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Gender inequality is something that appears to have existed since ancient times and which is still evident in Australian society today. Using the term ‘gender inequality’ often equates to women being disadvantaged in comparison to men. As is well known, traditionally, women were often regarded as inferior to men, a practice which is still witnessed in society today, especially in a society such as Australia which is typically patriarchal, with men most likely to dominate the workforce, the household, and the political system. Gender is the term used to define the biological differences between men and women from their socially fashioned manifestations described as masculine and feminine (Van Krieken et al. 2000). For example, men are often assumed to be more aggressive and dominant than women, whilst women are expected to be more caring and passive. It has been argued that these stereotypes perpetuate inequalities that disadvantage women in comparison with men, which has led to much study of gender inequality. The extent to which gender inequality has been, and still is, evident can be studied by examining the areas of gender in the home, in the workforce, and in politics. Gender inequality in the family has been a topic for debate for many years. In traditional times it was expected that a woman would remain home and ‘keep the home-fires burning’ whilst the husband had the role of being the breadwinner of the family. It was expected that a woman’s priorities would be her home, her children and her husband’s career (Western 1987), as men were still the dominant partner in marriages, and retained a degree of ultimate power and authority in family decision-making, and in the organisation of family activities (Graetz & McAllister 1994). Also, when a man and woman were married, any rights the woman possessed as an individual were given to her husband when she became his wife (Western 1987). Women were not expected to gain any further education or to show an interest in becoming part of the work force for a living, and if they did, there were very limited options, some of which will be discussed further in this paper. In relation to family life today, several of the traditional gender stereotypes remain intact. Many women are still victims of inaccurate gender representations. In the present time, most women are still expected to stay at home and complete household duties and care for children whilst their husbands go to work, and many women still change their surname to that of their husbands when married. Although the situation has improved significantly, women still experience pressure when they make the choice to return to work rather than raising their children full time, and many men still view house duties as the woman’s domain. The topic of women in the education system has received much documentation, especially since the mid-1970s. In Australia, teacher’s organizations and government and education departments began documenting and comparing the access, participation, retention, and educational experiences and outcomes of girls and boys, and found that “to be a girl was an educational disadvantage” (McLeod 2001:155).
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