GENDER AND POWER IN MARRIAGE

How is gender related to power in marriage? How do you think ongoing social change will affect power in marriage?

Issues related to power in marriage often view men as the dominant ones and women as the deferential gender. However, in the recent years, women have to be equal to their husbands regarding beings aggressive, combative, volatile, self-serving and striving. In most cases, women are the ones who are affected most by the issue of power in marriage. This is to say that women often feel intimidated and in a less stable relationship when they feel their husbands have more power (Randles, 2015). On the other hand, the view of men regarding the marriage remains the same regardless of who has power over the other. The main reason for this is that men are at a lesser risk of sexual and physical abuses that take away their self-esteem and power.

Couples with an equal relationship experience fewer complications such as anxiety and depression. Furthermore, such couples have better communication, improved stability, increased intimacy, and greater satisfaction. On the contrary, women, and men who feel less appreciated and less dominating in a relationship have higher risks of suffering from anxiety and depression compared to their partners. Equal sharing of power in marriage refers to equal chances of making decisions, even distribution of child care, paid, and domestic work, and mutual reciprocation of accommodation and attention towards each other.

Power and gender in marriage are often organized around the aspects of women and men and gives men more privileges compared to women. Thus, women are forced to take up a subordinate role. For instance, the society expects men to be the breadwinners of their families while women take care of the house, bear children, and undergo emotional labor (Randles, 2015). The social ideas that are dominant concerning men being the dominant and strong gender affect the manner in which men treat their children and wives. Also, such social ideas have a significant effect on the way the children and women respond to their fathers and husbands.

The recent social changes have had a major impact on the aspect of power in marriage. For instance, in the recent years, women have become engrossed in their careers such that some of the earn more than their husbands to the extent of making them the breadwinners. Women nowadays are pursuing their education and acquiring degrees, which enable them to get good jobs and be successful. Moreover, women are thriving in their businesses and contributing significantly to the economy. Fewer women are housewives, and most of them take up other responsibilities aside from taking care of their children and husbands.

Consequently, couples have adapted to equal sharing of power and moved away from the norm of women being subjective to their husbands. Also, women are no longer viewed as beings meant for bearing children (Randles, 2015). These days family planning is readily available, and women can regulate the number of children they get depending on their social and economic status.