What were the historical functions of marriage outlined in the article? How have these functions changed through the years?.
2. Describe the different gender roles and power relations between men and women in marriage.
3. What does it mean to say that marriage is a "patriarchal institution"?.
Issues facing women in marriage historically – in the "Western world".
Marriage as necessary for economic survival.
Women seen as biologically, intellectually, morally inferior to men.
Historically a patriarchal institution .
Wives were seen as "chattel" or property.
Rape was simply "Property damage".
Domestic/patriarchal violence condoned.
Sexual assault within a marriage legal until 1983 in Canada.
Subservient, infantile role for women.
Little financial control or power .
Difficult or not possible to own property, open a bank account.
Barriers to education, employment.
Gender Roles in Marriage.
Gender: the socially constructed and socially learned meanings attached to the anatomical differences between men and women. You are socialized into a masculine gender identity if you are male and a feminine gender identity if you are female. One of the problems with gender socialization is that in a patriarchal society, the masculine gender role is generally valued more than the feminine gender role, which is denigrated in many ways. For example "You throw like a girl!" (negative). "Man up!" or "Be a man" (positive) We don't say "Woman up!" or "Be a woman." Why? Ideals such as strength and competence are associated with masculinity, whereas weakness and fragility are traditionally associated with femininity. It's important to remember that these roles are not biological destiny, but are learned.
Wife/mother role idealized in art, literature, poetry, etc. .
Gender identity and value as a woman validated through childbearing, fulfillment of role as wife and mother.
