Write a peer conversation post to the following discussion to dig into gender studies.
Including one direct quote from the reading attached.

As we all know, there is a difference between gender and sex even though sometimes people think that they mean the same thing. Sex refers to the biological differences between females and male while gender refers to the roles of men and women in society which has sometimes been defined by stereotypes created by society. Everyone has their own gender identity as it is based on themselves as an individual. Gender roles are defined by behavior and attitude that society feels like it is appropriate for men and women. For this week’s discussion, I wanted to focus on where gender comes from and how it is learned about by society. I also wanted my main focus to be on toys and how kids feel like they can only play with certain toys based on their gender.

From looking at the Barbie picture from Professors discussion, I remembered one discussion I had done before in regards to a stereotype that only girls can play with barbies and that boys cannot. Society has created this stereotype that since Barbie is a girl, it is only meant for girls to play with even though boys can have an interest in playing with them, and there is nothing wrong with that. I have also noticed that girls tend to play with pink toys and boys tend to play with blue toys even though the color of the toy does not make a difference in who the toy is for. In my opinion, children should be able to play with whatever toy they want and they should also not feel pressured to play with a toy that they dont want to. Another thing I would like to add in regards to Barbie is that children tend to buy the white Barbie more instead of the black Barbie because they feel like the white Barbie is better looking than the black Barbie.

It seems like since birth, genders have been segregated in many ways such as in clothing. Parents find that baby clothes and paraphernalia still come in pastel pink for girls, pastel blue for boys, and white or yellow for babies who have yet to be born and whose sex is unknown or babies whose parents do not mind that a stranger might mistake their gender (Klugman, 170). This quote does not relate to toys, but it shows how the stereotype with pink and blue gets started when a baby is born.

The packages on toys also play a huge role with gender stereotyping. From the article A Bad Hair Day for GI Joe, by Karen Klugman it was described that baby doll packaging has images of a girl taking care of the baby, feeding it, and bathing it, but there is never an image of a boy doing that which shows how these toys are trying to say that baby dolls are only for girls. There have been dolls made that are for boys to play with, but they do not have a nurturing concept like the dolls for girls do, based on the packaging of the dolls. There can be many stereotypes made with all of the toys in the market today, but even action figures and robots have this stereotype that only boys can play with them. This raises some questions for me such as, Since there is a stereotype that only boys can play with action figures, is it trying to say that only boys are strong and that girls arent? The packaging of action figures rarely makes use of photography, let alone photographs of boys. Instead, the doll visible through the plastic wrapping is usually surrounded by colorful, elaborate illustrations that depict the figure as more expressive and lifelike than it actually is (Klugman, 174-175).

Overall, gender plays a huge role in one’s identification. It shapes social life, behavior, attitude and makes individuals sense themselves. Gender is something that we do rather than have (Shaw & Lee, 126).  Throughout being in society, we as people learn about the practices and skills of gender. Gender has been embedded in culture by the characteristics of someone being feminine or masculine. Every culture has their own definitions of what gender is and how it is described.

Write a peer conversation post to the following discussion to dig into gender studies.
Including one direct quote from the reading attached.

The term sex is explained by biological and physical features whereas gender is determined from social expectations, cultural values, and gender is socially constructed and reinforced. While there are biological differences between females and male the difference between sex and gender have often been misconstrued because many may think the two words mean the same thing or in similar definitions, it can be complicated to some. Although, the two terms are believed by many individuals that gender and sex complement each other, feminist found it useful and important to separate the two because there are many differences between women and men. Not only by physical characteristics, but that of what we learn from our culture and the primary views each should behave. This means that women and men learn the practices of gender, internalize the norms associated with masculinity and femininity, are rewarded for appropriate behaviors and sanctioned for inappropriate behaviors, and learn to perform the ones that are expected of them.

Society has created determined characteristics where there are social and cultural elements of being a man or woman and boy or girl. The two terms play a major role when a child is born until adulthood. I think the fundamental distinction has been significant to feminism because society has created a social norm on how to separate girls from boys, men and women. Considering the roles that were taught to many at a young age has contributed to how children take on gender roles that society reinforces on us. In reality, gender is a practice in which all people engage; it is something we perform over and over in our daily lives. In this sense, gender is something that we do rather than haveand Gender is so central in shaping our lives, much of what is gendered is not even recognized; its made normal and ordinary and occurs on a subconscious level (Lee and Shaw, 2009). These two quotes caught my attention because it explains a few scenarios on how society has constructed specific traits each sex should take on. To which is referred to as gender socialization, traits that are taught and learned that is appropriate behaviors associated with being a boy or a girl in our culture (Lee & Shaw, 2009).  Gender becomes one of the most important and influential features that follows an individual’s life. For example, for a young child, toys are used to influence their gender role in society where boys are determined to play with cars, like the color blue and girls to play with dolls, household role play toys. This is how gender becomes a role we perform and becomes an important feature of an individuals identity.

These are the impacts that prevent a variety of identities and not encourage children to develop their own special roles in society they want to participate in and their own personal preference. Society has constructed this normal behavior or identity and has created a sense of fear to some parents. I personally know and have had a conversation with a friend about concerns of her son playing with dolls, playing with his girl cousins instead and liking the color pink, being fearful of her son being shamed for it. It is sad to hear a parent being fearful of these types of behaviors when it is a natural preference or even just letting the child be free to be curious and explore. I think that is the beauty of development in children. Having the opportunity to see the development and growth at its naturalist period without having the outside noise interfere with being you, but it is a world we live in that created that social norm. As parents some may not even think purchasing specific toys plays a major factor in contributing to socialization. Which was mentioned in this discussion,  socialization is what society values and what is basically considered a normal trait that is taught and learned.

I interviewed my niece for a course I previously took and it was about adolescents and film which was very interesting. Basically, my niece expressed she did not feel pretty and confident most of the time and what has impacted her to feel this way was because of how social media and films she watches displays girls that are viewed as beautiful are tall, long hair, and slim. This was confirmation that society uses advertisement and entertainment to shape how an individual feels about their appearance and compare themselves. This is an example of how society has such a major influence in our lives more than we think or realize. The distinction between sex and gender plays a significant purpose from my perspective because it acknowledges the issues regarding social norms that correlate to sex where can not be instructed unlike gender.