Language and Culture

Change in Gender Roles

Rosie the Riveter 

Male Crisis: Changing Roles of Women in Society

Focus:
1) Do men and women in your country have very defined roles? For example, do the men provide for the women, while the women look after the children and the house?

2) How do you think these roles have evolved, how are they changing?

3) How would your society react to the idea of forcing husbands to be housewives for one day each year?

4) Do you think that some women would prefer to stay at home and look after their children while their partners supported them? Give your reasons?

5) Do you think women should receive some kind of payment for looking after the home?

6) In your country, are there some men who stay at home while the woman goes out to work? How are these men viewed? Do you think it is a good idea?

7) Are there some jobs in your country that are still dominated by men? If so, which jobs and why?


Video Materials [With reading materials]
Watch the videos. As you watch, try to find out how women's roles in these countries have changed.

Rosie the Riveter: Real Women Workers in World War II [American Context]
click here


Ladies First [Rwanda's Women]
click here


Portraits of ordinary muslims: Malaysia
click here

Points to Ponder
Women still earn less than men in the UK. Women in their twenties earn 92% of the male wage, while the average gross weekly pay is 72.5% of men's earnings.
Employed fathers work an avergae of 20 hours a week more than employed mothers. The working week of fathers is four hours longer than men without children.

What's your point of view?'Men and women will never be equal, they are too different.'

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Students' presentation: Group work
Task: Film Review. Choose a film about the switch of gender roles, or how women's roles have changed. How have men been affected by these changes?

IMPORTANT:

You will choose 3-4 scenes in the film showing the switching of roles between men and women [married men and women]. Present the chosen scenes in class. Discuss what specific roles have been changed. Why? Discuss the effects of these changes on men [in the movie]. Were the conflicts resolved in the movie? How were they resolved? Do you agree/disagree? What's your group's opinion?

DO NOT show the entire movie. Make sure that all members will be given the chance to speak in class.

Films that you may want to consider:
American Beauty

Little Women

Three Men and a Baby [1]

The Fight Club

posted by Aiden @ 6:43 AM