Gender Roles In Ancient Greece

From Ancient Greece to the 21st century, there is still a continuation of sexual division because of set norms and hierarchical standards. Even as time passes, conventional gender roles that Greek philosophers established are still visible in present day, such as when media portrayed Thomas Beatie as a dominant male figure even though he was having a child. Society needs to have strict division roles between the sexes because it’s the only way of having control over emerging generations. Men are portrayed as the dominant gender that are incapable of doing harm, while women only have a single role of being child bearers. However, there have been minor alterations to the gender norms, such as males beginning to play a significant role in their
children’s life. In the 21st century, fathers are more proactive in the nurturing process, rather than just being an asset in the biological process of sexual reproduction.
While there have been changes in the male gender, the representation of females continues to stay the same just as it was in Ancient Greece. In 420 to 348 B.C. Plato’s Timaeus addressed the distinct sexual differences and desires between males and females through a gender-biased perspective. Timaeus mentioned a transformation in men who “proved themselves cowardly and spent their lives in wrong doing were transformed at their second incarnation into women.” Society attributed characteristics of weakness and cowardice feminine, so males who failed to achieve their masculine gender roles must be women. Timaeus is criticizing not only males that have more emotional tendencies, but at the same time condemning females because the norm for them was to be emotional creatures.
The punishment of males being reincarnated as females is a misogynistic idea because males would not want to be reborn as females in Ancient Greece. The message being articulated by Timaeus is that being female is a form of punishment. If the roles were reversed, women would be pleased to be reincarnated into men because they would have more power and leeway to act instinctually without condemnation. Timaeus also defends the male species by anthropomorphizing their genital organs by explaining that the natural being of male organs are “disobedient and self-willed, like a creature that is deaf to reason.” The implication of male genitals having a mind of their own and being portrayed as creatures, reiterates Ancient Greece ideals of men still being the dominant gender even when they have no control over their impulses. This representation of male genitals gives men permission to portray animalistic qualities without being held accountable over their sexual engagements. As a result Timaeus characterizes male organs in such a way to represent males dominance.
Aside from criticizing the unacceptable emotional state of men and justifying their sexual being, Timaeus objectifies woman as merely seed bearers that have been “bored a hole into a condensed narrow, which come from the head down by the neck and along the spine… termed seed.” Subsequently, females in Ancient Greece are seen as bearers of children and seed holders.
Additionally, he goes on to explain that if females do not engage in sexual encounters and do not become seed holders then their “womb… is an indwelling creature desirous of child bearing – [but if it] remains without fruit long beyond due season, it is vexed and takes it ill… [causing] all maladies.” Since the only female role in this time period is to have children and serve as vessels of seeds, then it is acceptable that they expect females to suffer greatly by not engaging in their custom of bearing children. Women are belittled entirely in Ancient Greece by only having a single purpose of having children. If they were to go insane, it would justifiable because they are only needed for reproductive purposes. Timaeus’ audience is all the citizens of Ancient Greece because he wants them to understand what is expected of them and what role they play in
society.
In 2008, Thomas Beatie, a “transgender, legally male” became pregnant. Beatie’s life, as self-documented in his article, Labor of Love, challenges the beliefs that was previously held by Greek philosophers. In Beatie’s article he states that the reality is “wanting to have a biological child is neither a male nor female desire, but a human desire.” This 21st century thought of having a child is a human desire speaks volumes of how males’ cultural beliefs have transitioned from not being as involved in the child bearing process other than just providing the seed, versus now having an emotional tie to their biological child. However, even though Thomas chose to share his story as a transgender male, others such as People’s Magazine made it clear to portray Thomas as biologically male figure by mentioning that he has “a black belt in karate who can bench 255 pounds.” People’s Magazine did not allow for Thomas to be seen as a vulnerable, fatherly individual even though he is physically the person in his marriage that is giving birth to the child. People’s Magazine blatantly wanted to represent Thomas as a masculine male “in almost every aspect of daily life… with one key exception – he still had his female reproductive organs.” People’s Magazine adopts the traditional view of Greek philosophers by choosing to continually represent him as a male even when he is physically a female. A reason that the magazine chose to represent him in this way was to make the readers understand that even though he was “doing something that challenges the most basic definition of sexual identity,” it should not take away from his societal identity of being male. There is great division of gender roles in Ancient Greece. Plato’s Timaeus only portrayed woman as child bearers and if they abstain from sexual reproducing then they will go insane. In Ancient Greece, males are defended and even dismissed from any faults due to their lack of control over their sexual organ. It is important to understand that before the 21st century, the idea that a females’ duty to have children was the norm in Ancient Greece. If these Greek philosophers, during the 420 to 348 B.C. century, had witnessed a male being the seed holder then the male would have been seen as a monster or a creature developed from evil beings.