One of many behaviors coded as feminine is sacrificing. Woman and girls are encouraged to sacrifice themselves. They sacrifice their time, effort, needs and put their spouse and family first. Woman and girls sacrifice their time to clean, cook, wash, iron and etc. around the house. Married woman have the occupation of ‘housewife’. For example, in the Betty Friedan reading, she states “the words women used when they talked to each other, …. Were about problems with their children, or how to keep their husbands happy, or improve their children, or cook chicken or make slipcovers (Friedan 273).” Woman sacrificed their time with each other to speak about such things, in order to complete their occupation as a housewife. Woman would also sacrifice obtaining a career or making a living by becoming housewives at a young age. Woman would get engaged at around seventeen and married at twenty near the nineteen sixties (Friedman 271). They sacrifice their goals and career plans. Family and society can applaud woman sacrificing themselves because that is what they did; therefore, as a woman they should too. To this day, it can be applauded to sacrifice yourself or it can be applauded to not sacrifice yourself as well. My mother has been working ever since she arrived to Chicago, therefore when she married my father she was already working. Overall, woman and girls sacrifice themselves to fulfill their occupation as a housewife, or just as a woman.Boys and men cannot sacrifice themselves. They are discouraged by society, but especially by family. Family has a thought if a man sacrifices their time, effort, needs, and career they are a coward. In my culture, you would say they are mandilones. They are the men that do as the woman says, and does the ‘role’ of a woman. If my woman cousins had a husband that was a mandilon, my family would be so happy. They would give the biggest applaud there is, but if one of my man cousins was the mandilon in their marriage, everyone would bad-mouth him. He would be bad-mouthed by everyone, especially other men in our family. If men would to ever sacrifice a little of their time to help out with chores, he would get treated like a King. It would mean so much for a woman to help her out with daily chores. If my dad ever helps with the cleaning, my mom gets shocked for a while. After, she is all happy because it means less work for her. Men and boys are discouraged to sacrifice themselves. Women whom sacrifice themselves feel like they gave up on their goals for their spouse and children. They feel unfulfilled. As if something is wrong with them because something is missing in their life. They feel incomplete, empty and as if they do not exist (Friedman 274-275). As a woman they only see themselves being a housewife for the rest of their lives. As a man who has a woman sacrifice everything feels superior. He feels like anyone is willing to sacrifice themselves how his wife did. At the same moment he feels pressure because he is the one that has to bring home the income, and have a stable family. He is also supposed to be satisfied by his wife in all ways possible. As a woman you are taught by society and family that it is necessary for you to sacrifice yourself for your spouse and children. Men are seen as dominant; therefore, woman should fulfill his needs. If men would sacrifice just a tad bit of their time, they would be cowards and would get bad-mouthed by society and especially family.
