Gender Socialization
Gender socialization is shaping individual behavior and perceptions in such a way that the individual conforms to the social expectations for males and females.
One has to wonder what would be different if all women were born into societies that treated men and women equally. How might civilization be different? It is impossible to know the answer to this question because for so many centuries of human history, women learned that they were inferior to men. They learned that their role in society was nothing more than having and taking care of children. Keep in mind here that the key word is learned. If women had been taught centuries ago that they could do anything a man could do, society would be a very different place.
There are several different perspectives on gender socialization, but it is generally accepted that early gender socialization is one of the most pertinent issues in early childhood, affecting both boys and girls.
The foundation of gender role stereotypes is developed through early gender socialization. Early gender socialization starts at birth and is a process of learning cultural roles according to one's biological sex. Right from the beginning, boys and girls are treated differently by the members of their own environment, and they quickly learn the differences between boys and girls, women and men.
Parental and societal expectations from young boys and girls, such as the selection of gender specific toys and giving gender based assignments to children define the gender socialization process.
There are numerous examples from varied parts of the world confirming that gender socialization is intertwined with the ethnic, cultural, and religious values of a given society. Also, gender socialization continues throughout the life cycle; it is not just for children. Men and women continue gender socialization and expectations in their daily lives, within interactions with friends, and in the work force.
Gender socialization for a child begins as soon as a woman becomes pregnant. People begin making judgments about the value of males over females (often without being aware they are doing it). These stereotypes are perpetuated by family members, teachers and others by having different expectations for males and females. Imagine the following scenario:
A young pregnant woman is about to have her first child. When asked whether she wishes to have a girl or boy, she replies that it doesn't matter. But, sitting next to her is an older relative who says, "Oh, hopefully it will be a boy."
While the relative in the previous scenario might not be maliciously stating something against females, by wishing for a boy, she is placing value on one gender over another.
In some countries, such as India and China, the value of having a boy child over a female child is ingrained in the society.
Learn more about this dynamic in China and India by exploring the official website for the documentary film It's a Girl.
Children start facing norms that define "masculine" and "feminine" from an early age. Boys are often told not to cry, not to fear, not to be forgiving and instead to be assertive, and strong. Girls on the other hand are asked not to be demanding, to be forgiving and accommodating and "ladylike".
These gender expectations from gender socialization have large scale ramifications. In many parts of the world, girls face discrimination in the care they receive in terms of their access to nutritious foods and health care, leading them to believe that they deserve to be treated differently than boys. The degree of gender differences observed varies in all cultures in respect to infant, toddler and young child health, nutrition, care developmental activities, education, hygiene and protection.
