Throughout society's history, both women and men have faced constricting roles imposed on them, from a young age; each gender is assigned specific social and cultural roles to play throughout life. Little girls are given dolls and kitchen toys, little boys are given dinosaurs and power tool toys, if one were to step outside of this specific role, social conflict would result. Contrary to popular belief, sex is a biological construct and gender is a social construct that specifies the roles that men and women must follow to be accepted in society as “normal.” The effects of gender roles on women have proven harmful over the decades. Although women's involvement in society has improved over the decades, patriarchy in society and oppression towards women are still prevalent through social ideologies widely taught and believed throughout America, which have limited women and have consistently stereotyped. Since the beginning of society in America, women have held a subordinate role. Arranged marriages were prevalent in early America as were widely practiced forms of gender roles. Women could not get an education, work, or dress for themselves. Husbands ruled the family and their wives and acted as if they were the owners. Women were often left in unhappy and abusive relationships for reputational reasons. Divorce was illegal, and later in America, when legal, it was despised by the majority of society. While some women held some political power, such as Abigail Adams, it was indirect and held only because of their husband's role. In the 1700s, America established an identity based on many rules, regulations, virtues, and beliefs. Mercantilism and trade have accelerated with steps towards the ...... middle of paper ...... age of both sexes, but below the first layer full equality has not been achieved . Many stereotypes and discrimination are blindly cast on women due to the effects of gender roles and patriarchy on society. Works Cited: “What is Rape Culture?” BuzzFeed. Buzzfeed, Inc., February 5, 2014. Web. May 25, 2014.—“Professional Women: Vital Statistics.” Information sheet 2010 (nd): n. page Department for Professional Employees, April 2010. Web. May 25, 2014-Maxwell, Zerlina. “Rape culture is real.” Time. Time, March 27, 2014. Web. May 23, 2014.-The Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Springfield, MA: Merriam-Webster, 2004. Print.-Booker, Renee and E.E. Hubbard. “What is patriarchy?” WiseGeek. Conjecture, May 4, 2014. Web. May 26, 2014.—Buchwald, Emilie, Pamela R. Fletcher, and Martha Roth. Transforming rape culture. Minneapolis, Minnesota: Milkweed Editions, 1993. Print.