The Stereotypes Of Women In Popular Culture

It is very well known to all that media is a big part of society today. It influenced how we see ourselves and the world to some extent. There are different types of media that is offered today, for example: TV, movies, radio, and newspapers. Within the different forms of media, women and men are represented in a certain way, all with different characteristics. In this essay, I will argue that there is similar gender stereotypes presented in the shows Modern Family and Every Body Loves Raymond, and how they differ from the show Full House.

As mentioned on page 508 and 509 the authors argue that, “mothers who work full time and have young children do significantly more housework and childcare than fathers but they spend ‘only’ 37 hours per week in paid labor compared with 44 hours of paid work by fathers, resulting in an overall workload that is five hours longer.” Based on this statistic, mothers don’t have as much paid work

The belief that men are not capable of taking care of a child is now being challenged. Fathers are now taking on a more active role in their child’s life by allowing their wives to peruse her career goals while they stay at home with the children. Women are now left with the task of being the family’s primary breadwinners. As both step outside their expected gender roles the challenge of gender stereotypes found in families have been questioned.

Roughly four-in-ten mothers say they have taken a significant amount of time off from work (39%) or reduced their work hours (42%) to care for a child or other family member. Roughly a quarter (27%) say they have quit work altogether to take care of these familial responsibilities...(Patten, 2015 [see figure 3]).

Nowadays it’s hard to impress someone with inequality issues, we all aware of the existing of discrimination by racial, economic, gender, age factors, etc. Even in our seemingly progress society with its freedom of speech and equal rights, there is persistent disproportion in power distribution. One group of people always have some advantages over another. White over black, 1% over 99%, men over women. The latter is particularly disturbing since it’s so ubiquitous and really calls the essence of such order, that men power for most of us is unquestionable innate characteristic. Why even bother to doubt men dominance since it’s been this way for generations, in almost every known society and civilization. The surrounding environment helps us

Being a mother is a full time job because as a mother you need to be around your child all the time. Even the father plays a similar role but nothing can ever come close to the nurturing capabilities of a mother towards her child. However, the present trends reflect that most parents are generally engaged in professional jobs where they need to devote a certain amount of time. Irrespective of the professional commitments that parents have, they must also give time to their children and take care of their responsibilities.

The labor force of the United States has changed drastically over the last forty years. According to the Department of Labor, in 2012, 64% of woman with children under the age of six are in the labor force. While only 34% of mothers were working in 1970 (Gullekson, Griffeth, Vancouver, Kovner, & Cohen, 2014). Furthermore, in 1974, 80% of kids under the age 17 were cared for by a parent (Morrissey & Warne, 2011). Given this dramatic increase of mothers in the workforce, there is a considerable amount of time missed by the working parent. On average, American working parents miss nine days of work per year and that number increases to thirteen as the child moves through daycare and into elementary school. Breakdowns in childcare cost businesses three billion dollars annually (Shellenback, 2004). Given these staggering numbers the demand for reliable and affordable childcare has never been bigger.

Compared to contemporary society, the cliché stay at home mother is no longer the societal norm, as both genders are now assuming the maternal-home role.

Well, my parents went to work every day to provide for my brother and I and we had everything we ever needed. We lived in a nice house, had a dog, and I never went without. I was able to dream about the future and the possibilities that were out there for me to seize. With that being said the first topic I would like to discuss with you is the issue of childrearing. If you look at the US over the last 50-100 years within the scope of childrearing you will find a common theme. The “normal” house consists of a father who leaves every day to go to work and provide for the family and a mother who stays home to take care of the children and the house. This has been a standard of living in the US for a very long time. A recent article published by the Pew Research Center states: “While most stay-at-home parents are mothers, fathers represent a growing share of all at-home parents – 16% in 2012, up from 10% in 1989. Roughly a quarter of these stay-at-home fathers (23%) report that they are home mainly because they cannot find a job. Nearly as many (21%) say the main reason they are home is to care for their home or family. This represents a fourfold increase from 1989, when only 5% of stay-at-home fathers said they were home primarily to care for family” (Livingston 2014). This is interesting in many ways. Less than thirty years ago the number of stay at home dads was drastically lower. One might say that the only reason that these dads are staying home is because they cannot find work outside the home. The statistics disprove this theory. While it is true that some have suffered from a shaky economy, many are home because they choose to be. 23 percent say that they are home due to the fact that they cannot find work. 21 percent are home by their own choosing. This is hard to understand for most people. Globally it is accepted that the place of the man should be

