Dear Society,
As children, we aren’t taught that gender is a social construct. We are taught things like cars are for boys and Barbies are for girls. When going to the store to buy toys, girls are expected to go to the bright pink aisles instead of the blue aisles where the boy toys are. As young girls, we were expected to wear dresses and skirts, style our hair with bows, and wear the “girly” socks that had flowers all over them.
Even as adults there are still gender roles like those. When it comes to choosing a career, it’s expected that women will become stay-at-home moms, but if they decide to get a job, people assume it will be either a teacher or nurse. People view those professions as jobs for women and pilots, engineers, and doctors are jobs for men. Women are taught that they are expected to be “beautiful and sexy.” We are expected to become stay-at-home moms who take care of children, clean, and cook. Girls are often taught that they are dramatic and “too emotional.”
These are all gender stereotypes that I have personally experienced. I’ve been told what I can and can’t wear. A common phrase I heard was “you dress like a boy.” I’ve received weird stares from people in stores when I look at race car toys. I’ve been told that I’m too emotional and that I cry too much. People still continue to judge what I wear because it’s not “girly” enough.
All of these gender roles can be harmful to a woman’s identity. We live in a society where women are judged based on their looks. We live in a culture full of sexism and violence against women. As a society, we need to start fighting these gender stereotypes more. Magazines, TV, film, and the Internet are full of negative gender stereotypes. It’s important to point them out. We talk with friends and family members about the stereotypes we see. These conversations help others understand how sexism and gender stereotypes can be hurtful. As uncomfortable as these topics can be to discuss, we have to have them. Nothing will change if we don’t. The more they are talked about the less uncomfortable it will be.
I hope our generation, through our conversations and protests, can break down these stereotypes and create a world where everyone is able to freely and safely express their identities.
-Anonymous
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