Gender difference: its past, present, and future

By Ralph Miranda
College of Education
Long Island University, C. W. Post
March, 2011

There is no doubt that there are certain expectations for boys and girls as they grow up, and for men and women to live up to as adults. Boys are supposed to be tough, play sports, and avoid girls like the plague. Girls on the other hand are expected to act like princesses, take dance lessons, participate in girl scouts, and avoid boys. Where do these guidelines for how children are supposed to act come from? I think that the reason why we grew up like this is because that’s how most of our parents grew up. For instance, when my parents were growing up in the 1960’s-70’s there was an expectation that the son was supposed to act/grow up almost exactly like his father, and likewise for girls with their mothers. Based on this idea the boys would grow up to be the provider for the family and the girls will become housewives.

Today things have changed considerably. Although I think that boys and girls are still raised similarly to the way their parents were raised, (i.e. boys playing sports and girls taking dance lessons) I think today that adolescents are able to make more of their own decisions regardless of traditional practices and that gender stereotyping is not nearly as severe as it used to be. In today’s society, for example, many women choose to go to college after high school and pursue a career. Although a common practice today, 50 years ago it was unheard of. Today when a young woman says she’s going to college no one bats an eyelash. Similarly if a man says that he’s going to stay home and take care of the kids it isn’t considered that unusual, as it may have been prior to the 21st century. I do believe that gender stereotypes still exist today and will continue to exist for years to come. However, they aren’t as harsh as they were at one time when they would hamper one’s independence.