The gender stereotype essay
In the society, there still exist strong gender stereotypes and as a result men and women are often treated unequally. Of course, there are biological differences between men and women, but it is hard to find out whether psychological differences between men and women and the differences of key character traits are innate or reared by the society due to the existing stereotypes and different conditions for men and women.
One way in which the society creates different conditions for men and women is the dominance of men’s values and morals. According to Stanton (2007), women and men have different moralities and virtues (regardless of the source of these differences), but the society praises only the virtues and moralities common to men, and disregards the virtues of women. Furthermore, Stanton (2007) argues that women’s virtues such as benevolence and generosity allow others with more aggressive moralities to take over and to assign a second-class status to women.
Stanton states that people were created equal and it would be fair to praise both the values of men and women to create a just and prosperous society. This view is in line with feminist ethical arguments that men and women should be praised equally and should have equal rights and respect for their values and beliefs.
Another way in which society creates different conditions for men and women is the attitude to family violence. In many communities, a certain degree of power and coercion expressed by a man is viewed as acceptable while women are expected to put up with force and constraint and to value family relationships above all.
Friedman (2003) emphasizes that due to such social stereotypes women might not even understand they are being abused and will protect the abuser or refuse to report the abuse. Furthermore, social limitations might make it more difficult for women to break an abusive relationship than to bear family violence. Such state of affairs is unjust and, according to Friedman (2003), it is important to provide care to women who suffer from family violence in two ways – punish the offenders (even if women are against such punishment) and provide the services of professional caregivers to help women reconstruct life and making further life decisions.
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