For my photo, I decided to focus
around the subtopic of “gender scripts encouraged in children”. When I thought
of this, I thought of the way children are raised to act a specific way and encouraged
to like specific toys and items based on their gender. In the article “The Two
Cultures of Childhood”, the author writes “segregation both allows and
encourages girls and boys to develop separate social worlds or “cultures”
characterized by different activities, interaction styles, and social rules”
(Rudman et al). Later, the article states, “children learn gender schemas from
their social environments, but they also willingly adopt and exaggerate
distinctions between the sexes (Rudman et al). I decided I wanted to focus on
the idea that these gender schemas are learned from their social environments.
I took my photo of greeting cards, one
for a girl and one for a boy. Both cards have positive characteristics
“describing” the child, but each card is quite different. The boys card says,
“Have a birthday that’s adventurous as you. As determined as you. As smart as
you.” The girls card on the other hand, says, “Happy birthday, granddaughter!
Fun, curious, sweet, loved, kind.” When I picked out these cards for my photo,
I thought they embodied the ideas in Module 5 very well – the idea that boys
and girls are thought to be inherently different, and should fit a specific
gender mold. Girls are supposed to be dainty, sweet, and kind, while boys are
supposed to be strong, brave, tough, and smart. The cards listed characteristics
that fit into those traditional gender roles that kids are supposed to take on.
For my photo, I had myself hold both cards up side by side, with the aisle of
cards in the background. I wanted the cards to take up most of the photo, since
we learned from Girl Culture and from
class that having objects in the foreground and taking up space shows their
significance. I also put the cards side by side, in my hand, so it appeared
that someone was looking at both cards and almost realizing how different they are,
yet they’re for a similar occasion. Putting the cards side by side helped show
their similarities and differences, and made the idea more obvious.
I believe that my photo makes a statement
about the expectations of what children are supposed to be, and how obvious the
gender schemas showed to them are. Even when receiving birthday cards, kids are
shown how they are supposed to act. If boy-girl twins received these cards from
their grandmother, they would immediately see how just because they are different
genders, they are told about different positive qualities that they possess –or
supposed to possess. Girls can be brave and determined, and boys can be
curious, sweet, and loving, but the cards are almost trying to prove otherwise.
Works Cited
Rudman, Laurie A., et al. “The Two
Cultures of Childhood.” The Social
Psychology of Gender: How Power and Intimacy Shape Gender Relations. The
Guilford Press, 2015, 59-63.
1 comment:
In this photo, I liked how you took a picture of two different greeting cards to relate to the article called, “The Two Cultures of Childhood.” I can see colors, symbols, and words on both greeting cards. When I saw this photo, the greeting card located on the left side of the photo is mostly blue and symbolizes it’s for a boy. This greeting card shows a picture of three different superheroes, which is batman, superman, and wonder woman. I can also see a picture of a city in the background. Many boys like superheroes because it shows strength and toughness. Also, the three superheroes on the greeting card shows a positive attitude. Superheroes fight crime and protects the city from violence. The three superheroes on this greeting card looks masculine. When I saw the word “adventurous” on this greeting card, I immediately thought that boys should try out new experiences or willing to take risks. When I saw the word “determine” on this greeting card, I immediately thought that boys should have goals in life. When I saw the word “smart” on this greeting card, I immediately thought that boys should be intelligent. The greeting card located on the right side of the photo is mostly pink and symbolizes it’s for a girl. I can see a pink cat, blue unicorn, a yellow butterfly, and a pink heart. Many girls like these types of things because it’s soft and gentle. When I saw the word “fun” on this greeting card, I immediately thought that girls like to have a good time with their friends. When I saw the word, “curious” on this greeting card, I immediately thought that girls like to learn. When I saw the word “sweet” on this greeting card, I immediately thought that girls like to wear perfume to smell good. When I saw the word “kind” on this greeting card, I immediately thought that girls are well-mannered.
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