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From: terry@nrcvax.UUCP (Terry Grevstad)
Newsgroups: net.singles,net.women
Subject: Re: Why male dominance?
Message-ID: <536@nrcvax.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 7-Mar-86 17:18:30 EST
Article-I.D.: nrcvax.536
Posted: Fri Mar  7 17:18:30 1986
Date-Received: Tue, 11-Mar-86 00:38:00 EST
References: <1530@decwrl.DEC.COM>
Reply-To: terry@nrcvax.UUCP (Terry Grevstad)
Organization: Network Research Research Corp.  Oxnard,CA
Lines: 65
Xref: watmath net.singles:10831 net.women:9644

jackson@11367.DEC (SETH JACKSON 297-4751) says:
>My point is that the traditional gender roles evolved out of
>some need of society, and was mutually agreed upon by men and women
>at some point in time, as this arrangement allowed for a smoothly
>functioning society. 

I will agree with this statement.  Those "traditional gender roles"
are now in the process of changing, and both men and women are getting
bent out of shape because of it.  

But, yes, the traditional roles _did_ provide for the needs of
society, and not too long ago either.  If you go back even 100-150 years,
you would find a predominately agrarian society where families stayed
together in a local area, on a farm.  The man tilled the fields,
herded the cattle/sheep/what-have-you, made sure house/barn/etc was in
good repair and the like.  The woman helped till the fields when
necessary, often took sole responsibility for livestock (particularly
chickens/sheep/goats), raised a garden, baked bread, hand-washed all
laundry, made all the clothes, did all the housework sans modern 
appliances.  The children helped out as age, size and propensity indicated.  
ALL INDIVIDUALS WERE MADE TO FEEL NEEDED AND WORTHWHILE!

However, come the turn of the century/industrial revolution/whatever
people started going to work in factories (men, women and children).
Men went to work more because if they lived in the city there were no
fields to till.  They had more time to work.  Women didn't because the
laundry still had to be done by hand, the bread still was baked at
home, and the budding home appliance industry was out of the average
price range.  Therefore, the woman still had a LOT of work to do at
home.

But, gradually, home appliances became relatively easy to acquire,
and doing housework became relatively easy.  Laundry--instead of a
back-breaking, all-day job--became a matter of throwing the clothes
in the washer, watching your favorite soap on TV, throwing the clothes
in the dryer, watching your favorite soap on TV, and folding the
clothes.  No challenge, no effort, no feeling of satisfaction in a job
well done because you really didn't do anything.

Needless to say, women began to look around for more to do.  Hence the
beginning of the "changing traditional gender roles".  And I don't
blame anybody for it, but if I had to stay home all day long with only
housework (2 hours max) facing me, I'd go stark raving mad.
Consequently, I work.  I enjoy my work.  It gives me the satisfaction
of a job well done.  I think a lot of women are looking for that
satisfaction, and don't feel they get it at home.

DISCLAIMER:  This is, of course, very simplistic and is only my
assessment of the current state of "traditional gender roles".  As
I've stated before on this net, "I may be wrong.  I've been wrong
before, and I certainly expect to be wrong again at some point in
time."

Bye!

-- 
\"\t\f1A\h'+1m'\f4\(mo\h'+1m'\f1the\h'+1m'\f4\(es\t\f1\c
_______________________________________________________________________

                                                       Terry Grevstad
                                         Network Research Corporation
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