13/05/2025
STEREOTYPES: THE BOX WE LIVE IN
Early Years:
Girls should play with dolls and boys should play with trucks
Boys should be directed to like blue and green; girls toward red and pink
Boys should not wear dresses or other clothes typically associated with "girl's clothes"
During Youth:
Girls are better at reading and boys are better at math
Girls should be well behaved; boys are expected to act out
Girls and are not as interested as boys in STEM subjects;
Boys should engage in sports and refrain from more creative pursuits;
Boys and men are expected to use violence and aggression to prove their manliness;
A boy that doesn’t use violence or aggression is an understandable target for bullying;
Girls should be thin and beautiful to make them appealing to men.
As Adults:
Victims of intimate partner violence are weak because they stay in the relationship
There is something wrong with a woman who doesn’t want children
Assertive women are unfeminine and are "bossy," "bitches” or “whores”
Women are natural nurturers; men are natural leaders
Women don’t need equal pay because they are supported by their husbands
Women who appear less feminine or reject advances from men are le****ns
Women with children are less devoted to their jobs
Men who spend time with family are less masculine and poor breadwinners
In heterosexual couples, women should take time off to care for children or elders
Men who are not aggressive and/or assertive are unmanly and likely gay
Women are too emotional to undertake certain kinds of work, especially while pregnant
Men are too impersonal and not emotionally apt to take on tasks "better done by women".
Gender stereotyping is a learned behavior, which means that it is not an inherent behavior that people are born with. Children form gender stereotypes and an understanding of gender roles based on what they see and hear in their homes and in the wider world.
Gender stereotypes are perpetuated when gender roles are enforced by people, such as parents, family members, teachers, coaches, peers, and religious community leaders. This reinforcement can be subtle and indirect, such as parents encouraging sons to take up sports and daughters to take up dance.
There are various consequences of gender stereotyping. For example, gender stereotypes perpetuate gender discrimination on both a political and personal level. Gender stereotypes contribute to violations of the human rights of women, such as their right to freedom of expression, education, work, health, political participation, political representation, and effective remedy (to a violation of one's rights).
Furthermore, gender stereotypes perpetuate gender-based violence. Gender stereotypes perpetuate toxic masculinity, which is the notion that toughness, power, and anti-femininity are integral to a man's masculine identity. Toxic masculinity usually involves patterns of aggression, homophobia, and domination.
Boys and men who internalize gender stereotypes about male toughness may feel socially isolated, develop toxic masculinity, or become violent. Girls and women who internalize gender stereotypes and toxic masculinity may feel that they should be subordinate to a man and feel that violence perpetrated against them is excusable and natural, or even the fault of the woman.
To combat gender stereotypes, it's crucial to challenge traditional gender roles in media, education, and everyday interactions. This includes promoting diverse and inclusive portrayals of gender, encouraging boys and girls to explore a wide range of activities and interests, and avoiding segregating children based on gender. Furthermore, engaging communities and grassroots actors in public awareness campaigns and workshops can help dismantle discriminatory social norms and promote gender equality.
