Roles of women have undergone much change through years of education, awareness and various feminist movements. Roles of women have changed from the traditional ones in each society, to the new social norms that are observed among modern women today. I would use case studies from both China and the US to support this general statement. In my opinion, the change of roles of women is brought about by mainly, the changing mindsets of the people and the independence that they have achieved.
Roles of women have arguably, changed for the better, from the traditional care taker role to one deserving of a more dynamic lifestyle. Let’s take China for example. Women in China used to be very submissive as China’s society was a patriarchal one since the time of different dynasty periods whereby females were considered inferior to males. This mindset was widespread in China and even women themselves believed they were inferior. Hence, their role, under influence of the stagnated mindsets of the Chinese passed down generations after generations, was taking care of household, domestic matters, supporting their husbands. Women’s statuses are now elevated to almost on equal with men. Women in the workforce, education for women were all completely unheard of in the past. This shows that the society has become more accepting and receptive to women’s opinions and acknowledgement of women’s abilities. Mao once said, “Women hold up half of the heavens.” This shows that women already have an irreplaceable role in homes and have now extended their reach over to other aspects of life which used to be an only men’s territory.
Similarly, in the US, women had traditional roles as well. Women were generally viewed as mothers and wives, nothing more. They were also considered inferior to men as portrayed by the law in the past which states that after women marry, they give up their name and virtually all their property came under their husbands’ control. Women were also deprived of the right to vote and this shows that the general attitude towards women then was that they should not dabble in politics simply because it’s a man’s job and men are much more capable in this field. Women were only supposed to be housewives and do household chores. This unfairness to women did not go unnoticed and in 1848, the first women’s rights convention was held. This was the start to a series of feminist movements that raised the status of women in America and gave women more rights such as women’s suffrage and the right to initiate divorce. Hence, this gives them a more active role in society in terms of economics, politics and even social.
Women, being empowered like never before, are being granted the autonomy to pursue whatever interests them, no longer the stereotype role that they were supposed to play in the past. This brings us to my next point about women’s independence. In a way, women have obtained independence of their own and are no longer confined by stereotypes of society. The cause of this is debatable. However, I believe the rising affluence is the cause for this change. Look at China’s ME Generation as an example. They are getting richer, have better education and career prospects. In the case of affluent families, they can afford to send their children to school, even females. Hence, when these females, equipped with the necessary knowledge and skills, step into society, they do not lose out to men in terms of qualifications for positions in the workforce. With increased participation in the economic sphere comes financial independence. Women no longer have to depend on men for income and this is the most important factor in deciding the change in the role of women. With financial independence, they are now free to pursue extravagant lifestyles on their own without reliance on men. Hence, this is directly connected with their elevated status in society as independence has given them freedom to attempt things that were out of their reach in the past. Take Hillary Clinton for example, she was the first female candidate to run for presidency. The elections happened in 2008 and before the class discussions, I had virtually almost no knowledge about her campaigns or history. Through class discussions, I learnt that Hillary Clinton could be a representation of women’s progress in American society. The current US Secretary of State pushed for feminism policies, at the same time, considering America’s interest.
Her success is reflective of what women have achieved today. Role is very general term to stereotype the majority as different women, under different circumstances, would play different roles in life. However, it is undeniable that they have moved from their traditional role, to a role in society that cannot be generalized in a single statement.
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