Mecca Abdullah
From an early age, you get a clear definition of how a lady or gentleman should act, what characteristics they have, and what is a "natural" behavior for the two.It makes me wonder though, who defined these rules as to what is normal? Why when I see a woman who plays basketball I don't see a girly girl? Why when I see a man that is not assertive or tough I see a little bit of a bitch? I try not to conform with the supposed normal characteristics of gender. However, I was brought up being taught that a woman is very different from being a man and vice-verse. What I learned at a young age definitely followed me through my adulthood. To emphasize that point I have this video.
This video shows that kids learn as early as a toddler what are acceptable gender roles. It may be cute then, but growing up with some of those views come off as being sexist and inflexible. I believe that my generation should question what was taught to us and in the future when we start families, that we should not tell them what is normal behavior. We should let them be individuals and decide their normal behavior because the children who don't make the cut and are a little different can be ostracized subconsciously by their peers because of what we taught them.
Although, there is more tolerance for gender role conflicts, progress is slow. We need to accept what is different and welcome the "abnormal". That could be the extra push we need to finally break down the solid wall of gender roles.
From an early age, you get a clear definition of how a lady or gentleman should act, what characteristics they have, and what is a "natural" behavior for the two.It makes me wonder though, who defined these rules as to what is normal? Why when I see a woman who plays basketball I don't see a girly girl? Why when I see a man that is not assertive or tough I see a little bit of a bitch? I try not to conform with the supposed normal characteristics of gender. However, I was brought up being taught that a woman is very different from being a man and vice-verse. What I learned at a young age definitely followed me through my adulthood. To emphasize that point I have this video.
This video shows that kids learn as early as a toddler what are acceptable gender roles. It may be cute then, but growing up with some of those views come off as being sexist and inflexible. I believe that my generation should question what was taught to us and in the future when we start families, that we should not tell them what is normal behavior. We should let them be individuals and decide their normal behavior because the children who don't make the cut and are a little different can be ostracized subconsciously by their peers because of what we taught them.
Comment by: Jacqueline Butorsky
ReplyDeleteI feel that we should teach our children that it is okay for us to do gender breaking. It is okay for men to take care of children. They can be passionate about bringing up healthy children, just as much as women. It's also fine if a woman chooses to become a construction worker. And if she chooses to, it's not because she's "butch". Perhaps she finds "girly things" to be boring.
As adults, we need to teach our younger generations that it IS okay to break gender idea's, to break out of the so-called box and it's perfectly fine to be flexible with one's own gender identity. As a society, we must stop placing stereotypes; as well as having thoughts that there's only two genders out there.
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ReplyDeleteComment by: Joe Rodgers
ReplyDeleteI feel as if gender roles play a key role in the way children should be raised. Though people of this day and age choose to allow gender roles to be broken, I feel that kids should be shown what the gender roles are in order for them to make the decision themselves. For example in the video that was posted, each child was asked questions regarding who they are gender wise and what the boy or girls should wear or be viewed. Though they are shown or taught that this is the gender role the are conformed to, it doesn’t mean that they have to abide by them when
they are older.
As the child grows up they can be more open to change.. if the child decides to continue to conform to the gender roles that they know from the way they were raised then allow that child to do so. On the other hand if the child decides a young age that this gender identification is not for them, then the parents of that child should be supportive of the child and their decision to not conform to the social norm.
In conclusion the child should be presented with the gender identification of male and female as a young child, but if that child decides to not conform to the social norm then the parents or others should accept it and embrace the display of social
Independence.