Gender roles aren’t all bad

It seems to be the status in today’s society to defy tradition. Political movements and new legislation all seem to point toward “out with the old, in with the new.” However, I fear that traditional gender roles may be the baby that gets thrown out with the bathwater.

People fear that ‘gender roles’ are constricting and stereotypical. There certainly are roles that society has imposed that are simply not true. Lumping these ideals into gender roles is destructive, and harms the ability of individuals to fulfill their own gender responsibilities. Those that don’t fit these societal standards may feel that they don’t fit in. This is not the point of gender roles.

I believe that more traditional, simplified gender roles are highly beneficial to both individuals and society as a whole. Men and women have unique talents and gifts that allow each one to fulfill different but complementary roles. Women are natural and biological child bearers. They play a prominent role in the raising of their children. There are few blessings larger than a loving mother in the life of a child. Men often bring physical and financial security to a family. Men also bring a specific dynamic into a family relationship that cannot be replaced.

Now, don’t believe that these roles are completely static. Each family and individual’s needs are different. Mothers may need to work, fathers may need to stay home with the kids. But this fluidity shouldn’t mean that these traditional roles be removed altogether. Just because an ideal is not reached every time, does that mean we should all stop striving for it? No. The uniqueness of both genders creates a need for gender roles, and this complementary relationship brings much greater strength to society than could be found otherwise.