Gender and its impact on contemporary childhood

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Gender and its impact on contemporary childhood

The purpose of this essay is to discuss the significance of gender on contemporary childhood.   It will follow the format of defining gender and sex, and continue to discuss the connotation of gender on contemporary childhood drawing on examples from the Open University studies (Book 1 Understanding Childhood).  Biological theories perceive sexual differences as a product of nature whereas Socio-cultural theories view gender as a product of nurturing.  The way children are bought up, in their ethnic and cultural backgrounds.  (OU, Book 1 Ch. 5).   For the purposes of answering this essay, the discussion will be restricted to the last century. G is defined as: - a quality attached to a noun or pronoun that indicates an abstract category of the individuals are being referred to or sexual identity, especially in relation to society or culture or the condition of being female or male. Sex on the other hand is defined as biological / physical characteristics of maleness, femaleness (Online dictionary).  Gender is a social construct indicating the socially and culturally approved roles that people (male and female) should follow. Unlike sex, which is a biological.  The impact of gender on childhood very much depends on the historical, social and cultural background that a child grows up in.  Children’s lives are shaped differently depending on their gender.  

Gender is the undermining factor that determines the social status in any given culture. Scientist’s through experiments have proved that there are sexual differences between men and women, that these are biological are products of nature.  On the other hand gender differences are a product of the mannerism in the way children are bought up i.e. nurturing.  Although some elements of gender is connected to biological differences.

From the moment of origin, even earlier as soon as biological parents contemplate about having children, they think of either having a boy or a girl, male or female.  Children are born into society already with a gender without any opinion.  As early as the ages between four and six children begin to become aware of their gender (Durkin 1985).  Children as young as the ages of two or three show certain types of gender linked mannerism, such as their choices of toys and friends.   This indicates that there are factors other than society such as parental corroboration, that influences the adoption of gender related behaviour.   (Gender Constancy, Gale Enc.)  As children develop, their gender awareness increases and they begin to examine themselves and the their expectations from parents, society and vice-versa.   Television and media play a strong role in gender stereotyping.  For example, girls playing with cooking toys, women shopping, men going to work, boys playing football.

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Some common gender role descriptions are (Gender role – Wikipedia): -

  • A tomboy, is a girl who behaves like a stereotypical boy.
  • A boy, is someone who wears rugged clothing, likes the colour blue, plays with toy soldiers and does not cry.
  • A sissy, is a boy who behaves like a stereotypical girl.

If girls played with action men toys dressed up in jeans and shorts they would just be considered to being a tomboy.  On the other hand if a boy played with dolls or wore anything viewed to be remotely similar to girl’s clothes ...

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