Gender is a very broad topic that is constantly
changing over time. Different cultures, societies and individuals have their
own ways of interpreting what exactly is meant by gender.
As individuals we are often blinded by the gender
roles that have been socially constructed around us. Society surprisingly has a
big impact on our identity. Gender roles have become so accustomed in our
day-to-day lives that we usually don’t even realize we are performing the
gender biologically assigned to us.
Unfortunately our ability to identify individuals
as either male or female has become a necessity in order to engage and interact
with one another. Often if an individual does not accurately fit into or
perform the roles of male or female, we do not interact or disengage. In order
to fit into society, individuals must learn how to send out the right gender
role signals and interpret others. From birth we learn to take on and perform
different characteristics that we think are applicable to our understanding of
ourselves in gender terms. This is often depicted through society’s depiction
of what it means to be male or female. Woman are also perceived/expected to be
emotional, nurturing and caregivers; whereas men are aggressive, hunters and
strong. These assumptions and expectations often come into play when it comes
to children and the toys they play with.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srnaXW9ZgZc
Marketing has become the most well known social
construction of gender roles. Through Media and marketing, we are often told
what toys are appropriate for girls to play with and what are appropriate for
boys to play with. Does that really matter? I don’t think so.
In most stores, “girls toys” and “boy toys” are
separate into different aisles and different departments within a store. Girl
aisles are typically pink with dolls, Barbie’s and princesses. Boy aisle on the
other hand are blue with superheroes, cars and building tools. By separating
toys based on gender it illuminates the child’s sense of choice as well as
hinders their confidence to play with toys outside of their expected gender
role. Often in most cases children conform and pick the toys associated with
their gender in fear of being criticized within their society. However this
does not necessarily mean that, that is their ideal toy of choice.
This is often a similar case when it comes to clothing. In the majority of stores there is also separation amongst female and male. There is also commonly no in-between. Clothing is also based upon the ideal perception of what is appropriate for male and female. Often associated with clothing is colour and a variety of themes. Girls clothing are usually pink or purple and boys clothing is blue or green. Also when it comes to shopping for a baby shower, if the expected gender of the infant has not been revealed, it is often very challenge to find gender neutral (yellow or green clothes). The majority of the clothing is also set as blue for boys and pink for girls. There is no need for such a divide.
This is often a similar case when it comes to clothing. In the majority of stores there is also separation amongst female and male. There is also commonly no in-between. Clothing is also based upon the ideal perception of what is appropriate for male and female. Often associated with clothing is colour and a variety of themes. Girls clothing are usually pink or purple and boys clothing is blue or green. Also when it comes to shopping for a baby shower, if the expected gender of the infant has not been revealed, it is often very challenge to find gender neutral (yellow or green clothes). The majority of the clothing is also set as blue for boys and pink for girls. There is no need for such a divide.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxGVpa40qZM
Parents often encourage their children to "be themselves", but are they really unconsciously encouraging them to be what society expects. By separating children into categories and by implementing such emphasis we create confusion and conflict if children are experiencing feelings outside of the anticipated norm. Is this really beneficial? Everyone has the right to display to the world what they want to be and do not need society telling them who they should or shouldn't be!
Hi Kate!
ReplyDeleteI loved reading your blog as it really opened my eyes to how implemented these gender roles are on children from before they are even born. Its true, that before the baby is even born, we already consider an appropriate name, appropriate themes (colors), and build from there. The expectations of the girls having pink and boys having blue, with girls considered more emotional and boys adventurous, are certainly highlighted and supported in the two video links you provided. I love how the two videos are of girls in stores that resist against the stereotypical idea of girly, and what they should or shouldn't play with or wear. I find often that a little boy in my placement often compliments my nail polish and earrings when I go weekly, which other boys think are funny. I always thank him because its not often that boys do appreciate how we perform our gender or are given the opportunity/allowed to explore their interest in performing the opposite gender without being considered deviating away from the norm. A lot of how we perform our gender has much to do with society's expectations and I think it is important that we consider Butler's idea of defamiliarizing gender with children being able to explore the roles that they want. I agree with your final idea that we are probably implementing more confusion than anything for children nowadays when separating them into such binary categories. For the child's development I believe it is crucial to allow the child to explore their interests and what appeals to them in order to create their identity, and how they come to understand themselves.
