| Since the conception of children's toys the | | | | wear suits and go off to work each day to |
| existence of gender roles has been prominent. | | | | bring home the bacon for the family. As times |
| Boys should get trucks and cars and girls | | | | have changed these are no longer the "norms" |
| should get dolls and tea-sets, however, one | | | | of society however, we still push on to our |
| is forced to look at this belief with a | | | | children the repercussions of not sticking to |
| little more criticism in the more modern | | | | those norms. Are we really afraid of our |
| times of today. What is the major issue with | | | | children becoming less than the gender roles |
| a boy who likes to play with dolls or the | | | | we were expected to be? |
| girl who likes to play with cars? Perhaps not | | | | |
| so much for the girl who plays with cars but | | | | The unfortunate aspect of the fact that we |
| for the boy who likes to play with dolls he | | | | push such expectations on our children is |
| is pigeonholed as being a homosexual | | | | that we are not allowing them the freedom to |
| child...but who makes these rules? Who | | | | be who they want to and perhaps were destined |
| decides that boys should not be allowed to | | | | be. We are pushing on to them the expectation |
| play with dolls? The truth of the matter is | | | | that they should at least be A and not B |
| that we, as a society do. | | | | which in essence shapes them to pursue |
| | | | certain paths in life instead of allowing |
| There are no repercussions that come with a | | | | them the tabula rasa that all children really |
| boy who plays with dolls, other than the | | | | should be permitted. It is not the fault of |
| social isolation that is forced upon him by | | | | the toys nor the children; however, it is the |
| society. A boy that plays with dolls and a | | | | fault of society as a whole for shaping us to |
| girl that plays with cars and trucks are | | | | be such a judgmental race when faced with |
| nothing more than children exploring toys; | | | | people and ideas that do not fit the "norm" |
| they are not yet old enough to understand the | | | | of hundreds of years ago. |
| cubbyholes and labels we like to force on to | | | | |
| each other as a society. For some unexplained | | | | So how do we rid ourselves of this self |
| reason it is believed that the mere action of | | | | imposed cubby-holing that is stunting the |
| playing with a set of toys one will become | | | | emotional growth and general accepting nature |
| more or less masculine or feminine when this | | | | of our world's future generation? Give your |
| is simply untrue. | | | | son a Barbie or two and let your daughter |
| | | | play with a monster truck or wrestling figure |
| There was a time in our history as a race | | | | once in a while, it's not going to kill them |
| that being increasingly masculine or feminine | | | | and nor is it going to make them something |
| was the norm, little girls were expected to | | | | less than what they already are: innocent |
| wear only frilly dresses and stay at home in | | | | children with a brand new slate ready for |
| the kitchen (a la "barefoot and pregnant" | | | | writing. |
| stereotype), and little boys were expected to | | | | |