In this blog I want to discuss how reading Middlesex and having our discussions about feminism in class can result in some of the gender roles and stereotypes that society has. In today’s society, one in generally classified either Man or Woman. In Middlesex, we were introduced to Cal, who faced many challenges due to inbreeding and finding his/her’s place in America. Due to the change in society, the roles are women and men have changed. Woman were usually the ones staying at home, taking care of home duties, children, cleaning, cooking and daily tasks that men were unable to complete while they are out working. In today’s society however, more woman are taking the responsibilities of being the sole financial providers for their families. Also, jobs that are considered “male” jobs, which are physically demanding, such as police officers and corporate leaders, are becoming “female” jobs as well.
In my opinion, we have come too far as a society to worry about gender roles and sexually. There was a time when race was a factor, and at times it still is. Now we have to deal with bashing those who have a different gender preference then what is considered to be the “norm”. Society places too much emphasis on negativity instead of on the positive outcome that comes from those who are just simply different. For example, talk show host Ellen has done numerous good deeds for those less fortunate. She has helped to push for change with our new President Obama, she has not done any negativity at all. But when googled, the first topic few sentences that are told about her is that she’s gay. Just because someone is different does not make them a bad person. This does not foreshadow any of the wrong that criminals, murders, molesters or any others who have done.
A poem that I found that relates to this topic is called Understanding:
How often do we compromise equality-
To accommodate our hate?
We force our unhappiness into the lives of others
In an attempt to renew our own joy
Why do we try to define and assign love?
Love is a uncontainable, uncontrollable force
Where is the logic in attempting to tame-
That which has no limitations?
Life will go on,
Even as we die
So why do we deprive other of life,
Because we neglected to live our own?
How often we forget how much greater
The world is compared to the human race?
And so we abuse it,
Yet we are shocked,
When the world
Retaliate
We are as children who have not yet
Learned to play with one another
Refusing to understand, learn, or experience
The life of another
Unwilling to venture outside of our own
Beliefs
Culture
And community
We cannot begin to understand the possibilities of the world
Until we are willing to understand
And appreciate
What the world is made of
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