In that scene from Frozen, not only is Anna’s hand tiny compared with Hans’, but in fact her eyeball is wider than her wrist.
Male's hands are usually larger than female's, but in Frozen Hans' hand is huge compared to Anna's hand and wrist. Her eyes are bigger than the size of her wrist. These differences in their appearance promotes extremely unrealistic standards of beauty.
But the exaggerations in these children’s movies are extreme, they almost always promote the same image of big men and tiny women, and they are especially dramatic in romantic situations.
It is acknowledged that on average male bodies are bigger compared to female bodies, but in animated movies, this difference is extremely exaggerated, especially in romantic scenes between the two main characters. It promotes that men have to be big and strong and the women have to be tiny and super skinny.
But unless we see that men and women have physical, emotional and cognitive qualities in common as well, we will continue to treat single parents — and same-sex couples — as fundamentally deficient instead of evaluating them as complex people with their own strengths and weaknesses.
If it is not recognized that men and women share physical, emotional, and cognitive similarities it is incredibly hard to evaluate same-sex parents or single parents as actual people. If someone believes that only one gender can efficiently raise a child, then the other gender is not even given a chance to prove they can be a good parent.
When the beautiful and romantic stories we grow to love in childhood set a standard that exaggerates gender differences and makes them seem natural — built into our very bone structures — it gives us a more limited, and less complex, vision of our human potential.
Disney is unintentionally teaching children completely exaggerated differences between gender. This mentality become so instilled in children, that it becomes hard to view ourselves and others in a different role from what was learned as children.
However, in the grand scheme, as the sociologist Lisa Wade puts it, “men and women are overwhelmingly alike”; our similarities outweigh our differences. Still, we choose whether to highlight the differences that are apparent. And the amount of energy we devote to emphasizing and acting on the different qualities of men and women changes over time and varies across cultures.
Men and women are a lot more alike than they are different, but this fact is never recognized by society. The differences between men and women are so instilled into people's heads, that it becomes incredibly difficult to acknowledge and appreciate the similarities between the two genders.
A culture populated by absurdly small princesses and hulking male heroes can change the way men and women see themselves
Movies with super tiny princesses and big strong heroes can change how people view themselves and what is seen as beautiful or strong.
On music television, a popular program choice among young viewers, females often are shown in degrading positions. Music videos frequently show women as sex objects, and as trying to gain the attention of a male who ignores them
Music videos usually showed the women basically throwing themselves at the men who don't want them. Women are seen as sex objects only there for the men's pleasure. Seeing women like this teaches young girls that their only role is for a man's pleasure.
Children who witness female characters on television programs who are passive, indecisive, and subordinate to men, and who see this reinforced by their environment, will likely believe that this is the appropriate way for females to behav
Certain television shows teach that men always have to be in control and the women have to listen to whatever the men say. This teaches young girls to be passive and dependent on men instead of being strong and independent.
Television programming emphasizes male characters' strength, performance, and skill; for women, it focuses on attractiveness and desirability.
For women, television focuses more on their physical beauty and body than the the skills they might possess. This teaches young girls that it is more important to take pride in their appearance than their intelligence, compassion, empathy, or any skill that they may have.
Men are usually more dominant in male-female interactions.
On television, men are usually more dominant. For the children watching, especially girls, it makes them believe that the men have to be the ones in control and the girls have to take the more submissive role.
Young children will imitate and repeat behaviors they see on television. Consequently, children may exhibit these gender-biased behaviors and develop the gender-biased attitudes that they see modeled on television.
Children tend to repeat what they see, so when they see gender stereotypes on the television, they mimic what they saw. The children don't necessarily realize what they are doing, but they start to enforce gender stereotypes.
If the child frequently meets such gender biases and gender stereotypes, this knowledge will be incorporated into future perceptions. Keeping in mind that young children with developing minds watch many hours of television, and recalling how television reinforces gender stereotypes, it is not surprising when children develop stereotyped beliefs.
