Gender Roles

Gender roles are defined as the behavior that defines a man or a woman in a culture. Gender roles differ among cultures while many share similar characteristics. These characteristics are shared among a certain population and that is what a male or female must follow. This basic idea of gender roles has dramatically changed over the years. It used to be that women would stay at home, take care of the kids and do essential household duties. The men would support the family by working and do all of the physical labor. Nowadays, especially in America, those roles have changed. It is common for women to also work and help support the family. Women still play the role of a caretaker, but it is acceptable if they don't. Gender roles have dramataically changed due to feminist movements.
One major change has been the laws. The 19th amendment to the US Constitution says, "The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex." (http://www.house.gov/house/Constitution/Amend.html) This was a major step in changing gender roles. This amendment gave women a say in the government, which didn't happen until 1920. This gave way to a new role for women, especially in present day. Hilary Clinton is now potentially a presidential candidate for the Democratic party. Even 50 years ago, this would not have been accepetable in society. Many viewed only men as running the country, but women's movements have made it acceptable for women to play this role in society. Politics has greatly influenced gender roles in today's societies and these stereotypical roles will continue to change over time.