Evolution of Who?
I was actually looking up images for a biology presentation when I came across this picture, and I found it to be painfully truthful. Over time, men have “evolved� in many facets of life. For example, from hunting to farming to earning money to buy food, men have evolved in their methods. On the other hand, women have always been seen as the home-maker. Even in our changing society where more women are present and respected in the professional world, they are still expected to clean the house, take care of the kids, etc.
One thing I find to be contradictory is that the cartoon depicts men changing over time. True, the methods and ways of which things are done by men have changed, but men are still seen as dominant and women as submissive. The problem is rooted in society, for society frames and enforces gender roles. The cartoon accurately portrays men’s ability to branch out and participate in new facets of life, but women are still restricted by the social structure of the “submissive woman�.
Although changes in our society are starting to become more prevalent (ex: more stay at home dads and working moms), they are not occurring at a degree that will inspire a broad social shift in the ways genders are constructed by our society.
The realizations I gained from this cartoon make me feel sad and frustrated, but at the same time, I feel more motivated to break the glass ceiling that has been showing women what we could reach, but is not letting us reach it.