Discuss The View That A Variety Of Feminine And Masculine

Discuss the view that a variety of feminine and masculine

identities have emerged in the recent years

in contemporary UK

Different masculine and feminine identities have emerged recently in the UK. Femininity and masculinity has dramatically fragmented, as Postmodernists would say. Postmodernists argue that gender is now less ridged and constraining, and those boundaries of masculinity and femininity have become blurred. Postmodernists suggest that categories have fragmented because society is changing and people no longer accept many traditional values and are accepting or starting to accept new groups of people such as Ladettes, New lads and homosexuals. Feminists however say that changes have come about due to women fighting back and breaking away, freeing themselves from male domination.

Up to the 20th century males have been the dominant gender, and they have had complete control over women. Before the 20th century there was only hegemonic masculinity and femininity, this is when women had no legal or political right which men had. Women were traditionally expected to get married stay at home and have at least 10 children dedicating their life to nursing and domestic work around the house. Women were discriminated through education and work. At school they were steered away from many "male" subjects like science, as women were not regarded as academic in the same way as males. Women were steered in to marrying, having children or getting a caring job like teaching or child care, women were also generally given low paid part time jobs like working in the local shop, being a hairdresser, meaning clothing, cleaner or caterer all these were known mainly as women's jobs. If a male was to do a job the same as a female the male would normally get paid more than the female, just because they were the dominate sex at the time,

At the turn of the 20th century women started to become more equal. Women achieved political equality this came about due to a powerful and often violent campaign waged by the suffragette movement this was the first time women had fought back and this changed both men and women's view about a woman's role. Success came from this struggle and women over 30 were allowed to vote in 1918 and then this was lowered to 21 in 1928 the same as men. Mps began to take women's interests into account if they wanted to be elected. The two World Wars the 1st in 1914-1918 and 2nd in 1939-45 had a great impact on the right for women to do men's jobs. As men went of to be soldiers and fight women had to take over the formerly males jobs as farmers and factory workers. Throughout the wars women proved that they are able to do what had previously been as men's jobs. Things continued to change in favour for women, even after the was for example in 1970 there was an equal pay act which made it illegal for employers to offer different rates of pay to men and women for doing the same job. There was the Sex Discrimination Act of 1975 where a job couldn't be advertised for female of male's staff e.g. part-time males wanted it would have to be part time staff needed.

Education became compulsory therefore women could drop their children off at school in the morning and go to work. Other responsibilities were lightened when technology increased and improved with hovers, freezers, washing machines, microwaves, oven microwave meals, tin/ packet food etc. Then there was the women's Liberation Movement which meant there were: - better nursery facilities,