Children can learn about gender roles, attitudes and activities that a society links to each sex, through media, caregivers, society, parents, and other sources. According to Rebekah Richards of the Global Post children begin to understand gender between the ages of 3 and 5 and soon after develop stereotypes about what it means to be male or female. Gender stereotypes can be harmful to children and their self-esteem.Tara Culp-Ressler, writer for thinkprogress.org, writes a list titled The Most Outrageous Ways Schools are Trying to Enforce Gender Stereotypes. Reading this list was a real eye opener into the unfair world of gender stereotypes. Below are five stories of how people are fighting back against outrageous gender stereotypes.
A North Carolina high school senior was kicked out of her prom for wearing pants. Shafer Rupard was approached by a teacher and asked to leave the event. Shafer and her mother "want to put out the message to all teenagers that you should be allowed to be yourself." They went to their local news to broadcast their story.
A fourteen-year old boy was penalized for wearing makeup. Chris Martin was bullied for his gender expression. Chris decided to wear eyeliner, eye shadow, and lipstick to his last day of school. Administration told him he needed to wash the makeup off because it was distracting to the other students. The principal even told him that is was "completely ridiculous and unnecessary for boys to wear makeup." Chris and his parents rebutted by starting a petition demanding that the school board ensure that the school was a safe place for all students.
An eight-year-old girl was asked to leaver her Christian school because she's not "girly" enough. Sunnie Kahle's grandparents received a letter from her school stating that she would no longer be welcome if she didn't start looking more like a girl. The school used their "biblical standards" to justify their unhappiness with the young girl's boyish look. Her grandparents withdrew her from the school and sent her to public school.
A thirteen-year-old-boy was suspended for carrying a Vera Bradley purse. Skyler Willis refused to abandon his flowered purse and in turn got suspended from school. Skyler's mother reported her son's story to the news, which resulted in getting the attention of designer Vera Bradley. Bradley contacted reporters and sent more of her products to Skyler to encourage him to keep expressing his style.
A nine-year old boy was banned from bringing his "My Little Pony" bag to school. School admin told Grayson Bruce that he should leave his my little pony lunchbox at home. They argued his bag was a trigger for bullying. His mother responded to this by saying, "Saying a lunchbox is a trigger for bullying is like saying a short skirt is a trigger for rape. It's flawed logic, it doesn't make any sense." Grayson's mother created a Facebook group in support of her son which lead to the school backing down and publicly apologizing.
These children and their parents are trying to break the generalizations and stereotypes about gender and stand up for what they believe in. Pressuring children to conform to traditional gender roles can have serious, long-term consequences. Reinforcing what people refer to as "traditional gender behavior" can teach children to equate their gender with stereotypes that aren't always healthy.
http://thinkprogress.org/health/2014/04/23/3429952/school-dress-code-gender/
http://everydaylife.globalpost.com/five-ways-parents-can-reduce-gender-stereotyping-children-3236.html
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