Why Gender Roles Lead to Higher Rates of Depression in Women than Men
Submitted by Lisa E. Scott on November 11, 2010 - 9:05pmWomen are raised to be gentle, loving and kind to others. As little girls, our parents teach us to feel empathy for and nurture others. We play with dolls. Boys are taught to compete with other boys, to be dominant and independent. Boys play with guns.
The way I look at it is simple: Girls play house and boys play war.
As a result, many women get their self-worth out of the role they play as wife, mother and caretaker to others. Many men get their self-worth out of their work life and their career status. We may not stop to think about this much, but I think it’s worth noting.