The modern man

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The modern man

        The position and definition of modern man is something frequently discussed and debated by sociologists and people using differing and co-insiding views to portray thier ideas. I will attempt to analysis and understand the many debatable arguements surrounding this particular sociological issue. I will evaluate the many notions concerning the subject and validate them on effeciency, information and relevancy.

        The mythology of the modern man is an ambigious area and this is perhaps why there are many differing viewpoints on the subject. Its exsistance is also questioned as is the number of new men in the current world. The new man is widely represented by the media as being sensitive, caring, maternal, understanding and a man who has views that are of equal rights and favours the role of women as workers aswell as mothers and housewives. Yet this idea is frequently put under scrutiny and many people believe there is little evidence to prove the exsistance of this new modernised man. The decline in women's opression is a widely none fact, it is clear that the poisition of women has come along way in recent decades. Yet there are still many feminists who blame men and patriarchy for the level of the rise, and how they still feel they are not on a par with men. One sociologist who picks out patriarchy as a main factor in this is, Sylvia Walby. In 1990 her work 'Theorizing Patriarchy', she presented her views on the definition of Patriarchy and how without it there may not stand to be gender inequality. She divided her view of patriarchy into 6 small areas paid work, patriarchal relations within the household, patriarchal culture, sexuality, male violence towards women and the state. Each of the structures has some independence from the others however they can effect eachother.

        Walby believes that paid employment has been and remains key to disadvantage to women. There is a gap between men's and women's pay, conditions and access to well-rewarded employment. Therefore women continue to dominate low-paid and part-time employment. Walby also suggets the reluctantcy of women to take up the chance of full-time work is due to restricted opportunities not due to culturistic views.

        Houehold production is seen by Sylvia Walby as a chance for men to directly exploit women. This is by gaining benefits from women's unpaid labour mostly in the home.Women are then forced to stay in the home and work for hours. The opportunity to leave the husband would very likely turn into poverty, this is why the opportuniy is rarely taken up. Overall the short-term effetcs of marriage underline the opression of women inside the family.This oppression can sometimes also be manifested in terms of violence and sexual abuse.

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        Culture is seen by Walby as a constitution that consistently distinguishes men and women, and generalises the behaviour we should expect from each. The variability in class, ethnicity and age is differentiated yet the charcteristics have stayed the same which make a women feminine.Women are thought to be feminine if they confine themselves to work at home.Pornography a male dominated industry has also degraded the postion of women and then glorifies it. This is a prime example of how the media can opress women.

        Walby believes violence from men towards women includes, rape, sexual assault, wife beating, workplace sexual harrasment ...

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