Religion's Part in Perpetuating Gender Roles
Traditional gender roles in the context of this subsection of the exhibit are defined as the duties associated with each of the two sexes, as presented by religion,: male and female. Throughout history, women have been seen as more nurturing than men. Because of this, the traditional woman was known for taking care of her husband, having his children, raising said children, and maintaining the household. These skills are often associated with feminine energy - which was specifically unique to women… in a traditional and religious sense. Traditional men, on the other hand, were known as the protectors and providers of the family. These skills are a result of masculine energy which was specifically unique to men… again, in a traditional and religious sense. This exhibit seeks to explore how and why religion has defined the roles of a woman so strictly. As time has progressed, the woman’s role has changed, but the question of why it needed to change to begin with has no direct answer. It is believed that religion, or faith as it is more commonly referred to in the black community, serves to give those who follow it a purpose; so, if said purpose states that certain duties should be carried out to be a good woman, wife, and mother or a good man, husband, and father, then more often than not those rules are going to be blindly followed. As a visitor of this website, you will gain knowledge regarding the role religion has played in the black community (and why gender roles were likely picked up and followed through generations), what said religion defines a good woman as in the traditional sense, as well as how the modern day black woman has begun to deviate from this standard. Moving through the site in order is advised so that you can gain historical context, but nonstrategic browsing can also prove to be beneficial to the visitor experience.
In the image above, the mini pink graphics beside the image of the woman and the mini blue graphics beside the image of the man provide examples of the basic gender roles and/or stereotypes associated with each sex.