“It’s time to teach good gender roles and to ditch the unnecessary ones.” – Dan Pearce
There are many subjects I have strong opinions on (as you probably can tell from this blog). One which often infuriates me is our society’s antiquated and stereotypical beliefs when it comes to gender roles.
Dan Pearce writes a wonderfully honest and truly inspiring blog entitled Single Dad Laughing, and I’ve come to appreciate his message on a range of topics regarding parenting, love and the human connection.
While searching online for information surrounding the topic of gender roles in society today, the following passage popped up and immediately caught my attention.
“Dads. It’s time to show our sons how to properly treat a woman. It’s time to show our daughters how a girl should expect be treated. It’s time to show forgiveness and compassion. It’s time to show our children empathy. It’s time to break social norms and teach a healthier way of life! It’s time to teach good gender roles and to ditch the unnecessary ones.
Does it really matter if your son likes the color pink? Is it going to hurt anybody? Do you not see the damage it inflicts to tell a boy that there is something wrong with him because he likes a certain color? Do we not see the damage we do in labeling our girls “tom boys” or our boys “feminine” just because they have their own likes and opinions on things? Things that really don’t matter?” ― Dan Pearce, Single Dad Laughing
Another subject I have strong opinions on is the role parents play in supporting gender roles. Dads in particular are often unable to break the archaic views we have of what a “boy” and “girl” should be in life based on our cookie-cutter standards.
We support these enduring stereotypes not in an effort to protect our children from the struggles of being different, but to spare ourselves embarrassment from a judgmental society.
Dan believes that, “Children are gifts. They are not ours for the breaking. They are ours for the making.”
And what we should be making our children is confident and proud of who they are – free to explore all the opportunities and wonders this world has to offer without judgement from those who are supposed to care for us the most.
But instead, we’re making them into nothing more than little robots – perpetuating the gender roles our dysfunctional society continues to maintain.
What gender roles are you supporting in your homes, your classrooms and in your communities? Here’s hoping they break the social norms and teach a healthier way of life.