Becoming the Woman or Man You Want to Be
In present society, men and women alike are still bound to the stereotypes assigned to their respective sexes. While the gender situation has definitely improved today as compared to the past decades, the discrimination between the sexes is still present. The gender impositions are clearly restrictions.
The gender-role expectations of society hinder an individual from reaching their full potential, simply because the options provided for growth appear limited. This is the reason why it is liberating for both men and women to develop more flexible views regarding the said expectations.
By adapting a flexible attitude with regards to gender roles, an individual can go beyond what is expected of them and their gender. In a way, it allows the person to break free from what he or she thought she should do and enjoy the freedom by doing what he or she wants to do. However, the gender problem can only be resolved if the change begins in the individual. The person must develop the flexible perspective himself or herself to be able to break free from one’s gender restrictions.
As a woman, it is important for me to adapt the flexible view of gender expectations myself. Compared to men, women are more burdened by these expectations, as females are regarded as the weaker and more inferior sex. Therefore, I must learn to develop a more lenient viewpoint regarding gender roles because I am more affected by it. In the past, women were only expected to stay at home and devote themselves to their husbands and children. As a woman in modern society, I strive to go beyond that stereotype.
There are so many options for women like me today, may it be in terms of family or profession. By developing a more flexible view on gender role expectations, I can liberate myself from the housewife stereotype and pursue a life of unlimited opportunities. If I want freedom, the change has to start from me. This is because if I believe that those expectations are the only ones I can pursue, I will remain restricted by my gender. Hence, it is very important for me as a woman to develop flexible views about gender role expectations.
