GENDER DISCRIMINATION THEN AND NOW

🖎: Sophia Aizelle Marjerae Torres

Have you ever experienced being judged solely because of your gender identity? Gender bias was a very common issue in society then and until now. Although generations now are very particular about gender equality, it is still not a hundred percent guaranteed to everyone.

The gender roles in the past were very defined and rigid. Women were believed to be weak and were expected to be at home cooking, cleaning, and taking care of the children while men were working to provide for the family. Women are being denied the same opportunities given to men in many circumstances. That being said, society expects that women should only follow what men tell them to do. Before, women had no right to education, since they were expected to manage the house. People before did not see the significance of giving women the chance to be educated on the same level as men. Meanwhile, men before were required to learn or serve in the military and were expected to fight just in case war happened. In the area of the workplace, Men were given high expectations because they were expected to be the breadwinners of their families while women faced limited choices for their careers and earned lower wages than men. Men face problems in expressing their emotions because in the past men were discouraged from expressing vulnerability which impacted their mental health negatively due to suppression of emotions. Meanwhile, women were expected to conform to traditional gender roles by being the family’s housekeeper and the children’s caregiver.

  However, as time passes, we become more open-minded to the idea and importance of equality, which opens doors for women to step forward and participate in and influence society, politics, and business. Hence, there is still no absolute equality for everyone. Men and women still face discrimination whether in the workplace, domestically, or in the business world. Some of the major discrimination women experienced until now was the difference in wages, most women still earn less than men. Women are underrepresented when it comes to the business world, society still thinks that the business world should be man-dominated. Gender stereotypes are still present meaning that society expects that there are certain ways a person should behave based on their sex. Lastly, women are most likely to experience violence nowadays. Violence and harassment against women is a severe global issue that is not yet a hundred percent solved.

        On the other hand, men also experience discrimination. Like in the past, most men would rather suppress their emotions than open up due to social expectations that men should be strong and must never show their vulnerable side to anyone. Men are also discriminated against domestically, since society grew into thinking that women must be taking care of the family, they think that a man being the “caregiver” is less capable than a woman. Violence may be common to women but people often overlook men as victims of domestic violence in fact, some men experience abuse, violence, and sexual assault but face the stigma or disbelief when they report these kinds of crimes.

Not only men and women can experience gender discrimination, but the members of the LGBTQIA+ community are the most vulnerable to this kind of discrimination be it in the past or the present. The fellows from this community experienced discrimination in different areas such as the workplace where they receive negative stereotypes and social stigma. In the healthcare department, they aren’t prioritized and even get disrespect from healthcare providers. Violence and Harassment, the members of the LGBTQIA+ community are more prone to violence and harassment which includes hate crimes.