The role of women as members of society changed during the history of mankind. It is a fact that many years ago the system of organization of human society was a matriarchy. Since that time many things changed and nowadays we live in a period of patriarchy. Nevertheless, some experts promise us that things would change very soon for benefit of women. Whether it is true or not, it is not clear yet: the process of social evolution is too slow. For example, many people still think that the most appropriate place for a woman is at home; the most activity for a woman is to look for a woman is housekeeping. In other words, women were destined to become housewives. However, many women see their happy lives as housewives but not independent members of society. Still, the question of women’s social freedom and recognition is not equal to the question of emancipation. Many women are happy being housewives. The most important question is that if housewives are perceived not only just as alive machines devoid of feelings, emotions, and desires, not just as creatures which serve the “holy” mission: gibe birth for future generations of people, but not as personalities in all meanings of this word. The archaic image of a woman as a “heroic mother and happy wife” (Dalla Costa 40) is still too common for our contemporary society.
Of course, the twentieth century became a turning point for both women and men. At last, women got the opportunity to realize their potential beyond the usual environment of women. At last, women gained the possibility to express their creativity and genius. “It seems that there have been few women of genius. There could be since, cut off from the social process, we cannot see on what matters they could exercise their genius” (Dalla Costa 48).
So, what we can observe nowadays? It is very simple: the situation with women and their social role is like stagnation: in order to search for their places in the world and community women begin great careers in order to be recognized as independent members of human society. Still, the attitude to women-bosses is too prejudiced nowadays. If you ask men: “Who would you like to be your boss, a man or a woman?” The question is too rhetoric to have an answer.
The show by the CBC channel The Week the Women Went is another example of outdated traditions which are more than several thousand years old. More than half of women in both Canadian villages’ women Tatamagouche and Hardisty are housewives. They take care of children, house, and family happiness, while men earn money for a living. Still, it is obvious that although men consider that their obligation, to support families financially, is a real challenge, they are glad that their wives come back after such a long vacation, a week. Of course, one may argue that this is the problem of small settlements where nineteenth-century traditions are common. Still, such problems may be observed in megalopolises, just in a bit different aspect.
To make a conclusion, we should admit that the social role of women is still a controversial aspect due to the old traditions which were common guidelines for our community for many centuries. Nevertheless, the statement “all are equal but men are more equal than women” loses its power and ground. Despite the endless negative phenomena of contemporary society, we are on the path of evolution.
Work Cited
Dalla Costa, Mariarosa. The Power of Women & the Subversion of Community. Bristol: Falling Wall Press, 1972. Print.