All humans are born free and equal, but soon after, they are placed in a gender role. The day a baby is born, he/she is clothed in either a blue onesie, or a pink onesie. From that day on, they are taught what to do, how to behave, and how to look according to the color of that onesie. Girls are taught to become ladies, and boys learn how to be gentlemen. Gender roles undermine the rights of women (and the rights of men, but that's a whole different article).
The first thing we, as humans, do is identify whether someone is male or female, only then can we process what actions are appropriate, or inappropriate. In the early stages of life, both genders are taught what is expected of them. Little boys in blue are, more often than not, told that their place is outside doing all the "muscle work." Little girls in pink are taught to prioritize tending to the household chores, i.e. cooking and cleaning. The title of "provider" is placed upon the shoulders of boys at a young age, and they are raised believing that it is their responsibility to take care of the women. When boys grow into men, they are to get a well-paying job and be the primary income for the household. Men are often looked upon to be the families stability, and protector. In today's society, the majority of women also get a job once they reach adulthood, but their main focus is often to remain on the household/maternal duties within the family.
These gender roles we are taught to accept early on create numerous double standards. There is a saying that "boys will be boys," meaning that it is presumed that they will act careless and destructive. Boys have the option to do as they please, and it will be overlooked because, "boys will be boys." Yet there is no "girls will be girls" excuse. If a man goes out drinking with his bros, or anything else that falls under the "good time" category, it is expected. If a woman participates in these same activities, she is thought of in a negative light. Another example is when a woman goes into Advanced Auto, or any other automotive store, she is looked at as if she's lost. As she enters the store, she may get a condescending remark from one of the workers like, "did he send you with a list," meaning that a man must have sent her. In reality, the workers have no idea what kind of knowledge she has about automobiles, but it is assumed that she knows nothing because she is female. These rights should not be withheld from women when they are handed freely to men.
Hillary Clinton stated at the Women in the World Conference, "it is no longer acceptable to discuss women's rights as separate from human rights." The color of a child's clothing should not define who they are. Every human should be taught the same moral code, not one that was altered to fit his/her gender. If an action is acceptable for one gender to do, the opposing gender should not be shamed if they choose to participate. Women's rights is a movement to achieve equality for humans to be who they truly are, and eliminate sexism.
