Gender Issues in America

Gender and sex have very distinct definitions that collaborate to create the norms of American society. Gender equating to the result of many years of the division of labor into two distinct groups and other societal factors that change frequently. However, sex has a genetic and physical connotation that stems from the observed genitalia of each individual. Each category affects American society and is a fundamental means by which everyone is judged, yet the stereotypes are constantly evolving and shifting to and from each category. In the past century things have drastically changed in America, and many new challenges to the status quo have emerged.
As the decade of the 1910’s began, men and women had very distinct and definite roles; yet they were about to change drastically. Women’s gender roles were composed of domestic chores and child rearing. Pants were not socially acceptable fashion for women in many rural areas of America and women in the workplace were rare, and in the few cases where they were admitted to the force, jobs were very gender conscience, such as teachers and mission workers. As the decade progressed and the roaring 20s emerged this evolved into a larger pool of women with the addition of secretarial work and industrial textile mills in the acceptable positions for women. This remained unchanged until the WWII era when women entered the positions their husbands left. However, the conditions, advancement opportunities, and equality of compensation were lacking as well as proper anti-harassment policies. These issues were fought for over the course of the century, and are still being resolved but great success has been made.
Currently, gender is at another cross roads in America with regard to homosexuality. As in the previous decade women and men were at odds with one another in regard to voting rights, equality in the workforce and equality in the home. In the mid 1970’s homosexuality was pushed to the forefront of issues in American society and many of the issues that these individuals are fighting for are not yet resolved. However, there have been some definite decisions made in state level policies. In the state of Tennessee it has been made explicitly clear that gay marriage is banned, yet in some states such as Massachusetts their unions have been made legally recognized.
A relatively new area of gender and sexuality has emerged in America, transexuality. In America these individuals are facing discrimination at similar levels as the previous fighters for social equality. Transexuals are changing the sex to which they were born and this is causing quite an uproar in many areas of the US. They have been victims of intense violence and blatant bigotry in political and social arenas. Gender and sexual issues in the American society are slow to actualize fairness and equality, yet as the process shows some significant improvements are possible.