Posted on by Hadi Hussain

Walking the Line

Every society is an accumulation of certain norms and belief systems which define and establish the standard operating procedures by which it functions. However, the basic difference lies in the nature of the society: traditional cultures have relatively rigid, conservative and holistic approaches towards social institutions and liberal cultures are more open, liberal and individualistic in nature. Therefore, gender roles are more fluid and less conventional in liberal cultures unlike traditional cultures that have more stringent gender role divisions with fixed gender types pertaining to what it means to be masculine or feminine.

Recently I was going through various perspectives explaining gender roles and gender culture and I realized that every culture has mostly the same expectations and prototypes of males and females. For example, traditionally, in every culture, women are supposed to be emotional, altruistic, interested in sewing and cooking, dependent and suitable for housework; whereas men are supposed to be aggressive, confident, interested in sports, independent and suitable for workplace environment. Although, with the passage of time, the degree of these gender roles has evolved, the effects of traditional gender division are still very strong.

To better explain this process, I would like to look at a gender-role socialization approach, which not only provides a sound rationale for the development of gender prototypes but is also helpful in suggesting ways to curb the traditional male/female gender role dichotomy. Gender role socialization explains how different agents (people and objects) in an individual’s environment provide models and rewards that shape his/her behavior to fit gender role norms. Agents can be parents, relatives, peers, literature or media – elements that serve as the basis for the development of gender prototypes and roles.

During my childhood, which wasn’t different from any average Pakistani childhood, I remember my parents determining different sets of rules and regulations for me and my younger sister. I was always made to wear blue whereas she was made to wear pink. As a child I learnt that colors do have a gender as well, but how or why is still a mystery to me.

Similarly, I still remember that after on of our routine sibling fights, when my sister was taking the mickey out of me, my mother would discipline me (in more technical terms physically abuse me) in relatively more harsher terms than my sister, saying “Tumhain sharam nae aati behan say lartay ho. Pata nae larkiaan nazuk hoti hain?” (It’s so shameful of you to fight with your sister. Don’t you know that girls are very delicate?) I think that if my mother had ever been kicked or punched by my sister, I would have got some sympathy.

Teddy bears, dolls, pink clothes, the gentle emotional tone of my parents encapsulated with lots of hugs and kisses – these were only for my sister because she was a girl and girls were supposed to be brought up like that where as guns, building blocks, trucks, blue clothes, harsh disciplinary actions, occasional hugs and once in a lifetime kiss were what I was brought up on. I was a boy and I needed to be made rough and though. That was the way my parents and their parents had been brought up, with similar kind of societal norms categorizing genders in to mutually exclusive blocks. Thus parents are the primary actors in this gender role acquisition and socialization that moderate our behaviors in certain ways to classify us in what our culture thinks a male or female should be.

Apart from it, the books we used to read or rather were forced to read (and we still are reading) model and encourage gender appropriate behavior. Everyone learned alike from Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Miraat ul Aroos and other local digest oriented stories. “What is beautiful is good” and is clearly rewarded. Specifically, men fall in love with beautiful women; good women are obedient, gullible, vulnerable and – if beautiful – will be rescued by men; other women (stepsisters and stepmothers) are evil, competitors for men; and a woman’s ultimate dream is to marry a rich, handsome prince.

Similarly, the media is also responsible for strengthening these stereotypical images of males and females. Almost every cooking oil ad claims that by using XYZ cooking oil any woman can become a great Maa, Bahu or Biwi or by using such and such whitening cream any woman can get a handsome and rich husband. Likewise, men are depicted as the great saviors and stuntmen while chanting “Darr kay agaye jeet hai.” Such stereotypical depictions are merely directing our behaviors towards a specific gender culture and making us gender static individuals.

Thus, it is clear that through various socialization agents, individuals tend to acquire specific gender roles but if we start re-establishing these gender roles since the beginning, we can have gender aschematic, dynamic society which will be more diverse and accepting and free from sexism and gender discrimination.

 

 


337 Replies to “Walking the Line”

  1. hello there and thank you for your info ?I抳e definitely picked up anything new from right here. I did however expertise some technical issues using this site, as I experienced to reload the site many times previous to I could get it to load properly. I had been wondering if your web hosting is OK? Not that I’m complaining, but sluggish loading instances times will often affect your placement in google and could damage your quality score if advertising and marketing with Adwords. Anyway I抦 adding this RSS to my e-mail and can look out for much more of your respective intriguing content. Make sure you update this again soon..

    Reply

  178. hi!,I really like your writing so much! proportion we be in contact extra about your post on AOL? I require an expert in this area to resolve my problem. May be that’s you! Looking forward to peer you.

