Gender Expectations Essay

A father and his wife are shopping in a local toy store looking for new toys to give to their son and daughter to play with. They immediately come across a masculine action figure and a more feminine doll. Without thinking they instinctively choose the doll for their daughter and the action figure for their son. This may seem like a harmless, normal situation. But, in reality, this decision displays the parent’s feelings and expectations for their children early on. As more and more children are brought into the world, parents are given the responsibility of making sure they mature and grow up correctly. To meet this requirement, many parents raise their children based off of standards defined by gender .There is a controversy surrounding gender

By doing so, parents have tried to set up their children’s lives to meet certain criteria based on their gender. “Parents want all their children, whether they are boys or girls, to be happy and successful. Yet a recent study of Internet search data suggests that American parents do in fact hold different expectations for their children based on sex. For one, they want their boys to be smarter and their girls skinnier. (Michael 1).” For example, a father of two would most likely encourage his son’s progression in athletics and school work, and his daughter to excel in bettering herself. These expectations are portrayed in entertainment and media alike, mostly athleticism in

Some might go further to say the belief of this view would be an example of sexism. Both arguments would be correct to an extent. These standards do define the children when covering the aspects of their early perceived gender roles. To call it sexist view would be also be incorrect because both mothers and fathers follow this society given rules. It is true that men and women are equal, but the standards considered for them are still standing to an extent. Even with these standards surrounding the world and its children, there are still parents who go on to defy them and let their kids express themselves to their own extent (Preston). There are even early signs of “gender bending” or, “simply blurring the difference of the sexes,” in some children. But, most kids and teens will still end up continuing on the same path that has been taught to them during their childhood by their parents, despite any changes that might have been made to them internally. This shows that our gender standards and the differing ways parents teach us are widely accepted, and sometimes unknowingly followed throughout our