Analysis Of Linda Diproperzio 's Article, She Quoted An Associate Professor Of Women

Gender roles have been used as a way of raising children for generations. While they have not always been the typical “pink is for girls, blue is for boys” stereotypes that we have grown accustomed to, there have always been certain roles for men and women that deem what is appropriate and what is not. Although the idea of gender roles has existed for centuries, the stereotypes themselves have evolved, leading many to believe that they are a social construct. “Up until the beginning of the 20th century, pink was actually more associated with boys, while blue was more associated with girls—illustrating how socially constructed these associations really are” (“Gender and

In “Why Boys Don’t Play With Dolls,” Pollitt writes about the differences between growing up as a boy growing up as a girl. She brings up the stereotypes that society naturally creates between genders in early ages, which leads to the lifestyle and path that boys and girls are raised in. Parents and feminist alike play a big part in establishing these sex roles. They raise their kids wanting them to be successful at what they are expected to be good at based on their gender and the trend that has been set before them.

Gender coding is not a natural or biological characteristic. People are born with different physical and biological characteristics, but make sense of their gender roles through cultural influences. “Stereotypes are amazingly powerful, and we may not realize the degree to which our thoughts, beliefs, and actions are shaped by them” (Silverman, Rader, 2010). Boys and girls are labeled as masculine or feminine, which is considered the “norm” for society. Children are not born masculine or feminine, they learn these roles from parents, peers, media, and even religion. Concepts of gender identity are sometimes placed on children even before their birth, such as with the selection of paint colors for the nursery.” Children begin to form concepts of gender beginning around the age of 2, and most children know if they are a boy or girl by age of 3” (Martin & Ruble, 2004). From an early age, children are encouraged to identify with gender coding. Gender is formed at birth, but self-identification as being male or female is imbedded into their minds by parents and society. A child learns to understand their gender role and their identity by what is taught and expressed to them by others. Yet as a child grows, gender coding can cause cultural confusion, and insecurity issues throughout the course of their life.

This article, “No Way My Boys Are Going To Be Like That,” converses that young children are becoming aware of gender processing, which means

Children learn as early as age two what it means to be a “boy” or a “girl” (Aina & Cameron). This is described as gender identity, a person’s sense of self as male or female. Gender stereotyping emerges hand in hand with the development of gender identity in Early Childhood (Halim). Gender roles are society’s expectations of the proper behavior, attitudes and activities of males and females. When babies are born they are either put in pink or blue, as they grow up they still maintain the same “gender” colors. As young children start to socialize, they are playing with either “girl” toys or “boy” toys. When they get older they

They said that children start to learn the gender ropes from an early age; they can tell what sex a fire hat, dolls, and makeup belong to. They are also able to identify their own sex as early as their second birthday, and they are able to have a mental box that labels ‘Me’ versus ‘Not Me.’ Children know what behaviours belong to their sex without any formal instruction. By the same token, another parent reported something surprising when she found her daughter, who she gave a red fire truck instead of a doll, cuddling the truck in a blanket. She rocked the truck, and said, “Don’t worry, little truckie, everything will be all right.” This is clearly not the way that a child should play with a toy truck, but this little girl was displaying the

Despite many of our beliefs, parents also influence their children on what is and what is not appropriate for their gender. Children learn a lot of day to day duties and behaviors from what they pick up from their parents. Normally parents tend to treat their children of different genders differently from the time they are born. They always expect different behaviors and reactions. For example, if a little girl falls and cries, she is immediately consoled and nurtured. At the same time if this same incident were to happen to a little boy he would be told to “suck it up crybaby” or “crying is for girls”. Instead of enforcing societies expectations on the child parents should help them aspire to become the unique person they are destined to be.

For years, both male and females have been treated differently. Parents claim, son or daughter, they treat all of their children the same. From the research I have gathered and also from personal experience, this claim deceives parents. In the sense of a parent, determined by the child’s sex, parents treat their children differently. With this treatment comes numerous situations where double standards occur.These standards can begin to take place as early a toddler. When it comes to parental gender double standards, I believe the phrase “well, she is a girl” and “boys will be boys” is too commonly used by parents. Although parents set a standard for all of their children, daughters tend to be set at a higher standard than sons. These standards

