Steemit Engagement Challenge S3-W4: The Role of the Various Genders by @manuelhooks

I believe both men and women deserves to be treated respectfully, and as a man, I believe women should not be viewed as second-class citizens or as an inferior type of human because they are not inferior.
But if this view of mine should make you think of me as a feminist, then you are mistaken. I neither think of myself as a feminist nor an advocate of gender equality. Even when I believe the glamour over gender equality is inappropriate, I still hold my views as expressed at the unset of this write up. In this male dominated world, women should be treated with respect and accorded all their rights as a human.

Gender in our everyday life

The issue of gender shows up on a daily bases and is a part of our daily routine. From the time we were born, our gender played an important role in the choice of name we were given and had also set the tone for the jubilation that followed the news that we have arrived into this world. From that day on, our gender have dictated the type of cloth we put on. It affects the way we are being refered to. In most cases, the amount of courtesy we get depends on our gender, holding the door open or a car stoping for a person to cross the road often had a lot to do with gender.

Gender specific roles

While it slightly varies from one cultural background to the other in Nigeria, they all seem to have the same principals. in the Ibibio culture, boys are expected to sweep the grounds around the house while the girls sweep inside the house. The roster in the school assigns the girls to sweep the class while the boys sweep the grounds around the class.

With this we grow up with the idea that the man will have to go out and work, farm or hunt while the woman will stay home, take care of the house and children at home.
Which really did not mean that the man had nothing to do at home, imagine It's time to cook and that is the woman's territory, yet the men and boys are expected to split the fire wood and pound the yam, and you don't expect the woman to kill
and gut the fowl or goat to be used in cooking. Men had specific tasks to perform in the kitchen.

It is believed that the makeup of a male gender makes him more suited for certain tasks and functions while the nature of a female makes them perfect for specific duties. Naturally, women tend to be more social and interested in people making them good at taking care of children and in professions like nursing where this natural inclination are maximally utilized.
On the other hand, men are not that interested in people as they are in things. They interact better with the environment in the farm or as hunters which requires more physical energy, bravery and a certain type of aptitude.
_{Source ...dressed, groomed and engaged in activities according to their gender}

When selecting a form of occupation, usually the men will go for wine tapping, harvesting of palm fruits, carpentry, mechanics, security, electricians and lots of areas which are often male dominated.
The women often pick up midwifery, crafts, secretariat jobs, teaching and other jobs which are better managed by a feminine touch.
The first time a male introduced himself as a nurse, it felt very odd and out of place. From a very young age I thought men who work in a hospital are called doctors and the women are called nurses. I would feel better if attended to by a female nurse compared to a male nurse.

Positive Shift in local Culture

Previously, females were not entitled to a portion of their fathers inheritance. It was beloved that she will take it out to her husband when she is married but this view has gradually changed as most educated and enlightened persons make wills that specifically provides for the girl child

• this meant that women could not own lands inherited from their parents and some communities will not sale a land to a woman.
• buying a land or a house from a woman was not considered a legitimate business transaction.
• The girl child was not to be sent to school and now we have more girls in school when compared to boys as the communities are adopting the notion that educating a girl means educating her children.
• It was so bad that some communities would come up with customs that state that a woman should not eat boiled eggs and would be seriously punished if caught.
• Though a woman could join her husband in farming and some crafts, she could not be a palm wine taper or harvest palm fruits. The male gender is assigned the task of clearing the bush.

As you may have noticed, all of these are all stated in past tense because there is a positive Shift in culture that accords women the right to all of these and more

In most communities and as backed by law, a woman can man positions of authority, they have the right to vote and be voted into political offices.
Current statistics has it that

_{...Minister of Women Affairs, Pauline Tallen in Premium time magazine}

The role of gender in other countries

While some countries are more tolerant allowing some women the Liberty to speak up, others are more restrictive believing that a woman should only be seen and never heard.

Issues with gender equality

In my opinion, I think nature itself is not a fan of gender equality. Men and women are naturally different with opposite characteristics that often compliments each other resulting in some kind of symbiosis where they need each other to function optimally.
While naturally men are more suited to play the role of a leader and women are more submissive in nature, this results in a more peaceful coexistence that is mutually beneficial.
Due to factors like selfishness, oppression and abuse of power, the women got Oppressed and now feel like breaking out of the arrangement that was previously a mutually beneficial arrangement. While I presume the original intent was to demand for a just and fair treatment, the movement swiftly gathered momentum and are now agitating for equality.

To what level is this equality expected to go? Will we have to take turns getting pregnant? or Will I still have to give you my seat in the bus when we are equal? And if placed in a boxing ring, will you expect to equal the performance? Will all laws that had consideration for women be amended?
Is it suggesting that a community with 10 carpenters must have 5 of them female and 5 male? If this was to happen, then a lot of human rights will be trampled upon because if all the ten carpenters were men, we could easily have ten happy carpenters. But going for equality, we will have five happy men as carpenters and at least four miserable women who have been forced into carpentry against their will.
Advocates pressing for gender equality often only ask for such equality in the top few seats of power...

Gender in the world of steemit

In my opinion, based on my observation. Steemit is a woman's world. Women are wielding most of the power in steemit, they receive better support and are easily recognized to man positions.
This is not because steemit was created to favour women, I can assure you that the platform provides both gender equal opportunities but what makes a person a better Steemian are qualities that are found in greater proportion among the women.
I know of very few places where the system favours the women this much. Not as if men are being oppressed in steemit. Women just receive extra favour. If both gender were to put the same effort in writing an article, the one written by a woman will most likely receive better support in steemit. It could be due to the fact that steemit has more women population and the women are in support of their fellow women on the platform but I think
It is mostly a function of the woman nature, they are more inclined towards following rules and direction which may result in better support on steemit.

Conclusion

Gender plays a significant role in our daily lives and has tremendous effects on our lives. While I feel those spearheading the gender equality movement are not really representing the interest of the women in general in their demand for equality. I believe my mother, Sister and wife are demanding that we treat them with respect, according them all their rights as humans and offer the the needed protection and support without making them feel inferior in any way because being fragile is not a weakness but the true nature of their beauty...