Gender Roles

Gender roles is something that is mentioned in our everyday lives. Especially when it comes to getting married and having a family. The definition of gender roles is the role or behavior learned by a person as appropriate to their gender, determined by the prevailing cultural norms. In the family, men have their roles of being the provider. They are to work and provide for the family. The women are to nurture and care for the children as well as clean the house and take care of things at home. In my family, my parents grew up from both of their parents to work together in many roles until it was done. My mom’s parent’s were farmers and my grandma worked just as hard as my grandpa did on the farm. On my dad’s side, my grandpa worked as a physical education teacher, but my grandma also taught piano lessons and provided for the family as well. I have seen the example of my parents working together. My dad is the main provider of our home. He goes to work, but he also comes home and does things around the house. He enjoys cooking as well as doing the yard work. He does do most of the male figure roles but he does help my mom out with anything she needs and my mom helps him back in return. My mom is a stay at home mom, but she does work from home and helps provide for us as well. She has cared and nurtured me and my siblings, but my dad has been there just as much. I typically find them doing things together until the work is done. My mom will go wash cars or take care of the yard just as much as my dad does. Even though I grew up in a home with five girls and two boys, we were taught certain skills based on our gender roles, but we didn’t always migrate towards those roles. For example, I did not show much interest in cooking or sewing, but you learned about it later on. Now that I’m at college I have learned to take on new roles like I enjoy cooking and learning new roles to take on each day. I grew up watching my parents work together and it has taught me want to want to work together with my husband when I get married and have a family of my own someday.

Gender roles have been mentioned throughout our lives. It is a little confusing to be raised in a culture where male’s have their roles and females have theirs. I have a cousin named Max where in his family, he was expected to grow up and go on a mission as well as get married in the temple. He discovered early on in junior high that, that wasn’t going to work for him at all. He realized that he didn’t fit into the typical male roles and didn’t enjoy doing things that guys would typically like to do. He was more into art, drama and cared more about his appearance and style than he cared about sports or things like that. It took him a couple years to come out and he does not attend church anymore. He has chosen to get a boyfriend and do other things with his life.

 Our religion teaches us that gender is part of our spirits and that our spirits are either male or female. We are also taught that marriage in between a man and a woman. It can be tricky when a family member chooses otherwise. We want to express our support and love yet still maintain our religious convictions and beliefs. Even though our roles can be confused in this day and age it’s important to establish rules in our families that creates love and acceptance.