Throughout the years, there has been a tremendous shift in the gender gap between men and women. As there is still not complete equality among males and females, it is hard to predict if and when there ever will be. Fortunately, many modern American societies have seen the gender roles between men and women converge over the past century. These changing gender roles have affected the way people look at double standards and gender stereotypes in America. There is clear evidence outlining the progression made over the past years. Many argue, however, that these gender roles have not changed, and that the diminishment of them would negatively affect our nation. There are obvious signs of inequality between males and females, such as the gender pay gap, which many citizens commonly disagree about when debating. However, it is the less obvious stigmatized stereotypes that allow these gender roles to persist in the modern world.  Additionally, the progression may be restrained by outlying factors relating to politics and other specific ways of thinking. While we have made strides, the gender gap still exists. These differing thoughts among people may be the main cause of any lack of progression between the genders. While there has been proven progression between the gender gap of males and females, if the world continued at its current rates, it would take centuries to reach equality. Despite these differing opinions, studies show there has been an abundance of development towards filling this gap, and it is important for the future of our nation and other nations around the world to continue closing the gap between genders. Without the diminishment of the gap, many people around the world could potentially suffer.

Defined as the role or behavior learned by a person as appropriate to their gender, determined by the prevailing cultural norms, gender roles have always been a part of American society. These gender roles come into play in many aspects of everyday life. From family life to career oriented platforms, gender roles have held a standard for what men and woman are expected to do according to society. History presents a full timeline of how gender roles for both men and woman have adapted and changed throughout the centuries in America. Dating back to the late 1800’s there has always been a clear distinction between the roles of females and males.  It wasn’t until the 1920’s for the standard roles to begin to change. The 20’s was a time of progression for woman, gaining their rights to vote and increased rates of working out of the house post WWI.  However, as time passed by these roles have clearly become more similar despite one’s gender. 

Looking back in time, women were expected to stay home to care for the family, whereas men were expected to work hard and earn money to support the family. Moving through time, by the 80’s both parents were expected to have jobs in order to support the family. Society roles also have changed in addition to family roles. By the 80’s Sandra O’Connor was appointed in the US Supreme Court and Geraldine Ferraro became the first woman to every run for Vice President. During this time, the mystery of AIDs was stigmatizing gay men and there was a rise in divorce rates. Comparing the background of gender roles to modern time gender roles allows one to understand how they have developed into what they are today. Similarly, it can also provide incentive as to where they may be heading. 

Although gender roles are still relevant in our modern world, there have been many reforms of converging the different standards held for males and females. Due to the merging polarization, many of the old singular gender roles are now performed by both. In modern times, men are not expected to be the sole form of income for a household. In a study done by Katherine Marshall, a member of the Labor and Household Surveys Analysis Division, on converging gender roles, it was shown that, “the difference in labor force participation rates for men and women aged 25 to 54 was 24 percentage points in 1986 (94% for men versus 70% for women), in 2005 it stood at 10 points (91% versus 81%)” (Marshall). Additionally, it can now be found that women are less likely to be the only one doing the housework on a daily basis, while men have been found to now provide a similar amount of time doing what once was “the woman’s job”.  

 Women’s involvement in the workforce has been steadily progressing since the 50’s, as men’s involvement around household tasks has also increased throughout time. There was once a strong stigmatism of men’s masculinity not aligning with a “woman’s job” of home and family work, however many argue the stigmatism has begun to fade. In an interview with Jack Myers the author of "The Future of Men: Masculinity in the Twenty-First Century" and Jodi Canters, a women’s rights activist they discuss how many people’s outlook on masculinity has changed. In modern time’s many men are being out educated by woman, which is a flip from the 20th century. The semi fuzzy confusion of social norms in the modern times, is perhaps the strongest example of changing gender roles in the 21th century. As mentioned in the interview there are many examples of how atypical roles have developed. Women can now fight in combat, men take maternity leaves, and homosexuality is now more accepted than ever before (Why Men's Traditional Gender Roles Are Changing). The obscuring of these standards changes a lot about our society and the way we view genders. 

