Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Caiafa, Adam
English 114A
22 February 2017
How restricted will our children be in the future, due to gender norms? In todays
society, children all around the world face negative feedback due to a specific set of
gender rules/ norms placed upon them. The influences of parents in childrens lives play
a significant roll from the beginning of their childhood. This has to do with the way
parents instill certain ways of playing, dressing, and interacting. The authors have
written these stories to inform their readers how gender and sex have been altered, in
todays society. The readings From Women, Men, and Society by Claire Renzetti and
Daniel Curran and No Way My Boys Are Going To Be Like That: Parents Responses to
A childs sex is associated with the personality and behaviors they are required
to follow throughout their life. This has contributed to the division of the way males and
females are raised in their early childhood. Through the early stages of childhood,
children are exposed to a specific set of gender norms. At a very young age, boys and
girls are taught to dress differently and are taught how to identify one from the other.
According to Claire Renzetti & Daniel Curran, Boys are typically dressed in dark or
primary colors, such as red and blue. They wear overalls that are often decorated with
sporting or military equipment, trucks, and other vehicles or superheros (Renzetti &
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Curran, 77). They also said Girls are typically dressed in pastels, especially pink and
yellow. Their dresses and slacks sets are decorated with ruffles, bows, flowers, and
hearts (Renzetti & Curran, 77). The author shows us how gender norms are set upon the
certain colors of clothing, the image of each shirt, and even the toys in which children
play with. Society sets these norms in which people are require to follow. Once people
being to follow them, they then are taught to the next generations parent to child, etc.
Parental influences begin as soon as the gender of a baby is known. A childs first
role model is their mother or father. A child observes the way their mother or father
thinks, acts, and speaks. A child will naturally imitate the way either of their parents
think, act, and speak. This gives a parent complete power to structure their child the way
they want. Due to this affect, a child is aware of others who step out of line with the
gender norms associated with their sex. Aware of the situation, or not, a child will
constantly be reminded about the specific set of gender rules influenced upon a child by a
parent. In Emily W. Kanes story, she interviewed an Asian American, middle class,
father, who said, If we go into a clothing store I try to shy my son away from the
Power Puff Girls shirt or anything like that I would steer him away from a pink shirt as
opposed to having him wear a blue shirt (Kane, 93). The author is revealing to its
readers how parents are in control of the way their child is raised and identified. Parents
steer their children away from toys or clothing that are not appropriate for their sex.
Sadly, children will listen to their parent and follow what they say because they look up
to them. This now creates certain rules and guidelines within a childs mentality and
The socialization in gender roles has allowed for society to indicate what is
appropriate for a male and what is appropriate for a female. Often times we are exposed
other words, we are exposed to the negative repercussions that follow these gender
norms/rules. At a young age, children are given particular toys that help guide them in
finding their identity. Toys not only entertain children, they also teach them particular
skills and encourage them to explore through play a variety of roles they may occupy as
adults (Renzetti & Curran, 80). If a parent is not present and able to observe what a
child is doing, the child has no restrictions. He/she could be playing with Barbie dolls or
cars. However, when a parent is present the parent has complete control. In the reading, a
white, low income mother said her son, asked about wearing girl clothes before, and I
said no. he likes pink, and I try not to encourage him to like pink just because, you
know, hes not a girl. Theres not many toys I wouldnt get him, except Barbie. I would
try not to encourage that (Kane, 93). The author reveals to its readers that something so
the control that parents obtain they are bale to inform/ make other aware of the sex of
their child. All in all, clothing sends implicit messages on how a child should be treated.
shopping for Halloween, I was never restricted on what to wear; I was only influenced to
choose a more masculine or athletic look. Although, when I was in preschool we would
play house and I was given the typical role of a father. I took the role because I felt it was
right and appropriate for me as a boy. In addition, I did do the typical boy thing play
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sports. My parents didnt steer me in that direction, but my father was a huge sports fan
so sports seemed to be the right fit for me. In the future with my children I will be open
to whatever they want to do. I will not place roles or restrictions upon them, I will let