The Influence on Society
More and more people are challenging traditional gender roles. The debate started with the questioning the gender discrimination in the workplace. A bit topic that had people wondering why there was unequal pay in the first place between men and women. Men were considered more reliable and therefore better for companies on the long term while women were considered to be better for household chores or raising children and staying at home. Men and women’s roles in society are individually changing. The dynamic is developing.
Research found that in 1992, a survey was conducted that revealed that 80% of men under the age of 29 wanted jobs with more responsibility in comparison to the 72% of women under the age of 29 who did. As the world progressed the desire for more responsibility decreased for both genders. In 2008, studies showed that approximately the same number of men and women believed in traditional gender roles. It is normal that older generations hold more traditional views on gender and roles than younger generations.
Traditionally men have worked outside their homes and served as the breadwinner of their families. Holding some of the most powerful jobs in society (congress, lawyers…), while women were expected to stay home and care for their families, and in the past even if they had jobs they would be assigned stereotypically female professions (secretary, nurse…). In the 60’s and 70’s the world went through a cultural revolution.
Women have been making progress for hundreds of years, however they are not the only ones to be victim of such stereotyping. There was a power shift toward women at work and home. The reason is that now to get a good job, you have to have a good degree and it is a fact that only 40% of college graduates are men and the other 60% are women. However working women in America are still earning 0.79$.
Men and women’s role have become a lot less strictly defined. Reaching parity is a matter that involves the whole population, including children.
The truth is men and women do not need to have different items of clothing. Except for their genitals, children do not have any secondary traits that differentiate them from one another (for example: their breasts or hips have not yet developed or facial hair…). Which means that they could dress the same in a perfect world. However, their parents are the ones dressing them and they impose those differences at a very young age onto their children until it becomes common sense for them. ‘Little boys can not and should not dress the same as little girls’ is what they are taught. It would be considered “culturally inappropriate” to dress them the same way. Children are now more than ever, very susceptible to everything their environment and everything they see and use through technology. Information is much faster spread onto to mass media and social media.
Social media has not only changed the way that we consume information, but it has also shifted the way we think about fashion. Due to social media platforms, new trends are being created every day. Social media has also made it possible for influencers and entertainers to start getting the attention of major fashion houses who collaborate with these people in order to market to a different audience. Social media has given brands a creative platform to market their products and gain new business (Quote by Charles Royals). Marketers have convinced the world, using trends, subcultures and many other elements, that there is a certain way to dress appropriately for men and that way differs from women’s. Companies profit a lot from this and use it to implement their strategies and promote it by build their strategies around it.
Some say education is key for breaking gender stereotypes. Education has a big part in it sure; when you are taught right from wrong from your parents, it shapes us as individuals, into the adults we are to become. However gender roles have been around for longer than our parents and their parents before them. Education and improving the views of our society could break the pattern but what about Genderless Fashion ?
What is Genderless Fashion?
In the past couple of years, more and more designers have adopted a new style of clothing and accessories that prides itself on being neutral from both sides of the spectrum. Unisex clothing aims to minimize differences between genders. In this new era designers are trying to introduce to their audiences, two opposing sides come as one on the runway. Outfits, adornments and even hairstyles and makeup have become applicable to both genders in order to separate themselves from the stigma.
The beginning and evolution of genderless fashion
A long time ago, men wore pants for comfort and convenience to be able to ride horses. Shortly after, during the 1920’s and 30’s, women started wearing trousers in order to work the jobs that the men had left to fight wars. After that, memorable designers such as Coco Chanel broke the glass ceiling by introducing fashionable pants during an era where it was considered audacious. The fight was a long one but pants became normal for both genders to wear and also became an avant-garde contemporary modern garment. Eventually both men and women wore pants. The term “gender” was firstly used to describe the social and cultural aspects of biological sex in the 1950s. In the fashion industry, french designer Pierre Cardin attemptes a uni-sex collection in 1968 that affected his brand greatly. He opened up a controversial conversation and took a hit for it. He altered his designs, choice of colours, choice of models and presentation, his advertisements, his marketing strategy and took a big risk that paid off well after his time.
Speaking of : Colours also are highly associated to genders.
When a man decides to wear colors associated with women’s, everyone automatically assumes he is signaling his gender identity or sexuality. The concept of gender fluidity has been present mostly in the past 5 years. More and more celebrities try to send a message of acceptance for the Trans Community and , wear close that have no gender association in way that agrees with their viewers and followers. Brands and designers are starting collections distancing themselves from traditional looks and instead implementing a Unisexe style. Colours are a big aspect of the change, because brands used to use colours to persuade consumers into thinking that blue was for boys and pink for girls affecting future generations. Colours are very powerful, because they can be very communicative, so it is important to send the right message for the generations to come. People associate colours to brands, feelings, products, experiences…
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