St. Martin 1 Christina St.

Martin December 2, 2013 Option 2 Portfolio

Gender E pectations Gro!in" #p $ !as al!a%s told b% m% "randmother that men !ere stron"er, smarter, and more important than !omen. She &ie!s men to be s#perior and attempted to raise me !ith the same &ie!s. $ !as told to be s#bmissi&e, to cater to m% h#sband !hen that da% comes, and to ne&er disrespect a man. M% "randma belie&es the !oman's place is at home( coo)in", cleanin", tendin" to the children, and an% other domestic needs. She !as raised in a co#ntr% at a time !here !omen !ere seen as insi"nificant. M% mother, a ho#se!ife, has similar &ie!s that she has ta#"ht me, b#t not to the e treme m% "randmother holds. $ became a!are of this misconception once $ be"an spendin" more time !ith m% feminist, independent, self f#lfilled a#nt !ho is also a da#"hter of m% "randmother. She al!a%s tells me to be self*s#fficient and to ne&er need a man for an%thin". She al!a%s enco#ra"es school and ha&in" a s#ccessf#l career. She disa"rees completel% !ith m% "randmothers &ie!s and sees men as #seless and a b#rden. +t first $ )ept m% "randmother's &ie! and belie&ed that $ !o#ld ne&er e ceed a man in an%thin" in life. $ belie&ed that m% role !as to one da% marr% and become a ho#se !ife li)e m% mother did. $ had no moti&ation to become someone of !orth beca#se $ felt li)e !omen !ere ne&er "oin" to be important.

St. Martin 2 ,imes are different no! then the% !ere !hen m% "randmother !as "ro!in" #p. Men !ere the bread*!inners and !ere sociall% seen as s#perior. Most !omen didn't ha&e ed#cations or !or) -obs that !ere not seen fit for a !oman. ,he ne!er "enerations of males are not as the% once !ere. Man% don't ta)e care of their families or ha&e ed#cations. +s !ell as the ne!er "eneration of !omen are not as the% once !ere. Presentl% %o# !ill find !omen o!nin" their o!n b#sinesses and thri&in" in their careers. St#dies ha&e sho!n that recentl% more !omen are attendin" colle"e than males. M% &ie! chan"ed o&er the %ears as $ "re! older and interacted !ith more males. $n m% o!n e perience $ ha&e come to reali.e that not all men are s#perior. $ ha&e e celled in athletics, !or), school, and man% other thin"s that some of m% fello! male peers fall far behind in. $ am stron"er than man% males $ )no!, $ am smarter, more talented, $ ha&e an ed#cation, and $ ha&e o#tshined male and female co*!or)ers in all of the -obs $'&e e&er had. M% !or) ethic is complimented on a dail% basis b% the males aro#nd me. Man% tell me ho! the% !ish the% had a "irl li)e me or e&en that the% themsel&es !ere li)e me. $ came to reali.e that se #al orientation has nothin" to do !ith a person's abilit% to e ceed in life( it is ho! the% choose to perform. Men and !omen are e/#al, altho#"h the% ha&e their differences it has been pro&en that neither are inferior. + !oman can !or) hard and ha&e m#ch more ph%sical stren"th than the a&era"e man. She can be more s#ccessf#l, ha&e more intellect, and thri&e in life m#ch more than her fello! male opponents. 0e"ardless of !hat societ% claims !omen are -#st as capable as men are in e&er% aspect.