Through the obscuring of societies standards woman and men have become more comfortable expressing themselves in a way that differs from the social norm. In fact, more woman are likely to describe themselves in a more manly and vice versa. In a research document done by the Psychology Woman Quarterly they describe the Social Role Theory which, “provides a theoretical basis for predicting that changes in stereotypes would follow from the changes that have occurred in social role distribution” (Haines). Essentially this helps us predict stereotype changes and how they will continue to arise with the changes in gender roles converge together. In this same study, they found that throughout time woman have been adapting more to fill male roles, whereas men’s roles have remained semi more stable. 

While we have made strides towards closing the gap, gender inequality still exists. In an article by Susan Fisk, a graduate student in Sociology at Stanford University, she explains gender inequality and how it persists in the modern world. Citizens in the United States have been influenced to categorize others according to sex, race, and age. It is this sex categorization that allows gender stereotypes to persist (Fisk). In fact, these sometimes-unconscious stereotypes we endure are the reason men are still believed to better at things such as sports and more equipped for roles of authority. Similarly, women are believed to thrive in areas such as childcare. Fisk goes into detail about the book Framed by Gender by Cecilia Ridgeway, a Stanford professor. She explains, “Even though these beliefs are based on the ‘average’ woman and the ‘average’ man, they become the “default rules” for coordinating behavior” (Fisk). This is arguably why our country still has a gender wage gap and why people generalize the idea that men should never be emotional. Despite the modernization of many gender roles, these primed categorizations we make in our mind allow gender inequality and stereotypes to remain a part of our modern world.

In addition, social roles are what shape us into our gender roles. Often times children are socialized to fall into the roles they will play later in life. This concept comes from the way children are nurtured by their parents. For example, many fathers socialize their sons to behave masculine, which in turn makes them develop traits of independent, aggressiveness and competitiveness. Ironically, these are the same traits that allow many powerful people to become successful in a workplace. (Richmond- Abbott 5). To say girls should be raised more “masculine” in order to be more successful would be faulty logic, however maybe if males and females were raised with more similar standards the gender roles they play later on in life would be more similar. Scientist and psychologist are still unsure if it is biological or psychological aspects that bonded males and woman to their social roles. Despite this though on a biological viewpoint, “they no longer exist. Individuals no longer have to rely on muscle power to bring in the bacon nor on breast to nurture the baby” (Brooks-Gunn 4).  Without going unmentioned however, many people still hold sexist opinions on where certain genders belong in the world. 

Aside all efforts, many people’s opinions sway areas of our government against the progressiveness of demising the gender gap. Many of these people believe that equal opportunity is more important than the equality of genders. As a result, many of our modern political circumstances still restrain the progressiveness of the changing gender roles. This way of thinking believes these atypical gender stereotypes and the double standards held for men and women need to remain present in our society. This itself is one of the most debated arguments among modern Americans, as many still are against the recent progressions made in America in the past century. In fact, in recent studies of the 2016 election, “The latest national survey by Pew Research Center, conducted June 27 to July 9 among 2,505 adults, finds that 52% of Americans say they are paying more attention to politics since Donald Trump’s election” (Since Trumps Election). Recent affairs have many worried about the strides our nation has made towards not only gender equality, but equality as a whole. In turn, it has more Americans paying close attention to politics and also protesting their beliefs. 

Citizens of the US often go throughout their everyday lives without notice of the gender roles they contribute to. Many would in fact say that American Citizens are privileged when it comes to gender inequality. We live in a country where children are fortunate enough to be raised despite the gender they are born. Other countries however, do not endure by these same standards. In 2014 Emma Watson presented to the United Nations council about gender equality. In this speech, she explains the hardship children, adults, males, and females face at the hands of gender roles. Around the world girls are being discriminated against. In school they are limited, they are stereotyped to not succeed because they are meant to have children and not work, they are less loved by their parents. However, she makes it clear that gender roles hold back men too. A father’s role as a parent is less valued than a mothers and men are more likely to hide their mental illness because it makes them less “manly” (Emma Watson Gender Equality Is Your Issue Too). Without change, our world will continue to suffer. Around the world girls will continue to not receive education. Suicide will remain one of the largest killers of young men. The pay gap will persist. The progressive steps made of the closing gender gap will allow the world to view gender on a spectrum and not just male and female roles. 

 