Relationship Trends in Australia

¶ … gender influences relationships, one must first define gender. Indeed, many men and women define gender roles differently and have different viewpoints about them. However, gender itself can be a fickle thing and does not necessarily correspond with the biological gender of a person. To be sure, many men feel as if they are really women and vice versa. That aside, gender roles within relationships of all forms follow several patterns.

First, there is usually a more dominant and "alpha" in the relationship and the other person is typically more submissive and pliant (Dempsey, 2002). As stated before, these gender roles and trends may correspond neatly with historical and societal precedents but this is obviously not always the case. Some couples buck the normal trends. One example is the idea that men should cede power and control in the relationship and bestow it more to the women.

Regardless, the individual members of a couple need to figure out who will play certain roles as too much overlap can cause discord. For example, a man with a more traditional mindset probably wouldn't fit well with a feminist as their expectations and norms would not be the same. However, if a couple has an agreed set of norms that they will follow, this will tend to improve the relationship and the experiences of the people in it (Dempsey, 2002).

Something else that has to be taken into account are the definitions and parameters of what constitutes "intimacy" and "love" to people. Things like "providing" for the family might mean a lot to some but other may prefer consistence and affection. Question Two Many people indeed feel that mate-ship, at least the traditional kind, is indeed dying. One such person that asserts this is Karina Butera.

Instead of prior trends and paradigms, there now seems to be what can be called "neo-mateship." She states that this neo-mateship is alive and well and she bases this on several high-level points. First, there is a shift from unquestioned group loyalty to a mindset that is individualistic and thus treats relationships of all sorts in a more transitive way.

Second, the prior norm of people being very guarded and playing their cards close to the vest with personal information has given way to a very open and honest dialog about many to most very personal subjects. Third and finally, the general expectation of deserving and giving only practical support has given way to a more open providing of the same. However, these shifts do not cross all age lines as younger people typify the above much more than the older.

However, as generations move on, the shift to a neo-mateship will become more and more palpable until it gives way to yet another changeover (Butera, 2008). Indeed, what defines relationships and what is desired is going to shift and change over time.