IELTS Writing Task 2
Woman and men are commonly seen as having different strength and weaknesses. Is it right to exclude males or females from certain professions because of their gender?
Give reason for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Write at least 250 words.
Model Essay 1 :
Women and men are commonly seen as having different strengths and weaknesses. Is it right to exclude males or females from certain professions because of their gender?
Males and females are often viewed as having differing skill sets. It is agreed that it is correct to exclude people from certain jobs on the basis of their gender, but only in very limited circumstances. This essay will first discuss how physical attributes prevent women from excelling in particular roles; secondly discuss how society at large rejects men from undertaking certain careers, followed by a reasoned conclusion.
For many years the general consensus in the armed forces is that women should not be allowed to participate in combat missions. This is because most women lack the brute strength required for this particular occupation and it is therefore right to prevent them from joining the ranks. For example, the American Army recently allowed some women to fight on the front line and the Department of Defence deemed the experiment a failure, due to lack of fighting effectiveness. Despite this, many women have fought in many wars, famously on the Eastern Front for Russia and the Viet Cong in Vietnam, so maybe it is men’s’ attitudes that prevent them performing rather than their stature.
Society has yet to accept men in many traditionally female positions, such as nanny or beautician. Businesses feel that it is fine to not hire men for these posts because most of their customers would not be willing to have a man perform that service. I personally know of one example when a friend failed at the interview stage when applying to become kindergarten teacher because he was the wrong sex.
To summarise, in limited circumstances it is just to prohibit people from certain occupations, but only if they cannot physically perform or if the general consensus is that it is a single sex post.
(288 words)
Model Essay 2 :
It is evident that the gender gap is closing in the vast majority of occupations in today’s society. However, some remain with the opinion that females and males are born to have differences in terms of their vocational preferences. Despite this, I would argue in this essay that it is wrong to exclude a certain gender from a certain occupation.
It is undoubtable that a certain gender could be more appreciated in some professions. It is mainly determined by the biological differences between males and females. For example, females are perceived to be more caring and nurturing by nature, so that they could be more suitable working in nurseries and hospitals; whereas, males are more likely to be employed in mining and construction industries because they are physically stronger. In those cases, the gender gap may remain in the short future.
However, for the vast majority of professions, making occupations more open to both genders has significant advantages. Different genders could bring different perspectives into work, which could generate more possibilities for a company’s development. For example, a male nurse could offer his unique experience to a female dominated team in order to promote a more holistic care to patients in both genders. Moreover, there is evidence that a mixed gender working environment is often proven to be more efficient. Therefore, companies could benefit from the different perspectives and efficiency that mixed gender teams bring.
To conclude, although some occupations remain to be female- or male-dominant, there are more advantages to allow both genders having the freedom of their vocational choices. Companies that facilitate this equality could benefit from the increased possibilities and efficiency.
[ Written by – Huan Ruan ]
(274 words)
