Breaking Stereotypes

Breaking Stereotypes: The Millennials Perception towards Gender Roles”

Abstract

Gender stereotypes are simplistic generalizations about the

gender attributes, differences, and roles of individuals and/or

groups. Stereotypes can be positive or negative, but they rarely

communicate accurate information about others. Gender stereotyping

can limit the development of the natural talents and abilities of

girls and boys, women and men, as well as their educational and

professional experiences and life opportunities in general.

Stereotypes about women both result from, and are the cause of,

deeply engrained attitudes, values, norms and prejudices against

women. They are used to justify and maintain the historical relations

of power

These attributes affect children as they develop. Without doubt, the environment a child finds himself or herself in has a lot of impact on the child.

According to Berk (2010), girls and boys are treated differently at birth. Girls are dressed with pink, and parents tend to be gentle with the girl child. On the other hand, boys are dressed with blue materials, while parents are harder with them. In the process of treating children differently, girls are offered more sex- stereotyped toys, and without doubt, these children grow up looking and acting differently. This is in line with Kauchak and Eggen

(2011) who stated that male children are regarded as handsome and seen as tougher and harder, and parents are rougher with their sons and involve them in more physical stimulation than their female children. It was along this direction that the American Association of University Women (AAUW; 2006) argued that the differential treatment given to boys and girls by teachers and the society dangerously hampered the educational progress, self-esteem, and career choices of girls. If this is so, there are the indications that self-concept and academic achievement of male and

It is believed that stereotypic views might affect individuals’ self-cognitive development, as well as their feelings, actions, and attitudes. According to Allen (2000), stereotype is associated with the development of beliefs concerning the traits supposedly possessed by most members of a society. It is an exaggerated belief that members of a group have certain traits that are peculiar to them. This implies that the impact of stereotype tends to change the individual’s perception of reality over a period of time. Stereotypes are widely held beliefs about the character and behavior of all members of a group. Stereotyping is the perception, clarification, and assessment of social objects (events) on the basis of specific notion (Ramalingam, 2006). A stereotype is a rigid, simplistic caricature of a particular group of people, which in one way or the other can affect individuals by limiting them on their academic achievement (Kauchak & Eggen, 2011). From this evidence, it is possible that stereotype might limit children from pursuing their career choices. Stereotype becomes a problem when forces in schools and the society limit the academic potential