So we've seen men flex their muscles and rescue their family from danger,work tirelessly to put food on the table for them and epitomize the responsible, reliable person; both in reel and real life. This self-sufficient characteristic that men have always been associated with represents what sociologists call the 'breadwinner system'. The breadwinner system emphasizes the belief that all societies are patriarchal and that men are often discharged with the responsibility of earning in their household. What about their counterparts then? The role of women in families and in societies at large has always been one to ponder. While traditionally expected to stay at home and carry out all their filial obligations perfectly, there are enough examples of women from the past and present to show that this is no longer the case. They have broken the stereotype that women are mainly noticed for their appearance and need help from men to take care of themselves and their family.
One such example is that of Indira Gandhi, the Prime Minister of India for almost two decades. Indira Gandhi's rise to the apex of the political scene in India was astonishing as it came at a time when the cultural beliefs of the nation were very much in the nascent, conservative state. Despite being labelled "mute doll" by those who opposed her ascension to the position of Prime Minister and seeing her party form two groups over her progress, she became one of India's most influential leaders of all time. She was responsible for drafting changes in the way the Indian economy would work, encouraging movements such as the Green revolution to develop the conditions of the agriculture sector and in expanding India's bilateral relationships with countries such as the United States, Iran and other Asian countries. What made her achievements even more significant as far as defining the new role of women is that she was also responsible for raising her children and taking care of everything that a woman and a mother was expected to.
Women have not only made contributions in the field of politics, even the corporate world has seen tremendous development from their side. The chairman of Pepsi Co. Indira Nooyi is today one of the most influential women in the world. As the head of one of the world's largest organizations one would expect her to be fully devoted to her business and not have time for anything else. However, as she was quoted saying in an interview, in spite of her commitments to her work whenever she returned home she was forced by her mother to look after her husband and her children in addition to helping out with the household chores. Quite a busy life by any standard!In fact, Indra Nooyi is believed to not sleep for more than four hours a day,proving that women can be equally workaholic and dedicated as men.
These are just two of the many cases that have proved that the age old "man works, woman stays at home" philosophy that was prevalent in almost all societies is a thing of the past in the modern world. Women have demonstrated that they can be competitive and capable of contributing to a family's income; all of this in addition to taking care of their families. Isn't it time to rethink who actually takes on several roles effectively then?
Here is a video of a debate that discusses the differences in the roles of men and women in the corporate sector:
One such example is that of Indira Gandhi, the Prime Minister of India for almost two decades. Indira Gandhi's rise to the apex of the political scene in India was astonishing as it came at a time when the cultural beliefs of the nation were very much in the nascent, conservative state. Despite being labelled "mute doll" by those who opposed her ascension to the position of Prime Minister and seeing her party form two groups over her progress, she became one of India's most influential leaders of all time. She was responsible for drafting changes in the way the Indian economy would work, encouraging movements such as the Green revolution to develop the conditions of the agriculture sector and in expanding India's bilateral relationships with countries such as the United States, Iran and other Asian countries. What made her achievements even more significant as far as defining the new role of women is that she was also responsible for raising her children and taking care of everything that a woman and a mother was expected to.
Women have not only made contributions in the field of politics, even the corporate world has seen tremendous development from their side. The chairman of Pepsi Co. Indira Nooyi is today one of the most influential women in the world. As the head of one of the world's largest organizations one would expect her to be fully devoted to her business and not have time for anything else. However, as she was quoted saying in an interview, in spite of her commitments to her work whenever she returned home she was forced by her mother to look after her husband and her children in addition to helping out with the household chores. Quite a busy life by any standard!In fact, Indra Nooyi is believed to not sleep for more than four hours a day,proving that women can be equally workaholic and dedicated as men.
These are just two of the many cases that have proved that the age old "man works, woman stays at home" philosophy that was prevalent in almost all societies is a thing of the past in the modern world. Women have demonstrated that they can be competitive and capable of contributing to a family's income; all of this in addition to taking care of their families. Isn't it time to rethink who actually takes on several roles effectively then?
Here is a video of a debate that discusses the differences in the roles of men and women in the corporate sector:
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