Sex Roles and Social Change

Abstract

Some points made by authors addressing themselves to theories of changes in sex roles are first summarized, the economic character of their ultimate explanations being noted. The assumption is stressed that the modes and extent of sex differentiation are more resultants than determiners of social change, although gender differentiation contributes to the maintenance of given social orders. The second and main part of the article contains theoretical considerations about the consequences of social changes for the extent and modes of sex differentiation. The needs of the economic system with respect to labor and consumption are seen as promoting a change from traditional sex roles to quasi-egalitarianism, and mechanisms for masking of sex differentiation are discussed. A certain contradiction betwen covert sex differentiation at large and strong awareness in limited groups is pointed out. The author describes certain shifts in the maintenance of sex roles and other characteristics accompanying the main changes. Finally, some reflections on the question of strategies for sex role changes are offered.

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