"My Princess Boy is a nonfiction picture book about acceptance. It tells the tale of a 4-year-old boy who happily expresses his authentic self by enjoying "traditional girl" things like jewelry, sparkles or anything pink. It is designed to start and continue a dialogue about unconditional friendship and teaches children -- and adults -- how to accept and support children for who they are and how they wish to look."(myprincessboy.com) In a recent television show titled, What would you do?, it discusses the issue of gender identity and one the show an older grandmother states, "Gender identity is up for the individual to decide." What are your thoughts? Do you believe that your child's gender identity is up to them at an age where they fully haven't developed? Here is a link to the news interview from Joy Behar.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dfkb0kdo0sQ
Monday, January 24, 2011
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I totally think that gender identity is up to the individual as soon as they are able to make that choice. I feel completely comfortable with my daughter playing with trucks and throwing footballs. I love that the little boy in the clip you provided responded "a princess boy" when Joy asked him if he wanted to be a boy or a girl. I would personally not go as far as changing my child's sex, but I see no harm in a boy wearing a dress or playing with dolls and little girl playing in dirt with trucks. I think if you limit your child's imagination and gifts by gender sterotypes, the parent is not doing the job to ensure they are happy and healthy adults. I mean where can the line be drawn? What if a boy wanted to do something like dancing as a hobby. Would it make a difference if he did hip hop dancing or ballet?! To me it would not, he's expressing his talents through avenues that he enjoys. What if a girl wanted to play football, but because football is considered a "male" sport, would the parent directed her to do something else? What about rugby, which is very comparable to football but they have girl leagues. Would that then be acceptable? I think life is too short and precious to limit children to the cookie-cuter children most parents dream of.
ReplyDeleteI thought this was the perfect way to handle this situation, the mom was very supportive and the child understood everything. About them making the decision when they aren't fully developed, I think that kids know what they want and what they like better than adults sometimes because they aren't trying to line up with other peoples opinions. Their opinions may even change and he may become more stereotypically boy, but just because he made that decision early on and it was accepted doesn't mean that if he was not supported he would end up completely normal. Not getting support in his differences would most likely compound the problem, and maybe this situation would end up like the movie we watched in class where the parents basically forced their son to pick boy or girl. I think being accepting allows for more ideas and creativity in this world, and may even prevent issues with some transgenders.
ReplyDeleteI do believe in traditional gender roles. However, children don’t really develop their gender schemas until at least eight years of age. A boy or a girl can change between stereotypical gender-typed objects; there is nothing wrong with that. Superficial things such as clothing, toys, and games aren’t as a big of a deal as how the children are raised. Boys should grow up to be men and girls should grow up to be women. I know it may sound traditional to some and it even may sound ignorant to others. Boys should learn how to be strong and take care of others. Men are independent and responsible. Girls should also learn the same things, but in a different context. They should grow up to be women and mothers. Both sexes should be strong, independent, and faithful. However, each sex should learn their place in the world. I feel that the boy being interviewed may come to experience some dissonance between the gender role that he is acting and the gender role that he is imitating. As a “princess boy” he plays with girl toys and does girl activities; he may eventually want to be a girl. However, this may not happen at all. Maybe it is just all a phase that he is going through or maybe he just wants to express himself. I believe that the parents are doing a good job. You can’t force children to conform. As long as the “princess boy’s” parents are encouraging him to also fulfill his male gender roles as he matures, then I believe he will be a normal member of society.
ReplyDeleteI was so happy with the reaction of the parents, particularly the father who immediately reacted with understanding. I was surprised that it was the mother who actually tried to reinforce the gender stereotypes on her son. Typically, that's not how I have seen it go, but these parents are doing awesome! I did feel that the interviewer couldn't get off the topic that the boy would be made fun of, going as far as to ask him what he would feel like if people were to push him around for wearing dresses. I was proud of his mother's response that there was someone thing wrong with the world that he had to be fit into a mold, not someone wrong with her child. I agree that there are too many constraints placed on children because of gender stereotyping. Children should be free to create their own world. I think by writing this book his mother is trying to create a world that is accepting and aware of these restrictions we place on our next generation.
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