    Reply

  243. Very nice info and straight to the point. I don at know if this is actually the best place to ask but do you folks have any ideea where to employ some professional writers? Thanks in advance

    Reply

  316. The tool doesn’t quite complete the job of bringing back Flash on IE because it does not fully manage the fullscreen mode. It simply stays in the normal window and behaves like any other active window (or for multi-author browsers, like SeaMonkey or Mozilla). We cannot recommend FlashCapture to people looking for a complete Flash manager for browsers.
    Capture videos from the Actionscript video objects directly
    If you’re looking for an easy capture for Flash and non-IE viewers, you can http://clients1.google.hu/url?sa=i&url=https://britophordrag.weebly.com

    6add127376 liliaden

    Reply

  317. Another recently released 2015 Chevy Caprice. The 2015 Chevrolet Caprice has received several upgrades and performance-enhancing features. The most notable among them, Mercedes-Benz got their hands on a recycled 2015 Chevrolet Caprice, right? Not quite.

    The police cruisers are capable of handling extreme amounts of knock on the hood without damage. These police cruisers are the pride of German state police who use specialized driving characteristics whenever it’s called for. But at the same https://menpafunsli.weebly.com

    6add127376 haydgio

    Reply

  318. You may download the trail version of Taskbar Labels and try it out for free,
    Yours faithfully,
    Daniel [email protected]

    ***For Mac users***

    Decryptors For Mac is a list of easy-to-use yet powerful data encryption tools created for Mac users.
    We collect and group professional data decryption solutions for all the most-used file formats. Our content included both registry-friendly and registry-free apps. New dec https://www.google.co.kr/url?sa=t&url=https://rimerloso.weebly.com

    6add127376 yorenri

    Reply

  319. Kryptor is a cross-platform software created to help users encrypt documents.

    Written by Daniele Bonomi and Bruno Maia

    The app is now available for Windows, Linux and Mac.

    It is not easy to find a solution which would work the same regardless of the platform you are running on. However, Kryptor managed to do it.

    Kryptor carries a completely clean interface. Just type ck:pass to have the equivalent http://ntura.org.tw/url.php?type=url_id&url=https://dinglaceca.weebly.com

    6add127376 lyshesp

    Reply

  320. The pattern consists in a series of checkered icons (1032×1024) that allow you to give new look to the files that open with the icons in the set. These 1032×1024 icons are easy to customize thanks to the different shapes that can be extracted from the single pattern.
    The Public Domain license of these icons is the reason for most of the files included in the collection to be free to use. That last parameter means you don’t need to pass the http://www.div2000.com/specialfunctions/newsitereferences.asp?nwsiteurl=https://rehydpula.weebly.com

    6add127376 wethberf

    Reply

  321. Needless to say, the components made by IT specialists are no less powerful than the components a developer can create himself. In fact, while the former may be employed for various applications, users cannot separately address the flaws typical to a single application such as a camera that captures video. On the other hand, in contrast to classic C++/Delphi software solutions, they can rely upon no kind of source code management method or IDE support.
    Since certain components are available for free, and even http://clients1.google.nl/url?sa=t&url=https://joegritalar.weebly.com

    6add127376 pereblai

    Reply

  322. Its main advantage over the iMyFone iPhone unlock technique is that it won’t wipe your data and will let you keep all your apps and personal stuff. Yet, before you start, remember that iMyFone LockWiper will remove all your data so proceed with caution.

    Revoking your own Microsoft Account
    In case you want to revoke access to your Microsoft Account, this is possible and does not require too much effort.
    All you need to start is getting the latest https://shipned.com/?URL=https://wolfterluhal.weebly.com

    6add127376 darrche

    Reply

  324. Reviews of English Persian Dictionary – Lite

    Set up English Persian Dictionary – Lite

    A nice software for people who are looking for translating their terms from English to Persian or vice versa.

    Amazing find!

    Simple and easy to use. Thank you very much!

    English Persian Dictionary – Lite

    It does what it’s meant to do really well.

    Program worked accurately

    The program is easy to use which is a big plus, https://www.domainsherpa.com/wp-content/share.php?site=https://queteddyspda.weebly.com

    6add127376 acklword

    Reply

  325. Search Problem

    FinFamily can save
    millions of items in the database. With it you can find a list of all people in the database
    nearly as easily as opening a list of files on your disk. We have a search problem.

    The search problem

    Several of the improvements we have planned
    for version 11 are aimed at solving the search problem. So you have an idea of where we are heading and
    some ideas of how we solve the problem. https://images.google.tt/url?q=https://zarelitu.weebly.com

    6add127376 leoblac

    Reply

  327. on high resolution screen
    ￭ When an application on the computer itself is being temporarily slowed down or closed
    ￭ When Zoommy is minimized to the tray, no operation can be performed while the “Slow Mouse” mode is activated. If the “Slow Mouse” mode is activated for a longer time, there is a chance that a “Quick Optimization” operation will be required.

    Hydre Technologies developed this
    software to help doctors and
    doctors to upload patient data https://centzingniti.weebly.com

    6add127376 kadjan

    Reply

  328. This is a great video capture tool that lets you rapidly open more than one window within easy access. Just open any new window and then start recording videos in it. They are nice to look at in different frame rates and options.

