Thursday, November 29, 2012

Is this the only Role for Women?

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Dinner's Ready!
 


 


 
It goes back into the early history where the women stood when it comes to men in the workforce and in the household. Typically, it was the women who stayed home and had the responsibility to care for the house and children while the men went off to fight in WWI. This was my main inspiration for this project because as I learned about the inequality between men and women during those times and even still today it made me vow to myself that I will not be just a housewife while my husband goes to work. I think that this represented the hegemonic tendencies amongst the men of the world against women. Though a lot has changed for women since then there is still that stereotypical idea from many people especially men who feel that a woman belongs in the kitchen cooking and cleaning which is in other words, "the old fashioned" way. I personally feel strongly that I can be a women who goes to work as the breadwinner while my husband is a stay at home dad and there be nothing wrong with that. I wanted to challenge this stereotype by putting a male in substitution for a women in the kitchen cooking up a hearty meal for his family (wife and children) to show that it is just fine for it to be this way and that it doesn't minimize a man in any way. Not very often are there men who will go this route because of what he thinks is a woman's job to do but instead they will try to shape the women into to what people normally think of when it comes to a household and women. This is a very simple and obvious image in which I used to defy the most common ideals of such a topic. 

9 comments:

  1. I think now a days these gender roles are being challenged and awareness of these roles are spread throughout households. I know when I was little my dad stayed at home with us kids while my mom went to work. My dad loved it, and didn't want to go back to work when he had the opportunity.

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    1. That is a good point that you made because that is true and that is why I did make sure I mentioned that a lot has changed from then but those stereotypical ideals about women's place in the household still remain.

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    2. I completely agree with your point. When I was little too my mom traveled for work a lot and my dad always took care of me. He loved it. He even did all the "women's work". Men are just as capable of doing a women's work and women are just as capable of doing a man's work. There shouldnt be specific jobs for specific genders. What if you are a single parent... you will still need to do those jobs of the opposite gender.

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  3. I agree with the statement that many stereotypes are being challenged. I know in my family that my mom works part time and cooks supper almost every night and if my dad were to cook supper I would fall over in awe. Its has always been that way and I don't think it has to be. In "What to Expect When You're Expecting" the movie makes it humorous that the fathers are taking care of the kids. So that is why I think it is hard for families to switch the gender roles because of what popular culture puts out there.

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  4. i agree with you Mia. Actually i know a couple that there roles are completely switched. the wife goes to work while the husband is usually the one who cooks and gets the kids ready for school. in their family its normal for either mom or dad to cook.

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  5. I think that nowadays even though women are so much more easily accepted into the workforce that they are still expected to be the homemaker types. Wives are now expected to be at work all day then come home and cook for the family and take plenty of time in order to clean the house and take care of the children. Of course men are also doing these chores and tasks, but I feel like the burden of doing it all is still being mostly put on the wife and mother. I like that you challenge that.

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  6. I think this is a great stereotype to bring up. I think the roles in families have been changing a little though. In my family, my dad is the one who cooks dinner all the time. He sends my little sister off to school, and gets her off the bus. My family is challenging that stereotype, and I see this happening in other families also.

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  7. I love when people reverse the roles of this stereotype because it really does make you think about things in a different way. I also like how in your picture you didn't just flip the roles of man and woman you put race in the mix you don't always see black men in the kitchen unless you are watching some type of Tyler Perry movie. I commend you on your picture nice job!

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