The Origin of Gender Roles Essay - 4745 Words

The Origin of Gender Roles The root of all gender issues which presently exist in society may be traced back to The Creation Story in Genesis. This crucial chapter of the Bible provides evidence supporting that God intended for man and woman to exist as equals, yet he assigned gender roles once Adam and Eve disobeyed him by eating the fruit from the forbidden tree of good and evil. Thus, men have been characterized as the â€Å"breadwinners† and women as â€Å"child bearers and housekeepers† since the beginning of humanity. The story of Lilith as Adam’s supposed first wife suggests Adam took on a patriarchal role from the beginning, yet Lilith refused to accept his assumed superiority. She initially challenges him, and then leaves him; she†¦show more content†¦The argument for male superiority in Genesis is often supported with the claim â€Å"God created Adam first.† The Bible supports this statement since it appears before any mentioning of Eve; it states, â€Å"Th e Lord formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being†(Gen. 2:7, NIV). At this point, Adam is looked upon as a living being, and not acknowledged based on his sex. The point of the first creation is not gender and sexuality but the creation of a creature that comes from the earth, a creature not specifically identified sexually (Trible 12). So the first creature is not male; the first creature is not the first man (Trible 12). Adam is not distinguished as a â€Å"man† until Eve is created, which doesn’t happen at the beginning. Eve’s different characteristics from Adam introduce the idea of a male and female sex. It cannot be assumed that Adam is superior as a man because he is initially looked upon as a human, and doesn’t get recognized for his sex until Eve is created. When Eve is created from Adam’s rib, patriarchal interpretations suggest she â€Å"derives from him.† This derivation assigns her a subordinate role because she is created from him. The etymology of â€Å"woman† which clearly stems from â€Å"man† further supports this (Carmody 10). Feminists look upon this from the opposite perspective. Ostriker points out the woman is ‘unique in creation’ because she is built of rawShow MoreRelatedGender Roles : Gender And Gender1587 Words   |  7 Pagesbetween gender and sex. Sex is anatomical and biological. Gender role can be defined as a person’s inner sense of how a male or female should feel and behave. Culture and society are two important factors in relation to this particular topic. 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