If the child continuously watches television, they are picking up multiple gender stereotypes. They start to believe in these stereotypes and are instilled in them for the rest of their lives.
As children grow and develop, they take in information and acquire knowledge at a rapid pace. As they develop their cognitive abilities, they assimilate new information and accommodate it to what they already know
Children are able to learn new information quickly. So when they spend majority of their time in front of the t.v, they are picking up the things that they see. They take in the information try to fit it in with what they already know.
Studies show preschoolers spend an average of nearly 30 hours a week watching television; some spend more time watching television than doing anything else except sleeping
Television is one of the most influential forms of media. Preschoolers spend a huge amount of their week in front of the television. I will use this to show that television and media is one way the society influences the gender perception of children.
My own twins have showed me what can happen when you break that cycle. For instead of boxing them in, based on their early--and presumably hardwired--display of predilection (dolls for her, technology for him), I worked hard to keep options and doors open: in their games, in their clothing, in their senses of self.
Allowing her twins to develop their own sense of self allows them experience a full range of emotional, cognitive, and physical abilities.
And yet, they also both continue to exhibit typical gender traits. Which is fine. The aim is not to make childhood a wholly unisex affair: whether a baby is born a boy or a girl will always count. The aim, rather, is to strike a middle ground where gender is embraced, but not used to limit or pigeonhole.
This is extremely well-said. It's not that a gender neutral environment should be created but rather a more tolerable flexible environment for both genders.
And then, poof, somewhere around their first birthday, it was as if the gender fairy flitted into our house and waved her magic wand, dusting them both with stereotypes.
Once her twins reached a certain age there was a very distinct gender divide between her son and daughter.
Many who embrace the new status quo in toys claim that gender-neutrality would be synonymous with taking away choice, in essence forcing children to become androgynous automatons who can only play with boring tan objects.
Gender neutral toys wouldn't take away choice, it would allow one. Gender neutral toys would allow children to chose to play with a toy they are interested in, not chose a toy simply because it comes in pink.
However, late-century marketing relied less on explicit sexism and more on implicit gender cues, such as color, and new fantasy-based gender roles like the beautiful princess or the muscle-bound action hero. These roles were still built upon regressive gender stereotypes—they portrayed a powerful, skill-oriented masculinity and a passive, relational femininity—that were obscured with bright new packaging. In essence, the "little homemaker" of the 1950s had become the "little princess" we see today.
Even though the sexism isn't as explicit in today's marketing and advertising, it is still implied. What was seen as the "little homemaker" is now seen as the "little princess." It's a scary thought that being called a princess carries the same sexist meaning of being called a homemaker.
During the 1980s, gender-neutral advertising receded, and by 1995, gendered toys made up roughly half of the Sears catalog’s offerings—the same proportion as during the interwar years.
Gender toys and advertising decreased, but then began to increase during the 1980's and 1990's.
all toys sold on the Disney Store’s website were explicitly categorized as being “for boys” or “for girls”—there was no “for boys and girls” option, even though a handful of toys could be found on both lists.
The same exact toys were listed on both a list of boy toys and girl toys, there is not a combined list. Toys should be listed as children's toys, not boy toys or girl toys.
and the marketing of toys is more gendered now than even 50 years ago, when gender discrimination and sexism were the norm.
It is a scary thought that toys are more gendered now then they were 50 years ago when sexism and discrimination was extremely prevalent in society.
When it comes to buying gifts for children, everything is color-coded: Rigid boundaries segregate brawny blue action figures from pretty pink princesses, and most assume that this is how it’s always been.
Everything is gendered. It is nearly impossible to find a pink action figure or an army green princess dress. Now colors are even assigned genders. There are very distinct lines between boy and girls.
Disney may not be making the judgment that these forms of masculinity seen in Gaston or Hercules are desirable, but the corporation is making a statement on what masculinity looks like, and in doing so presenting an unattainable standard and alienating a large demographic of men.
