How Gender Role Stereotypes Affect Kids by Poe Gway

How Gender Role Stereotypes Affect Kids

By Poe Gway | Ms. Walling BlogSpot | Posted January 17, 2020

Ted Eytan from Washington, DC, USA 2013 Rally for Transgender Equality

 

As children there is no limit to what we believe in to become, as girls and boys we are steered into a different direction as we grow up. Whether by people or society, we used a term of Gender Stereotype. A traditional idea on what a girl and boy can and should do. It may not be obvious but stereotypes about gender roles are everywhere giving younger people to follow and be influenced by it.  Gender stereotyping is one of the most causes of discrimination, abuse and manifold in areas leading to violation of human rights.

 

It doesn't matter where in the world you are from; gender stereotypes have lifelong consequences. A study from the Journal of Adolescent Health found out that there are many norms around gender of what is expected of boys and girls. Due to the stereotypes it becomes a habit, beliefs and attitudes and which therefore it carries a negative impact into adulthood. A Global Early Adolescent study investigated boys and girls between the ages of 10 to 14 in 15 different countries, they found out that many of these gender stereotypes are universal and that that the kids become entrench to it around the age of 10. The study found that from the early adolescent kids have previously measured about the ideas of gender. “The biggest myth perpetuated about gender, researchers found, is that once girls hit puberty, they are vulnerable and in need of protection to preserve their sexual and reproductive health, while boys are seen as strong and independent. It's this myth, that changes how the world sees both sexes during adolescence, and how it continues to treat them throughout their lives. “said Kristin Mmari, an associate professor at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the lead qualitative researcher on the study.  “How you perceive boys and girls are socially driven. not biologically driven” said Mmari

 

What can we do?

 

What we can do is to change and acknowledge and educate kids about gender stereotypes and the consequences. The media and the school system and parents should not contradictory on kids, they should instead view gender more as a system. This will make the kids feel good about themselves individually and be more accepted then based gender stereotypes. This kind of action would be the first to break the mold, so then we can build our lives in our own perspective and choice and create gender equality to a much better approach. 

 

Status of Women Canada - Communication Directorate. “Calling Men and Boys In.” "Calling Men and Boys In" - Status of Women Canada, 16 Aug. 2019, cfc-swc.gc.ca/abu-ans/wwad-cqnf/men-boys-hommes-garcons/index-en.html?wbdisable=true

 

Heggie, Betty Ann. “Busting Gender Stereotypes Can Benefit Men In Life And Career.” HuffPost Canada, HuffPost Canada, 4 Jan. 2017, www.huffingtonpost.ca/betty-ann-heggie/gendered-workplace_b_13954724.html?utm_hp_ref=ca-gender-roles. 

 

Fyles, Nora. “What about the Boys? Educating Boys for Gender Justice.” Brookings, Brookings, 1 June 2018, 

 

“How Gender Stereotyping Affects the Enjoyment of Human Rights.” OHCHR, www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Women/WRGS/Pages/WrongfulGenderStereotyping.aspx.

 

“5 Ways Gender Equality Benefits Everyone.” Canadian Women's Foundation, 11 July 2019, canadianwomen.org/blog/5-ways-gender-equality-benefits-everyone/.