"So god created man in his own image and he took one of his ribs made he a woman, and brought her unto the man she shall be called a woman, because she was taken out of .
Human Arrangements, "Gender inequality- pps319-21.
2(Genesis pps9-10). .
man-(Genesis pps9-10). There are many people who still use this explanation of why women should be treated unequally. Let's look at this issue from sociological perspectives.
The Functionalist Perspective:.
From a functionalist perspective, gender inequality has a positive function for the society as a whole. What functions could such inequality have? Broadly considered, gender inequality is a mechanism for dividing labor and allocating rewards among the members of a society. It channels women into domestic spheres and nurturing occupations, and it channels men into the paid labor force, commerce, and government. According to functionalist theorists, it is efficient for society when one spouse remains at home and performs domestic duties while the other spouse works outside the home. This division of labor is accomplished conveniently (at least for some people) by dividing work according to gender. Thus, women are given expressive tasks: smoothing interpersonal problems among family members, defusing hostilities, and creating solidarity. The mother comforts children when they are hurt, gives a birthday party for the father, or does the Christmas shopping. In contrast, men assume instrumental tasks: solving problems, providing resources, and dealing with affairs external to the family unit. The father provides income for the family, deals with financial matters, and makes the major household decisions. Although functionalist theory highlights the importance of considering the social system as a whole, it does have flaws. Functionalist theory may be interpreted as an apology for the status quo. Just because women can bear children does not mean that they must be responsible for domestic duties, child care, and expressive roles.
