Gender Inequality Across Cultural and Religious Contexts
There is a significant difference in how people treat women in secular and religious, predominantly Muslim, countries. When European girls have all the opportunities that boys have, girls from Islamic states have problems with socializing, studying, choosing a profession, and making decisions autonomously. They have to pay attention to the opinions of their families and the societal expectations that impose many restrictions on females because of their gender.
The BBC documentary “What Stands in the Way of Women Being Equal to Men?” shows the gap between genders in countries where culture and religion do not support the equality of men and women. It is possible to state that gender inequality is a significant problem in countries where faith and culture insist on the superiority of males over females. Cultural expectations connected with gender are distinct in various parts of the world. The reporter shows girls from the UK, Iceland, Lesotho, and Jordan and asks them about their perception of gender equality. The expectations of women in these countries are determined by tradition based on the religious or secular views most individuals embrace.
For instance, girls in Iceland and the UK live in an equal society, and no one tells them their behavior should differ from that of boys. They acknowledge they have equal opportunities with boys, and no one expects their conduct to differ. The girls from Lesotho and Jordan, in their turn, have significantly more restrictions imposed on them by culture. Females are expected to be modest, think twice before talking to another person, and avoid provocative behavior (BBC News). Therefore, cultural expectations shape the lives of females from their earliest years and deprive some of them of opportunities for self-expression.
Gender Segregation and Social Interaction
Even though there are more differences between the narrations about gender expectations for girls from distinct cultures, there are also some similarities. For example, girls typically communicate with other girls in all cases, and their companies are not mixed in gender (BBC News). It is possible to talk about gender segregation at a teenage age when girls actively socialize with their peers.
At the same time, the main difference is that girls from European countries typically have the choice of whom they want to communicate with. The girls from Lesotho and Jordan, in their turn, are not allowed by their families and the cultural expectations, in general, to interact closely with boys (BBC News). Therefore, the significant distinction is that young females from a European background can make independent decisions concerning their contacts, which is not typical in Muslim and traditional societies.
Family Influence on Gender Roles
Families have a critical role in shaping gender expectations among girls. For example, the girl from Lesotho says that her family teaches her how to behave in public spaces, and they will not approve if she starts speaking during the lesson until the teacher asks her directly (BBC News). They regard it as disrespectful behavior. Another example of the family’s influence on the girl’s behavior is the Jordanian family.
The girl’s father tells her that she expects his daughter to stop communicating with other girls because she is the wrong role model and company for her (BBC News). Even though the girl disagrees with her father’s decision, she has to submit to his desire and stops interacting with her friend. These examples show the vital role of the family in traditional society and its influence on the gender behavior of women. The girls simply do not have the opportunity to promote their perspective and persuade their families that they are right. First of all, they are minors, and second, they are girls, which means that they should not argue with their fathers, who know what is better for their daughters.
The Role of Media and Social Policy
The media supports the gender roles imposed on girls from their childhood; it is part of the culture and the social policy promoted in the country. For instance, the girls from Iceland and Great Britain have to prove to neither their families nor society in general that they can play sports and choose their careers. They do what they want, as the girls say, and this image of the independent woman is promoted in the media (BBC News).
It is possible to see examples of this conduct in popular movies and magazines, where females are dressed as they like to express their personalities. The media and the social policies in traditional cultures like Lesotho and Jordan are entirely different because girls learn from their earliest years that they must become mothers and wives and be good daughters when they are young. Males, in turn, are not restricted by social rules in their clothes, ways of self-expression, and behavior in general. This makes the gap between men and women in traditional cultures even more dramatic.
Challenges in Achieving Gender Equality
The attempts to resolve the stereotypical perception of gender and unequal gender role expectations are complicated. It is possible to achieve justice and gender equality only in those countries where everyone is ready for these changes. The culture should embrace these ideas willingly, and females should not fear speaking out about their desires. Traditional cultures that are not secular by their essence impose religious views on the inequality of genders and the expectations of girls.
As the documentary shows, unequal expectations based on gender have historical roots connected with religion and culture (BBC News). Family expectations reflect the perception that society, in general, imposes on females. Therefore, it is vital to address culture in general to make society more equal for women.
Another critical detail is related to the country’s security level and economic development. In some cases, dressing and behaving according to tradition protects girls from assaults and dishonor. They are regarded as a separate group that males should defend, which is necessary for developing countries with difficult security situations. In addition, females’ economic dependency in traditional societies like Lesotho and Jordan leads to their unequal position.
When women have access to education and career opportunities, as women from Europe do, they can manage their money themselves. It leads to greater autonomy for females compared to traditionalist countries, where women are subordinate to men. It allows the conclusion that inequality in gender expectations is also a social and economic problem that should be solved at the level of significant governmental changes. For this reason, it is impossible to change the situation with inequality using only individual activism. The state should also participate in the promotion of equal rights and stop imposing gender expectations on females from their earliest childhood.
Work Cited
BBC News. “What stands in the way of women being equal to men? BBC News.” YouTube, uploaded by BBC News, 2014, Web.