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Discuss theories of gender

      

Discuss theories of gender

  

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Noah
(i) According to conflict theorists, gender roles are simply a reflection of male dominance. By their control over the economic and political spheres of society, men have been able to establish laws and customs that protect their dominant positions. In so doing, they have blocked women's access to power.

(ii) Functionalists view women as being disadvantaged only because they are required to play certain roles that ensure the smooth functioning of society. They argue that the primary role of women is to be mothers and housewives. Due to this, the position of women in the labour market (outside the home) is weakened compared to that of men who are constant breadwinners." Women tend to be 'secondary bread winners' compared to men. Therefore, they tend to be regarded as less valuable in terms of equal pay. Also, women are not as geographically mobile as men since they tend to be tied to the home whereas career advancement usually requires residential mobility which men easily execute. Women tend to be over abundant in "suitable5 occupations, making their demand less pressing. Functionalists consider the male-female relationship as inevitable; based on the roles they play (Haralambos andHolborn, 1990).

(iii) According to the Marxist Theory espoused by Fredrich Engels (1972), the acquisition of private property is the root cause of gender inequality. He states that in ancient communal societies, men and women were equal because there was no private .property. All major means of production were communally owned. Engels argues that at some historical point, men began to acquire property, turning it into private assets. Women became dependent on men for survival in exchange for sex and the creation of heirs to the men's property. From then onwards, men have elaborated their control over women in all spheres of life. To him, the source of men's power over women is the male ownership of the means of production. Until property relations are changed, women hold. inferior position to men.

(iv) According to Ernestine Friedl (1975) - an anthropologist who has explored the effect of sex based division of labour on the social status of women - power is based on control of the distribution of scarce resources. Individuals who are in a position to exchange goods and services with non-family members have a higher status than those who are not in such positions. In .most societies, the distribution of resources to non-family members is the responsibility of men. Women's contributions tend to cater for their immediate family. Friedl points out that the degree to which men control the distribution of scarce resources determines the level of inequality between the sexes in a society. In industrial societies, those who control the distribution of scarce resources to non-family members hold the power. Those in power are mostly men. Friedl notes that gender inequality will continue as long as women's economic contribution is centered on the family. Until women invest a portion of their incomes in stocks, bonds and other money-making enterprises, they will not gain power in society. Friedl argues that like men, women should create mutual obligations through economic exchanges with non-family members. Until a sufficient number of women move into the ranks of professionals, managers and politicians, they will have little influence on the distribution of goods and services and thus little social power in comparison to men.
Kibet Koina answered the question on January 18, 2019 at 08:40

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