Gender and Family Life

Gender has a much larger influence on family life than I ever expected before our discussions this week. Each gender has their own unique roles and responsibilities in the family. We discussed that women are more inclined to have certain traits that men do not. Men are more inclined to have other traits that women do not. For example women tend to be more sensitive, nurturing, and emotional, while men tend to be more protective, aggressive, and logical. It is important to note that these traits are not strictly assigned, but they are interchangeable. It is actually beneficial for a woman to be both protective and sensitive, and for a man to be both emotional and aggressive. Gender roles between men and women are unique, but complimentary to one another.

When I was a freshman in High School, my father passed away in a fatal car accident. Because of this, I have experienced family life with balanced gender roles and unbalanced gender roles. My father was the breadwinner of our family, while my mom always stayed at home to nurture her children. They worked together perfectly in their responsibilities. When my father passed away, my mother had to take on some roles that she was not familiar with. She was pressured to be the breadwinner of the family, but also the sensitive nurturer. This was an extremely daunting task as anyone would expect. While she has done an outstanding job at taking on roles of father and mother, there are some noticeable differences in family life now that my father is gone. My mother seems to be quite exhausted, taking on both roles. My younger sisters have struggled without a fahter figure in the home at all times, and have become closely attached to other men in their life, such as my brothers. My older brothers, some who have families of their own, have felt the need to play the role of father for their siblings, as well as their own children. My experience has opened my eyes to the importance of men and women working together as a complementary unit.