Masculinity vs Femininity

First of all, we need to understand what culture is.Culture has beliefs, customs, way of
thining, of working, of acting, arts .
Culture defines gender roles. In all cultures, biological sex in not the only factor to define
being male of being female. Societal values and expectations perpetuate gender role
stereotypes in a culture and mandate males to be masculine and females to be feminine.
Stereotypes of gender roles created by a culture govern our ways of life throughout our
existence.
The cultural setting of Saudi Arabia is Arab and Islam, and is deeply religious,
conservative, traditional, and family oriented. Many attitudes and traditions are centuries-old.
Saudi Culture is both masculine and feminine society. Indeed, Saudi Arabia is strongly
affected by cultural traditions and religious Islam. The separation of the genders is obligatory
in Saudi cultures and societal norms impact on all sides of life, including educational
environment. The classes for each gender are in separate buildings. Communication between
females and males is not allowed, except for close relatives and in special situations. The
Masculinity vs. femininity dimension in that a society is called masculine when emotional
gender roles are clearly distinct: men are supposed to be assertive(hotarat), tough, and
focused on material success, while women are supposed to be more modest, tender, and
concerned with quality of life. This dimension of culture relates to gender roles in societies
and the expected behaviour of the two genders. In low masculinity (feminine) men and women
accept collaboration and exchange of information when in high masculinity collaboration
between men and women is refused.
Masculine cultures, as Saudi Arabia, has a traditional family structure, the religion is the
most important in life, only man can be priests, fewer women can work and conflicts are
solved through force. The Saudi Arabia society does not easily accept change; security is an
important part in personal motivation; ambiguity or unknown situations in future is rejected.
But as a femininity culture also, Saudi Arabian people are relationship oriented, family
oriented, and the quality of life and people are important.

Saudi Arabia males act rational, are independent, strong, brave, active, while female are
irrational, dependent of his husband, week in society (where the men runs), she need
protection, she is caring with her family.
The religion has a great influence on Arabian peoples behavior. Due to the fact that both
women and men are so dedicated to their religion, the muslim, they accept the Coran rules
concerning everything: their vestimentations (large dresses and covering their faces and hair)
, their time of praying , their fasting (Ramadan). Arab dress for men ranges from the
traditional robes to blue jeans, T-shirts and business suits. The robes allow for maximum
circulation of air around the body to help keep it cool, and the head dress provides protection
from the sun. At times, Arabs mix the traditional garb with clothes. Regarding women, in
Saudi Arabia they are required to wear only the traditional cloth named abayas. In
conclusion. Men can quite choose how to dress but women must be submissive and wear only
what the religion asks.
In the matter of work, we come across the same problem concerning the equality between
men and womens rights. The culture makes men to aspire after a successful career, money
and respect. When it comes to womens type of work, they only have to take care of their
children, home and husband, only a few of them have the courage to want and ask for more
than this: a job, a successful career (especially in city).
Both men and women are family people, they prefer to do business with, socialize with, and
communicate with family members rather than outsiders. Saudis are cognizant of their
heritage, their clan, and their extended family, as well as their nuclear family. Extended
families tend to live in family compounds in cities whenever possible and stay in contact by
cellphone when not. It is normal for elder family member to use their influence (wasta) for the
benefit of family members, particularly for employment and promotion in the large Saudi
government bureaucracy where most Saudis work.
When we talk about marriage, in Saudi Arabia its common only for men to have more
than one wife. Although a Muslim woman is forbidden to marry a non-Muslim man, the
reverse is permitted, although non-Muslim women are often strongly encouraged to convert to
Islam. Saudi Arabia allows the traditional practice of "triple talaq" divorce, where a man can
divorce his wife simply by saying I divorce you three times. For female
initiated divorce in Saudi, a wife must go to a court for the case to be heard. The divorce wife
is typically required to financially repay their husbands and offer marriage gifts, no matter
how long they were married.
Women are forbidden to drive motor vehicles and consequently limited in mobility, but they
traditionally have considerable power in house. She decided where their children would go to
school, when and whom they would marry, whether their husbands would accept new jobs,
with whom the family socialized, and where the family would live and spend vacations.

Saudi women are weak, no matter how high their status, because they have no law to
protect them from attack by anyone. Men instead are strong, superior, arrogant and have back
up from the low no matter what they do.

Further, we are going to make a short comparison between men and women
characteristics:

MEN
Dominant
Independent
Assertive
Strong
Ambitious
Strong personality
Aggressive
Defends beliefs

WOMEN
Submessive
Dependent
Obedient
Week
Passive
Shy
Tender
Loyal to men beliefs