Gender Roles

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DgOVwoC72e8


The above link is to a 1955 film on women in the United States and their roles in society. It starts as a girl selecting her High School classes for next semester and what she wants to take. She then asks a teacher what the class Home Economics is and what she will learn. The Teacher then states that a woman is supposed to be a Homemaker and the tasks that a Homemaker will do. Which being the woman will include tasks such as making clothes, food preparation and nutrition, money management, raising children, and protecting the family relationship and wellbeing.
The teacher also states that women who take Home Economics in High School are more likely to find college more interesting. As well as be able to take more advanced classes in Home Economics in College. A woman with a college degree in Home Economics can get a job as a school teacher, social worker, or work on cooking shows.
The video states that men are to design houses, pick colors for the house, and manage money. The video is a very stereotypical of men and women’s roles in the household during 1955. Women are to stay at home and clean the house, cook, raise children etc… while the men go to work and make money and support the family while the women build and raise the family. This was the standard in the 1950’s today the standard has changed some women are taking more corporate jobs and getting educations in different things other than Home Economics. Women are doing jobs that were once reserved for men.