Gender bias

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1) Throughout most of history wifehood and motherhood were considered to be the most significant roles a woman would have. In many societies married women had to walk behind their husbands. They were not able to own property and women whose husbands died could not remarry. Generally male children were preferred over female children. Women were viewed as the weaker sex. They were seen as not being able to perform work requiring muscular and intellectual development. In most preindustrial socieities domestic chores were viewed as "women's work."

Maternity was traditonally regarded as the major social role for women. There has been a long standing stereotype stating " A woman's place is in the home." This cultural pressure for women to become wives and mothers is currently in existence on some level and sometimes prevents many talented women from finishing college and pursuing careers.

Traditionally a middle class girl in Western culture would be groomed to be housewives and mothers. Tests done in the 1960's have shown that scholastic achievement of girls was higher in the lower grades than in high school due to the expectation from parents and teachers and themselves that all they would be are housewives and mothers. This trend has been changing in recent decades.

Form colonial times formal education for boys was considered to be a priority over formal education for girls. By the end of the 19th century the number of women students increased dramatically. At that point there was an increased number of females attending colleges and universities either in coed schools or schools especially developed for women. By 1900 the proportion had increased to one third. Women had obtained about 19 percent of all college degrees at this period. By 1985 more than half of all college students were women with many of those being above age 30.

When women married in many societies such as England and the United States, many years ago, by law they were ...