Topic > Gender Roles: How Differences Shaped Our Identities

There are countless differences between boys and girls. The moment a woman finds out she is pregnant, she begins to imagine what her baby would be like. Pink or blue, dolls or trucks, dresses or overalls. Although the journey starts the same way at the beginning, the many differences help define the type of influence we will receive, so the main point of the “Gender Roles” essay is to reveal the topic with objective arguments and personal experience. We say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Gender roles determine the parental influence the child will receive, the type of values ​​and beliefs the child will be taught, and the behaviors the child will also be expected to have. These gender role differences are established at a very young age and continue throughout the child's life. Culture leaves a heavy imprint on a child's upbringing and exerts a great influence on the way boys, unlike girls, are raised. The defining characteristics of how a child should behave are prevalent and concise depending on the society and influences that child has while growing up. The same can be said of girls, but lately the stereotypical behaviors and attitudes expected of each gender are pushing new boundaries as each gender has added new responsibilities to their expectations. A gender role is a set of cultural guidelines in place to determine how well a person should behave, particularly in the presence of other people. Not all cultures have the same values, beliefs or rules for each gender, and differences are established as soon as a child is born. In the first few days of the baby's life, they are adorned with small clothes that help accentuate the sex of the baby. A pink dress with flowers and a hair bow will inform viewers that the baby is a girl, similarly, a blue onesie decorated with trucks will tell people that the baby is a boy. We immediately try to adapt the child to the mold of that specific gender, starting from the choice of clothing. Even before the baby is born, we decorate the room with blue walls or pink bedding, as if to affirm that all boys love blue, or that all girls love pink. But that's not the case. I grew up in a culture where it was believed that girls did all the housework and boys did all the rigorous outdoor tasks. The moment I was old enough to wash dishes was the second I was taught how to do it. I helped my mother clean the inside of the house and cook, while my father and brother mowed the lawn outside and cleaned the gutters. There was such a big difference it almost seemed unfair. This was the gender role I grew up with, and this is the model I use when raising my children, I've just made a few changes over the years. Gender stereotypes are beliefs or images about males and females that may or may not be true. Men are stereotyped as independent, active, and rational individuals, while women are stereotyped as emotional, passive, and sensitive individuals. I've been in a situation where I stereotyped a child, and thankfully, I was right with my assumption, but that doesn't always happen. My family was invited to my friend's daughter's birthday party, and knowing little about the little girl's interests, I got a gift that I thought she would like. Needless to say, I opted for a "safe" gift for a 3 year old girl and decided on a doll with a stroller. If the baby had been a boy, I would have.