3/23/11

What defines a boy? 

What defines a girl? 

In my opinion stereotypes are a set to put boundaries on people, pointless boundaries.  

In the past a woman were viewed as weak, always having to look good, and fragile, over time things have started to change.  Woman have started working outside the field that they were expected to work in,they work in construction, offices, and modeling and acting. and they've also started to join sports.  Woman are viewed by the world has the person in any relationship that has to be kind, loving, soft , etc.  Everything related to woman can fall into one if not more of the categories that describe a woman.  For example one of my little cousins recently bought a barbie doll.  The doll had pink clothes, blond hair and pink everything.  I asked my little cousin why she choose the doll and she that it was because it had a lot of pink and because it was really pretty, just the way a girl should look.  I was really surprise at her response because she was only seven and it seemed like if she has been exposed to the real world way to early, (in my opinion).  My mom always said that in a family the female always thinks with their heart.  

On the other hand, males are viewed the complete opposite, males are viewed as the strong ones, the ones that most provided the needs for a family.  In the past the man were suppose to go out an work, bring food for the family, and still this traditions remain so.  Man are viewed as the strongest of both genders, the ones that aren't suppose to show emotions.  The color read, blue, muscle, pride, reputation, they are all things that describe a man.  One of my uncles has two kids, and both of them are males (boys).  Its weird how the only toys that they have in their house are action figures and cars, not even a bear ( to me a bear is a neutral toy).  I asked the youngest of my cousins if he would like a teddy bear for his birthday ( he is only four years old), without hesitation he told me no.  I asked him why and he said that teddy bears are for girls.  My mom always said that the male in the family must think with his brain.   

In the end, both of my cousins knew what stereotypes they were supposed to follow according to their gender. I think that young kids are getting exposed to stereotypes and such things way to early in life.  In the end I think that stereotypes hurt more than they help.