Written by Ana Maria Menghes
February 9, 2020
Children are exposed to gender stereotypes from an extremely young age. Society tells them that they should behave a certain way and like specific things, all according to their gender. Almost all products on the market are gendered, starting from toys, to school supplies, to even diapers. Boys should like blue, and choose the superhero version of the same product a girl would choose in pink (with a Disney Princess on it). The question is – do kids really have to fit into the box that big corporations have created for them? The last time I went into the toys section of a supermarket, I was shocked – seeing that even to this day most children’s toys were associated with gender extremely disappointed me. On the shelf I could see a small kitchen, with two little girls pictured on the box. Next to the kitchen was a toolbox, with a little boy pretending to build something. Being exposed to these stereotypical roles appears to be how gender stereotypes are created and how they stay embedded in our subconscious minds for generation after generation.
The problem with gender roles is that they are essentially reinforced starting from birth, and therefore become beliefs that are hard to change once children grow up. Although people attempt to make a difference and abolish them, nothing will change without a consensus on these issues from every member of society. Thus, I strongly believe that a lot of the current issues regarding gender inequality could be solved if we started teaching children – part of the next generation in power – about equality instead of telling them what they should or should not do depending on their gender.
It is important to expose children and high-school students, especially young girls, to women’s issues around the world – about women’s health and about the efforts that past generations have made to abolish double standards and establish gender equality. Trying to do so could definitely make a difference in the way the next generation thinks and behaves. Young girls could see themselves differently, as in more powerful and free to make their own choices without worrying about what others think. Simultaneously, I believe that young boys could become less scared of the word “feminism”, and they too could change their behaviour towards the opposite gender, which is why it is important to teach them about gender inequalities, as well as about the concept of feminism outside of its “extremist” stigma.
Teaching students about these issues does not have to be complicated. Teachers in high-schools and elementary schools should give workshops, tell stories, and encourage students to do activities that are not traditionally made for their gender. They can also simply try to implement feminist theories within class material, such as history for example, which is extremely patriarchal. As such, professors could use our history to contrast what happened in the past, and where our society is headed in the future. Parents also have the great power of changing children’s beliefs by the education they give them at home. Actions such as refusing to buy gender-specific toys, or allowing the child to play with toys that are not marketed towards their gender can make a big difference in the way a child will think of gender roles growing up. These are just small things that can be done to de-stigmatize gender studies, and change children mindsets towards these issues.
It is clear that many people, especially parents, may be against this idea, specifically because of the negative connotation given to words such as “feminism”. However, wouldn’t any parent want their child to grow in a world of equality? When I think of a world in which gender roles are abolished, I see confident young girls that are not afraid of speaking up and saying what is on their mind. I see a society in which girls are not ashamed of having multiple sexual partners while boys are praised for it. A world in which women are not sexualized regardless of their occupation, and have to work hard to climb corporate ladders and break the so-called “glass ceiling”. A world in which having women in power is not “special”, but becomes the norm. A society in which being a man or a woman does not mean more than having different physical features.
I truly believe that we are on the right track for creating such a world. However, further efforts need to be made in order for it to happen. Teaching about feminism in schools is a great way of starting the movement. By exposing students to gender equality issues from a young age, the mentality, beliefs, values, and behaviours of the next generation in power will be changed. Although adults are resistant to change, children are not. Something needs to be done today, and exposing students to the concept of feminism may be the key to making this world a better place for everyone.
Image Source: https://society6.com/ana_piranha
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