These gender norms started because someone from birth put you into a category, then from that point on you are automatically expected to act a certain way, look a certain way think a certain way, all ways that match that pink or blue cap put on your head after birth. Boys and girls start out so similar. They all cry the same and we even sound alike, up until boys get that bass in their voice. Then when a boy doesn't get that deep voice people may think he is "girly" or "gay", even thought neither may be true. There are so many things in todays society that are adding to the gender roles the media is such a huge contributor all the time.
In the reading it also mentions how girls and boys are treated differently too. As children girls aren't supposed to be playing in the mud and getting dirty while the boys are supposed to be out getting rough and being a boy. That also adds to the gender roles today. Girls aren't supposed to like to get rough and do "boy stuff" and when a girl does she gets negative feedback from it. Like its wrong that she does anything other than be girly. Then when boys come off too girly and go get their nails done or something they get called names, or if a boy doesn't want to get out and do "boy stuff".
People are just used to these gender norms ever since whoever said that girls are like this and boys are like that. Whoever did that changed everything and now its going to be hard to reach that gender equality.
I don't know if I necessarily agree with what you're saying, or if I just don't understand what it is you're trying to say. I feel like whoever did the whole gender norm thing didn't do it maliciously. Parents don't dress their daughters in dresses or sons in slacks and a dress shirt because they're evil people and they want to take away the child's ability to be themselves, they do it because they just do. I think also that if I was a kid again, and I walked into kindergarten seeing all these girls with ribbons in their hair and pigtails and dressy looking overalls and I was wearing basketball shorts and a t-shirt, I'd be extremely confused. As little kids, we don't know who we really are yet, or what we identify as gender wise. That comes later in life when we can dress ourselves, be who we are, etc. Gender norms suck, yeah, but it's the way it is.
ReplyDeleteI agree these gender roles exist however I disagree that they are inherently problematic. Children of both sexes are malleable from birth and are equal in potential. Children are exposed to many things and their parents are usually the most involved in a child's upbringing. The authors referenced a study supporting this belief near the bottom of page 740. They also state "Children's eventual behavior, is the product of adults' differential responses to ways of acting that are in many cases very similar indeed."(740) When a girl is treated in a more sensitive manner as a baby it may have a lasting negative affect; however if a girl is treated like a tough person during childhood the girl may gain a strength that society withheld from other girls. In this sense gender norms are harmful by weakening a child’s emotional foundation merely because of genitalia. In the same sense society as a whole can strengthen children using gender roles. I believe that if a child were to be given the right to deny the things most indisputable, that child may lose some emotional stability. This is because I believe it would cause a lot of confusion. I believe that men and women were created with a purpose and people should be less excited to throw away our natural identity.
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree with you, we as a society put it all on ourselves to categorize and pre-judge. We as a human race have the capacity to think logically and allow our children to develop and grown into whom ever they choose to be but our emotional judgment influenced by parents, friends, social media etc. clouds our judgment. We put it forth on ourselves to be the moral judges of what our children should and shouldn't do along white who we think they should be. Cutting them off from things that may be inappropriate for them such as "as male baby wanting to play with pink toys or stuffed animals that are typically consider feminine" actions like these would be up to the parent and society has taken the initiative to influence parents to exclude and correct such behaviors that are deemed as "inappropriate for a young boy". Society as not only marked what is "male" or "female" but also infused a social norm that had allowed for the pressure of what a "man" or what a "woman" really is thus making it that much harder to break away from the social norm of having "boys wear blue" and "girls wearing pink" and all those who act differently are treated differently and considered to be the opposite "gay" or "lesbian". Why does society, social media or parents feel like they have the right to justify what is correct for one to wear what not to wear and what is "fit" for a "young for or q young girl"? Time along with a simple though has allowed this mentality to flourish into something more than just a mere opinion but a norm.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with your claims. From the start, even before birth, one's parents already have an idea in mind of what gender they hope their child is. Why? Simply because they, due to our society, already know what to "expect" from the child based on it's gender. A girl will be whiny, spoiled, yet well behaved for the most part. The boy will most definitely be a trouble maker, yet won't cry if things don't go his way. So yes, I agree with you that, based on gender, we are automatically have expectations set on us without meeting the child. As the article mentions,even as we grow to be 5-7 years old, certain actions of ours are quickly corrected if it is out of line of what a girl or boy is "supposed" to be. Like you said, girls better not get dirty! Guys better not cry if they get hurt! Why? Again, because that's just not how one is to act. While this exist in our society today, there are those few individuals that step away from these expectations. Some girls are comfortable with playing a "boyish" sport. Some guys are interested in dressing with extra care. While this is a start, the categorization is limiting individuals from expressing and discovering their identity on their own terms.
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