"Okay darling, we go to the blue clothes because you're a boy." You've heard this, I know you have, because unfortunately, as much as I want to deny it, stereotypes are a huge part of life. Not just with children but in daily life.
For example, all teenagers are rude, boys play football and girls play netball, girls wear makeup, and last but not least, all old people crouch over when they walk. These are all stereotypes that could exist in this world. We've all done it. We've all stereotyped certain people without even realising it. It's what humans do. But personally, I hate it.
Let's go back to where we started at the whole pink clothes/blue clothes. Why are we forcing children to wear colours that 'mean' their gender? As long as the clothes fit the child and the child feels comfortable, they should be able to choose whether they want Spider-Man or butterflies on their t-shirt. As a child gets older, this changes due to friendship groups (views change), due to puberty (girls and boys are different shapes and sizes), and due to trends they follow from parents or the internet. This stage is when they will have to choose from a certain section due to size. But once again, if a teenage girl wants to wear a t-shirt with fortnight on it, her size should be available in that t-shirt!
Stereotypes aren't something that is just going to go away. We will have stereotypical thoughts constantly when we see certain people or look at certain things.
We as a human race should try less to choose what we think about someone before we know who they are. Not only will this have an effect on our social lives, but also our children are going to feel they have to follow 'rules' that they aren't comfortable with or don't necessarily agree with. Everyone has freedom of choice so let's just let people choose what they want to wear, what sport they want to play and what job they want to have, whatever gender they may be.
Maybe we wouldn't be so quick to judge people if stereotypes didn't exist!
For example, all teenagers are rude, boys play football and girls play netball, girls wear makeup, and last but not least, all old people crouch over when they walk. These are all stereotypes that could exist in this world. We've all done it. We've all stereotyped certain people without even realising it. It's what humans do. But personally, I hate it.
Let's go back to where we started at the whole pink clothes/blue clothes. Why are we forcing children to wear colours that 'mean' their gender? As long as the clothes fit the child and the child feels comfortable, they should be able to choose whether they want Spider-Man or butterflies on their t-shirt. As a child gets older, this changes due to friendship groups (views change), due to puberty (girls and boys are different shapes and sizes), and due to trends they follow from parents or the internet. This stage is when they will have to choose from a certain section due to size. But once again, if a teenage girl wants to wear a t-shirt with fortnight on it, her size should be available in that t-shirt!
Stereotypes aren't something that is just going to go away. We will have stereotypical thoughts constantly when we see certain people or look at certain things.
We as a human race should try less to choose what we think about someone before we know who they are. Not only will this have an effect on our social lives, but also our children are going to feel they have to follow 'rules' that they aren't comfortable with or don't necessarily agree with. Everyone has freedom of choice so let's just let people choose what they want to wear, what sport they want to play and what job they want to have, whatever gender they may be.
Maybe we wouldn't be so quick to judge people if stereotypes didn't exist!
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