After reading about some of these gender topics, it brings me back to think about some school experiences from many years ago. When in grammar school I remember always getting into trouble for chasing the boys, but the boys never got in trouble for chasing me, and I always wondered why. Now, I understand that the reason why the boys avoided getting into trouble…perhaps it was because they followed the stereotypic role that was set out for them. And on the other hand, I was a girl and was expected to be quiet, not run around etc.
As a younger girl, I think I was pretty well aware that girls got the short end of the stick in many respects. For example, the concept of having girls play indoors is stupid. I don’t know why we weren’t allowed to run around and play outside like the boys. I also remember in third grade for gym, the teacher would always separate the girls and boys according to their physical expectations. The boys would be separated into teams to play a game of basketball, while the girls were given two balls to share among the group to practice shooting baskets one at a time. I disagree, but in Woods text p. 126, it states that sex segregated groups and forms of play remain the norm for the US…I never knew that. Now according to Wood (pgs. 126-127) boys play in large groups, their play is competitive, it involves rough play, and it is structured by goals, rules, and roles…etc.). And girls play (traditionally) in small groups, their games are not structured by goals and rules, and that girls spend more time talking.
Another thing I remembered when I was trying to relate my readings with life experiences was my English teacher senior year in high school, a male, who had the class read certain books coincidently with all male main characters. Maybe he wasn’t aware of even doing this, but a few of us always wondered why every story we read was pertaining to boys. When I think about all of this, it’s a little degrading. I think gender stereotyping is promoted at an early age, and if it’s the norm for the US….it’s still going on.
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2 comments:
I find your observation truly interesting. I have 2 girls and have always encouraged them to be independent and do what they enjoy. When they were younger they were alot like you...they liked to play with toys that were classified for boys and they liked to run around and not be so girly all the time. That is up until the went to school. Around 2nd grade I started to notice that their sense of individuality was being lost. I could see them taking on their expected gender roles of dainty girls. It always upset me that they had to follow the societal expectation. Now they are much older and seem to have found a balance. They show their femininity but also have keep true to the things they love. Its a shame that we have fall into those roles.
Shonte:
I, like Zulma, also have two girls. When they were small we encouraged them to play with whatever they want and they chose evenly between "girls" and "boys" toys. We lived in Scotland at the time the began school and them wanting to play "boys" games was very much accepted over there.
When we returned to the US, however, they were snubbed by most of the girls in their classes at school because they were not very much interested in the same things the other girls were obsessed with. I found it very difficult as a parent watching them struggle to fit in without giving up who they were.
I can happily say they came through the experience as independent young women, never giving in to being like everyone else. However, this has to be a difficult experience for all young people who want to experience everything and especially for gendered "confused" young people.
Dori
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