How Gender Roles Are Shaped by Family, Peers, and Media

Introduction: Forces That Shape Gender Roles

Gender roles are influenced by family, peers, culture, and the media. Even fifty years ago, gender roles were much more rigidly defined, and people were strongly influenced by their families and the communities in which they lived. The women's movement of the 1960s and 1970s eroded many long-held stereotypical views of what was once called "the fairer sex." An important piece of legislation that resulted from the women's movement was Title IX, which created sports programs for girls that gave them access to facilities, equipment, and opportunities more comparable to those long enjoyed only by boys. The gay pride movement, a more mobile society, and the proliferation of various media outlets also contributed greatly to the changing nature of gender roles. For the individual, gender identity is shaped from birth to adulthood by a combination of forces, and the strength of various influences depends on a person's age and personal circumstances.

Family as the First Influence on Gender Identity

The first influence on gender roles is the parents, followed by siblings and extended family. Antill, Cunningham, and Cotton (2003, p. 148) cited numerous studies demonstrating that adolescents and young adults resemble their parents in their own gender role attitudes. Children first learn about gender roles from their parents' behavior. Pappas (2010) points out that husbands and wives in today's young households are more apt to share chores than were their parents and grandparents — although it is estimated that, with some exceptions, women still do two-thirds more housework, even when they work outside the home the same number of hours as their male partners.

That pattern was evident in my own home, where both parents were teachers. It was my mother, more often than not, who came home and cooked dinner — usually running the vacuum or putting a load of laundry in the wash in between stirring the pot. My father would sometimes cook, but that was a special occasion, such as when he found a recipe in a magazine and wanted to try it. My father routinely helped around the house, but that was exactly how it was framed — "helping out" — as though the primary responsibilities were my mother's. My two older brothers, both married, appear to follow this same traditional pattern in their own households.

School, Academics, and the Reinforcement of Gender Norms

Gender roles established in the home during the early years tend to be reinforced at school. In kindergarten, it is not unusual for boys to play with the dollhouse family or for girls to play with blocks, but by second grade, play is usually divided along gender lines. A visit to an elementary school playground is likely to reveal an all-male game of kickball, with perhaps one "tomboy" joining in, while games such as hopscotch and jump rope remain the nearly exclusive domain of girls.

Academics are not as clearly divided by gender as they were a generation ago. In the 1960s and 1970s, girls took home economics while boys took wood shop. Today, in most schools, students of both genders take classes in family and consumer science, where they learn about running a household and practical daily-life skills such as food shopping and managing a budget. Where math and science were once dominated by boys, female students now enroll and perform well in these classes, and that is no longer considered unusual. Only a handful of colleges remain segregated by gender, and women and men have equal opportunities for university study, graduate programs, and professional education. The role of Title IX in expanding these opportunities — particularly in athletics — cannot be overstated.

Conclusion: Changing Norms and Persistent Stereotypes

Gender roles have changed significantly over time, and especially within the last half century. There are still many stereotypes, but there are numerous examples of people — both men and women — who have successfully challenged them. Fifty years ago, it would have been difficult to imagine a woman serving as Secretary of State, working as an astronaut, or competing as a professional race car driver. It was equally unusual for a father to stay home to raise children and manage the household while the mother served as the primary breadwinner. Gender roles are not as firmly fixed as they once were, and the forces of family, school, peers, and media continue to reshape them with each new generation.

References

Antill, J. K., Cunningham, J. D., & Cotton, S. (2003). Gender-role attitudes in middle childhood: In what ways do parents influence their children? Australian Journal of Psychology, 55(3), pp. 148–153.

Pappas, S. (2010). Women still out-clean men at home. LiveScience. Retrieved from http://www.livescience.com/10318-women-clean-men-home.html