Miho Kusanagi AEC 150 Comparison and Contrast Essay Gender StereotypesJune 25, 2013 Gender stereotypes

What difference is there between women and men? Women and men are both human beings. However, there are a large number of acceptable different characteristics between them. Moreover, there are differences related to gender between women and men in three aspects of gender identities, career choices and social status which are all affected by gender-base stereotypes.

The first point of difference between women and men with regard to gender is gender identities. Gender identities upset people who have characteristics that are opposite to gender stereotypes in a few situations. Generally, women have to be feminine and elegant and have to behave gently. They are not required to be active or act as a leader. In contrast, men have to be aggressive and strong, and behave in a masculine way. They have to control their emotions under their faces. It is unlikable for men to be feminine. The stereotypes about womens and mens identities differ. Based on the observations of their behaviors over wide variety of situations in which men have higher status than women, people make a conjecture about their personality points(Gend Gwedolyn L Gerber). There are established and stereotyped personalities in womens traits and mens personality. .

The second difference is career choices. There seems to be limits of choosing careers for women and men because of gender stereotypes. Women are required to do housework such as child care and meal preparation. If women do not care for their children or housework

and go to work outside, they are seen as mothers who do not care about home. On the other hand, Men seem to be recommended to take over the family business or work outside in society. This means they do not have to care about their homes. A few men who do housework are considered awkward. Now, there is the large number of women advancing into society and men dedicated to house work, but there are still stereotyped concepts there which make people feel discriminated against.

The third difference is social status between women and men. Men seem to be more able to assume a higher position than women. Generally, men are preferred to achieve a successful career. On the other hand, it is difficult for women to occupy a high status even if they accomplish productive achievements. Women are treated as lower status even if they accomplish a great achievement. For example, in the United States, women face significant challenges in career advancement. Only 3 percent of the 500 companies have taken in a woman as their chief executive officer (Nadler, Joel T.1, Stockdale, Margaret S.). It is an international pattern that across societies that mens status is higher than womens status.

In conclusion, gender stereotypes have still remained in a few parts of society, and that generates discrimination. Society will be better by removing a few ideas of gender stereotypes such as discrimination of career choices, social status and personalities.

Work cited 1 Workplace Gender Bias: Not just Between Strangers By Nadler, Joel T.1, Stockdale, Margaret S.1. North American Journal of Psychology, Jun2012, Vol. 14 Issue 2, p281-291. 12p. 2 Status and the Gender Stereotyped Personality Traits By Gerber, Gwendolyn1 Sex Roles, Sep2009, Vol. 61 Issue 5/6, p352-360. 9p.