For thousands of years, established gender roles have been a part of our society. Women are commonly known as sensitive, emotional, or passive. On the contrary, men are described as rational, competitive, independent, or aggressive. Believing women are more emotional than men is stereotyping. However, the stereotype is not entirely untrue. Development of gender roles is often conditioned more by environmental or cultural factors than by hereditary or biological factors. The development of gender roles between men and women involves the inference of peer community of each gender, the communication style of male and female and the intimacy or connection level of men and women.

Imagine this: A couple, fresh out of graduate school, marry and for the first few years both members of this couple work full time, well paying jobs, but when they learn that the wife is pregnant they must decide if she will stay home with the child or continue her job. Now, imagine this: ten years later, this couple now has three children, and the wife is still staying home, living with the regret of leaving her professional career in the past. The decision of becoming, or remaining, a stay-at-home mom is something that all mothers must decide, if they are fortunate enough to have a choice. In “Nine Better Things I Learned About Becoming A Stay-At-Home Mom”, published in The Federalist, Denise McAllister shares her knowledge so that readers can see how being a stay-at-home mom isn’t always “horrible.” Although McAllister discusses valid ideas that she has learned from being a stay-at-home mom, she fails to provide enough relatable evidence of these ideas in order for other mothers to use her knowledge to decide whether or not it is best for them to leave the workforce.

In addition to the physical demands, a mother is also responsible for their childrens’ lives.

Today's women are being scrutinized if they decide to enter the work force and have children. There seems to be a stigma that you cannot be a career woman and have a family. Women find themselves entering the work force before they have children and then choosing to stay after the children are born. Some women find that their families require two incomes or in some cases their income may be the sole source. There are also positive outcomes of working mothers. Some studies show that while the lack of a mother's presence can impact a child negatively, a mother that does not work may have a severe impact on a family. With a dual income household, many mothers are able to make more choices for their families when it comes to nutrition and

Women are able to contribute to society in more ways than by just being a mother. Meier, Musick, Flood & Dunifon (2016) mentions “maternal employment may provide a source of identity, self-worth, and welcome relief from daily care, potentially gener- ating greater appreciation and enjoyment in time with children” (p. 651, para. 2). Whether a mother wants to work or has to work to provide for her family, the extra income is beneficial to the child. When both parents work, it may mean that there is more disposable income which could allow for more family vacations and activities. Dual income families may also be able to afford a nicer home in a better school district. More income could also mean both parents may qualify for additional work benefits such as contributions towards 401K, medical benefits and child care tax savings. Childcare is not only beneficial for mother but for the child. Children learn social skills, have fun playing and learn from their teachers and other children. Having separation during the day can also make a child more independent and self-sufficient as they get older. Mothers who continue to work after having children will often have more career opportunities and are able to earn more money in the long run. Working moms may also teach children the importance of gender equality and show them that women can also focus on careers.

During this last century societal views towards women have drastically changed, from being looked at as a homemaker, to a businesswoman, to a mother, and now a working mother. One thing that hasn’t changed through the years is how women are critiqued for what they do and how they do it. If a woman takes care of the house she’s lazy and doesn't use her potential. If a women works in the office more than she’s at home she doesn’t connect with her family enough. The latest judgement women are facing: are working mothers better mothers. Today, women are being put against each other to be viewed as the “better mother” just by looking at their profession.