Week 4 - Gender Roles

Sorry team. I realize this should have been done last week but I was at my in-laws home over the weekend to celebrate a baby shower. I actually find that, baby showers, I mean, kind of an interesting display of gender roles themselves as even though my brother in-law is also going to be a parent to the upcoming baby, neither he, nor I, were invited to actually attended the baby shower; in fact, it was only women who were invited to attend. It's kind of a random thought, I just thought it interesting how in so often people say that gender roles are not necessarily good, yet we are continually adhering to them in even the simplest of circumstances.

Also, in connection with gender roles, although much of society considers them to be demeaning in some fashion or another, it is interesting how the church, in "The Family: A Proclamation to the World" not only supports the idea of gender roles but specifics, at least to some degree, as to the roles which men and women are intended to have. It clearly states, "By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families. Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children." However, be that as it may, I appreciate how they do not suggest, however, that although gender roles are not only acceptable, but are intended to be evident within the home, they go on to say that "In these sacred responsibilities, fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners." I believe this to be an important principle as it clarifies that even though gender roles may be present, it does not mean that any given responsibility should be entirely maintained by one gender or the other. Rather it emphasizes that men and women, husband and wife, are intended to help one another, taking partial responsibility in all things while having primary responsibility of a few.