Disney is making a statement on what masculinity should look like; big muscles, attractive face, nice hair, and usually white. This may confuse young boys who don't necessarily fit these standards. This stereotype teaches them they have to look a certain way to be perceived as sort of a manly man.
Disney is spreading a few different stereotypes with this focus: Women need men to save them; saving a woman makes you a man; and that only men are capable of protecting others from harm or danger.
This doesn't only affect females, but males too. This message teaches that women need to be saved and that men have to save them. This can put a lot of pressure on young boys because they believe that they have to be a strong protective character, when in actuality they don't.
Men are saving women in practically every Disney movie ever made (usually with a kiss).
In almost every Disney movie, men are saving the 'damsel in distress.' Almost all these saves are in form of a kiss. This teaches young girls that men need to save them and love them instead of teaching it's okay to be strong and independent and it's okay to save yourself.
But in Disney films like Mulan and Pocahontas, the stories revolves around strong female leads, and there's a double standard. Women must also demonstrate kindness, thoughtfulness, gentleness and humility — femaleness, essentially — in order to be acceptable "strong female" characters.
While there are Disney movies that revolve around strong female leads, those women still have to possess characteristics seen as feminine. Mulan and Pocahontas have to be kind and gentle all while being strong women.
Outward beauty is what makes you special. ('Cinderella')
A huge message taught in Disney movies is that outward beauty is what is most important. This message is extremely clear in Cinderella, and in Sleeping Beauty. Cinderella is arguably one of the more popular films and teaches young girls that they have to be all dolled up and attractive for a man to fall in love with them.
Snow White saves these slovenly adults from their pigsty by dusting, sweeping, washing dishes, tidying and sprucing — tasks that the dwarfs apparently never learned from their mother (since women must teach men how to do all the things).
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs teaches young boys and girls that women have to care of men by doing all sorts of housework.
Thus, rather than force your child into the mold of current or traditional gender behavior, help him or her fulfill his or her own unique potential. Don't become excessively concerned with whether your child's interests and strengths coincide with the socially defined gender roles of the moment
Allowing children to express themselves as individuals instead of just boys or girls, allows them to grow into unique well-rounded individuals.
All children need the opportunity to explore different gender roles and different styles of play. Ensure your young child's environment reflects diversity in gender roles and encourages opportunities for everyone.
It is incredibly important for parents to allow their children to explore different options, especially in terms of play. It allows young children to develop their own sense of identity instead of forcing them into specific gender characteristics.
At birth, babies are assigned male or female based on physical characteristics. This refers to the "sex" of the child. When children are able to express themselves, they will declare themselves to be a boy or a girl (or sometimes something in between); this is their "gender identity."
This is a very important distinction. Sex is made up the physical characteristic while gender refers to what children identify themselves as.
This idea of society 'shoehorning' individuals into particular, gender-assigned roles, can also be seen to affect men. Despite strongly agreeing with the idea of a 'house husband', many men simply do not believe the role to be a socially acceptable pursuit -- mirroring the challenges of work negotiated by new mothers.
The traditional roles don't just affect women, but men too. It's not socially acceptable for men to be 'house husbands' or 'stay at home dads,' so they simply don't accept these roles.
The post-birth change in attitudes has been coined the 'sexist shift' by Baxter. The Australian sociologist suggests that the shift as a direct consequence of how society is constructed.
The 'sexist shift' is a direct consequence of society's gender stereotypes. Society has believed that men and women can't share the same roles.
Interestingly, new parents appear to be more likely to endorse women as full-time carers. For example, when asked before the birth of their children, most men and women agreed with the idea that housework and care should be shared equally; however, after the birth the mean level of disagreement with the statement rose among both genders.
So during the pregnancy, both men and women believed that housework should be shared, but when the child was born all these roles became solely women jobs. If this behavior continues while the child grows up, it only enforces to the children that the women have to stay home and care for everybody.
