Gender Expectations

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Before we are born and actually take that first breath of air into the world, Society and our family prepares us to play our role as a male child or female child, leading into adult hood. When the parents are told by the doctors whether or not it is a boy or girl; we as a society plan for our showers, to coordinate with the sex of the baby. If it is a female child, the decorations for the shower are mainly pink, and if the sex of the child is a male child, the decorations are of course mainly blue. Female children are given dolls, tea sets, and pretend kitchens. Little girls are trained to nurture, take care, and be beautiful. Little boys usually receive sports equipment, toy cars, and Incredible Hulks. They are trained to be strong, and powerful.

When we start off as children unconsciously knowing what type of colors, toys, and stories we should be interested in, we are working hand in hand with society preparing ourselves for the roles we are made to believe are right for us as we enter into adulthood. By age five children can understand their modern gender roles they are expected to embrace throughout the rest of their life. Typical parents are not going to go out and purchase their five year old daughter a brand new football, Saints jersey, and helmet. We are talking about the same five year old child, who has just as much love for the sport (if not more) than the five year old little boy. Parents often get their children what makes them happy, but society portrays that five year old girl to be playing with baby dolls, or cooking up a meal in her pretend kitchen, asking her daddy to sit down and have some make believe tea with her. Why should society be the one to make that call, and determine what role a female ...

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...ur society is that we must perform these roles we are assigned and trained to play in order to fit in comfortably with the rest of the human race. A stereotype confirms that if you are a woman or a man, you should act as such, and perform these specific roles, and do them well. These beliefs take away from our originality and self esteem by allowing us to deny our interests and skills. It also discourages men from participating in “women’s work” (such as cooking and cleaning) and restricts women from choosing roles that are traditionally “male” (such as basketball and football). Women are expected to participate in sports such as tennis, volleyball, and of course ice skating; which allows the public to view this woman as being beautiful, graceful, and non aggressive. Their uniform for this sport does not come with knee guards, or shoulder pads to protect themsel

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