Are GENDER ROLES natural?

Question

According to this article, men and women are more attracted to partners that fit into traditional gender roles.

http://www.livescience.com/health/070924_deep_voice.html

Whats does that say for feminism? Does it help explain some of the hypocrisy?

Answer 1

Yes gender roles are natural, why do you think men are built stronger and women are built more emotional?

Answer 2

yes

Answer 3

Well, it's all just common and garden common sense isn't it?

Ideology can never trump Nature.

(Celtish of the House of Ish)

Answer 4

Maybe they fit that way because society has let people to believe they want that in a partner. The point is, this doesn't prove nature over nurture so it can be just the way we are told to look for something.

Regardless, potential and ability has nothing to do with it. If you want to fit a traditional gender role, go ahead, if not, don't. Who says you want a relationship anyhow? We are not animals ruled by NATURE, we try to find the logic of things and legislate to fit that. The belief that what is natural is right is a fallacy known as the appeal to nature. Naturally we are aggressive creatures that are meant to fight, yet we learn not to do that in kindergarten, is kindergarten teaching us wrongly or are we looking for something better than nature?

Answer 5

Yes gender roles are natural and taking them out of the natural order of life has done nothing but cause destruction and the breakdown in society and family life. It's a shame.

Answer 6

The article said men with lower pitched voiced in the Hadza tribe had more children than men with higher pitched voices.

What, exactly, does that have to do with gender roles?

Answer 7

Yeah I saw that, I think feminist have male orientated female brains but have misinterpreted that and decided that they are more evolved humans than the rest. Even though they are a minority, they have decided that the world and the people in it must adapt to suit them.

Answer 8

I know for a fact that I am more attracted to men who behave like men, not men who behave like women.

Answer 9

Voice pitch is a gendered trait, not a gender role.  

Traits are inherent qualities you are born with, roles are things you DO.

Now that we've cleared that  up, what was the question again?

Answer 10

Maybe years ago they were, but nowdays people choose their own "roles",and rightfully so, sure, gender roles work for traditional people, but not everyone fits in those roles, and not everyone wants to either.

Answer 11

there is no hypocrisy (I'm aware that's your favorite word of the month) because you can find just as many other articles saying the opposite.  We always find what we seek even if it's really not there and the internet's the perfect tool for that.

Answer 12

If they were, everyone would be living them.

Answer 13

That's not what it says at all-- it says that men are more attracted to women with higher voices and women are more attracted to men with lower voices. And it makes sense.

When a boy goys through puberty, his voice changes and becomes deeper. It's a sign of adulthood, so higher voices in men are associated with childhood. Also, although I am well aware that there are plenty of exceptions, a disproportionate amount of g*y men that I know range from alto to tenor-- I'm not sure why, and like I said, it's certainly not all, but of course g*y men are not going to be having a whole lot of biological children.

Answer 14

It certainly explains why feminists are less attractive.

Answer 15

feminism isn't against what you look for in a sexual partner, it's only objective is to give women the same rights (governed by the law) as men .... particularly equal pay and opportunities- that's all, it's not about trying to turn women into boys and make them all work in a car garage

Answer 16

Gender roles are part societal and part natural.

Answer 17

No, if you bothered to study a wide range of theories other than those that you like you'd see that in anrtopology there are many studies about cultures where the gender roles are reversed.

Also, if you believe in gender roles being natural and not something learnt then how would you explain people from different races or classes acting differenty?

Answer 18

They are a mix of both biology (nature) and societal construct, due to their biology men and women display a certain behavious and interests and that in return leads to gender roles. Its interwiened, roles such as soldier are a societal construct and biology is the reason men flock more to it and are therefore associated with it. With nursery its the other way around.

Answer 19

Yes, we are biologically motivated to seek out dominant males, as it increases the chances for more resilient offspring; however it is a far cry from discrediting the validity of the feminist movement. Feminism's primary purpose was to gain equal rights politically, sexually and economically. I'd like to think that biological urges and progress can both exist harmoniously and are not exclusive to either role.

Answer 20

It would be impossible to determine how much of what we do is based on biology or on learned behaviors and fitting into society.  Certainly traditional roles are easier, because you never have to think for yourself.  Possible the traditional people they interviewed for this "study" were certainly attracted to other traditional people.  Non-traditional people also seek out each other.  

Since we are humans, and not chimpanzees, and we have a reasoning brain that can override instinct, we should be able to set up a model of living that is fair to all.  Then we should be able mold ourselves to a new ideal.

Is it natural?.....burping and passing gas are natural, but we can control them most of the time.  Whether or not gender roles are natural is not really an issue.  We can control our natures.  We are not animals.

As for feminists having "male-oriented" brains, well, women are told that they are not equal with men, and that men are superior because of their "logical" brains.  If feminists brains are like males, and males are better, doesn't it stand to reason that feminists would be better???

Not my opinion, but one stated above.

Answer 21

*Even if* this was true, that doesn't make them innate or genetic. It's still do to social conditioning and social expectations.

Also, a deep voice is not a gender role. It's a physiological factor to do with the larynx. Gender roles are behavoiral.

Answer 22

The only roles I see as natural are those related to reproduction. Other than that no. If that was true then I guess that would make me a man. lol

The fact that many people are attracted to those who fit traditional roles does not make them 'natural'. And in fact, I don't like stereotypical men,  AT ALL. I like men who are not afraid to deviate from stereotypes and just be themselves.

Answer 23

Then again, gender roles have varied so much between cultures (and centuries) that it's hard to claim that anything's natural. Read some Margaret Mead.