Gender Socialization

Gender socialization is the idea of teaching the right techniques to boys or girls. Boys are taught a different ways than girls, but is this how it should be? Growing up as a girl I played a lot of sports so I liked to hang out with the boys because the girls loved to do “girly” things. This meant that I was treated differently because I was a sporty girl who hung out with the guys, but I considered myself a girly girl. My mother also dressed me up in dresses and skirts. My mother also believed in making us do girly things but made sure to keep us in the sports scene. I have also been influenced my brother and dad to understand masculinity. My brother has always played sports in middle school and all through of high school. My brother also didn’t wear dresses or skirts like I did, he wore ‘masculine’ clothes. My father also raised my brother to be more masculine then feminine. Today, some powerful influences have shaped my conception of masculinity and femininity.
For example, recently Michele Obama became the first lady. She is a classy, well-dressed woman who is knowledgeable and able to raise her children while dealing with other issues. I also believe that women in professional sports shape femininity, like Jennie Finch the pitcher of the USA women’s softball team. She is a beautiful, married woman and also one of the best pitcher’s in softball. There will continue to be influences in today’s society that will shape different ideas of femininity and masculinity.