Gender stereotyping reflects the perceived psychological traits and characteristics of males and females, and the related roles that are thought to be appropriate for each gender in family, work, school, and society as a whole. Gender stereotyping impacts individuals in terms of how they view themselves and their place in society, as well as how society views the respective gender and the appropriate behavior and roles for each. The implications can be far reaching. It is evident by studying history that gender stereotypes have changed over time. One obvious example is in the history of women’s suffrage. It was believed in the U.S. that women were not sufficiently mentally astute to vote on the important issues impacting society. The belief was that a woman’s place was in the home raising children and taking care of the domestic needs of the family. With women’s suffrage in the early 20th century and the century that has followed, this stereotype has been changed. Not only do women vote but they hold every office at all levels including heads of state and presidencies across the globe. The 2016 presidential election even featured the first female nominee from a major political party. As a foundation for the study of gender, this Application Assignment asks you to explore gender stereotypes in some depth, including a consideration of the numerous stereotypes for both men and women; how stereotypes differ by culture; and how stereotypes impact individuals of that gender, the opposite gender, and society as a whole.
