Gender Roles

One of the reasons The Scarlet Letter is still relevant today is that gender roles still play a large role in society. The double standards that can be observed between men and women can create problems for both. One example of these double standards is how a man can sleep with many women and be cool, but women are looked down upon for this same behavior. In the James Bond movies, James Bond sleeps with several girls in almost every movie, yet both men and women perceive him as powerful and attractive. If James Bond were female, sleeping around would most likely be unacceptable and audiences would see it as weakness. There are many other ways that women are hurt by gender stereotypes, but instead I want to address how men are negatively impacted by these stereotypes as well.  Men are expected to be tough. Society looks down on a man who talks about his feelings. If a man is upset because of a comment made about him, it is not his place to have a discussion about it. A man is not supposed to share any of his feelings. He is allowed to get upset, but having a reasoned discussion will cause him to be perceived as “girly.” The issue of gender equality has been getting more attention is recent years, but there is still a long way to go before the issues discussed in The Scarlet Letter cease to be relevant to this modern era.

Allow me to play you out...

(in this song the male singer longs for a girl that is hardworking and intelligent, not just attractive)