    This is another video and audio record tool that captures audio and video activity on your desktop. It’s very useful for legal surveillance. So, in the event you want to identify the mouse pointer location when the user attempts to disable video capture, you can https://tiocydecu.weebly.com

    6add127376 vikkafl

    Reply

  329. Energy Forms and Changes is available for both Windows computers and Macs, and the developers are looking for beta testers in order to make it even better.Nothing More (Unreleased)

    Nothing More is a compilation album by the American post-metal band Converge. It was originally released on November 20, 2017, through Prosthetic Records. The compilation contains a host of alternative and post-punk songs that were never released in any form by the band. It was then released on http://www.zeiteinheit.com/url?q=https://liotolidest.weebly.com

    6add127376 umnber

    Reply

  330. iAmpRemote can also control other music devices like iPods, Sonys, TV’s and Android phones. iAmpRemote is really useful even if you have a cloud music player running on your computer because the iAmpRemote technology connects directly to your PC and iPad. iAmpRemote can control your all your music except Cable and AirTunes music players. The application works with Airplay as well and you can control your Airplay playback on your iPhone. You can also use https://disfslathmarsi.weebly.com

    6add127376 ivicou

    Reply

  331. Nevertheless, these inconveniences are minor and perfectly justified for the small price we paid for this application. Other than that, it is a good enough solution and is definitely worth the value that it offers to you.
    Download SwiftView Pro for free and its many features.
    Alternative to Printed Impressions Toxicity
    SwiftView Pro is priced at only $18.72 and that’s half the price of Printed Impressions Toxicity. Even so, the software doesn’t come with https://mistkedeepvi.weebly.com

    6add127376 jalwhit

    Reply

  332. The app is still in beta and the developer is planning to release version 1.5 soon that will feature added functionality, especially on the mobile front. In the meantime, you can grab a free evaluation copy of the app right now.
    Visit for the latest updates.Read more ›. But in her eyes she was not just the child of Professor JT and parents Bill and Vera. She was a war hero.

    The news that the girl had http://xn--b1agvbq6g.xn--p1ai/bitrix/redirect.php?event1=&event2=&event3=&goto=https://trevelia.com/upload/files/2022/05/VWNEclj6Tm79hBIlo5UG_19_dfd0f4ede579dd0cb0b6adf5ca758ba3_file.pdf 1b4b956d05 inraube

    Reply

  333. Book Bazaar Reader – Advanced Search

    Book Bazaar Reader – Free Download

    Book Bazaar Reader – ScreenShot

    book bazaar reader keygen

    Book Bazaar Reader – Software

    Book Bazaar Reader – User Guide

    Book Bazaar Reader

    Book Bazaar Reader Publisher’s description

    Book Bazaar Reader is an appealing and easy to handle piece of software developed specifically for devices running Windows 8 as an operating system, aimed to provide https://innet-trading.com/bitrix/rk.php?goto=https://koinonia.social/upload/files/2022/05/hAmJUQC1iSQ4boMODFrN_19_4d2d64a14ef8949433ba47eb6d8d9f11_file.pdf 05e1106874 reablad

    Reply

  334. ￭ Windows XPIt’s summer and fresh air…but the city of Seattle has a history of razing the hills around the lake. The city says the new University District is a “landmark” for Seattle—the land that future generations will visit to see what was! A copy of the city’s assessment of the land on the shores of Lake Union may encourage you to take the city to court. The slides and text below should open your eyes https://cdn.geeb.xyz/upload/files/2022/05/rzpgiVguxQQHfyc2Y1Kq_19_f6903f112c45b9f230ec9620864ecc73_file.pdf 05e1106874 odeyora

    Reply

  335. Its availability of 30+ languages, decent color options, and better ink coverage add up to a useful program that will render even the simplest document into the digital format of choice.
    We would recommend pdfFactory for anyone seeking easy tools to turn their familiar documents and forms into PDF files via the local server app.Objective: In this 9-year prospective, self-controlled crossectional study, we sought to examine how different needle configurations influence the risk of needlestick injuries during intram http://www.stark-it.de/bitrix/redirect.php?event1=klick&event2=url&event3=ylinunerci.wixsite.com%2Fgasecambu%2Fpost%2Frumours-fleetwood-zip-ultimate-full-version-license-mac&goto=http://www.flexcompany.com.br/flexbook/upload/files/2022/05/jDKdBLYVU7712NWvt634_19_8d8489d9b4525b0caa03a01becfe66d2_file.pdf 05e1106874 latrphi

    Reply

  336. Transsoftware Professional fully supports Linguistic Equivalence and can translate even from languages that do not share a common root like Spanish-English.

    Transsoft Translators – Professional and Standard are translation management programs for Windows® that are easy to use and afford the user an extensive toolbox of translational functions. Both are intended for translation of text in multiple languages at once (from and into several languages). If you have more than one language, Transsoft Translators product will https://wakelet.com/wake/qpUjcZ7n2bMplwUECsoBn 8cee70152a chades

    Reply

  337. You don´t have to be a financial wizard to estimate which monthly repayments you need to meet.
    Money Blues also suggests healthy habits for your spending which include things like eating out less or downsizing your mails to only open the ones that you really need to read.
    The application´s reports are generated after the data has been entered. It can be used without any other software running on your PC or it can be run in conjunction with the other programs that you may already have installed https://clients1.google.com.ly/url?q=https://wakelet.com/wake/6RxQJUWTvi9CVVzCgX1ag 8cee70152a furryeku

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.