Photo Assignment

 

From: Glendys

From the moment we are born, we are shown that boys play with trucks, and girls play with Barbies. While we observe, we see the roles each gender comes to play. If our mother cleans and cooks, fathers build and work. Gender norms dictate girls wear pink, and boys wear blue. We have the freedom to choose our gender and, especially, how we express it. Playing with Barbies and babies is expected for girls, while playing with cars and guns is expected for boys. The media promotes these toys differently for boys and girls to uphold gender stereotypes and roles that children will play in the future.

My image depicts a 14-year-old boy sweeping. Typically, boys play sports and hang out with friends. On the other hand, girls stay home and tidy up the house, aiming to impress. In advertising, such as websites and magazines, females are usually shown doing the cleaning. Some may think it's unusual to see a young boy cleaning, suggesting something might be wrong at home. However, my intention is to show different role plays being switched. As Laurie A. Rudman explains in "Two Cultures of Childhood,"Segregation both allows and encourages boys and girls to develop separate social worlds of 'culture' characterized by different activities, interaction styles, and social worlds." (2015 p. 59). This can be influenced by different lifestyles or how parents raise their children.

Rudman also discusses in "Two Culture Of Childhood “Children quickly develop strong gender schemas (Bem, 1981, 1989), cognitive associations of different attributes, behaviors, objects, or social practices with "male" and "female." (p.59). These schemas reinforce traditional gender roles and stereotypes. I include creative elements like gaze, focusing on the boy's smiling face. It may seem unreal to see a boy smiling while cleaning, as it challenges stereotypes. Normalizing the idea that males can do cleaning and females can do hard work is important. While not all genders enjoy switching roles, it is worth acknowledging.

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.