Chapter 10

I have always found the topic of becoming a boy and girl interesting. There is a big difference between sex and gender. Sex is the biological difference between males and females, in organs, hormones, and body type. Gender is the differences in the roles and behavior of males and females that are prescribed by the culture. In North America, a child recognizes their differences between sex and gender. For example in the book they use an example of if a 5 year old boy has to decide between pink shoes and walking barefoot the little boy would rather walk barefoot. Our culture plays a huge part in what we think is socially acceptable and what is not. We all know that pink is associated with pink and boys are associated with boy. Girls play with barbies and play dress up, while boys play with cars and wrestle with each other. If the roles were reversed and boys were the ones that played with barbies and girls who were the ones that wrestled our culture would think it's a little weird. I think at a younger age it's not that significant, for example if a toddler puts on a dress we think its funny and cute. Once that children becomes 5 or so, it becomes socially awkward. In the past I would definitely say it was more an issue than it is now.