Gender Roles
Kim Vallade
Gender Roles in our Society
As I spend some time observing the aisles of the local department store I notice how society has targeted not only people in general in the roles of gender norms but also they have made it very aware in our stores where we purchase toys, clothing and other items for the entertainment of our children. Toys as well as fashion play a big part in socialization and influence among children of all ages, from the young all the way up to young adults.
“Socialization has considered both importance of developmental processes and the influence of social learning” (DeLamater, Myers, and Collett 2015: 69) and while parents play an important role in the process of learning the gender role and expectations of their children, it is obvious that it is what most hope for as far as the gender roles and what is considered the norm. Children will assume the gender role by watching the ones around them, and in most homes this might be a mother and father.
According to Dr. Edgardo J. Menvielle in the NY Times “Even when a child has extremely gender variant behavior at the age of 4, doesn’t necessarily mean the child will be gender variant at the ages of 10 or 15” (http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/12/fashion/new-challenge-for-parents-childrens-gender-roles.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0) which may at times challenge parents still at this time, some are coming around and beginning to support a child’s wish to dress or play as a “gender-bender” even though it may put them at risk of being laughed at or criticized. “Gender Benders are kids who don’t necessarily stick to society’s generally accepted ideas about what it means to behave like a boy or behave like a girl,” (http://www.todaysparent.com/blogs/on-our-minds/traditional-gender-roles-boys-will-be-boys/) meaning let them create their own social unique culture to play in.
Toys play a huge part in cognitive and social development as most play activities for boys involve things that “encourage
Gender Roles in our Society
As I spend some time observing the aisles of the local department store I notice how society has targeted not only people in general in the roles of gender norms but also they have made it very aware in our stores where we purchase toys, clothing and other items for the entertainment of our children. Toys as well as fashion play a big part in socialization and influence among children of all ages, from the young all the way up to young adults.
“Socialization has considered both importance of developmental processes and the influence of social learning” (DeLamater, Myers, and Collett 2015: 69) and while parents play an important role in the process of learning the gender role and expectations of their children, it is obvious that it is what most hope for as far as the gender roles and what is considered the norm. Children will assume the gender role by watching the ones around them, and in most homes this might be a mother and father.
According to Dr. Edgardo J. Menvielle in the NY Times “Even when a child has extremely gender variant behavior at the age of 4, doesn’t necessarily mean the child will be gender variant at the ages of 10 or 15” (http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/12/fashion/new-challenge-for-parents-childrens-gender-roles.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0) which may at times challenge parents still at this time, some are coming around and beginning to support a child’s wish to dress or play as a “gender-bender” even though it may put them at risk of being laughed at or criticized. “Gender Benders are kids who don’t necessarily stick to society’s generally accepted ideas about what it means to behave like a boy or behave like a girl,” (http://www.todaysparent.com/blogs/on-our-minds/traditional-gender-roles-boys-will-be-boys/) meaning let them create their own social unique culture to play in.
Toys play a huge part in cognitive and social development as most play activities for boys involve things that “encourage