Exploring Perceptions of Gender Roles in Marital Relationships: A Qualitative Study on Single Young Adults
Exploring Perceptions of Gender Roles in Marital Relationships
Keywords:
Gender roles, Marital relationships, Cultural norms, Young adults, Social mediaAbstract
This study focuses on how it progresses or change the perceptions of gender roles in marital relationship in the context of young adults in Pakistan, particularly how it bothers the traditional-modern binary. The methodological framework of this research is based on qualitative approaches, especially semi-structured interviews of university students who are in the age bracket of 18 to26. Convenience sampling was used to select participants. The study investigates how various factors—such as education, occupation, family influences, and social media—shape individuals' expectations and understandings of marital roles. The findings reveal a complex interplay where traditional gender roles, in which men are expected to be the primary earners and women the primary caregivers, are still prevalent. However, Young, educated people are increasingly coming to terms with advocating customs reform-marriage traditions towards more equalized relationships. Yet, there exist heavy restraints on actualizing gender equality in marriage, such as deep-rooted social and cultural norms that are within the household and the community. These findings mark the rise in importance of educational qualification as well as career aspiration in tandem with the evolving influence of social media in interrogating and redefining such roles. It carries pivotal consequences for policy designing, educational programs, as well as counseling practices with missions such as strengthening equality in marriage in Pakistani society.
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