How did women having to struggle in a man's world begin? In this article gender equality is being looked at as something that starts out in childhood, in how we are taught as children. The author talks about how we should gender stereotype when raising our kids. One of the things that she hates the most is when someone says something like "boys will be boys, its what they do". She explained that her son was given toys such as guns and swords for his birthday, but if she had had a girl they would have given her dolls and kitchen sets. She believes children are treated by their gender. Girls are treated softer than boys because boys are tougher. Girls are supposed to grow up and me well mannered and nice, where as boys are strong and competitive. She said growing up her mother wouldn't allow her to do things such as climb trees and play with cars, because that's what boys did. She sees it in women raising their boys one way and their girls another and then saying that's just how they are. We should teach our children how to live with one another and respect each others similarities and differences. Girls and boys can both be strong, they can both me sensitive, and nice. Raise them to be equal.
I totally agree with this article. We are talking gender differences now in class. Even in one of my HDF classes we are talking about how kids as soon as they are born are treated by their gender. Girls get pink, boys get blue. I would say i was a tom boy when i was younger even so now. Yea i had barbies and cooking sets, but i also had power wheels and played with boys things all the time. I probably wouldn't be who i am if i was told i couldn't do certain things that i did. I work at a daycare and we have had a father once tell us he didn't want his son playing with the dolls. That is one of the centers and we can't tell him not to play with something if he wants to like that. Some of our 3 yr old girls plays in the car and block center more than the dramatic play (kitchen, dolls) center. But it is true you see it everywhere, boys are supposed to be one way and girls another. Its not as bad as it used to be, but you still see it in the world. Religion play a large role in that as well, i know in some countries gender equality hasn't changed as much as in the United States because of their strict religion. I'm not saying the way we raise our kids is the reason for gender equality, it is just a small part. Let kids be who they want to be.
http://voxxi.com/2012/02/21/how-parenting-skills-can-help-our-kids-achieve-gender-equality-mujer-voxpopuli/
No comments:
Post a Comment