Men and women were created differently, both in mental and physical form. In the beginning of time, men had the responsibility of hunting and protecting their families, while women gathered plants and raised the young. In that time, roles were strictly defined, and men began to feel a sense of dominance over women.

Men were out being the warriors, the hunters, the providers, and the barterers; women stayed at home, often times pregnant, caring for the children, gathering food plants, and tending to things around their dwelling. Men viewed their roles as more important and more prestigious than that of a woman’s role, although both roles were equally important.

This sense of the dominance of men over women, which became established so long ago, has been perpetuated into the minds and actions of today’s men. Most men continue to feel that their jobs are more important than those of women, and that their opinions and education should be valued more highly than that of women. This sense of dominance and prestige over women is unfounded and ridiculous.  

Today the roles of men and women intertwine, overlap, and are even sometimes reversed. Just like their male counterparts, women go to school and get an education, they work hard to improve their job status, and climb the social ladder. On the opposite side, there are the men who have decided to stay home, be the homemakers, and play an active part of their children’s lives, though they are sometimes ridiculed for it.

If it is now socially acceptable for women to go out of the house and work, why should it not be acceptable for a man to stay home with his children? Gender inequality is seen, more often than not, aimed towards women; however, men receive it in more subtle ways. Allowing men who want to stay home with their children to do so without ridicule could be a first step towards reducing gender inequality. Having strong laws in place prohibiting businesses from paying women less simply because of their gender could be another.

The media is guilty of perpetuating gender inequality. We see on TV and in movies that women are often portrayed as inferior, less intelligent, and incompetent compared to their male counterparts. Even in children’s cartoons, women are often portrayed as unable to help themselves and in need of a man to rescue them.

Starting at a very young age children are taught to take on their roles in life; the boys taught to be superior men, and girls taught to be submissive women. If the media would take responsibility for presenting better portrayals of men and women as equals, it would be another important step in reducing gender inequality.

If we begin to retrain society, through the use of media, schools, and new laws, we can hopefully see gender inequality decrease. Women and men are not the same -  we were made very different from each other - but we should all be treated with equality.