Mothers will overestimate a young boy’s ability to crawl and will underestimate the ability, even though it is the exact same ability, of a young girl. Girls are presented with mommy-to-be toys, such as baby dolls or a Lego set where she can build a house, and boys are given spaceships and other toys that relate to STEM education principles, which involve science, technology, engineering, and math concepts. The notion of the pink aisle, “experts agree[,]…does have a negative impact on girls’ interest in…STEM” resulting in math anxiety and the belief that they are inferior to boys in those subject matters (time.com). The actions adults take toward children, from choosing to pick up the child or leave them be when they cry to whether they give the child a Barbie or Captain America, genders the child. By the time a child reaches kindergarten, they know if they are a boy or a girl and they know that boys like blue and girls like pink. They also know that another child who goes against gender ‘stereotypes’ is unnatural and should be greeted with cruelty. For example, my youngest sister, Clara, has a sensory processing disorder, meaning that an abundance of sights, sounds, tastes, smells, and touches are completely overwhelming to the point of breakdowns and tantrums. For this reason, she wears mostly athletic wear; ruffles and even the tag on the back of a shirt is too ‘itchy’ and results in mass amounts of tears. The

Our nation has improved rapidly in the aspect of a mutual goal for gender equality. Ever since World War 1, women have had many more responsibilities and rights to heed to. Although this is a significant feat, America lacks to disregard the source of the very dilemma. At exceedingly young ages, new generations are being taught by their parents and peers, strict gender roles and expectations through the most seemingly innocent source: their toys. Cnn.com relate on the subject, “When children see and hear gender labeling from their parents, peers, siblings, grandparents, and even the toy aisles themselves, these messages will sway a child’s interest away from some toys and towards

When discussing inequalities, it is easy to overlook gender inequality because race inequality is prevalent and easily recognizable. Like racial inequality; gender inequality is also a real issue in America. Gender stereotypes are perpetuated throughout our lifetime beginning when we are children. Early on, children learn what is means to be a boy or girl from societal standards. Children begin to suffer from the boys versus girl’s mentality which is evident in the social behavior of children. Children’s stereotypical thinking about gender is manifested through their acceptance of gender roles. In the blog, Beyond Pink and Blue: Raising children with science instead of stereotypes, Christia Spears Brown, Ph.D. discuss issues of gender labeling and its impact on children’s developmental. Her objective is to bring awareness to parents to reduce gender segregation and stereotypes in order to raise well-rounded children.

As children are raised, they learn about their society and their place in it, which includes suitable behaviors which correspond with their gender identities. The socialization approach to gender differences among children views gender identification and behavior as being based on children’s learning that they will be rewarded for behaviors which are considered appropriate for their sex, but not for those behaviors appropriate to the other sex. (Cherlin 2009) In this essay, I will argue my partner and I’s view of the importance of a less structured approach to teaching children to “do gender”, while also explaining the way in which gender roles will be negotiated in my future family.

“It’s a girl!” or “It’s a boy!” is typically the first thing parents hear after the birth of a child. This simple statement of fact sets the groundwork for every interaction they will have with their daughter or son, and for every experience that child will have throughout her or his life. Gender identity—the private experience of being female or male—forms a core part of one’s sense of self (Welker). The nature of this private experience is enormously influenced by what we are taught it means to be a girl or a boy, and these lessons are typically fraught with instances of gender bias—what Beverly Stitt, author of Building Gender Fairness in Schools, defines as “a set of beliefs

The contemporary American society is fast paced and changing every second. Advancements in technology are growing day by day, and the exposure of groundbreaking medical discoveries are causing an uprising in the age-old battle of the sexes. Parents are now capable of choosing the sex of their child, and studies show that having a girl is more favorable. The stray away from traditional gender codes, which are socially constructed roles, behaviors, and attributes given to either gender, have caused a change in thinking amongst parents. These codes place females as being more vulnerable, emotional, and generally performing domestic work, while males are identified with dominance and authority along with being a provider. While there are advantages and disadvantages to both genders, modern society proves that the benefits of being a female outweigh those of a male. Women today are thriving in the educational system, the work force, and biologically by having desirable characteristics that are giving them the edge up above men. They are breaking the gender codes and proving themselves in society as to why being a female is the key to success.

The distorted facade of gender stereotyping begins the day the doctor says, “it’s a girl” or “it’s a boy.” Family members carry the thirty pink or blue balloons into the hospital room, and your parents dress you in some of your first outfits stating “Daddy’s Little Princess” or “Mommy’s Man,” — but the gender stigma of what it means to be a girl or boy doesn’t stop there. At age five your closet is filled with ill-proportioned barbies and easy bake cooking ovens or handsome superhero action figures and imitations of daddy’s drill set. Each Halloween, you parade around in your tiny, sexualized Wonder Woman and Tinkerbell costumes or boast off your muscles made for saving any damsel in your Super Man and Star Wars costumes. By the time you’ve entered school age you’re plagued with hiding your “sensual” shoulders and kneecaps under the school’s dress code or pressured to join sports as athleticism is far more important than academics. The gender rift continues on and adulthood just furthers the separation with it’s pink tax, men’s fitness magazines, beer commercials, and many other ridiculous gender preconceptions. And while we are not born with the stereotypical notions of male and female, how is it that we are still able to acquire these beliefs even from such a young age and think of them to be true?