Gendering

3 Pages 864 Words

As we are conceived in an American culture and society we are immediately gendered. One of the first questions that we ask ourselves when we know we are having children, “Is it a boy or girl.” These are our first thoughts because, in our society and many others, everything revolves around gender. Whether we will be passing baseball with our fathers or playing dress-up with our mothers, gender changes everything.
During childhood, children are exposed to many factors, which influence their attitudes and behaviors regarding gender roles. These attributions are learned in many different places, including school, in home and even daycares or from babysitters that have direct contact with children. It is nearly impossible for a child to grow up in this modern society without being somewhat influenced by the gender that they are biologically blessed with. On more of a personal basis, growing up in the 1980’s has not changed significantly from today’s children. Behaviors can be and usually are reinforced by our peers, parents, and whoever may have contact with us. I remember in preschool that I was assigned to play with other boys, to line up at the end of recess with other boys, and to eat take naps with other boys. It was the same scenario with the girls, just vice-versa. As small children grow up into bigger children and pre-teens, they still some minor segregation, but seem to be more reinforced by our peers than by our guardians at this stage. Girls do not want to play with boys because they want to play “with their own kind.” However, this stems from the experiences that were learned at younger age. The result is a self-imposed segregation between boys and girls for the majority of their young lifes. How does this affect us at an older, more mature age?
Webb 2
Many preteens behave unfavorably towards to opposite gender. Typically boys at this age are perceived to behave in competitive,...