Samantha Pearlman
Advanced Exposition
16 November, 2016
Proposal
Every Little Boy is a Superhero… Every Little Girl is a Princess
Do children’s toys hold on to old gender stereotypes and encourage them? OR is biased still present and that’s why they’re created in the first place? In my essay I’m going to discuss children’s toys and activities, and how they shape the child as they age.
Identify- Children’s toys commit stereotypes to gender. Are these stereotypes outdated? Do we get these toys because our culture expects us to? Is it better to raise children gender neutral? Is it better to raise them as culture expects so they are normalized while interacting with other children? Mirror as cultural artifact for girls. Bruises and cuts as cultural artifact for boys. Rugged. Girls expected to be dainty and care about appearance. Boys’ bruises are typical rowdy behavior. “Be more lady like”. Parents and psychologists have opinions about which methods are best. As a nanny I have my own opinions also. The central idea is whether raising the children with gendered upbringing is beneficial or not.
These are the ideas I’ll be exploring. The sources I’ll be using are from parent-posted articles, psychology articles, and experience. Just like the example touches upon media and gender roles, I’m doing the same with toys. Do children’s toys continue old gender norms? Also, when people raise children, is it best to do so in traditional roles or is it our job to encourage free choice in children?
Not every little boy reaches for a truck, and not every little girl’s favorite play time is dress up. Playtime is considered a necessity for the development of children’s brains, but it’s also about what they play with. Their toys shape their perspective of the world, as well as to help the child develop a sense of self.