Gender roles cultural differences between Colombia and Uganda

When speaking of gender role stereotypes in the different existing cultures one finds a variety of norms, values and rules both written and unwritten about what is right or wrong to do, belonging to a particular group. Some of the most controversial issues about gender roles are women's roles and acceptance of LGBT people.

Colombia and Uganda are two countries with great cultural differences, among which we can find stereotypes about gender roles. While women throughout the history of Colombia have had difficulties in freely exercising their rights mainly because of the belief that the role of women should be only in the home, today the role of women is much more active and egalitarian in relation to the role of men, in general partner relationships are based on equality and respect for the opinion of others, a situation that is not the same in Uganda, A country in which there are strong stereotypes about how men should be and how women should be, the role of women should be one of submission and acceptance towards what men impose. Women in Uganda are treated as inferior beings and with less rights over themselves than men, the physical and psychological abuse towards them is a situation that is culturally accepted, according to World Health Organización (2017) more than 50% of women have suffered sexual abuse at some time in their lives, which shows the little importance given to the welfare of these due to the stereotypes that are held.

Continuing with the differences between these two cultures in terms of gender roles and stereotypes we can talk about the rights of the way we would like to dress, in Colombia the act of choosing clothes for women is a way to show who they are, what they like, is somehow the way they show their identity but in Uganda women are not given this right. There are stereotypes in which it is culturally frowned upon for a woman to wear "indecent "clothing and accessories which in other words means dressing differently from what men and some traditionalist women have established, as this leads to them being vulgar people. 

Finally the cultures of Colombia and Uganda differ in how acceptance is given to non-heterosexual genders, while in Colombia every day advances in acceptance towards the LGBT community in Uganda being homosexual remains not only culturally frown as a sign of weakness and impurity but also illegal.

• References.

World Health Organización. (2017). Making health services safe for women: Uganda steps up support for women victims of violence.