The Birth Of A New Era

Gender roles are categories that characterize what it means to be feminine and masculine in society, on how people think about gender as they relate to one another (Adams et al., 2013). For example, women are expected to be accommodating and emotional, while men are usually expected to be self-confident and aggressive, this shows how men and women are to behave in society. However, these sayings were taught to individuals based on norms, or standards created by a society which is called Gender Socialization (p. 318). Growing up as a child, we were taught as girls to play with dollhouses, pretend kitchen sets, cleaning supplies and play dress up. Whereas boys are taught to play with cars, sports equipment’s, action figures, and weapons. However, if a boy was playing with dollhouses, or playing dress up, he would be considered gay, or not masculine and looked down upon by society, and families. The same goes for girls who play with boy toys, or dresses as a tomboy, this is what we are taught to play with at a young age. Our families tell us how to behave, our schools tell us what

The feminist movement has been trying to change the idea of traditional sex roles and stereotypes in society for decades, but maybe the issue relies on society instead of biological differences. While these biological differences and research show that there are small differences in cognitive brain activity between the sexes, they also propose a theory that this “is the way it’s supposed to be” (Pollitt 2549). Although these differences exist it does not mean that sexes should have permanently assigned roles in society. Katha Pollitt, a feminist author and high profile activist wrote the essay “Why Don’t Boys Play With Dolls,” published in 1995 in The New York Times Magazine. In the essay, she argues that “biological determinism may reassure some adults about their present, but it is feminism, the ideology of flexible and converging sex roles, that fits our children’s future” (2549). Pollitt raises important ethical problems in her essay, gender roles and stereotyping. Throughout her essay she provides several claims to her argument and builds credibility with her audience by using rhetorical strategies. However, the argument also exhibits some minor flaws, which could in return limit its persuasiveness. This analysis will identify Pollitt’s three main claims and the evidence she uses to support them. I argue that overall Pollitt provides an effective argument by building her credibility and expanding her audience with the use of rhetorical strategies, such as ethos, pathos,

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.

Throughout the history of society, women and men both have faced the constricting roles forced upon them, from a young age; each gender is given specific social and cultural roles to play out throughout their lives. Little girls are given dolls and kitchen toys, little boys are given dinosaurs and power tool toys, if one was to step out of this specified role, social conflict would ensue. Contrast to popular belief, sex is a biological construct, and gender is a social construct specifying the roles men and women are to follow to be accepted into society as “normal”. The effects of gender roles have had on women have proved harmful over the decades. Although the woman’s involvement in society has improved throughout the decades,

World Wars, mass reform, limiting basic human rights, economic collapse, social migration, and more had shaped the United States throughout all of history. The most important of these changes, however, occurred during America’s progressive era. The Progressive era is defined as the time period of 1890 to 1920. Even though, progressive presidents were not in office during that entire time period, the ideals that they enacted and developed throughout the United States. The Progressive Era saw the expansion and contraction of political and economic freedoms through pure democracy. Socially, the new consumer society that had been adopted, coupled with the increase of immigration created a new societal trend in America. Economically, the changes in business like the removal of monopolies, as well as the rise of Fordism, created a competitive market that still holds today. Legislatively, President Roosevelt oversaw the creation of progressive democracy, the battle for women’s suffrage, and the creation of the American Federation of Labor and Industrial Workers of the World. The changes made during the Progressive Era presidencies made the United States of America a progressive country and changed the social, economic, and legislative landscape of the country. All of these ideals have changed the landscape of American history because of their unbiased ideals, which built a society in which the people could thrive and build a stronger America. The changes made during the Progressive

In the period of time following the Reconstruction Era the Progressive era came about, presented with abundant opportunity but also hindered by significant economic, political, and social issues. America was pining for a leader who could provide solutions to all of these issues, caused by rapid industrialization. In 1901, Theodore Roosevelt emerged as a leader for the progressivism movement, which focused on reforming the major issues that society faced at that time such as fear of immigrants and corporate greed. Roosevelt was recognized as a friend to the common people as well as a trustbuster, and this furthered his reputation as being the savior of the issues of the late 1800’s and early 1900’s because he pushed to reform as many obstacles presented to him as he could. Even though he gained his presidential spot due to the assassination of President McKinley he still proved to be the most effective president in dealing with the issues of the late 1800s and the early 1900s.

Gender is a concept constructed entirely by society. We base gender off of what we perceive and what others perceive of us. Until fairly recently, it has been categorized as one of two things: male or female. When we watched the documentary in class, we saw evidence of society 's socialization of young children. Commercials for Nerf Guns, action figures, and cars and trucks were all depicted with young boys as their users. Never did we see a girl playing with GI Joes or with Hot Wheels, only boys played with those. Meanwhile, dolls, baking sets, and make up kits were only advertised to girls, and no boys were shown playing with Barbies or Bratz. Society begins to shape gender notions from a very early age, where people are shown that they are one or the other, either male or female.

