Give the man a hand: Gender roles revised

It is thought that gender awareness can reduce the performance pressure on men and make them less prone to violence. The piece below is based on a discussion with gender expert Violet Sutherland, the Women's Resource and Outreach Centre's (WROC) new gender specialist.

Delroy White - whose name and others in this piece have been changed at request - was paying all his household bills as a single, taxi driver before his marriage to Susanne, a fully employed professional. But, following their marriage, he expressed the desire to 'stop the hustling' and found employment as a truck driver.

With the rise in gas prices, all Delroy has been able to do with the income from the new job is put gas in the car used to take himself and his wife to work. Susanne has been left responsible for all other bills.

Susanne states that she has no problem with his choices as long as Delroy "does not try" to pass on the expenses for transport, or any other 'personal need' to her.

This is an excerpt from an article published in the Jamaica Observer on Monday, November 3, 2008. You can read the entire article at the Jamaica Observer website.