Santa Monica College Woman Gender Studies Essay – Description
Pay a visit to a local department store (or go online and peruse the “girls” and “boys” section).
Walk through the infant and toddler departments and take careful note of the differences in clothing available for boys and girls.
The most obvious dissimilarity is that girls wear skirts and dresses and boys don’t. But what about contrasts in style, in color or prints, or even in the texture of the fabrics? Are there any differences in the way the clothes are decorated and accessorized?
Do any major themes emerge in the comparisons of the clothing? For example, what sorts of messages about masculinity and femininity come across subtly (or not so subtly) through the clothing?
How might wearing these clothes affect the ways little girls and boys behave or the kinds of activities they are likely to pursue?
Walk through or scroll through the toys section.
What toys are marketed to “boys” and what toys are marketed to “girls”?
What skills, tasks and/or roles do these toys promote?
How are these toys packaged? What color schemes and captions are used?
What kind of play is encouraged or discouraged?
How do toys contribute to gender socialization?
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