GENDER ROLE IDEOLOGIES AMONGST BENGALI WOMEN IN KOLKATA

ABSTRACT

Children become aware of gender and what is appropriate for both the gender by the time he or she becomes two or three years old, successfully categorizing oneself as a boy or girl (Woodward, 2004). A child learns about the stereotypical differences right from when he is born. Parents and the environment in with which the child comes into contact are the main source of such learning that what the societal expectations from both the genders are. Boys start believing what is appropriate for their own gender and girls also learn what the gender appropriate behaviours are. According to the gender role theory the categorization of jobs amongst males and females are the “primary origin of sex-differentiated social behaviour, their impact on behaviour is mediated by psychological and social processes” (Eagly, 1997). This article is intended to understand whether gender role ideologies are existent among women or not. A narrative analysis was undertaken for 10 middle-class housewives from Salt Lake. The results found were that women still believe in gendered roles and are willingly accepting their traditional roles. In today’s context where the entire nation is striving hard to fight against the gender stereotypes, there acceptance of such ideologies can hinder further development.

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