In our world today, there is a common belief amongst people that the word “feminist” only pertains to females. Growing up, my mother brought me to the Women’s March in Washington D.C. and she always said, “My hope is to raise a daughter who becomes a feminist.” Yet, after I read Claire Cain Miller’s New York Times article, How to Raise a Feminist Son, I pondered on why my brother never joined us on a trip to D.C.? Throughout her article, Miller strives to challenge traditional gender norms and advocate for a parenting approach that fosters boys’ emotional intelligence and empathy. She acknowledges that society and parents have become more inclined to teach girls to fight stereotypes, but she also insists that we are guilty of not doing the …show more content…
Altogether, Miller employs various rhetorical strategies to effectively argue that expanding boys’ choices and encouraging qualities conventionally associated with femininity are essential to achieving true gender parity. In the article, Miller argues that when parents raise their sons to have different rapports with various females, they are more inclined to act outside gender stereotypes into adulthood. Elaborating further, Miller encourages the notion that making sure that boys hold friendships with girls and have female role models while growing up is crucial. “Research at Arizona State University found that by the end of preschool, children start segregating by sex, and this reinforces gender stereotypes. But children who are encouraged to play with friends of the opposite sex learn better problem-solving and communication.” (citation). Using such credited research findings, Miller successfully argues how such rapports have a critical impact on children that aids them in …show more content…
For instance, she presents plausible evidence such as multiple different research findings and study conclusions to aid her claims. One of her tips to readers is to let boys be themselves. She examines the correlation between gender roles, expectations and toy segregation. “In studies, infants have not been shown to have strong toy preferences.” (citation). Infants are not aware of gender, which is likely why studies have produced such results. Nonetheless, as society continues to push pink and blue not only on toys, but also on other items and in other situations, Miller protests that these societal expectations end up overriding innate interests. Then, backing up that claim, she attests that, “...longitudinal studies suggest that toy segregation has long-term effects on gender gaps in academics, spatial skills, and social skills...” (citation). By utilizing this logical reasoning and framing her discussion within the context of lasting effects, Miller underscores the relevance and influence of gender role expectations
Young children are typically raised around specific sex-types objects and activities. This includes the toys that that are given, activities that they are encouraged to participate in, and the gender-based roles that they are subjected to from a young age. Parents are more likely to introduce their daughters into the world of femininity through an abundance of pink colored clothes and objects, Barbie dolls, and domestic chores such as cooking and doing laundry (Witt par. 9). Contrarily, boys are typically exposed to the male world through action figures, sports, the color blue, and maintenance-based chores such as mowing the lawn and repairing various things around the house (Witt par. 9). As a result, young children begin to link different occupations with a certain gender thus narrowing their decisions relating to their career goals in the future. This separation of options also creates a suppresses the child from doing something that is viewed as ‘different’ from what they were exposed to. Gender socialization stemming from early childhood shapes the child and progressively shoves them into a small box of opportunities and choices relating to how they should live their
It amazes me how a few decades ago can seem like a whole different world. A course of time can impact our lives more than we know it. In the article, A Day Without Feminism by Jennifer Boumgoidnei and Amy Richntds, both of these authors created this piece to inform their audience that although women have gained more rights over time, there was still more progress to be made. These authors gave many examples of how life for women had been, the obstacles they had to overcome, and the laws women had to break for equality.
In order to fully comprehend the how gender stereotypes perpetuate children’s toys, one must understand gender socialization. According to Santrock, the term gender refers to the, “characteristics of people as males and females” (p.163). An individual is certainly not brought into the world with pre-existing knowledge of the world. However, what is certain is the belief that the individual has regarding him- or herself and life stems from socialization—the development of gender through social mechanisms. For instance, when a baby is brought into this world, his or her first encounter to gender socialization arises when the nurse places a blue or pink cap on the baby’s head. This act symbolizes the gender of the baby, whether it is a boy (blue cap) or a girl (pink cap). At the age of four, the child becomes acquai...
The socialization of children is greatly affected by the toys they are exposed to while growing up. Looking through magazines and walking down the aisles of toy stores it is clear that toy companies are supportive of cultural gender roles biases. Toys designed for girls are commonly found in pink boxes; typically these toys involve housework or taking care of children, for example, dolls and easy bake ovens. On the other hand, “boy” toys are found in blue and black boxes, and a lot of them involve construction and cars.
Toy stores are perfect places for a sociologist to use their sociological imagination. Gendering and racism is thought to be something that is socially constructed as opposed to biologically constructed. Gendering starts during infancy, and around 2 years old children start to internalize these gender differences. I argue that children’s toys help socialize children into gender specific roles. Toy stores, like Target and Toys R Us help us understand what types of toys help to gender children. I will explain how the toys in the toy aisles differ and compare. Not all toys are either male or female, some toys are gender neutral.
Francis’s study analyzes three to five-year-old preschool students as well as their parents about their views about toys and viewing materials based on gender. The study showed that parental beliefs shaped their child 's opinions of gender roles based on the toys they played with. The parent 's idea of what is female and what is male is transferred onto the toys their child plays with which in terms developed their child 's stereotype of what is male and female based on their toy selection and color. In the article “How do today 's children play and with which toys?”, by Klemenovic reference that a child 's view on gender stereotypes is developed by their parents who train them on how to use the toys. Klemenovic (2014) states "Adults start training in the first months of a child 's life because knowledge of objects is the outcome of other people 's behavior towards us" (Klemenovic, 2014, p. 184). Young children’s development of gender stereotypes is largely influenced by his or her parent’s actions and view on what they consider male or female. A parent’s color preference and toy selection can influence a child’s gender bias or association to a specific
From this research of examining how gender socialization is projection through toys to children, have led to conclusion that in order to prevent children from living by these stereotypes portrayed through toys, parents should encourage gender-neutral and cross-gender play in children at an early age. Just for the mere that their brain is so receptive to knowledge into creating to become the person they are to be in life. Give children a chance to not only have fun while playing with their toys and that there aren’t any pressures on them that this what they should be and that there a mind full options that they can choose from.
