Gender Role » Continued
The Parsons model was used to contrast and illustrate extreme positions
on gender roles. Model A describes total separation of male and female
roles, while Model B describes the complete dissolution of barriers between
gender roles3.
|
Model A -
Total role segregation |
Model B -
Total disintegration of roles |
| Education |
gender-specific education,
high professional qualification is important only for the man |
co-educative schools, same
content of classes for girls and boys, same qualification for men
and women |
| Profession |
the workplace is not the
primary area of women, career and professional advancement is unimportant
for women |
for women, career is just
as important as for men, therefore equal professional opportunities
for men and women are necessary |
| Housework |
housekeeping and child care
are the primary functions of the woman, participation of the man in
these functions is only partially wanted |
all housework is done by
both parties to the marriage in equal shares |
| Decision making |
in case of conflict man
has the last say, for example in choosing the place to live, choice
of school for children, buying decisions |
man cannot dominate over
woman, solutions do not always follow the principle of finding a concerted
decision, this may lead to separate vacations, or living in different
apartments |
| Child care and education |
woman takes care of the
largest part of these functions, she educates children and cares for
them in every way |
man and woman share these
functions equally |
Both extreme positions are rarely found in reality. Actual behavior of
individuals is somewhere between these poles. The most common 'model'
followed in real life is the 'model of double burden'
According to the interactionist approach, roles (including gender roles)
are not fixed, but are constantly negotiated between individuals.
Gender role can influence all kinds of behavior, such as choice of clothing,
choice of work and personal relationships; e.g., parental status
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