Hey Rachel,
DeleteThanks for the positive feedback on my blog. I find it really sad how society has had such an impact on how we perform our gender identity. We don't always realize it but the social pressures are definitely there. I just wish individuals were able to be who they want to be and not have to worry about others judging them because they're not "normal". What is "normal" anyways?
I found this blog to be very interesting and I loved that you included the videos of the young girls, it gave the blog a very funny and cute component!
ReplyDeleteI agree with everything that you mentioned in terms of why dividing up children’s items to “boy” and “girl” is not as beneficial as people make it out to be. And in my opinion I don’t think it matters, if children want to play with toys that don’t necessarily coincide with their gender who are we to say they can’t? I also really like that you pointed out parents are always encouraging children to be themselves but are subconsciously pushing them to follow the gender codes society has created. I have seen this on a number of occasions growing up and it always made me laugh, but also got me thinking, some parents would rather their child be considered “normal” by their peers and society than be who they really are and actually happy. Which is just ridiculous!
This is where I feel society goes downhill! We are criticizing children for something they don’t see a problem with, they don’t understand that it’s not “normal” to be doing what they’re doing, all they know is they are being punished or ridiculed for being who they are. Which in my opinion is awful!
I personally feel that stores should take away the gendered toys and other items, but I know it’ll never happen because what society deems as normal will forever be more important than the children and what they have to go through.
Hi Katelyn,
DeleteI agree with your point about society going downhill completely. Society needs to stop putting pressure on individuals being a certain way and instead needs to focus on other issues. We need to embrace our differences and who we are instead of hiding out of fear of rejection. No one should have to fear being who they are. You should decide who YOU are not everyone else around you.
Great post! I really enjoyed reading your message and the video of the young girl Riley ranting about her feelings towards the gender roles that are structured in clothing and toy stores. It made me think of how I felt as a young female during my 'tomboy' stage who preferred toys and clothes that were often found in the boys section. I felt awkward going into these sections and shopping knowing that they were designated boys sections however it was simply what I preferred at the time.
ReplyDeleteWhile reading your post I began to think about the social learning theory and how it connects with this topic. Social learning theory holds the idea that people learn from one another through observation, imitation and modelling. It considers that behaviour is learned from the environment through the process of observational learning. I believe that the environment has socially constructed gender roles that ultimately have a huge impact on how children perceive gender as well as their ability to form a healthy and stable gender identity. You mention how individuals are often blinded by the gender roles that have been socially constructed around us. I feel children are even more unaware and susceptible to the effects therefore I think it is crucial for parents to take on the responsibility of informing their children because they are much more knowledgable.
Both of your videos relate to young children however I feel the effects of gender roles ultimately effect every individual throughout their entire life. It all begins in infant clothing stores where female newborn items are frequently pink and male newborn items blue. This obvious gender segregation is not as evident in clothing stores for adolescents however it is still present and effects adolescents in similar ways. By segregating clothes and toys based on gender, society takes away the child's free will and confidence to choose something outside of the norm.
Overall this post enlightened me to think about how as children grow up, they are continuously effected by the gender roles constructed by industries such as clothing and toys.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed and related to your blog as I focused my assignment on gender as well. I think it is super important to look at gender as a social construct as you did considering in an ever changing world socially, the criteria and expectations of what it takes to fit into gender categories is not universal nor consistent.
I agree with your point that parents oftentimes subliminally encourage gendered behavior, just as marketing does in stores and hidden curriculum does in schools. As you mentioned parents often encourage children to “be themselves”, but what they don’t realize is they’re encouraging their children to be their “boy” self or their “girl” self; I cannot even begin to fathom how many television shows and movies have an episode or scene in which a little boy is scolded for playing dress up with mom’s clothes or coerced to give up his Barbie for a G.I Joe while girls can’t play sports with their male peers or go makeup-less and braless. I think this is because gender has become synonymous with sexual orientation and in a hegemonic heterosexual work, anything that deviates from the norm is considered harmful to society. The more categories we divide ourselves into, the more opportunity we create for social issues and discrimination.
Overall great insight on gender, really enjoyed your take on gender roles.