Is it for a boy or is it for a girl???? At a very young age, we develop gender stereotypes from advertisements. Have you ever watched Nickelodeon, Teletoon or YTV? If you have, then you have seen the commercials that give children gender stereotypical thoughts. For examples: Girls-Barbie and ken, Boys- Hot wheels, Girls-Little mommy, Boys-water guns. Most children know what is for girls and what is for boys because in the advertisements they see everyday in their everyday life represents boys with blue cars, monster trucks and Girls are represented with Barbie, pink clothes, and little mommy dolls. Gender stereotypes are presented to kids at a very young age and we grow up with what was presented to us.
You will see that children at a very young age are already stereotypical but we never turn out like Barbie and ken, or soldiers with guns. Although, these advertisements influence the kids a lot, in a stereotypical view but that's not always the case. Some girls choose to play with monster trucks but the dominant discourse of stereotypes in the advertisement is that girls play with pink and girly stuff and boys play with scary dangerous things.
To begin with, I really don’t know what I am to answer. I will just comment on what I think about this topic.
ReplyDeleteI think that it is very stereotypical about girls always being exposed to Barbie’s while boys are shown and trucks. It’s a way of showing who is a girl and who is a boy. If girls play with monster trucks, they will be seen as ‘tom boys’. If boys play with Barbie’s, they will be seen as ‘gay’ (just stating what the society comments upon such actions). According to me, the reason why media portrays these colours and objects are because they want to make it clear to the audience that one specific item is only related to one gender. This is the way almost everyone grows up, playing with Barbie’s or cars. I think it’s a learning process to the children to learn what object is for what gender. There is nothing wrong if these objects are switched with gender. In fact, when I was small, I played with Hot Wheel’s cars. I think it’s the coolest things ever invented. That did not make me more masculine!
It shouldn’t really matter who plays with what, as long as they are happy with that object. This is just learning and a growing up process for both the gender to differentiate between what’s girly and what’s for boys!
I actually find this so amusing. I grew up in Afghanistan with both of my parents and 5 other siblings. I had short hair just like boys until the age of 7 or 8. At home, each one of us were assigned a chore to do. Even my brothers! They had to clean and help cook as well. Both of my parents worked. However, things changed when we went to my paternal aunt's house, who lived in rural areas of the country and were not very educated. They taught my brothers that MEN DON'T CLEAN!Ever since then, my brothers have never touched anything. Except a few days ago, I began to scold them and asked them to do their own chores. Fortunately, they now clean their own dishes, clothes etc. At least when I'm around anyways. I even make my younger brother clean the washroom, and make my bed. We all need to set a good example for kids. Not teach them gender stereotypes like my paternal aunt did which made life difficult for years as I've had to do everyone's chores!
ReplyDeleteI agree with what Marshal has posted. Parents usually assign us with pink colours if we are girls and blue colours if we are boys. I think this is not necessary talking from my perspective. When I was young I was always given Barbie dolls to play with but I never did. All I wanted to play with was water guns and the toys usually assigned to boys. I don’t know why but I just did, and I would constantly hear my mom saying “No no that’s not for you, that’s for boys.” The question raised in my mind was usually is this necessary? Why can’t I play with what I want? As I grew older I started to understand the reasoning behind their theories. They were afraid that if started to play with toys made for guys I might act like one too. Which is clearly not true, it’s like saying if a guy wears a pink shirt he will turn into a girl. It just doesn’t make sense. So I think there shouldn’t be any restrictions on what a boy play with and what should should a girl play with.
ReplyDeleteI had a neighbour in Whitby whose four year-old son, loved playing with barbie dolls! It was the cutest thing I'd ever seen.But his sister would constantly tell him that dolls were for boys. He also liked playing with girls rather than boys. He is very soft natured. Now that he has grown up, I see him playing video games mostly. I wonder if eventually he learned what is considered appropriate for boys and what is considered appropriate for girls.
ReplyDeleteI grew up in the capital city of Nepal, Kathmandu. When I was at the age of 8 or 9, a new family moved to our building and they had twin daughters who were of similar age as mine. Both of them used to come and play with all of the boys in the park. Earlier days their parents didn’t mind much about them playing with us, but gradually they started to get scolding from their parents saying, “Those sports are for boys not for girls. You two should stay home and play with dolls or something else.” Obviously both of them stopped coming to play with us, but the question still remains that when we all have freedom and equal rights, why can’t children play whatever they want? Why do they have to be so choosy in the sports since their early childhood?
ReplyDeleteI agree with the comments made above.
ReplyDeleteIt is our society that has made us follow the “norms”. They set what the norms and conformities are. We all come from different cultures, depending on the where we come from and how we are raised this conformity could be different. Society has made the "norms" that blue is a colour for a boy and pink for a girl. It is up to the caregivers how they want to raise the child. This also leads to how the caregivers are raised and what they have seen in their childhood.
Regarding Sheral's point that is true, it is based on the different norms of different societies. But in general, there are differences between the socializing of boys and girls. For example, for baby girls, people often speak quietly and softly. As well as the high pitched "awse". But for the boys, people would be a bit more rough in speaking and for example, talking like "hi buddy". We often don't realize this but we socialize these kids in a manner that distinguishes their gender. When I was young, I was more of girly girl (the dress up, make up, pinky barbie, flower power type of girl). I know that I was socialized to be that way. Everyone bought me barbies, clothing etc. It's not a bad thing per se but my mother got the impression that if I didn’t show or act out my true gender, I would've become gay or tomboy. Some people still have this worry that they must rear their child to the gender they were born as or else they would become gay. It's funny because in the movies, when the parents of a homosexual first hear that their child is gay they would say the line "What have I ever done" (to make their child become this way). Parents would think that it was their fault simply because they didn't teach their children that blue and cars are for boys and pink and barbies are for girls. But in my opinion, I believe that this isn't the case right now. Maybe in some other countries but I believe North Americans truly support individualism which encourages the individual to be who they want to be and follow and do whatever they like. Girls are free to like blue or cars or "guy stuff" and boys are free to like pink, play with barbies or do other "girly things". This depends entirely on the person.
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