Gender_Socialization

Gender Socialization Josh Smith Gender socialization & its impact on the individual Gender socialization is part of life. It happens all around us everyday. From the moment babies are born, they are either called a boy or they are called a girl. Gender socialization first happens in the home with the family. Depending on whether we are born male or female, we are set on a separate course in life for that sex. From cultural guidelines, Parents begin to teach children their part in this symbolic separation of the sexes. Based on this socialization that happens at a very early age, there is a strong impact on the identity of the individual. Color plays a big part in the gender socialization of a young child’s life. Girls are dressed in pink clothes that symbolize femininity. Boys are dressed in blue clothes that symbolize masculinity. Girls are given Barbie dolls, jewelry, and make-up to play with and boys are given dinosaurs, airplanes, and power rangers. “According to Stoller, labels such as ‘masculine and feminine’ represent gender differences. In effect, gender refers to the various ways that culture ascribes all kinds of behavioral differences to males and females.” (Eqdam)“Parents let their preschool sons roam farther gender, socialization, male, identity, girls, individual, boys, boy, very, society, play, part, males, less, impact, identify, female, culture, children, standards, social, roles, parents, made, life, happens, females, feel, dolls, differences, barbie, age, young, teach, symbolize, strong