MALE-FEMALE RELATIONSHIP

 MALE-FEMALE RELATIONSHIP

Foreign visitors usually find that American pattern in male-female relationship are different from the ones to which they are accustomed. If they become involved with members of the opposite sex, as lover or friend, they are likely to have strong, negative reactions. At very least, they will be confused and unsettled.

Stereotype about American Men and Women

As stated in previous chapter, stereotypes are generalizations of people groups which are deep-rooted inthe psyche of the people. People stereotype others based on what they see, their experience, or may be from the media.

Foreigners typically hold two stereotypes about American men and women. American women are stereotyped as inhibited women due to their sexual activity with a variety of men. The other common stereotype is that they are domineering. Related to this, American men are stereotyped as weak because they let themselves to be dominated by women. However, this stereotype is not the representative of the whole society.

Women and Gender Discrimination

Many of the stereotypes that result in gender discrimination are not only descriptive, but also prescriptive beliefs about how men and women. For example, women who are considered to be too assertive or men who lack physical strength are often criticized and historically faced societal backlash. They can also facilitate or impede intellectual performance, such as the stereotype threat that lower women's performance on mathematics tests, due to the stereotype that women have inferior quantitative skills compared to men's, or when the same stereotype leads men to assess their own task ability higher than women performing at the same level.

Women Liberation

The term ‗women liberation‘ refers to collection of opinions and developments that seek to end discrimination against women. Equal right for women is the goal. Adherent of the women‘s liberation movement urge that school textbooks and teachers take note of women contributions to history, science, and other fields. They argue for an end to what they see as stereotyping of women on television and other media.

Women working and househusband

In 1960‘s, only 33,3% of the American work force was female. By the 1985, the percentage had risen to 54,7. More and more women, both single and married, are working outside their homes. Women liberation no doubt has something to do with this situation. Difficult economic time has contributed to the increase in female participation in the labor force. Moreover, advanced technology also influence the role of women outside the house.

Single parent

The single parent family in the United States is increasing markedly. According to U.S census information, the number of families headed by a single parent has more than doubled in the past 20 years. Most single-parent households are headed by women. Most of these women were once married, although an increasing number of American women are deliberately having children with no intention of having husband.

Sexual Revolution

In last 30 years, there has been a sexual revolution point of number of changes:

- People, particularly younger ones, feel freer than they once did to talk about sex-related subject, such as human sex organ, menstruation, and other things. It‘s also portrayed in many videos, songs, movies, and literature.

- More young people engage in premarital intercourse.

- Homosexuals (gay & lesbian) have become much less reluctant than they used to be o be openly acknowledge their sexual orientation. In some communities there has been legislation to protect homosexuals from discrimination in housing and jobs. The American belief in individualism is reflected in legal efforts to protect a group of people whose behavior may not be approved, but considered to have a right to behave as they wish.