Masculinity of Money Gendered Stereotype

Abstract

The traditional gender role ideology has always been putting women into the domestic sphere and men into public sphere. Due to the traditional gender role ideology certain traits are attached to women and men and their role are also defined. The men are the main breadwinner of their family this concept had been flourishing from the prehistoric times and wife is the caretaker and homemaker. The role of men as provider has confined the money as Masculine thing. Today women are participating not just in domestic sphere but in the public sphere as well. This study explores the role of ideology of Masculinity of Money in shaping women lives. Women involvement in provider role is not appreciated due to the traditional thinking of men’s role is to earn and it comes with certain authorities. This study also explores how the ideology of Masculinity of Money reflects in dual breadwinner families or dual earner families. An anthropological qualitative method was used for data collection. In qualitative methods such as purposive sampling, snowball sampling, in-depth interviewing, have been used to understand the Masculinity of money and its impact on working women. The objective of the research was to know the perception about married working women and their earning. How men and women earning is perceive differently due to the patriarchal society values. The findings suggest that today most of the women are participating in labor market to support their family financially, but they have to face challenges along with it not just the work-family imbalance but the challenges of maintain the peace in marriage by not mentioning their role as provider. The findings also highlighted how different perceptions exist about working women and their earning from the experiences of working women. Women are now using their money for the financial stability it also gives them a little independence in a sense that they are using money in their homes and fulfilling the needs of their children. The health of women is also get effected due to the burden of dual role and mental stress of the maintaining peace and financial stability at the sometime. The ideology of Masculinity of Money is still inculcated in the minds of people that limits women access to many job opportunities and confined them to jobs that are attached to women which requires care. It is creating challenges for working women as they are not only taking care of house but work also but their work is seen as pleasure and their earning is of no value