When asked if women alone should undertake the stereotypically female roles of housekeeping and infant care, a significant number of both sexes strongly agreed. However, men were notably more supportive of this statement, believing that the household burden should not be equally shared across the sexes.
While both sexes agreed to the statement that only women should be tasked with housekeeping and infant care, men were more supportive of this statement. Men are enforcing the gender stereotype that woman do all the housework and caring while the men have full time jobs.
Social scientists discovered that fatherhood brings about a 'sexist shift' in many men, who take the opinion that women should fulfil the brunt of housework and care duties.
After the birth of a child, men start to believe that women should take the role of cleaning and caring for the baby. If fathers don't help as much in the cleaning and caring for the children, it only teaches the children that housework and caring for the children are a "woman's job."
Things were a little different with pajamas. Melsky bought them from both the boys' and girls' sections of stores, and her daughter gravitated to the robot and spaceship ones - purchased, naturally, in the boys' section. So it dawned on Melsky, when she walked past the girls' section in a store one day two years ago, "I wish I could get a dress with a spaceship on it."
As kids, we see things that we want and just assume that we can get them but this isn't always the case. Melsky's daughter wanted a dress with spaceships and robots (naturally a boy print) but realized that those prints aren't used for little girl clothes. It is nearly impossible to find either gender neutral clothes or clothes that don't fit the traditional gender roles.
"I just wish I could buy her what she wants to wear," Melsky said. "I want to make sure I can offer her the variety and keep her exposed" to things other than pink dresses adorned with princesses or flowers or ruffles.
I appreciate that Melsky wishes that she could just let her child wear whatever she wants because some parents aren't as open to breaking the traditional gender stereotypes. It is about exposing children to all that is offered in the world not just offered to one gender. Exposing children to both genders allows room for the children to grow.
If you say, "This is what boys like" or "This is what girls like," you're ignoring your child's individuality, she said. "It funnels them into a category. . . . If we funnel them into that from birth, it's hard for kids to be individuals."
This is so important. If you start labeling your children and enforce gender roles and stereotypes, it becomes extremely hard for children to express their individuality.
The group was featured in a piece on Upworthy, a Web site for feel-good viral content, that showed pictures of clothes that caused uproars in recent years: a blue "boy" onesie that says "I'm Super" hanging next to a pink one that says "I Hate My Thighs," and a sparkly "girl" shirt from Children's Place that said "My Best Subjects: Shopping, Music, Dancing, Math" with check marks next to only the first three.
These onesies are already instilling negative gender roles into children. The boy onesie says "I'm super" while the girl's is talking about how she hates her thighs. The girl onesie is focusing on the flaws in their appearance even though these onesies are for babies and toddlers. Even though these onesies are for babies, they are already promoting negative self-esteem.
St. Clair, who now has a girl in addition to three boys, said it doesn't make sense to define some things as specific to boys or girls when they aren't. Dragons? Sports? Superheroes? "We've made these things gendered," she said.
It's never been explicitly said that boys have to like one things or the other. Unnecessary things have become gendered.
According to a 2010 National Transgender Discrimination Survey, 41 percent of transgender people surveyed said they had attempted suicide. That figure rose to 51 percent for those who said they'd also been bullied, harassed, assaulted or expelled because they were transgender or gender nonconforming at school. The survey was a joint project of the National Center for Transgender Equality and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force.
This study shows that transgender people are more at risk of being suicidal or being bullied and harassed. Literally more than half of those surveyed can report to being bullied, harassed, assaulted, or even expelled because they did not fit in a specific gender or the gender roles that are expected of them.
"If it were just a toilet, then just having the gender-neutral option would be fine. But it's really about being accepted," Mathis says. "What's happening now--they will call you a girl but you're not really a girl, so you don't get to act like one. And that's incredibly damaging."
This quote is explaining how teachers and other students may call the student a girl but then they don't let her experience and actually act like a girl. The gender neutral bathrooms may further isolate students who already don't feel included.
