Education Resource: Gender Roles in America

Gender Roles in America

Suggested Age Group: Middle School to College

Thematic Summary

One's gender in America defines many of the experiences they are expected to have and roles they are to take on as a member of society. Gender can often determine your job, family role, educational background and how you spend your free time. Students will be asked to reflect on gender roles and how they change over time.

Student Activities

1. Interview a family member from another generation about how they feel their gender has determined the course their life took.

2. Develop a short presentation or written report that examines how your own experience is different or similar to the person you interviewed.

3. Go to MediaBurn.org and find a video that you think shows something interesting about gender roles. It does not have to be explicitly about gender.

4. Develop a short presentation or written report examining your chosen video: what does it say about gender roles either presently or in the past.

Discussion Questions

Do you know a mother who also works? Do you know anybody with a "Stay at home dad? Is this something you see often or not? Give a brief opinion.

After having viewed "It's a living", do you think women's roles in society have changed since that time? Why or why not?

After having viewed some of the classic commercials, try to think of ways that these commercials defined gender roles. Can you think of current commercials that either do the same thing or are completely different?

Recommended Clips

It's A Living: Sally, Terri, Dawn

Suggested Clip Times: Full Video, 29 minutes

Theme: Various Roles of Women in 1970s

Description: 1976 video of three women and their differing perspectives on life in America.

Classic Commercial Collection #1

Suggested Clip Times: Select various commercials based on time and interest

Theme: Commercials and prescribed gender roles

Description: This video has 63 minutes of classic commercials. Browse the chapter selections to view a specific commercial.

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