Chapter 9 The Revolution in Social Relationships

It is always interesting for me to reads about how women try to achieve equality. It was a little pleasing to finally read how the nation made an effort to give women equality, by the doctrine of separated spheres. Although it is not as equal to the equality to men, but it’s a start. The doctrine of separated sphere, to me was just a piece of paper that has the roles of both women and men have in their household. The women have the most power in the household, but I still don’t agree how the women still have to be subordinate to men. I neither do agree with having men be subordinate to women.In a relationship, men and women should both be respected and have the same amount of authority.

Back in chapter one in “The Enduring Vision”, they talked about the Native American assigning roles to men and women of the tribe. Due to the labeling the “duties”, men and women must carry out, I believe that it has affected the way we see the roles of men and women. In my opinion the Native Americans have influenced the doctrine of separated spheres, by giving the women the power of the children, just as the Native American women duties other than hunter gathering was as caretakers. People say these roles came from our gene, but it has to do with more than our genes, it has to do with “duties” given to men and women from centuries ago. Imagine if the Native Americans gave the duties of care taking to the men and hunting to the women, don’t you think it would influence the way we see men and women, it would give an opposite view how the roles of men and women should be. If that was the case men would be fighting for the same equality as women. From assigning these gender roles I think it influences what we consider as masculine and feminine.  The doctrine of separated spheres only influences us more into the gender scheme we have today and labeling what roles are appropriated for men and women should play in family.