Different cultures embody different gender norms

Gender role beliefs vary from culture to culture. In the traditional family model, the woman is responsible for looking after the children and household chores, whilst men are predominantly known to be the “breadwinner”. There is a variation in different countries on how much this traditional role is maintained. Studies have suggested that education is a factor that influences how egalitarian a household is. In the US, the higher the educational standard, the more egalitarian the belief systems. An important factor to consider was the cultural power dynamics held in each country. It was found that countries with more masculine cultures, that promoted male competitiveness and an emphasis on the distinction of behaviours acceptable to exhibit by men and women, adapted the more traditional approach, rather than the egalitarian one. In more feminine societies, the distinction of the male and female role is blurred and overlap, and therefore the power dynamics play a minimal role. ^[1] It is significant to consider, age, generational and educational as well as cultural differences that impact the perception of gender roles in society. These influences suggest that gender is a social construct.