Synthesis Essay On Gender Roles

The gender binary is present in every aspect of most people 's lives. It shows up from the way we dress to the stereotypes people have to face. People have this idea of what is gender pushed on them starting when they are born. This leads people to feeling like gender is this stiff and rigid set of rule that they have to follow throughout their lives. It has seeped into our culture like nuclear waste infecting everything it touches. People may not be aware if it, but all you have to do is look at toy aisle to see it.

When I went on my trip to the toy aisle I was bombarded with pink and blue and how noticeable separate they were in the aisle. Though it wasn’t only the gender separation that I noticed when I walked through it was the utter lack

This was not only due to the separation, but also the way the genders were portrayed. Boys were targets of hyper masculinity being shown mostly trucks and muscular action figures, while girls were being show easy bake ovens and Barbie’s. Both genders were targeted and then pigeon holed into what they needed to be. What if a boy always loved helping his mom bake, so he asks for an Easy Bake Oven then goes to the toy store only to find himself ashamed due to it being labeled for girls? His shame is unnecessary and could be avoid, because despite what society is trying to say toys do not have genders. This labeling of toys into gender categories is also negative due to the effect that it could have on the way children express their genders. Girls might feel like they should be baking and dressing up like a princess even though they would rather be playing with a chemistry set. Another way this could affect them is with their body image. In both genders an extreme body type is the only one portrayed. Barbie’s and action figures both show unhealthy body types that the genders then feel like they have to strive for. Barbie’s have always been unhealthy to aspire for, but they still sell out to young girls who then aspire to look like Barbie’s. On the boys side you see this push of bulging muscles which has a negative effect on the way that young boys may see their