Sociologist Dalton Conley wrote his book, You May Ask Yourself, addressing how “gender is a social construction” that is so normal for society to think how a man or woman should act towards the public. Society often categorizes roles that females and males are suppose to play in, but not only are they categorized they are also being taught what their gender role is suppose to do. The beginning of gender socialization can start with a child who is not born yet by simply having the parents purchase items that are all pink if its expected to be a girl, but if its expected to be a boy then everything they purchase will be blue. Conley states that gender roles are “sets of behavioral norms assumed to accompany ones’ status as male or female” (Conley [2008] 2013:134). So even when a child is growing into their infant years, toys are made specifically for their gender. By examining how social construction places gender in categories it becomes apparent that males and females get differentiated a lot which emphasizes inequality between them.

This is called gender socialization, which exaggerates sexual differences physically, experimentally, academically, and psychologically. Most parents are unaware that they play such a large role in creating a male or female child. But they are the first and one of the largest influences on their child. When parents have a female child she is viewed as sweet and gentle. The parents will even hold their daughter closer than they would a son. As they grow older boys are encouraged to explore while girls are kept closer to their parents. They are taught different approaches to many different problems in life. They may not realize it but through their interactions with their children they are encouraging their children to grow into a certain type of person based on their gender. The toys they are introduced to are even gender-based. Toys for males encourage them to develop such abilities of spatial perception, creativity, competition, aggression, and constructiveness. Toys for girls encouraged creativity, nurturance, and attractiveness. Children’s rooms and clothing are specific color: girls are pink and boys are blue. Girls often wear dresses and skirts that limit their physical activity. These types of influences at such an early age lay a foundation for the child’s personality. By the time they reach school age they already have a sense of being male or female. In school peers and teachers enforce these differences even further. (Lips, 1979,

The Progressive Era The decades somewhere around 1890 and 1920 was a time of essential change action that history specialists have called, The Progressive Era. In this period a large number of Americans sorted out in intentional relationship to think of answers for the numerous issues. Industrialization, with all its expansion in efficiency and the quantity of purchaser merchandise, made unemployment and work distress, inefficient utilization of normal assets and misuse of corporate power. Developing urban communities added to the issues of neediness, infection, wrongdoing and defilement. The developing number of migrants and the ascent of the high society, created a miracle to the ordinary class levels. Numerous individuals were persuaded that equivalent open door was out of reach for generally Americans. Who were the progressives? They were a gathering of youthful expert, white collar class individuals. They needed to apply standards of solution, law, business and instructing to issues of society. They trusted that advance and the training of individuals would beat numerous issues. They composed numerous volunteer associations to chip away at these issues. Illinois Factory Act. Gone in 1893 the demonstration restricted kid work and constrained ladies ' working hours. This demonstration soon turned into a model for different states. Amid this time numerous kids went to work all day out of need. Compensation in processing plants were low, they worked extend periods of time

In 1929 one of the biggest crises in American history occurred, known as the Great Depression. In his book Daily Life in the United States, 1920-1940: How Americans lived through the ‘roaring twenties’ and the Great Depression, David E. Kyvig writes not only about the Great Depression, but of times leading and following the worst years of it. From prohibition, to women’s right, the uprising of automobiles and technology, the crash of the depression, a new deal, and how American recovered, Kyvig takes his reader through the works. Let’s take a deeper look into the lives of Americans during the 1920-1940’s.

I love a lot of the points that you brought up, specifically the examples about color coded stereotypes ( blue vs pink), as well as certain toys that are more "appropriate" for girls and boys. I wrote a similar topic, and due agree with you how these gender-role standards are limiting the potentials of BOTH genders. Females are still often associated with being the home-maker while men are working today.

In our society, there are norms of what is considered to be feminine and what is to be considered masculine, but how are these norms constructed? Through the use of toys, books, and clothing, children are socialized into their “appropriate” gender. These objects provide influence over behavior and appearance, showing boys and girls what is appropriate for each gender. After some investigation it was found that the toys, books, and clothing that children use not only foster the norms of gender behavior and appearance, but also construct gender roles in their young minds.

     Femininity and masculinity are topics that have been debated over in our society extensively, through psychological research and day to day interaction with people. Children learn from their parents as well as society the concept of “feminine” and “masculine.” The majority of people tend to believe that these conceptions are biological but I believe it is more cultural. From birth, female children are shaped by society as being sweet, caring, loving, and delicate and usually associated with the color pink. While male children are shaped by being tough, aggressive, and competitive and associated with the color blue. As these children grow, the boy is given a football to play with and the girl a

A prominent example that qualifies the idea that gender roles are not biological but rather learned by external forces is an article written by Katha Pollitt. In “Why Boys Don’t Play with Dolls,” Pollitt’s main argument is that gender roles that gender roles are acquired by learning. In the text, she states the unimportance