Observational Study: Clothes and Genderic Stereotypes Introduction “Pink is for girls; blue is for boys.” This sentence is not just a proverb. It is a cultural phenomenon that has been creating genderic stereotypes since the 1940’s (Maglaty, 2011). Clothing options that are available for children not only affect their style, but also the way they express their identity. My research question stems from my interest in the effect of culture and, by extension, clothing options, in the expression of identities especially among children. In this research study, I explore the cues that children’s clothing convey about the perceived identity and expected personality of boys and girls.
Do girls really prefer pink and boys blue? These are questions that LoBue and Deloache set out to determine. Some suggest that since gender-stereotyped color dressing is so prevalent in babies, that infants develop a preference for these colors as they grow up. In studies with preschool children in the United States, the authors found that both boys and girls showed a preference for primary colors. Another study by the authors showed that the color red is preferred by infant
It is much harder for kids these days to play with the toys that they are truly drawn too. Some places have tried to make some toys and clothes gender neutral by using colors that are not usually assigned with gender like browns, greens, yellows - more natural colors - with animals and shapes on clothes and try to make the “household” toys like the cleaning toys, babies, and cooking aimed towards both
Most toddlers are given one of two categories of toys: those for boys and then those for girls. When parents see that their kids are born as boys then they will probably start buying them blocks, race cars, balls, and action figures while for their daughters they will lean towards dolls, baby strollers, crowns, and kitchen sets. At sight, these toys seem harmless and innocent; that is to say what is wrong with a little boy and girl playing with their cars and dolls; however, these toys are the just the beginning of their molding. These kids are slowly being molded into their respective gender role: which are behaviors learned by an individual as appropriate to their gender. For example, gender norms or roles for a girl would be that they’re supposed to be thin, passive, and submissive to males.
If stores market toys for a specific gender they will prevent children from having this. 6th grader at Plainview Old Bethpage middle school Carly Barca says that “when kids see a toy they want but it’s labeled for just a girl or for just a boy it can make them feel down because if they want a toy and it’s labeled for a specific gender it can make them think that they cannot do what they want and they have to follow the “tradition” of what is considered for boys or for girls”. When toys are marketed for a specific gender they suggest what children should like to do and who they should aspire to be before they’ve had an opportunity to figure that out on their own. Children’s view of the world can be shaped based on what they do and what they play
A set of societal norms have now been dictating the types of behaviors which are generally considered acceptable which is based on their sexuality called gender roles. Our culture has now been taking over the perspective on which is masculine and which is feminine. Today, culture would tell us that masculine roles are usually associated with strength; aggression and dominance while feminine roles are associated with nurturing, subordination and passivity. Due to this concept, society has accepted the fact on how people are supposed to act and how to behave. Times have changed significantly since men were labeled to be the breadwinner and women focused on good housekeeping and child bearing.
The phrase gender role is concept of society that defines what behavior society expect form men and women and how they are suppose to act in society . While evolving, what kind of passive and active toys are allowed to play with? What kind of clothes and colors to wear? Unaware route of molding a person to fit in with society 's norms and values is called sociologists as "socialization." Many think that gender stereotyping in form of clothes, toys or books or along with other aspects, teach a children rising up to fit into conventional gender roles.
Gender roles are influence to children at an early age. Little boys are told that blue is a boy color and little girls are told that pink is a girl color. Blue is usually a color that stands for manliness while pink is a color that stands for femininity. Girls are given dolls, cooking sets and crafts while boys are given race cars, action figures, and weapons. These roles are established and pushed upon children so that they grow up having a mindset of what a girl or boy have to be.
The moment a child is born, society presents it a complex gift steering the course of its future. Gender is the most important social construct in the human life as it shapes the way we interact and navigate the world we live in. From the colours that the baby is wrapped in to the hues of wallpaper in the bedroom – a girl, is most likely to be thrown into a world of pastel pink and lavender, if you are a boy, you are most likely to be surrounded by bold red and blue hues. We are already starting to be forced into identifying with a specific gender. Dolls, plastic vacuum cleaners and Fischer Price kitchenettes are given to girls, and are taught that Barbie and Bratz dolls are gender appropriate toys; shopping, fashion and makeup is that which defines femininity.
Gender roles are what society thinks is considered “normal” for a person based on whether they are male or female. These roles are programmed into our brains from the day we are born, and continue to develop throughout our entire lives. Gender Norms are what each gender is expected to act like. These norms are used to determine what each gender should be like mentally, physically, and emotionally. These norms were developed over time to ensure that each gender had some sort of “code” to live by.