Do Gender Stereotypes damage Children?

neneromanova

Hopefully I won't get shot down in flames for this one unlike the last one.

So...Do Gender Stereotypes damage Children? Does putting a boy in blue and a girl in Pink Damage them? (Where's the rolls eyes smilie?)

How stupid are some people? IMO no it doesn't. I just think it makes them look cute. But I also quite like my OH to wear his pink shirt as he looks really good in it.

So what does everyone else think?

LJM

the products clothes toys etc imo are aimed toward gender groups but i think for children it is the parents who inflict gender roles/beliefs onto their children. i have 2 girls and yes i myself have been a culprit of gendering but as they have got older they can now make thier own chocies only 9 and 6 (today) but society and the media play a huge role in this and its where they make a vast majority of thier money from. my 6 year old btw is a huge lego fan loves her cars and garage getting muddy and mucky all the traits some may say of a boy

fernliebee

I'm not sure if damage is the word I would use, but I think it is a bit unimaginative. I like bright pink (but not over frilly, sparkly or any other fabric than cotton, ie no barbie tat), but find baby pink a bit insipid for my DD. I prefer bright coloured clothes, really love lilac, greens, reds and the plum colours that you can find now.

The thing that I do think is a shame is when you hear people saying 'you can't have that, it's for girls" less so with clothes, more with toy's. I find it sad that people are so quick to ensure their children fit into the narrow minded view of what girl's do, and what boy's do etc. I think in the long run it is damaging to our society as you end up with pig headed males who think they never have to lift a finger while women feel they have no choice but to skivvy after their man (for a very simple example)

I strongly believe that children should be allowed to play with a variety of toy's and not simply bought 'girls' or 'boy's' toys. I will also never say that my DD can't have something because it's for 'boy's'

I remember at work a little boy wouldn't eat prawn cocktail crisps because they were girls crisps!

I love some of the responses on the 'should I buy my DS pink shoes' thread!

euronorris

Mmmm, I think this may depend on the stereotype and the child.

For example, dressing them in pink or blue in the early stages, shouldn't have any effect. It may influence their preference when it comes to colour, but I wouldn't think it would do anymore than that.

But, if you have a young girl who really isn't into typical 'girlie' things, like wearing dresses, playing with dolls etc, but if you still try to 'force' it on them, then that would obviously make them unhappy and be detrimental.

retro_bluebell

I agree that it may not be damaging but its more of a reflection on the adults attitudes.

When my middle son was born his brother was only 17 months and he had a pink buggy that he would push his teddy round in when I was pushing the pram with his brother in. It was bought as he always wanted to push the proper pram so this made walking easier...the buggy was passed down to his baby brother who used to pile his cars in it and push them around. My daughter loves lego and cars (as I did as a child), I put this down to having 2 older brothers. Now my boys are older (12 and 10) they wouldn't be seen dead with any girlie things they wont entertain a pink shirt (which is a shame as I think some are really cute).

So what I'm saying is I have never enforced the stereotypes but kids do tend to fall into them eventually naturally with a push from outside factors.

Jo_R_2

Ah men look great in pink shirts!

Hmm I don't think it 'damages' children but I do make a point of not sticking to those ideas. Yes I do think baby girls look very cute in pink but DS is adorned daily with a pink blanket when he goes in his pushchair and I don't think he's scarred because it isn't blue:D

Actually I have noticed that both my DDs were very into what you might consider 'boys' toys when younger, train tracks, Thomas the Tank Engine, cars especially, blue things, and that it seems that as they have gotten a little older, the pink thing has developed. That doesn't bother me, but I do find myself correcting some of DD1's (aged 6) ideas on what jobs men can do and women can do - eg women can't be builders (but Wendy is in Bob the Builder so that was a talking point), men are doctors but only women are nurses apparently.

I have read a theory about parents responding differently to certain behaviours when displayed in either a boy or a girl, such as crying, shouting and being loud, that sort of thing, so I do try and react how I think appropriate to them rather than them being girls but then I think you can start to think very, very deep into things can't you?

pickle

I think it's damaging because the parents also inflict behaviours that are expected of them. I heard one mother when her toddler girl wanted a soccer ball say dismissively "you're not supposed to play that, you're supposed to do ballet". That is the attitudes of a lot of parents around me, there are very rigid roles for children. The boys are always encouraged to play football and be aggressive and girls are dressed in flouncy pink dresses etc. and told how pretty they look and tend to be very passive. Children pick up on even unspoken attitudes very quickly. It's not the colour its the parents unfortunately who choose those colours because they have certain beliefs.

dizziblonde

My mum loved to dress me in pretty frocks and pink things - at which point I'd disappear and climb a tree in them and wreck them - and I still have a complete aversion to anything girlie pinkified to this day (and have worn a skirt approximately twice in the last year - and one of those occasions was my wedding day which I spent beggging to be allowed to stick me jeans and trainers back on). These days I'll wear hot pink colours - but never ever anything pastel.

With my brother she was determined to avoid all the stereotypical male toys - he's still turned out like a typical bloke!

From teaching little kids you see the same behaviour patterns coming out again and again across the genders - I personally think there's more to it than nurture and stereotypes - that the male and female brains are predisposed to be wired differently and behave differently - that you get those (like me - I've got very little time for girlie women) who are slightly off the normal side of the spectrum but generally things that are intended to happen will happen.

On the other hand - the pink onslaught seems to have taken off with complete ridiculousness these days - I don't remember the ONLY colour of girls' clothing being pink when I was younger, and I really feel for the messages young girls get sent these days - there isn't much hope for them with the fact they're just expected to be size 8 sex objects tagging along with their thuggish blokes according to the media... those are the kind of stereotypes that I think are dangerous - not some bloke in a pink shirt (oh would run away screaming if I ever dared make him dress in something other than boring black)!

kjmtidea

I don't think it damages them but I do think that it is boring! I have 4 boys and they have some pink shirts, they also have a bright pink kitchen as well. I need to have something to embarrass them with when they are older and a photo of them chewing on a naked barbie should do the trick lol.

Money_maker

I have a red 'boys' Thomas the Tank Engine t-shirt I bought for a friends little boy which I am currently considering giving to DD. She's mad about Thomas, and climbing, and getting dirty, and ditching anything put in her hair, and rolling around...

Money_maker

pickle wrote: »

girls are dressed in flouncy pink dresses etc. and told how pretty they look and tend to be very passive

If only! I'm moving to wherever you live