Men and Women

Society continuously changes over time, and the stereotypes about men and women lag behind. The human history has witnessed great women such as Margaret Thatcher, the first Prime Minister of the UK and Hillary Clinton, the powerful Minister of Foreign Affairs of U.S.A. In fact, men and women have become more equal today; hence, I disagree with the statement “Men and women are, and always will be, different in the way they behave and are treated”.

To begin with, men and women have many things in common in their behaviors at present in the future. In the past, while men were supposed to be invincible, active and powerful, women were fragile, emotional, and sensitive and regarded as the weaker sex. Nonetheless, the society is changing day by day, women become more confident. Take my sister as an example. After graduating university, she decided to apply for ANZ Bank. At the interview, the manager was deeply impressed by her astute comments about the status of men and women when working in bank. Being a staff here, she always confidently raised her voice to discuss about issues in the company. At present, she is client services manager. From my perspective, like my sister, many women today are also strong, active and confident in their behavior.

In addition, men and women are treated more equally today. For instance, workplace is no longer a male-dominated kingdom; many significant positions are occupied by talented women as well. A new legislation, namely Sex Discrimination Act, has been promulgated to protect women’s right on the grounds of sexual orientation. Thanks to this Act, everyone at workplace can receive the same money regardless of their sex. Also, modern bosses are no longer male chauvinist; they hold egalitarian perspectives and treat staff equally. Thus, high-qualified women have opportunity to move into management positions. Ton Nu Thi Ninh, one of the most well-known Vietnamese characters is an example. Now, she is a multi-faceted person of many talents in many fields such as interpreting, diplomacy, etc. due to her own aptitude and qualifications.

Furthermore, women and men are treated equally not only at workplace but also at home. Traditionally, a man was depicted as a breadwinner providing shelter for his family and concerning about power, prestige or money. Meanwhile, a beautifully decorated or well-kept house and children upbringing were mainly seen as women’s responsibility. However, this social convention is undergoing a radical transformation. There is a growing number of househusbands playing a vital role in child rearing, freeing women from the endless cycle of child rearing. Many women go out to work and become breadwinners.

In a nutshell, the traditional norms about men and women are no longer largely observed. Many women today can earn much money, and many men learn to share housework with their female counterparts. According to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, “Sex discrimination is a great hurdle preventing the country’s sustainable development and social equality”. (National strategies about gender equality., 2011). In a modern society where everything is evermore developing, there is no reason why women should not behave and be treated as equally as men.