traditional roles

The Rodent

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When I was a child, around the middle of the last century, I was very good at sport, particularly swimming and football. I went to a very small junior school and I often used to make up the numbers for a team, as did several other girls. We were never allowed to play against other schools, despite the fact that we were better than some of the boys who did. At secondary school football was completely out but I managed to make captain of the netball team. I often wonder if I, and many other women, would have been able to take our skills to a higher level had we been born later. The prejudices which try and channel children into gender stereotypical activities are still present although not so prevalent as when I was a girl and I wonder how many potential male ballet dancers, female boxers etc. we have lost through the conventional, traditional role requirements society demanded.

Carina

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Growing up in immigrant family (and having an immigrant boyfriend), I’m expected to fulfill traditional roles of a woman. My family along with my boyfriend’s family expect me to grow up, attend school, graduate from a university, and give up all of my education and job opportunities in order to bear a child afterwards. What’s the point of having a degree if I won’t be even using it for job? It’s a ridiculous expectation and I refuse to follow it. What’s worse, they love to ask this question: how many children are you planning to have? I always reply none or zero. Their response, “Oh, you’ll grow out of it.” My boyfriend has that assumption as well, and says, “It’s only natural for females. All of them (females) are like that.” It’s disgusting. I don’t want to be categorized by that just because I have a healthy uterus. Unfortunately, I experience everyday sexism from the individuals closest to me.