Gender stereotypes or "Keep silence, woman, your day is 8 of March!"

Today in our society processes of democratization and humanization are taking place, and it gives equal opportunities to both genders independently from social status, nationality, age. The real humanization includes also the overcoming of stereotypes, which for long ages ruled over women. The real effect of gender equality establishment does not depend from legal norms action; it depends on the range of factors of not legal character. Mostly they are appeared in form of phenomena of common psychology - thoughts, stereotypes, notions. Legal and moral base of person's behavior are in his psychics.

And stereotypes of mass consciousness are the strongest barrier in establishment of gender equality in modern society. So, what are stereotypes and gender stereotypes? Social stereotypes - schematized, standardized notions or images about social appearance or object, usually very emotional and having a strong stability. Expresses the habit relation of person to something, formed under social conditions and past experience, the part of direction. Stereotype is the synonym of prejudice or false ideas. Gender stereotypes are inner notions concerning the place of men and women in society, their functions and social tasks. Stereotypes are the strongest barrier in new democratic relation creation in our society and new democratically state building.

The particular of stereotypes is that they comes in unconscious mind, that it becomes a difficulty not only to overcome them, but also just to see. Talking about stereotypes we can put the analogy with iceberg, only small part of which can be seen. It makes it more dangerous and destructive. Stereotypes make an influence on everything and especially on our relations with people, is also negative and dangerous. They are the hindrances on our way to happiness. We all are their slaves. They can be as individual as mass. Stereotypes of mass consciousness are the greatest barrier in establishment of equal positions of male and female in political, economical and cultural areas - gender equality.

So, what are the basic gender stereotypes of mass consciousness?

Stereotype #1 – “Women's business - housekeeping and education of children”. It is so-called theory of 3 K of Nitsshe (Küche, Kinder, Kirche). General for political theoretic' expressions was very negative estimation of ability of female to think in interests of common benefit. Even now most part of modern males chooses this position. This stereotype came in men's consciousness so strongly, that women trying to realize themselves in common work or business face great pressure in their families and from the side of their colleagues men. So, men are doing their carrier and realizing themselves as personalities and we are educating general (I underline) children and keeping household. But we also work in law paid and not perspective positions. So, we are still considered as dolls and housewives, but not as personalities. Men are still trying to clumber for patriarch relations and to dominate in all levels.

Stereotype #2 – “Taking decisions is men's business or “Keep silence woman, your day is 8 of March!” Women are most part of population, but even today their participation in decision-making process is too small.

Stereotype #3 – “A woman without man is imperfect member of society”. It is very strong common stereotype. “The honest woman has to get marry, to educate children and to be as everybody”. The favorite common stereotype is not a common wisdom. It means that if a woman is divorced or alone she is not honest. We forget that everybody's fate is individual and every man is a personality. Isn't a time to change these criteria?

Stereotype #4 – “A man is in all respects more strong and clever than a woman”. But cruel realities of 20 century proved the opposite. Wars and revolutions showed that women were more enduring than the men were. In blocked Leningrad survived more women than the men. And today also women's lives are more long, women more rare have such disease as a cancel and heart diseases. In reality psychologically men are more weak than women. The loneness of men is more global than women's.

Stereotype #5 – “Every woman is fool and so on» «Every man is goat and so on”. You understand that the list of unpleasant epithets can be continued till endless. From one generation to another the hate to opposite gender is given. These false ideas are confirmed with examples form personal life and bright and emotional stories about aunt Marusya, which robed Petya and uncle Vasya, who has broken the life of young beauty Klava. So in unconsciousness mind the entity to opposite gender comes. And we from early age are afraid each of others. The memory about aunt Marusya and uncle Vasya remains in our unconsciousness forever. What is a result? Men are afraid of women, and women - the man. You all know what problems do we have in gender relations.

Inside of every people there is a struggle of inclination for each other and the fear of each other. In order to overcome his fear of woman man tries to intimidate her. For this purpose sometimes he uses physical power. Here we can see the roots of home violence.

Stereotype #6 – “They all are the same”. This stereotype has great power upon both genders. Once or twice faced with somebody's not good behavior we are doing the conclusions concerning half part of humanity - opposite gender. We are putting on dark glasses and everything around us becomes dark. And we are afraid. To live with this fear becomes our habit and we cannot separate this fear from our life. We even cannot imagine our life without this fear. And also we are very lazy to put this glasses off and to see the opposite gender without them. And also there is a cowardice in us. Somewhere inside we feel that everybody can be different. And we'll have to build the individual relations to each person, DIFFERENT from the previous. What kind of relations? Oh, it is better not to change.

We are always building something: air castles, walls and even fortresses. And then we are sitting in this walls and fortresses are suffering from the lack of understanding. We are afraid of each other. So there are walls between us. Walls, which were built by us. But this process can be changed. What do you think about it? So, what will we build: walls or bridges?

by Diana Islamova

Activity 4. Discuss the controversial points of the article and render it.