from: Ashley
The first thing that is ever said about us before we are born is either "it's a boy!" or "it's a girl!" Following our birth, the hospital designates us with a blue or pink onesie or cap. In this case, my nephew Elijah, who is a premie, just this week, received his first set of clothes and blanket, both of which are blue. The hat remains blue; prior to this, the hat was still blue just a different fabric. Granted, it is difficult to decipher his gender from a baby's face; this socially accepted blue outfit clearly defines Elijah as a male.
3 comments:
I feel like parents want the whole world to know whether they have a little boy or a little girl. And the hospital has to accomodate that, becuase heaven forbid they called him, 'her'. This just shows how early a person in brought into their gender role.
I know how parents get so mad when you mistake there child for the wrong gender. I feel like that is why most parents put there girls in a pink or purple clothing and there boys in blue or green clothing. But hoestly it dosnt make much sense that the parents get so mad because all babie look alot alike no matter what gender they are and it is very hard to tell a girl from a boy.
As much as gender socialization sucks, sometimes it works out for the better. Having a system like that in hospitals is good because it keeps everyone organized. Its hard enough determining a baby from someone elses, and then to make all the babies wear the same color....chaos. Have you ever called a baby or child by the wrong gender because they were wearing neutral colors? I have and all i can say is, embarrassing. So sometimes gender socializations are ok. The problem is that once the baby is born, the parents start making decisions about what the baby will become without allowing the baby to develop into its own self.
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