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roles of men and women in relationships are also structured by society. Women are expected to care for the home and children. The main objectives for men are to be protective and provide an income to adequately support the household. Conflict often arises between a man and a woman when they feel that their partner does not satisfactorily fit into their gender identity.

When women decide to take employment outside of the home, they often need to convince their significant other that they can fill both roles effectively. Men also view this as an infringement on their household role as provider. Men who want to look after the home and children appear to their community as being lazy and useless. Men and women judge their success as a husbands, wives, mothers and fathers on how successfully they fit into society's gender identities.

Society's methods of influence are wide spread. Media, business, peers, adults, and even the education system dictate society's ideas of acceptable conduct for the genders. Feminism and macho-ism only seem to heighten the differences between the sexes. Competition is strongly encouraged. On items such as mailing addresses, men are listed first.

Although there are biological differences, it is society that defines our gender role. Biology indicates whether we are male or female, but society tells each of the sexes which identity they will have.

Learn more about this author, Angie Haggstrom.
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