Gender Roles in Children...

This is a video on gender roles in children. Its kind of mono-tone and out-of-date, but it gets the point across and its a little humorous too! I found it interesting that even at the age of two, children have a large grasp on certain gender roles.


I have a lot of cousins, most of which are around my age, however the younger ones tend to idolize the older cousins of their sex. My little cousin, Laura, idolizes me, not my brother. When she comes over she raids MY closet, wants to wear MY makeup, and wants to be just like ME, not my brother Joey. Its not that she doesn't like Joey, its because she been instilled with gender roles telling her she has to like what other women like, not men.





Kids are not brainwashed, nor are they sexist. They are simply repeating what they have observed. What this video reveals is that society determines what it means to be a male or female. SEX is determined by your genitalia at birth. GENDER is taught to you through parents, teachers, peers, media. They are two very different things. Not saying biology doesn't play a role in behavior, but gender is socially constructed and we do have to LEARN how to act.


I then thought about how we break up the chores around my house. My sister and I are in charge of doing the laundry, dishes, household cleaning, and even weeding. Where my brother does the garbage, mowing the lawn, weed-wacking. Why doesn't Joey do the laundry. Well to be honest I like my whites white not pink and destroyed, so I would never let him touch my clothes. But these stereotype have been around for thousands of years and aren't about to change...


Check the video out. I know it looks like an old after school special, but it really has some great points!
Also, let me know what you think. Do any of you disagree with what society instills in us during childhood?
DONT FEEL SHY TO COMMENT :)