won the right to vote and they were gradually moving into the male-dominated labor force, but gender roles were not changing much. Due to the World War II draft, many women entered the labor force and even helped run the country. Upon the return of the veterans, many women were forced back into their homes. However, the opportunities for women were broadening and some women began making careers for themselves outside of the home. The 1960’s saw many feminist movements and in 1963 the Equal Pay Act was passed by Congress which enticed more women to get out of the house and into better careers. Men had difficulties accepting and adjusting to changes in women’s roles. They had to adjust to having women around them at their job sites and some felt that women were filling positions that an unemployed man should have been given. Men also felt that the traditional male role as provider was being threatened, so some men did not allow their wives to enter the labor force. Most men, however, have gradually accepted women in the career world. Today, men are even taking on roles that were once deemed ‘female’ like nursing, homemaking and teaching. There are many social agents that cause the construction of gender roles. Parents and family are important socialization agents in the gender role development of children. They have different values and attitudes regarding male and female children. Children come into the world with no sense of self. They can only learn who they are through communication and are given a set of labels. Through interaction, children learn what is socially acceptable. From birth, boys and girls are socialized differently. Boys are dressed in blue, given toys such as trucks, toy guns and tools to play with and are taught that “big boys” don’t cry. Girls are socialized to wear pink, play with Barbie dolls and toys that represent household duties, wear dresses and we tell them to be ...