In California, which has had protections for transgender people for some time, a new law requires schools to provide transgender and gender variant students with "equal and full access to programs and facilities," such as gender-neutral bathrooms, if need be, and private changing areas for gym and sports.
Gender-neutral bathrooms and changing areas become a huge source of controversy. Some support the idea because it recognizes that the student does not identify as either gender. it is also a a source of exclusion because all children want to fit in but they are being forced to use a completely separate bathroom from other children.
Today, the gender spectrum includes those who are transgender, who see themselves as the opposite gender, and those who are gender variant, or gender nonconforming, whose gender is more "fluid." For kids, it means they identify part of themselves as boy and part as girl.
I may use this point to show that gender is fluid and how gender roles can make this thought even more confusing. There is more to gender than just being a boy or girl and this thought can be very confusing to many, especially children. Some kids see themselves as both boy and girl but society tends to only let them see themselves as one or the other.
Many children land, enthusiastically, on the expected side. Others dabble in both "girl" and "boy" things.
Not all children stay in the boundaries of male or female. Some children decide that they relate more to one gender than the other. These children often feel bad about dabbling in the opposite gender's role because it was so instilled in them to only stick to either boy or girl things.
From early on, we divide toys and activities by very distinct gender lines, with superheroes and trucks and muck on one side and princesses and dolls and all things frilly on the other.
Growing up, it is only acceptable for boys to play with action figures, not dolls even though action figures and dolls are the exact same thing. Boys can play with dirty things but the girls must stay prim and proper. This way of thinking is drilled into children's heads and stays with them as they grow up.
From the time they are born, we put our boys in blue beanies and our girls in pink ones. It's a societal norm, an expectation even, that you just are what you are born--a boy or a girl.
As soon as a child is born, they are already placed in a category. Boys automatically get blue and girls automatically get pink. This way of thinking has become a societal norm where it is expected for boys and girls to be different. The second the child is born it is drilled into their heads that boys need to love blue and girls need to love pink.
"I used to think boys and girls can't do the same things." He says he now understands that women can also be heads of households and should be given the same rights and responsibilities as men.
15 year old Thulane Shange grew up believing that boys and girls can't do the same thing but now believes that they can. I may use this to show how even though children grew up with this mentality, they can always change it.
Gender equality was a new concept to the children who took part. They have grown up with the understanding that men and women each have their own, separate roles to play in society.
This is a mentality that plenty of people have. Many have grown up to believe that men and women can't do the same things and each have different distinct roles to fill.
"I didn't know that girls can play soccer. I thought it was a sport only for boys," says Thulile Khanyile. But after a photography and writing project changed her perception of gender roles, the 14-year-old helped start a girl's soccer team at her high school in Nkandla, a rural area in the heart of Zululand.
This quote shows how gender perception can really affect children. The girl believes that only boys could play soccer, even though there is nothing stopping a girl from playing. She was in high school before she even realized that she could play soccer. I may use this as an example of how children are learning gender roles and how it is negatively affecting them.
This article focuses on society's misconceptions about feminism. This article also touches on the negative connotations that come with the word feminist. I may use this article to prove that there is no right or wrong way to be a feminist.
the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down.
No, it doesn't??? There is no way in the female body "to shut that whole thing down." The female body does not work that way.
All too often, these seemingly smaller issues go unchecked because there are so many more serious issues facing women.
There are many important issues that are recognized but I think that the smaller day-to-day issues need as much focus as the bigger issues.
Other times, white feminists are simply dismissive of these issues.
White feminists should not dismiss the issues that have to do with women of color. Feminism is about the rights of all women, not just white women.
This article explains musician, Neko Case's thoughts about feminism. Her thoughts about feminism and sexism in the music industry is very interesting. I may use this source to who how sexism has affected her and why feminism is needed in the music industry.
