Girls Gender Schemes

From : Sama
My photo assignment is based on the topic “The two cultures of gender” specifically on feminine behavior towards things, people and toys which refer to them as nicer, softer and more passive as stated in the reading. We could see in the photograph how these characteristics are illustrated as she holds the teddy bear with so much care, love and concern.  The warm embrace she gives the teddy bear symbolizes warmth and nurturance and her way of sitting can be considered a motherly posture.

From our reading we are told that “girls pretend play include family roles such as one playing the mother and another (or a dull) plays the baby.” as clearly seen in the picture. The teddy bear is soft, fluffy and calm which in our society is seen as a normal toy for her gender. We also know as we read through that “the society has set gender schemas which strive hard to make appropriate masculine or feminine ways.” This stereotype is demonstrated by the controller next to my sister. She pays no attention to it because it is considered a boy toy or a masculine object that has no connection with her. The background is a white chair symbolizing her purity and innocence. The pillows on the chair serve as a comfortable space for her not to get hurt because our culture has made it known that girls require soft, comfortable and harmless areas wherever they are or are playing.  Children learn gender schemas from their social environment which can become part of their identity influencing their preferences, attitudes and behaviors which explains to us why she is comfortable with the teddy bear and pays no attention to the controller. This picture describes the stereotypical feminine traits amongst girls and gender norms of girl play. It represents female characteristics as presented by the culture. Also, it reinforces our reading on “the cultures of childhood.” I believe that this attitude coming from my baby sister in this picture should be something she willingly wants to do and not what we expect her to do because who she would be will depend on what she believes and practices now.