from: Jessica
I took this picture of these four year old twins; they are getting ready to play outside with friends. The boy is on the bike, while the girl is taking her teddy bear with her. In the first picture they are both smiling, but the girl is glancing at the bike and places her foot on the wheels of the bike. In the second picture the girl is on the bike and she is happy. While the boy is standing next to the bike, holding the teddy bear, he does not seem too pleased. Actually, when I was taking this picture he was very upset and almost ready to cry when I told him to get off the bike and hold the teddy bear. Also notice that there is a woman in the picture that is pointing her finger at the boy, but not the girl. This links with gender socialization because women are often encouraged to step out of the box and do the things men do. But most men are taught, even at a young age that something as simple as playing with a teddy bear is wrong, and decreases some form of their masculinity. Children are taught these gender roles when they are young and I believe that is why it is so hard to break out of that stereotype now, although we have come a long way.
2 comments:
It is and will forever be hard to break these children from what we engrave in there head; such as, “you’re a boy put that doll down” or “why don’t you want to wear make up you’d be so pretty. As long as parents continue to be ashamed if their son plays with dolls or their daughters playing a football game our society as we know it will never change. I have to admit that I wouldn’t let my son really play with girl looking toys apposed to playing with frogs and tools. I might not allow him to watch to many Disney movies because I wasn’t really raised on them and I don’t think its fits well for boys. I’m sure that his dad whoever it maybe won’t allow it anyway. My daughters won’t watch to many Disney movies either, from the message that many of them send across about race, and always depending on a man.
I do see that the boy might have put up a little fight before holding that doll, what little boy wouldn’t. My opinion on boys and girl only toys is not any better and will continue the cycle of “just for girls and just for boys.
emlambert
MWF 11am
the pictures are almost like a narrative. But it is very true, girls are totally comfortable being on both sides of a situation (toys, clothes, etc.) however boys dont have the luxury of enjoying both sides of the picture. Its funny to see that the girl is happy both ways but the boys is miserable holding the bear. I mean it just shows that the boy is so conditioned to not play wit girls toys that he is actually upset.
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