As I began to type this, I stop myself, I need to clean up around my desk as the service person for the internet that’s currently not working is coming tomorrow! I don’t want them to perceive us, my roommate and I, as bad homemakers not being able to keep this place tidy and neat.
That response of being worried about my perception of such an assumed gendered role is exactly what society has led me to believe.
On one hand, it’s a good thing as my gendered role is an expectation of society and therefore, I am who I say I am me. On the other hand, it’s a bad thing reflecting the societal pressure of an assumed gender role in order to seem acceptable in society, even if that society is just the internet service person.
Thankfully I am conscious of such things and while yes I did finish cleaning since I started, I am stopping to reflect on that and regardless if the cleaning needed to be done, why am I reflecting such stereotype upon myself just because society says so.
It is because I am doing the deep work, staying conscious with what I am clearly aware of, noticing those aspects that surface such as this that need time and reflection on not why I cleaned, but the underlying social pressure I accepted in doing that action. I could just as easily of cleaned because I felt it was needed, but then there wouldn’t be a tale of acceptance would there.
One of the first steps towards living a life of acceptance is being prepared for the journey in a conscious way, this aspect of learning to examine our behaviours consciously is the only way we can adapt.
Do you want to learn more, contact me.
Cynthia