As far as media goes, Playboy isn’t alone in using the term “women in rock” or “women in ______”; not by a long shot. Everyone does, including women. I’m guilty too. Sometimes it’s used very specifically, which is good if people are looking to research or be inspired by a something precise, but 9 times out of 10 it’s unnecessary.
Many media outlets use the phrase "women in __" and it's not meant as a insult, but it is unnecessary. Who cares is she is a woman in rock? It should be about the work she does. Neko is a musician not just a "woman in rock." People want to be the best at what they do and there shouldn't be a distinction between how well a women does and how well a man does.
Physically, I am a woman, but my gender doesn’t dominate my thoughts or passions every waking moment. I feel like I’m a mixture of all kinds of people and sexes we don’t even know about yet, and I like it that way.
Neko does not want her gender to define her and it shouldn't. There is more to gender that just the physical aspects.
This article focuses on feminism and sexism in the workplace. I will use this source as evidence to prove women make less than men and why feminism is needed in the workplace.
Employers have relied not just on being able to pay women less, but on specific gendered skills and qualities that they expected from female workers.
Not only are employers relying on the fact that they can pay their female workers less, but they are also relying on certain "feminine" characteristics that the females possess.
This article explains what feminism actually is. This article breaks down feminism in simple terms. I will use this source to explain feminism and how feminism has evolved over decades
I don’t think that I would consider myself a feminist. I think that I certainly believe in equal rights, I believe that women are just as capable, if not more so in a lot of different dimensions, but I don’t, I think, have, sort of, the militant drive and the sort of, the chip on the shoulder that sometimes comes with that.
I just get very frustrated reading things like this. Believing in gender equality is what makes a feminist a feminist. It frustrates me that a woman would say "I believe that women are just as capable," but won't explicitly say she is a feminist because of the negative connotation that the word feminist has. Mayer is the president and CEO of a huge company and has an opportunity to show all the hard work it took for her to get there, but she is too afraid of to categorize herself as feminist.
I sometimes cringe when someone refers to me as a feminist, as if I should be ashamed of my feminism or as if the word feminist is an insult. The label is rarely offered in kindness.
I do the same thing. I have multiple items of clothing that show my feminist support and when I wear those things to school, I am often judged because I am a feminist. I sometimes become embarrassed when some one calls me a feminist. Being called a feminist should not be seen as an insult. Being called a feminist should not make me feel ashamed or embarrassed but proud because I know that I am fighting for a cause that I very strongly believe in.
Essential feminism suggests anger, humorlessness, militancy, unwavering principles, and a prescribed set of rules for how to be a proper feminist woman, or at least a proper white, heterosexual, feminist woman—hate pornography, unilaterally decry the objectification of women, don’t cater to the male gaze, hate men, hate sex, focus on career, don’t shave.
There is no right or wrong way to be a feminist. Feminists can be the "perfect woman" or someone who does not physically fit the mold of a "perfect woman." Women can like sex and still be a feminist. It's ridiculous that society believes that ALL feminists are filled with anger and hatred towards all men, when really they are just fighting for the equality they deserve. The reputations that feminists have is just untrue.
Welcome aboard!
I really like how the author kept her voice throughout the entire article. She included humor but did not take away from the importance of this article.
If you are a person alive in the world, other people, both men and women, have told you that all feminists are hairy, reactionary, undersexed, man-hating bitches who need to quit cryin' (because we have suffrage now! And Roombas!).
I don't understand how all feminists received the reputation of hairy, over dramatic, women who hate all men. This reputation is completely wrong. Feminists don't fit a specific mold.
You either believe that women are people, or you don't.
Contrary to popular belief, feminism is not about making women the "superior" sex, its about believing that women actually are human beings who deserve the same opportunities as men.
Feminism is not a radical movement or a fringe movement or an embarrassment or a fraud. Feminism is simple. The "patriarchy" does "exist."
Feminism is not a trend or just a political statement and people need to start realizing that feminism is an actual needed things in today's society. Feminism means a lot to many people, but people need to start realizing that the PATRIARCHY DOES EXIST!