are still alive. The problem lies in that we are still stuck in the same way of thinking. Women now struggle with inequality and being seen as inferior, and men struggle with being accepted in a genteel society that traditionally values masculinity and aggressive force. Women may seem like the only ones affected negatively by set gender roles. However, men suffer from it too. In contrast to the softer expectations forced on women brought up by the Gender Role Theory, that same theory, when applied to men, appears as “the conflict or restrictive psychological state experienced by men who attempt to conform to the established norms of masculinity that result in artificial limitations on the human experience (O’Neil, 2015)” Hallman 59).

The problem with the roles assigned to men is that they incentivize being less emotional and less receptive to help. The gender role limits the way they can experience life. James O’Neil adds, “These limitations manifest themselves in competitiveness issues, restricted emotionality, restrictive affectionality, and interpersonal conflicts” (O’Nei). These symptoms of a man who attempts to conform to the assigned gender role today create an agitated and stressed individual who does not perform well in higher education. To support this argument, Hallman commented that his research showed that “Males who exhibit traits that reject traditional views of masculinity and incorporate additional characteristics that embrace emotionality are more easily stimulated by knowledge in a college setting” (Hallman 62). Simply put, the men who did not adhere to the traditional masculine values and expectations were able to perform better and benefit from higher-level education.