Gender relations have long been a subject of conflict, Maureen Kilgour (108) suggests that both the concepts of women and gender were socially constructed and since their construction, women as a group have been treated differently than men. This “gendering” of the world has resulted in, “the basis for relations of inequality between men and women” (Peterson & Runyan, 2010, p. 9). Furthermore, the inherent social differentiation between men and women has led to different situations and life chances for those of opposite gender. For example, the glass ceiling acts as a barrier, limiting minorities and women from advancing in their careers, an issue that is crucial to address with gender lenses (Peterson & Runyan, 1999). When women are placed on the covers of magazines and newspapers as the “women on top” in the business world, it creates this illusion that gender equality is being promoted in the workplace. Examining a topic using a gender lens allows for a more thorough understanding of a …show more content…
The addition of modernity as an onset of globalization has allowed West Bengal women to expand their opportunities and begin to disrupt the patriarchal norms which have bonded them for years. Since the 1970s the heavy promotion of women into the workforce by state officials has been accompanied by an ideology of female empowerment (Scrase 547). The concept of female empowerment is now an immense part of the standard governments vocabulary as women continue to enter into the public sphere. This concept of female empowerment has offered women the opportunity to expand their education while slowly eroding the passive roles they previously occupied. Women in West Bengal, view modernity in terms of consumerism and thus a woman being able to claim ownership over a piece of property signifies a monumental growth towards gender