The Influence Of Gender Stereotypes

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If you were to walk into a preschool classroom today, you would see little girls playing dress up with dolls and little boys tackling each other or playing with dump trucks. This is because a child 's gender plays a big role in how they act. From a young age, children are taught either to be feminine or masculine based on their gender. These ideas that are expected of by children are reinforced by parents, schools, media, and society. The preset ideas start off by expecting young men and women to like a certain color, develop certain qualities, enjoy specific activities, and take part in certain jobs. Some may see these stereotypes as harmless yet they have a substantial effect on a child 's life. Gender roles have set boundaries for both genders …show more content…

Gender stereotypes in today 's society can excessively affect a girls life. Girls commonly encounter gender stereotypes from other girls, their parents, movies, TV, and social media. Most girls have already conformed to these stereotypes by the age of seven. Stereotypes that are enforced at a young age are the colors a girl should like, girls should be tender and patient, and girls are more emotional than boys are. As a girl gets older she also learns the stereotypes that she should be submissive and weak, what she should look like, and even to the extent that girls are responsible for their sexual assault. The social media plays an immense role in this. Celebrity culture brainwashes girls to believe that their appearance is highly important and that they should be a part of the party scene. Another large role in spreading gender stereotypes is through films and TV. Girls at young ages tend to watch Disney movies or tv shows where there is a damsel in distress looking for prince charming. Not only do these movies show that women should be dependent on men but they also show what a girl should look like and how they should act. These shows display girls with long hair and always dressed to the best of their ability. A large problem with …show more content…

Society should not get to decide the differences between men and women. Children are taught from a very young age on how they should act based on their gender. These stereotypes are reinforced by their family, friends, media and society. Maybe one day you will be able to walk into a classroom and see children playing with toys they want rather than what their are expected to play