One of the things thats clear to me based on the reading thus far is that the female role has traditionally been passive and somewhat submissive, and in general that was true. I'm of the generation that started to see the role of women change slowly. My first true strong female role model was Mary Tyler Moore. I loved her show and the independence that she portrayed. Yet, when she communicated she still demonstrated the female traits that were assigned to her. She still relied on the men in her life for some form of validation. She was a first step in reshaping the role of females.
Things have evolved since the 70's and for me its been interesting to see that evolution. We went from Mary Tyler Moore to Hilary Clinton. Thats a major leap!
I think what we're seeing is a clear reshaping of how females are percieved and the new roles that they are acquiring in society. I myself work with a woman who is as strong as any male in the workforce. She has a strong presence, speaks forcefully, and is focused on her advancement. She has a clear career path in mind and I can see that she is well on her way to acheving it. What is truly notable about this womans focus is that she also is a mother and plans to have more children. Her husband is her support and he has no problem with being the main caregiver allowing her to seek her objective. This couple is a new generation and a new view on male/female roles.
Are there any such similar examples in anyone elses life?
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Zulma:
I am taking another course concurrent with this one about sitcoms in American culture. Our first paper is on the differences in how women have been portrayed on TV from the 1950's to present and Mary Tyler Moore's show is one of the videos in our progression. You are absolutely right that she was a strong female role model and we are progressing toward more equality in roles.
Personally, I was married for 25 years to a very traditional male where I was responsible for just about everything -- his contribution was to go to work. Because strong female role models became increasingly visible throughout the years of my marriage I was able to identify why I'd felt so frustrated. I was clearly the stereotypical female role to my ex-husband's stereotypical male role.
I am since divorced and in a relationship where there is no male and female role -- there are shared roles. It is a much more satisfying relationship and hopefully my experience will be a model for my daughters. I am already seeing that they are much more assertive about what they want in their relationships with males.
Dori
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