Lake Lowe

September 22, 2015

Sociology 1010-002
Hendrixson

Gender Roles in Society

Gender identity is typically established in a child before they are

three years old. During this time a child begins learning the difference
between the genders and establishes a method of characterizing
masculine and feminine attributes. As a child grows older, less intuitive
characteristics may become more apparent, and they begin to develop
finite features to separate the genders. Many different factors play a
role in how a child develops his or her identity, and these factors can
cause much confusion and even a false sense of identity. The most
direct way a child determines their gender role in society is through the
clothes they wear and the toys they play with. Toys and clothes have
been separated for many years and give children a very easy, although
not entirely accurate, way to develop their roles in society.
The Target Corporation is a large company who has conformed to
the separation of gender and has been setting a standard for what
differentiates the different sexes for many years. Although obvious
physical differences play a role in the types of clothes the different

sexes wear, Target divides the clothes based on what is currently the
socially accepted normal. In the clothes section designated for infants
and children less than three years old, there is not a large difference
between boy and girl clothing. Most of the clothing in this section are
gender-neutral pastel colors although there are some gender roles
being implied. Baby boy shirts often contain dinosaurs and sports
designs that impose an idea that aggression is acceptable from a male
while the female infant clothes contains pictures of bumble bees and
mostly pink based schemes, more mild topics that express a large
difference between the genders. The female shirts are also much
thinner material than the male, implying that the boys are expected to
be much more rough on their clothes and engage in physically
aggressive activities. As a child grows older, gender roles are still just
as obvious through the clothes that are sold. The teenager and adult
sections are still just as separated as the children section. Male clothes
are very functional and durable and contain scenes with more
suggestive material such as corona, a type of alcoholic drink and
aggression, a scene from the Muhammad Ali/Sonny Liston fight.
The toy sections at Target are in many ways similar to the same
gender specific characteristics that define male and female clothing.
The male section is strongly based around physical aggression and
more dangerous or risky topics such as skateboarding, wrestling, and
combat situations. The female section is full of domestic related toys

that assume the roles of a female to be much different than a male.

The dolls they play with are softer and less harsh than the action
figures in the boy section and there is more of a focus on art and home
economics. The GI Joe action figure and the Barbie doll are still very
common in stores and are used as one of the main separating factor
between the masculine and feminine identity. These topics are used to
develop gender identity young in a childs life and confusion at this
stage can lead to gender dysphoria, leaving a discontented feeling by
the gender role that is being forced upon them.
The Target Corporation has recently decided to stop selling
gender specific toys and clothing, and instead combine the toys by the
features of the actual product instead of the audience they are selling
to. With gender roles rapidly changing in society, this resolution
accommodates any masculine or feminine needs without creating false
identities. This decision shows that the consumer helps to determine
what is characterized to be gender specific, even though the supplier
makes the final decision.
The characterization of male and female gender roles are
noticeably determined in large part by the clothes and toys that are
implied on the children early in life. While the department stores
ultimately determine what is feminine and masculine, most of their
decisions are based on consumer driven assumptions. Just as the
parents of the children associated certain toys of colors with gender,

they influence their childs life with the same physiognomies. Although
there are differences between male and female genders that cannot be
disputed, there are also many roles that have been blindly associated
with each gender that should not be related.

Works Cited
Henslin, James. Essentials of Sociology: A Down-to-earth Approach with Mysoclab
Access Card. S.l.: Pearson, 2012. Print

Derespina, Cody. "Target Going Gender Neutral in Some Sections." Fox News. FOX
News Network, 13 Aug. 2015. Web. 22 Sept. 2015.