http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/11/101116081430.htm
The evidence from the study described in this articles aims to explain how teaching about differences between genders leads children to create stereotypes for boys and girls. Please respond to one of the following:
- Share a memory in which you were taught (by parent, teacher, older sibling, anyone…) what a boy should do/be like or what a girl should do/be like.
- Explain the stereotypes for boys and girls in your own culture.
Share a memory in which you were taught (by parent, teacher, older sibling, anyone…) what a boy should do/be like or what a girl should do/be like.
ReplyDeleteI was never told: “Because you are a girl you should act like…” but I have some memories of older people teaching me the differences between how women and men act. As the research reported in the article states, when teachers get into a class they usually say: “Good morning boys and girls”, without even thinking that this kind of salute can led to stereotyped attitudes. I still remember that when I was younger, during our family Christmas lunch I asked my aunt (who I was and still am today really close with) why men and women got to talk into two different groups. She answered me saying that men may be talking of masculine subjects such as soccer, ties, or cars; while women may be conversing about makeup techniques, fashion or cooking. I still remember that with my young and ingénue mind I pondered so much about what I was told and the different things boys and girls like to talk about. Furthermore I remember in recent years, in the period I was getting into adolescence, that I was always blaming my older brother Francesco for the mess in his room and for the inelegant way he used to eat at dinner. He would answer me: “A man has to act like a man, he has to be filthy and messy, you are a babe girl, you can’t understand”. And this surely influenced the way I see men. Now, without even thinking about it, I consider more “masculine” boys who don’t cure too much themselves neither dress too well or are too ordinate. Even thought I think that the differences that distinguish the sexes are few if compared to the similarities, we can’t reject attitudes and tastes that will never let us be completely identical: this is, my opinion, a good thing if within the limits.
For me the division between a boy and girl comes naturally in my mind. I don’t have to think hard about typical stereotypes of girls and boys. I don’t remember any of my experiences but I only remember that sometimes at the age of 5-11, us boys never liked it when a girl comes up to our group and starts playing with us. For all I know that a girl stereotypes is that she usually plays with dolls and likes the color of pink or purple. And boys like to play with action figures and skateboards for example. Clothes can also be a way to differ a boy and a girl but I don’t think it is necessary to bring it up in this topic since the culture of clothing between boys and girls is hard to distinguish and also it has been passed through for many generations. For me dividing boys and girls is a good thing because if one boy tends to play with girls too much during his childhood he will have a sense of no attraction to women when he grows up. I feel like the division of boys and girls is key to prevent unwanted attraction in the world. I would have to disagree with the article above.
ReplyDeleteI remember every PE class in my old school as a night mare. Not because I couldn't play any sport I was actually quite good at some of the sports like running for example. But we were a small class and most of them were boys. The boys transformed during PE they became someone else and they were no longer my friends but animals playing for life or death. They didn't want me or any of the other girls in their team they kept screaming when I missed the ball or if I did some mistake and I felt so bad. They said soccer is a game for boys and we should go and do something else. Suddenly i was not into sports anymore I felt like they were right, I should just skip class like all the other girls did because they didn't like PE. I love all of them they are gentlemen in real life but I am afraid that they are the reason why I feel insecure with every sport and I keep telling everyone how bad I am, when the true fact is I am just really afraid that I will feel like I am in the way all the time and let down the team. Even today I think sport is for men and i can't help but think that the girls who are really good at sports are masculine in some way it is just how I was taught and I can't help it....
ReplyDeleteWhen i was younger i used to spend a long time playing with my brother and his friends.We played soccer, we collected small pictures of famous players . I behaved more like boy,i also loved to dress like a boy. But when i became a little older my brother told me that i should start behaving more like girls do which means wearing dresses or skirts, playing with dolls or other games that girl play. I did what he suggested but i don't really think that that is very important.We should behave and act as we feel and think and not following some patterns.
ReplyDeleteAfter i have read the article, i still ask my self why during the 21th century schools still have only girls schools for example. I know that maybe that is a cultural thing or a tradition, but in my culture i never saw distingtions between boys or girls. Expecially in schools, where children spend more of their time, there should be no distingtions, because then girls and boys are never going to talk and exchange ideas. I personally think that exchanging ideas from boy to girl or girl to boy is essential. Moreover during our lives we are going to be in close contact with the other sex, so if we start to undestand and know each other from the beginnig is better. As the Experiment of the schools in the article discovered, if the teachers separete the activities with only girls and only boys, then they are never going to interact and i think that is not a good thing.
ReplyDeleteIvan
I would play with older sister when I was younger.One day she told me that she did not want to play these boys things any more.I do not think her desicion was wrong because she just felt she does not want to do that naturally as she is growing.However, to seperate between girls and boys intentionally is not a good thing.It will disturb understanding each other and feeling free.Consequently,everyone has to do whatever they want without thinking who you are
ReplyDelete