Lesson 5 — Activity 2: Gender and Identity

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Gender roles are the way people act, what they do and say, to express being a girl or a boy, a woman or a man. These characteristics are shaped by society. Gender roles vary greatly from one culture to the next, from one ethnic group to the next, and from one social class to the next. However, every culture has gender roles — they all have expectations for the way women and men, girls and boys, should dress, behave, and look.

Children learn gender roles from an early age — from their parents and family, their religion, and their culture, as well as the outside world, including television, magazines, and other media.

A stereotype is a widely accepted judgment or bias regarding a person or group. Stereotypes can be positive or negative, but they rarely communicate accurate information about others. Stereotypes about gender can cause unequal and unfair treatment because of a person’s gender. This is called sexism.

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There are four basic kinds of gender stereotypes:

Personality traits: For example, women are often expected to be passive and submissive (that is, they give in easily), while men are usually expected to be self-confident and aggressive.

Domestic behaviours: For example, caring for children is often considered best done by women, while household repairs are often considered best done by men.

Occupations: For example, until very recently, most nurses and teachers were usually women, and most engineers and construction workers were usually men.

Physical appearance: For example, women are expected to be small and graceful, while men are expected to be tall and broad-shouldered.

So how can we change gender stereotypes?

We see gender stereotypes all around us. There are ways to challenge these stereotypes to help everyone feel equal, no matter their gender or gender identity.

• Point it out: From magazines and television to film and the Internet, the media is filled with negative gender stereotypes. Sometimes these stereotypes are hard to see. Talk with friends and family members about the stereotypes you see and help others recognize how sexism and gender stereotypes can hurt all of us.
• Walk the talk: Be a role model for your friends and family. Respect people regardless of their gender.
• Speak up — If someone is making an inappropriate joke based on someone's gender, challenge them.

Self-check!