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Fixed Gender Roles

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Fixed Gender Roles

Throughout the years, our society has made great changes dealing with the legalization of marijuana and same sex marriages. However, the idea that children who conform to their “fixed” gender roles is caused by “innate brain chemistry” has not changed at all. In the article, “Why Boys Don’t Play With Dolls” by Katha Pollitt, Pollitt believes roles are not caused by genes, rather it is the adult world whom in which conforms their children to their gender roles. Children always look up to their parents. Whether it is copying the way they walk, talk, or behave, young children will always consider their parents as their number one role model. On the other hand, because of this, adults give in to gender stereotypes. Why? …show more content…

Society today still lives up to this “norm”. Nevertheless, is this really what we are perceived as? Are males not allowed to express their emotions or are females not allowed to become Doctors because it is considered “incorrect”? “They allow grownups to take the path of least resistance to the dominant culture, which always requires less physical effort” (Pollitt 11). Adults teach their children the way a girl and boy are suppose to act for the reason that it is much easier than teaching them the opposite - or even both. Another example is through a TED talk by Tony Porter called “A Call to Men”. Here, Porter tells the audience the story of when his brother had passed away. In the car, everybody was seen crying except for Porter's father. That is- until all the women stepped out. The minute their bodies were not in the vehicle was when his father bursted into tears. He then tells Porter the reason he did not express his feelings was because he did not want to be perceived as “not manly”. Everybody needs to cry every now and then. It is a natural emotion. Porter, at the end of the video, issues the men in the audience that it is perfectly fine to express their emotions and shed a tear when they need to. Sadly, society does not give in to such

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