Letting Go of Gender Schemas

From: Destiny

            Ever since the day we are born, we are subjected to gender schemas before we are even given the choice of deciding what we do and do not like. According to the article called “The “Two Cultures” of Childhood” In the article, it describes schemas as “cognitive associations of different attributes, behaviors, objects or social practices with “male” and “female” (Bem, 1981).   We are taught that boys are meant to like action figures, video games, and toy guns. For girls, it is dolls, stuffed animals and Disney princesses. However, as we grow older, we can learn to live without ignorance and understand that the division of gender that we grow up with is not real. There is no reason to differentiate between things we like and do not like just because of gender. We as young adults should rise up to what we like and do not like in our lives, seeing the light. From this light, we can leave the darkness our of childhood ignorance below us.

 From this guide, I wanted to construct my photo in a way to show, as a young woman, who understands gender schemas in adulthood and childhood. I understand the division of gender schemes I grew up with. However, I turn my sight to a better light, within that light are the things growing up as a girl, would not typically be accepted.  In one hand, I hold the old norms of gender schemas with a boy toy and girl toy. This hand is covered in slight darkness, of the norms that I have chosen to leave in my childhood. In the other, I hold objects of my adulthood, mixed things that may belong to being “a boy’s toy” or a “girl’s toy”, with light surrounding it. Symbolizing things that are important to me and things I want to keep bright in my life.  The concept of a young girl wanting to play video games, watch and read comic books and their movies respectively would be frowned upon. Regardless, I can respect and understand gender schemas of the past to create a bright future of enjoyment in my life.

To dive deeper upon the topic of gender schemas, there is a sense of division and classification that comes with it. This division and classification can make children “strive to act in socially appropriate “masculine” or “feminine” ways (Martin & Ruble, 2004).  From this, “gender schemas associate maleness and femaleness with myriad different attributes, behaviors and objects, defining “masculine” as rougher tougher and more active and feminine as nicer, softer, more passive” (Martin & Ruble, 2004). These schemas often transition from childhood to adulthood as these morals can stick with them. However, it is important to be able to break free from these society formed schemas to be able to enjoy things that we enjoy regardless of it being masculine or feminine.

Work 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.

-->