Gender inequality has been a major issue for many centuries now. Societies insist on assigning males and females different roles in life. Traditional stereotypes and norms about how a male and female should present themselves to the world have not changed much over time. But individuals are more than just their gender and should have the right to act and be treated as they wish. The novel Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston illustrates discrimination against women and the issues that arise from a society with double gender standards. Unfortunately, gender discrimination begins at birth and becomes more evident with time. Men are expected to be independent, competitive, dominant, confident and even aggressive. With Tea Cake, Janie was more free to play both gender roles. She had money from Joe so she didn't need him financially but she needed him emotionally. She was finally in love. He made her feel precious, gave her love and security. He treats her like himself, which her other husbands have not done. The first thing he does is teach her to play checkers because he believes in her intelligence and this makes her feel valuable. “He fixed her [the lady] up and started showing her and she found herself glowing inside. Someone wanted him to play. Someone thought it was natural for her to play. It was nice too. (Hurston 95-96¬) Tea Cake shows his pride and strong masculinity in providing financially for his women when he tells Janie to “put that two hundred back with the change, Janie. Oh dice. Ah, I don't need assistance to help me feed this woman. From now on you will eat whatever money can buy and wear the same. When Ah you got nothing, you got nothing” (Hurston 128). Tea Cakes breaks gender boundaries when he asks Janie to work in the field with him and he would “help make dinner after” (Hurston 133). This marriage is different because they become a team rather than doing the work according to their gender roles. Although Tea Cake seems like the perfect husband for Janie, he has taken from Joe the violent trait of proving himself to be Janie's owner: when Mrs. Turner's brother arrived and she brought him to him to be introduced, Tea Cake had a flash of genius. Before the week was out he had whipped Janie. Not because her behavior justified his jealousy, but it eased that terrible fear inside him. Being able to whip her reassured him in possession. No brutal beatings. He simply gave her a few slaps to show that he was the boss (Hurston