Gender roles and stereotypes

Gender roles and stereotypes

Gender identity does not depend on gender expression. Gender expression is the physical way of showing or transmitting our gender. It can be done through specific clothing, accessories, gestures, behaviors or attitudes. Gender expression is usually highly conditioned by gender stereotypes and roles.

What are gender stereotypes ? These are simplified and preconceived ideas according to which women and men are arbitrarily assigned characteristics and roles determined and limited by their gender.

Traditionally, gender stereotypes have generated predetermined images in the collective imagination about what is masculine and feminine.

From the masculine we expect certain personality traits, such as strength or rationality, as well as muscular physical traits, hobbies such as sports or cars, and competitive attitudes. On the contrary, from the feminine we expect personality traits such as sensitivity and intuition, physical traits such as the absence of hair or softness of features, hobbies such as dolls or dancing, and collaborative attitudes.

What are gender roles ? They are the attitudes and behaviors that are expected in a given society from men and women based on assigned gender stereotypes. Traditionally, the male role has been based on work in the public sphere, maintenance and family responsibility. For its part, the female role has been related to unpaid work in the domestic sphere, caregiving and parenting.

Although there is still a long way to go, many societies are increasingly making efforts to break with this limiting patriarchal classification and disseminate that gender roles and stereotypes are an obsolete conceptualization.