Blankkkk.

I’m not quite sure what I want to be answered, not gonna lie I’m drawing a complete blank, my mind has been on leave since spring break and I cannot seem to get back into the swing of things. So as for my question to be answered I need to go back to the original idea, which was researching the ideas of how gender is socialized in children through media, literature and education. I suppose this idea is very broad so I need to find a way to make this more specific and dynamic. I’m not quite sure if this would be the right direction of a working thesis but what the heck, here’s a stab at one.

– If we as a society of American culture analyze media, education and literature in young children it reveals that gender is clearly defined and initiates specific future activities and/or ambitions. –

Currently I know about this issue, very general theories, viewed documentaries, and also read a few case studies in the textbook we are given in my gender class. In media I have learned so far about theories surrounding Ideal feminities and hegemonic masculinities, which in basic English is the media’s portrayal of the ideal man and woman. When looking through children’s literature you can see that either gender is portrayed in a certain light, by use of specific colors, physical attributes and specific activities. Lastly education is another lens you can look through with gender by a number of ways through textbooks, treatments in classrooms and learning disabilities. The one concept that really interested me was a paragraph in my textbook discussing how boys are encouraged to be masculine and yet in class they are not allowed to act in these ways, although feminine activities are very much accepted. There is a specific article that I had included in my bibliography that was about oppression and a privilege which helps support the idea of inequality between genders. This can further explore the ideas of how gender is socialized to children that gender aren’t equal, for example with toys and which activities are encouraged for each gender. I also can take a lot of research from my own experiences since this concept is so deeply imbedded in everyone. I think this is why this topic is so interesting because most people don’t really think about it because it is accepted and socialized. So to bring this topic up might interest those who had never taken a second look at something that has been right in front of them throughout their lives.

Opposing Arguments – I don’t have much research supporting a opposing view on this topic, but im sure there are many people that would disagree that gender is socialized and rather biological as in the theory of the standard story. I will have to see if there are any other opposing views to this topic.

Sources so far:

Beauty Brains and Brawn by Susan Lehr Huck

Gender Representation – An exploration of standardized evaluation methods by Jackie FK Lee

White Privilege and Male Privilege by Peggy McIntosh

Gendered Worlds by Judith W, Kristin B and Judy Aulette

Besides these texts and articles I’ve also looked into some youtube videos that are either studies with real children identifying gender or gender being identified through films and other media.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUmT-T6n4PA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kLHZ2xGmUk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_uvsKpXszs&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGoC8FTLKSI&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tq6Ct8IA5cY&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R213hS7ekF4&feature=related