In the last thirty decades society society’s thoughts on gender have changed significantly on the surface. With the last two feminist waves dating back to the sixties and extending up until the nineties, protests have seen women’s rights, and in accordance, roles in society change dramatically. (Roth, 2004) They fought to distance themselves from the oppressing male ideals that women were only seen as “wives, mothers or maids,” to instead also be seen as “lovers, friends and comrades.” (Roth, 2004:82) In current society, “women generally don’t find themselves having to choose just one role for themselves. A woman can be wife, mother, entrepreneur, professional, career-minded, and any number of other things all at the same time…” (Amos, 2010) The man’s role in society has also changed vastly in the past thirty years from sole-earner to primary-earner in most cases, as well as fathers who are more involved in raising the family and assisting in domestic chores. Even with these shifts traditional gender roles are just below the surface.
Ms. Wingo, with whom I chose to compare the change of gender roles, grew up being taught that women had to date and marry a man, and that he would take care of her. That was the role of the woman; find and marry a man who will take care of her financially while she looked after the home and raised the children. There was no allowance for wanting a life of her own, or to allow for a partner of the same gender. It was against social culture at the time for a woman be single or to have a relationship with another woman. Thanks to organised feminist groups, this is no longer the case today; at least it isn’t the case on the surface of society. Women are free to remain single to focus on their own lives and careers, choose their partner regardless of gender and if they decide to marry, they have the right to keep working and have their own