Gender Roles

What are little boys made of?

Snips and snails

And puppy dog tails.

What are little girls made of?

Sugar and spice

And everything nice.

What Are Little Boys Made Of?

Gender roles have always confused me.  Well, confused may not be quite the word.  Why must we have a separate code of standards for girls and boys?  Why are girls expected to like pink and purple, and boys expected to like blue and green?  Why are girls expected to play with dolls and boys with trains?  Why can’t girls like green and boys play with dolls?

I have never been so irritated as when a parent dropped off her son and promptly told him to put down the baby doll another child had handed him because it was a girl’s toy and he was a boy.  Are we really still in a day and age where we have to identify what a person may or may not do based on a gender?

I was able to console the girl who had shared very well, something we encourage, and tell her that the boy just didn’t want to play dolls with her at the moment.  I suggested that another girl who also had a doll in her hand may want to play with her.  I later saw the little boy wandering towards the play kitchen we have.  It is sad that this boy’s interests will likely be smothered and replaced by things his mother finds suitable for boys.

I can’t say that as adults we’re any better.  Women generally make less money in the same job position.  Women are still thought of as needing help to lift anything remotely heavy.  Women are thought of as useless in a “manly” task such as anything with computers or automobiles.  And yet we claim that women have the same freedoms that men have?  What makes this any different than not allowing a little boy to play with a doll?

Will we ever have equality?  Will men ever admit publically that women can be better than them at something that doesn’t involve cooking, cleaning, or child care?  Will we ever come to a day where girls can play with trains and boys can play with dolls and no one, not one single person, will judge either party?