The Reality of Gender Inequality

It may seem like the inequality between the sexes is closing. Men and women are becoming more equal in many aspects of everyday life. Women in the workplace are now in careers that were formally male-dominated. More men are staying at home to raise children, formally seen as a “women’s job.” However, women are still getting paid less than men that are working the same job. Men are still considered to be the head of a household. Gender roles in the workplace and in the home are changing. 

            Unfortunately, not everyone believes in gender equality. When I was younger, my family was friendly with all of our neighbors. As soon as my dad passed away all our neighbors immediately started turning their noses up at us. Most of our neighbors no longer talk to us. One neighbor in particular began treating my family terribly. While he never stated that he had a problem with our female head of household lifestyle, the way he responded to my mother was vastly different from the way he acted around my dad. He has been very rude to my mom and myself whenever we see him. If we asked him to do something like trimming his tree away from the roof of our house he refused until we had a male friend ask him, then he immediately agreed and got it done.  

            I also have an uncle who has six boys of his own, no girls. He rarely talks to me because he does not agree with my values. I believe that women should be able to have the same opportunities as boys. He believes that I should marry a man and become his housewife that devotes my day to cooking and cleaning and raising children for him. He believes that women should be seen and not heard. I don’t want any of the things he thinks I should be. I have opinions and I am not afraid to express them. This intimidates him, he does not like that a woman challenges him. When it comes to his boys the sky is the limit. They can do anything they want and be anything they want, as long as they aren't the ones that stay at home to take care of their children.

What our neighbors don’t realize is that we didn't get to choose that our male head of household left. When my dad died, my mom had no other choice than to take on the responsibilities that he originally had. She had three kids, two of which were still living at home and one that was about to leave for college. My mom had to take on the role of the mother and the father. My uncle doesn't realize that my dad was the one that encouraged me to come out of my shell. I was a very shy, seen and not heard little girl. He was always encouraging me to put myself out there and be noticed. Because of that I feel that I can do anything a male counterpart could do and do it just as well.

http://www.genderequality.ie/en/GE/Pages/WhatisGE

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-kimmel/engaging-men-and-boys-for-gender-equality_b_7106906.html