Posted at 17:07h
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by Anne Boysen
Social change is often extremely slow, especially when deep seated norms are involved. Gender roles have demonstrated their staying power even in sociospheres where gender equality has long been the official mantra. Haven’t we all met the guy who speaks passionately about women’s rights all while parking the kids in front of the TV and leaving the dirty dishes in the sink? Or the “career mom” who laments (or brags) about her overwhelming domestic chores and how she does it all? It may not be so surprising after all that women, according to
a recent study, probably will have to wait until 2050 before men are doing an equal share of the household chores and childcare. In other words, it will take our youngest generation and two generations more before equality between the sexes has been fully achieved. But where? The study seems to focus primarily on the US and UK and claims the upward trend in male domestic participation has leveled off in some (which?) countries.
In Growing up with Princess Inc earlier this year I wrote about growing gender polarization. In the post I discussed the idea that shifts between androgynous and more overtly gendered fashion trends and body ideals are linked to social and economic fluctuations. Generational experts Strauss and Howe explained in The Fourth Turning that in eras when society struggles to recover from crisis, order, stability and traditional values gain momentum. From social science research we know socioeconomic lower classes tend to embrace traditional gender ideals to a greater degree than does the middle class. The middle class on the other hand, possesses economic and educational resources that allow them to push social boundaries without serious negative
