To what extent have European views about gender roles changed since 1750 and to what extent have they remained the same?

Gradual Changes in Gender Roles
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Changes in Views of Gender Roles since 1750 in Europe
The late eighteenth century witnessed the start of changes in the cultural set-up. This extended up to the early nineteenth century. The revolution resulted in the formation of ‘separate spheres.’ It was as a result of various factors. One of them is the growth of the inspiration of the evangelical belief. It resulted in a rise of moral value in areas of female home life, religiosity, and virtues. At this time, a man’s life entailed working and was very public. On the other hand, women were required to remain at home. There was a high expectation for a woman’s behavior. This came as a result of a change in the concepts of the female anatomy. Previously, women were seen as just objects. They were also considered the weaker and less important gender which was supposed to be ruled by the males. Their role was to reproduce simply. Personality traits and their character gave them this position since they were considered negative. They could therefore not make it well no matter their efforts in improving their lives since they were not allowed to gain in such ways as business and education (Mason, 1988). Men always looked for a way to push them down and oppressed them. However, with the revolution, a difference was created in the way they were being tread. The belief that they were the most lustful was also fading away. They were therefore expected to be angels at home.

The ones who failed to control their lust were criticized and considered as prostitutes.
There were roles for men and women during this period were different regarding the social and legal aspects. The criterion used to define the roles was different in both aspects. This period was dubbed the ‘Romantic Era.’ There was however not much of an achievement by the revolutionists who advocated for absolute gender equality to eliminate supremacy of males. The model of the Christian family confined all classes of women to the home surrounding. The rights and roles of either member of a married couple were very different from their partner’s despite them being considered as one. Any woman who lost her virginity before a matrimony was considered a castaway (Branca, 2013). Women were therefore considered lesser beings as compared to men. A case example of this is that female authors had to do their work under the name of a man so that their gender would not disapprove them. The role of men during this time was to support his family financially. They also had the right to vote whereas women were not allowed to do the same. Women were also expected to be very obedient to their spouses. If the lady got any income, it was channeled to the man since it was his property henceforth. This applied to any other things brought in by the lady during the marriage. There was an aspect in which women were objectified. This was demonstrated by the activity in which the woman would give the man a certain amount of money as a way of showing gratitude for being taken. The rights of custody of children were solely for men.
The industrial revolution came in as a big relief to women. They were assimilated into the employment activities from their former activities of the household area. This went a long way in the revolution for gender equality (Galligan, 2008). This was through the recognition for work done by women. They also started getting income from their work. This further led to the campaign for an equal pay through collective bargaining. The ‘Romantic Era’ saw the significant change in the roles, especially those of women. They were able to get out of their homes, where they were previously performing duties, into the industrial activities. This was a stepping stone for them to start being treasured and appreciated for the work they did. The revolution in culture amongst the Europeans came at about this time. It was caused by the rise of consumerism as well as the increase in the power of the middle class. This brought about economic changes. These changes presented gaps that the women would fill so as to indulge in economic activities in a more direct manner. It was, however ‘not right’ for a woman to know too much when it came to business matters.
The change in women’s lifestyle led to them getting an education. They, therefore, gained reading and writing skills. This helped them in the development of education-related activities such as becoming writers and authors. There are many women who rose in such fields during this period. The education of women was however considered to be the one that taught them on domestic roles and social activities. Further education was not supported since its role was to simply give the woman a better womanhood. There are some who were lucky enough to attain a level of education similar to that of men. Their rights, however, were still being passed on to their husbands upon marriage although some few alterations were made to this over time. The educated women started advocating for the equal access of education for both genders. There was also a debate on the marriage laws since they heavily favored the men. This, however, did not favor the women as much as expected. Women have over time fought for equality, and sometimes for a supreme power higher than men’s. This happens all over the world. There were prominent women who led others in fighting for their equality since the 18th Century (French, 2006). They, however, met a lot of challenges, including execution. Madame Roland is a good example in this case. She was executed after being charged with treason. She had been advocating for the rights of her fellow women in France. Women have continued speaking out against the traditional roles and gender inequality in justice systems. They have been doing so through actively participating in writing and being activists.
The late 20th Century experienced a continuation of the revolution. There has been a change in the way people perceive the roles according to gender. There is a notable change in the 21st Century since then. Many women have taken up different professional careers and have gained an education. Many people now feel that the household income should be raised by both the man and the woman. There is, therefore, need for the woman to work. There has been a massive evolution of the roles and rights of women as compared to the eighteenth and twentieth century. This has taken the time to cultivate, and the struggle still continues since there is still a gap between men and women up to date.
References
Branca, P. (2013). Women in Europe since 1750. Routledge.
Galligan, Y., & Clavero, S. (2008). Prospects for women’s legislative representation in postsocialist Europe: The views of female politicians. Gender & Society.
French, W. E., & Bliss, K. E. (Eds.). (2006). Gender, sexuality, and power in Latin America since independence. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.
Mason, K. O., & Lu, Y. H. (1988). Attitudes toward women’s familial roles: Changes in the United States, 1977-1985. Gender & Society, 2(1), 39-57.