In the book Feminist Theory: From Margin to Center written by bell hooks, an African-American author, social activist and feminist first published in 1984 the author explains what she believes are the core principles of feminism. Throughout the book the author examines the early feminist theory and goes on to criticize it saying that it did not aim for a systematic change also that the movement has the potential to improve the lives of both men and women immensely. In the book the author investigates the performance of African-American women in the movement and what is needed to drive the movement towards ending oppression of all kinds.
“What? A boy playing with Barbie dolls? That’s messed up man. Only girls play with dolls. Everyone knows that!” This is an answer from Cavin, seven years old, when asked what he thought about boys playing with Barbie dolls. Listening to these words can make one realize that even from a young age, children have been strongly impacted by gender through society. According to sociologist James M. Henslin, gender is “the behaviors and attitudes that a society considers proper for its males and females; masculinity or femininity” (280). Throughout time gender has been a way of thinking about what is appropriate of different sex, a term which Henslin defines as “biological characteristics that distinguish females and males, consisting of primary and secondary sex characteristics” (280). Since many years ago society has solidly built characteristics of gender and kept encouraging traditional gender roles to new generations. Toys, a common object which many children play with in the beginning of their lives, is actually an agent of gender socialization that many people take for granted. Through observations at a local toy store, such as Toys R Us, one can recognize how toys reinforce gender roles.
Girls are supposed to play with dolls, wear pink, and grow up to become princesses. Boys are suppose to play with cars, wear blue, and become firefighters and policemen. These are just some of the common gender stereotypes that children grow up to hear. Interactions with toys are one of the entryway to different aspects of cognitive development and socialism in early childhood. As children move through development they begin to develop different gender roles and gender stereotypes that are influenced by their peers and caregivers. (Chick, Heilman-Houser, & Hunter, 2002; Freeman, 2007; Leaper, 2000)
As a child, our toys were not exactly as gender neutral as earlier times, but also were not as gender stereotypic as the toys in today’s time. The fact that everyone eventually comes into contact with buying toys whether you have kids or you have a friend or family member who have kids which makes this an important topic. Eventually, everyone has to buy a child a present. Would it bother you that all toys are either pink or blue and there is no in between? Or does sticking to what your child is already familiar with and knows the more ideal option when it comes to gender stereotyping with children’s toys? Authors James Delingpole and Eleanor Muffitt both do a good job at arguing both sides to this issue. Although both authors provide valid points throughout each article, about gender stereotyping with toys, James Delingpole clearly was more effective in persuading the audience because he used all three elements; ethos, logos, and pathos to support his idea.
The view that I take on this topic is a conservative view because I really don’t think that these players should get paid. I side with the NCAA completely about how these players are student athletes and are only amateurs. These kids are going to college for school first whether you think you’re gonna make it pro or not you still have to get the grades to get onto the field. Collegiate athletes across all divisions are getting so much more than the typical college student and I don't think that these athletes appreciate that enough. Lots of people wish they could go to Duke University for free to play basketball and then leave after one year to become a million in the NBA, but not everyone is the gifted to do that. I think the NCAA should
The research on sex role stereotyping is currently growing. There are many theories regarding its existence. Some attribute the sex roles to the media, literature and society, but it is a combination of all these factors. Despite the best of intentions by parents to not encourage the sex roles, at the time of kindergarten, children will demonstrate behaviors specific to their sex. It is believed that this phenomenon occurs because the children know that they are either a boy or a girl but are trying to figure out exactly what that means (Seid, 114).
As a child develops, their surroundings have a major influence on the rest of their lives; if boys are taught to “man up” or never to do something “like a girl”, they will become men in constant fear of not being masculine enough. Through elementary and middle school ages, boys are taught that a tough, violent, strong, in-control man is the ideal in society and they beat themselves up until they reach that ideal. They have to fit into the “man box” (Men and Masculinity) and if they do not fulfill the expectations, they could experience physical and verbal bullying from others. Not only are friends and family influencing the definition of masculine, but marketing and toys stretch the difference between a “boy’s toy” and a “girl’s toy”. Even as early as 2 years old, children learn to play and prefer their gender’s toys over the other gender’s (Putnam). When children grow up hearing gender stereotypes from everyone around them, especially those they love and trust like their parents, they begin to submit themselves and experience a loss of individuality trying to become society’s ideal. If everyone is becoming the same ideal, no one has a sense of self or uniqueness anymore and the culture suffers from
Young girls who enjoy action figures and race cars or young boys who enjoy playing with dolls and playing dress up may feel like they are wrong in liking things they believe they are not supposed to like, forcing them to feel like they must push away these “incorrect” interests. Children know from a very young age what interests they are supposed to have and what interests they believe surrounding people would want them to have. In a 2007 study performed by Nancy K. Freeman and her research team for the Early Childhood Education Journal, results showed that “when 3-year-olds separated ‘girl toys’ from ‘boy toys’ 92% of their responses reflected gender-typical stereotypes” (Freeman). Children were also able to distinguish that their parents would not approve of them playing with the opposite gender’s toys. (Freeman). This data shows the profound impact that gender stereotypes have on young children, which would greatly influence their play choices and perhaps choices made throughout their entire lives. Children should not feel such a pressure and should be able to express themselves outside of the gender roles society has assigned to them before birth. In Alice Robb’s opinion