Week 8 Prompt A

Why Women do not Reform Their Dress by Charlotte Perkins Gillman


The essay connects with my topic what are the differences between men and women by investigating the dress of women. In my research I have found that apart from some obvious biological differences men and women are not that different and both sexes are very capable. What makes up the bulk of our differences are assumed “gender roles” and the implications of the gender roles. For example women are expected to wear different clothing than men. In some forms of women’s clothing restricts movement, is uncomfortable, and limits women’s capacity. Is it surprising then that women appear less able in some circumstances? (e.g. wearing six inch stiletto heals)
Insight is gained when the essay turns to the discussion of why women decide to dress this way. Contrasting the pain women feel physically from their clothing, and the limits it puts on their abilities, with the pain women feel when derided by their peers, gnawing from their own false sense of beauty ( by this I mean that what they are taught is beautiful is not always so) and loss of social position.
I made the connection because it is important to understand that we chose to conform to our gender roles and the internalized consequences. This explains alot of human behavior and some differences between men and women. Men and Women have different gender roles and when we agree to live under them that makes us more distinctly men or women in the conventional sense. I would like to know if there is a superficial woman/man hood that isn’t really that way at all.
Question I want to answer from the essay include why the gender roles are the way they are. How did they develop? How are they beneficial to those who accept them? What are the benefits of not accepting them? Does not accepting ones gender role make you less of a man or woman? I would also like to explore the male gender roles and discover their unique aspects. I would like to make my investigation less biased and less obviously from a male perspective. How can gender roles changed in the past? Are things that are now contained in the male gender role in the female or visa versa? What things have been dropped all together. How are changes to gender roles made and what are some of the most salient changes that need to be made today? What parts of the gender roles should be defended?
I need to do further research about gender roles and how they play in our society. I think I could answer some of my questions by library research but there are some things that I think it would be beneficially to speak directly with people about. Other aspects of the gender roles need to be researched. How do they manifest themselves other than clothing? Observation would again be beneficial and I could draw good conclusions by speaking with people on campus and library research.

500 words