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Matthew Perez

Professor Granillo

English 101

29 October 2018

Being Confused Is Okay

Gender is what defines a person by first appearances and what people first assume and

make inferences by. Learning more about gender has risen hesitation about what to really believe

about someone’s gender and what it means to define a person. Understanding why men and

women have specific expectations towards their gender is understandable as it's been that way

particularly for all of human existence. It's also understanding to know now that men and women

can trade and break stereotypes which are occurring more now than ever. Although many believe

that men and women should perform their own tasks that have been acquainted with both

genders for centuries, today's diversity in jobs and lifestyles has proven otherwise, therefore both

genders have changed in which they enact on any emotions despite their gender which has raised

confusion on whether the typical gender expectation should be eliminated.

A major source of depicting gender behavior and stereotypes comes from a very young

age from playing with toys. The identification and appearance of gender have always been

associated with what toys a child plays with. For example, “In the study of Ashton,

2-to-5-year-old children to whom a storybook about a same-sex child engaged in play with a

gender-atypical toy was read were noted to play more with gender-atypical toys like a girl

participant hears a story about a girl playing with a dump truck and immediately increases
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playing with trucks” (Sagone 2). Allowing a child to explore and play with any toy that naturally

adapts to their liking is what's needed to lead children into a more diverse environment.

Many parents still raise their children with gender stereotypes in mind. Its assumed that

having a more gender-oriented childhood would give the child easier identification as they grow

older as adults. For example, a “study progressively investigates chosen gender adults'

understanding of their childhood with the aim of capturing their views on the needs of gender

variant children and their parents as a step toward providing their safe and comfortable passage

into adulthood” (Diamond 3). Parents feel that directing their children to their birth gender gives

them the obvious and easier route to identifying themselves as a girl or boy without a struggle. In

theory with the general public, people are first to judge and seek one's decision as who they

identify as or what they first appear to see whether a girl or boy. Taking everything into account

parents direct their child as there appeared birth gender to make their lives easier to identify

themselves and for others.

Overall, both sides have their perks and good reasons for choosing either way. Allowing

a child to play freely with any toys they like to is truly real and natural that every child needs to

explore the likings. Usually, children who have diverse childhoods find their chosen gender and

preferences, which is nothing but a good thing. But it's also good to have a direct and easy path

created for you as you can find depth in the gender a child has been in all their lives. Although

choosing children's preferences for themselves is not a natural way of growing up for a child

who should really grow up freely by their own choices. Discussing both sides has led to the

conclusion that even though choosing a child's direction is good and bad, more good comes from

allowing a child to grow up freely with no gender oriented behavior and objects.
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Works Cited

Riley, Elizabeth Anne, et al. “Surviving a Gender-Variant Childhood: The Views of Transgender

Adults on the Needs of Gender-Variant Children and Their Parents.” ​Journal of Sex &

Marital Therapy,​ vol. 39, no. 3, 1 May 2013, pp. 241–263.

Sagone, Elisabetta. “Flexibility of Gender Stereotypes: Italian Study on Comparative

Gender-Consistent and Gender-Inconsistent Information.” 25 Oct. 2017, pp. 1–7.