admin February 7th, 2008
Gender stereotyping starts early, and can have detrimental, long lasting effects.
Studies have shown that gender stereotyping often begins even before the birth of the child. Prior to learning sex, parents describe their unborn children with roughly the same adjectives, but after learning gender, parents of boys are more likely to use words like “vigorous,” “strong,” and “boisterous” whereas female babies are likely described as “sweet,” or “fussy.” Of course these differences last long after the baby is born.
According to an article in Sex Roles: A Journal of Research, Jan, 1999 by C. Estelle Campenni,
“…parents describe their newborns differentially with girls being described with respect to their appearance while boys are portrayed with respect to their physical abilities.”
These trends are repeated over and over in the clothes children are dressed in, how their rooms are decorated, how they are treated, and the toys they are given.
From Avoiding Gender Stereotypes By Kristen Finello on Parents.com
“Go into a department store, for example, and you’ll notice that the girls’ clothing section is three times the size of the boys.” And girls’ clothing is often pink and less conducive to rough and tumble play,” notes Dr. Crowley-Long. The message: Appearance is critical for girls and they should avoid activities that might “mess up” their cute outfit. Boys, too, are affected by gender stereotypes. In fact, it’s more acceptable for a girl to be a “tomboy” than for a boy to show any effeminate qualities…Stereotypes like this can prevent boys from developing softer elements of their personality that can benefit them as human beings.”
And again from Sex Roles: A Journal of Research, Jan, 1999 by C. Estelle Campenni
“Parental toy choices and child-parent interactions with toys send a clear message to children regarding gender-typed behaviors (Caldera, Huston, O’Brien, 1989). Langolis and Downs (1980) have shown that parents play with their child’s gender-same toys longer, react more positively to gender-same toys, and are more critical of cross-sexed toys. These researchers have also shown that fathers use toys, perhaps unintentionally, to socialize their children differently based on sex and there is evidence that this gender-based socialization process begins as early as the first year of the child’s life (Snow, Jacklin, & Maccobby, 1983)….”
“Gender stereotyping of children’s toys may influence the development of gender schematic role identity in children and may play a part in the differences noted in the cognitive and social skills of girls and boys. Miller (1987) has noted that toys viewed as more appropriate for girls were also rated as attractive, creative, nurturing, and manipulable while masculine toys were identified as more competitive, aggressive, constructive, conducive to handling, encouraging sociability, and reality based. Interestingly, these differences in functionality of gender stereotyped toys correspond to differences noted in the stereotyped feminine and masculine behavioral and personality patterns with stereotypical feminine characteristics described as emotional, gentle, understanding, and creative while masculine traits include aggressive, active, dominant, and competitive (Spence & Helmreich, 1978). In support of the influence of these functional differences on children’s cognitive development, research has found that play with masculine toys may be linked with higher visual-spatial ability while play with feminine toys may be related to higher vocabulary ability (Serbin & Connor, 1979; Tracy, 1987).”
From Parental Influence on Children’s Socialization to Gender Roles, Adolescence, Summer, 1997Susan D. Witt, Ph.D, University of Akron, School of Home Economics and Family Ecology
“Parental attitudes towards their children have a strong impact on the child’s developing sense of self and self-esteem, with parental warmth and support being key factors for the child (Richards, Gitelson, Petersen, & Hartig, 1991). Often, parents give subtle messages regarding gender and what is acceptable for each gender - messages that are internalized by the developing child (Arliss, 1991). Sex role stereotypes are well established in early childhood. Messages about what is appropriate based on gender are so strong that even when children are exposed to different attitudes and experiences, they will revert to stereotyped choices (Haslett, Geis, & Carter, 1992).”
The stereotypes put forth by parents are then echoed in media – commercials, ads, children’s programs – and by the strangers and society in which the children interact.
But, you can work against these influences:
“Families with one or more androgynous parent (i.e., a mom who repairs the family car or a dad who bakes cookies for the PTA meeting) have been found to be highest on scores of parental warmth and support. These androgynous parents are found to be highly encouraging regarding achievement and developing a sense of self worth in sons and daughters (Sedney, 1987; Spence & Helmreich, 1980). Because of the strong influence of parents on gender role socialization, those parents who wish to be gender fair and encourage the best in both their sons and their daughters would do well to adopt an androgynous gender role orientation and encourage the same in their children.”
As you can probably guess, I have a huge problem with early assignment of gender stereotypes. I am desperately trying to avoid such labeling with my baby. It is a difficult battle. Grandparents on both sides want to know “what the baby is” so that they can go out and buy appropriate products. I have told them that the baby won’t care and that I like blue and green, but they just cannot bring themselves to purchase such things for a potentially girl baby. And I know that this request has to be easier than trying to get them to accept flowers or pink for any potential grandson.
I really want to know the gender of the baby. To me it is one more little piece of information. The nursery will be blue and green no matter what. I will buy cool gender neutral toys no matter what. But I do like certain traditionally male and female names, and I just want to know my baby that much better. I am very afraid, however, of telling this information to the grandparents in the fear that they will begin the process of stereotyping that I am trying so hard to avoid. I don’t care if strangers know if my baby is a boy or a girl. In fact, I’d rather they didn’t. I don’t like pink and ruffles, so I don’t want the baby dressed in pink and ruffles. If later my child decides that he or she likes pink and ruffles, then that will be fine. I just don’t like the idea of this poor baby’s future being set up before it is even born. Now how do you tell that to your parents? Or worse, your husbands’?
If anyone is reading this, please tell me some good tips on how to avoid gender stereotyping pressures from grandparents. I could really use some advice.
PS
Some tips from Parents.com on how to minimize gender stereotyping in your child
• Worry less about what other people think. Focus more on your child’s individual abilities and needs and fret less about whether he’ll get teased for his choices. For instance, if you son wants to take dance class, don’t let fear of teasing stop you from signing him up.
• Avoid making stereotypical statements. Saying thing like, “Big boys don’t cry” or “Little girls shouldn’t get their pretty clothes dirty” may seem harmless (after all, our parents likely said these same things to us) but they do perpetuate unhealthy gender stereotypes.
• Make a conscious decision about what you want your child to play with. For example, are dolls okay for boys? Toy cars fine for girls? Guns off-limits regardless of gender?
• Minimize emphasis on appearance and maximize emphasis on skills, abilities, and personality traits. “Girls get more comments on appearance than anything else,” says Dr. Crowley-Long. “Be sure to recognize your daughter’s achievements and abilities. Compliment not just on how something looks but on the content.” An example: If your daughter shows you a drawing or book report she’s completed, instead of just complimenting how nice it looks say something like, “Wow. I can see you really put a lot of thought into that.”
• Try to separate girls from the media’s messages about their bodies. Because of pervasive media messages, most women feel they are too fat, too skinny, too flat-chested, too something. There’s nothing wrong with caring about your appearance, says Dr. Crowley-Long, but it shouldn’t be the most important factor in a girl’s or woman’s life. Assure your daughter that she looks great just the way she is, but also emphasize how great (smart, funny, kind) she is on the inside as well.
• Encourage girls to get involved in sports or musical performance. Boys tend to join these activities more than girls as they get older, so girls may be missing out on some of the benefits. Research shows that involvement in sports, for example, can boost a child’s confidence and lower her likelihood of body image problems.
• Monitor your child’s media consumption. Be aware of what your kids are watching and listening to and the messages they are getting. Talk to them about what they are hearing and seeing.