tinytherese Posted December 8, 2013 Share Posted December 8, 2013 This is inspired by the thread regarding body issues that men can have and from how my dad behaves. My 12 year old brother isn't into sports. My dad tells him that that's weird. Boys and men are supposed to like sports. People are going to wonder if you're a girl (the implication being that he's gay.) My mom enjoys watching sports and my dad's nieces like watching them as well. One of them was an athlete for I don't know how many years and is now a soccer coach. They're all women and they like sports. I've noticed on sitcoms like Everybody Loves Raymond where the main character is a man, he is petty and selfish, whereas his wife and the mother of his children is responsible, considerate of the feelings of others, and is almost always right while her husband is wrong about the issue in the episode. So men are supposed to be selfish, inconsiderate, and dumb? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arfink Posted December 8, 2013 Share Posted December 8, 2013 It's unfortunate that your dad would say such things to your brother. Sadly, it's remarkably common. Fortunately it's far from universal, and depending on who you spend your time with you may find it to be more or less of a problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrossCuT Posted December 8, 2013 Share Posted December 8, 2013 Unfortunately there are a lot of stereotypes that we are accustomed to. One of them is that there is a fixed set of things that boys and girls so be/do. I dont think its right to push these stereotypes on people or make them feel bad if they dont conform to what society has outlined as "ideal" for each gender. You will likely never convince some people that its ok to NOT fit into these stereotypes, so the best thing you can do is support and love those who might feel like an outsider. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhuturePriest Posted December 8, 2013 Share Posted December 8, 2013 Women are portrayed awfully in the media, but so are men, and I think sometimes we forget that. There are things men are "supposed" to like. Men are "supposed" to like sports, they're "supposed" to like pornography and looking at girls on the street, they're "supposed" to be bad at feelings and communication, and they're "supposed" to be bad at commitment and understanding issues regarding feelings. If you're good at feelings, communication, and commitment (Like I am), if you don't look at pornography and girls on the street and find it rather revolting that men normally do that, then you're weird and "manly" guys will make fun of you. My only redeeming quality in the eyes of the typical "manly man" is that I'm really talented at pretty much any sport I try. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrossCuT Posted December 8, 2013 Share Posted December 8, 2013 http://youtu.be/DtWcSwDy2gg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhuturePriest Posted December 8, 2013 Share Posted December 8, 2013 (edited) http://youtu.be/DtWcSwDy2gg I've yet to know a little girl who didn't want to be a princess. That's not to say girls don't like engineering and math and science, but I never had engineering, math or science toys when I was a kid. I had G.I. Joe's. You know, the action figures with guns you point at other action figures with guns and make bullet and explosion noises with your mouth. It was amesome. This isn't to say girls should all want to be princesses. I just don't like the commercial because it's putting girls in another box: Now girls all have to like engineering, and if you are a little girl that likes princesses and pink and dolls, you'll feel like you're weird and wrong. Edited December 8, 2013 by FuturePriest387 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrossCuT Posted December 8, 2013 Share Posted December 8, 2013 I've yet to know a little girl who didn't want to be a princess. That's not to say girls don't like engineering and math and science, but I never had engineering, math or science toys when I was a kid. I had G.I. Joe's. You know, the action figures with guns you point at other action figures with guns and make bullet and explosion noises with your mouth. It was amesome. This isn't to say girls should all want to be princesses. I just don't like the commercial because it's putting girls in another box: Now girls all have to like engineering, and if you are a little girl that likes princesses and pink and dolls, you'll feel like you're weird and wrong. You totally missed the whole point of the video. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhuturePriest Posted December 8, 2013 Share Posted December 8, 2013 (edited) You totally missed the whole point of the video. "Girls want to be engineers, not Princesses". "Girls" is quite inclusive to every girl that walks the earth. I can tell you that my sister would rather dig ditches than be an engineer. It's kind of like saying "Guys want to be Doctors, not Marines". I would have no qualms being a doctor, but many men would. It's a blanket statement, and that's why I don't like the video. Edited December 8, 2013 by FuturePriest387 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrossCuT Posted December 8, 2013 Share Posted December 8, 2013 "Girls want to be engineers, not Princesses". "Girls" is quite inclusive to every girl that walks the earth. I can tell you that my sister would rather dig ditches than be an engineer. It's kind of like saying "Guys want to be Doctors, not Marines". I would have no qualms being a doctor, but many men would. It's a blanket statement, and that's why I don't like the video. The title is not meant to be taken at such a strict face value. The video is simply about how there is this norm that girls like cute pink princess stuff and boys like trucks and blah blah blah. Its just a small video saying "Hey, not all girls like pink fluffly dresses". The same could be said in the opposite direction..not all boys want to dress like super heroes etc etc. But hey, if youre interpretation doesnt go beyond the title then thats fine..everyone is allowed to have their opinions. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archaeology cat Posted December 8, 2013 Share Posted December 8, 2013 My daughter likes princesses and also wants to be the Hulk. I'm not so keen on princesses, but we'll make it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Not The Philosopher Posted December 8, 2013 Share Posted December 8, 2013 Growing up, I was never really interested in sports. I'm glad I grew up in a household where there wasn't some sort of ideal macho standard I had to conform to. I'm also glad that I grew up in a household where wanting to do boy-type things like playing with cap guns wasn't pathologized as anti-social behavior. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinytherese Posted December 8, 2013 Author Share Posted December 8, 2013 Growing up, I was never really interested in sports. I'm glad I grew up in a household where there wasn't some sort of ideal macho standard I had to conform to. I'm also glad that I grew up in a household where wanting to do boy-type things like playing with cap guns wasn't pathologized as anti-social behavior. Yea, I thought it was odd that at a day care I volunteered at that kids weren't allowed to have the action figures fight each other. I wondered what they were supposed to do with the super hero and army action figures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhuturePriest Posted December 8, 2013 Share Posted December 8, 2013 Yea, I thought it was odd that at a day care I volunteered at that kids weren't allowed to have the action figures fight each other. I wondered what they were supposed to do with the super hero and army action figures. What are the G.I. Joe's supposed to do, cuddle with their guns? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norseman82 Posted December 8, 2013 Share Posted December 8, 2013 (edited) This is inspired by the thread regarding body issues that men can have and from how my dad behaves. My 12 year old brother isn't into sports. My dad tells him that that's weird. Boys and men are supposed to like sports. People are going to wonder if you're a girl (the implication being that he's gay.) My mom enjoys watching sports and my dad's nieces like watching them as well. One of them was an athlete for I don't know how many years and is now a soccer coach. They're all women and they like sports. So does your dad therefore think that your mom and his nieces are lesbians? Some parents - whether they're overcontrolling, trying to live their lives through their kids, or if they think that their kid turning pro is their retirement plan - don't make sports fun for their kids, so it's no wonder that some kids don't want to get involved. Just look at the news (if you even have to look that far!) at the fights parents get into with other parents or referrees or officials at their kids' sporting events. Edited December 8, 2013 by Norseman82 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Semper Catholic Posted December 9, 2013 Share Posted December 9, 2013 Christianity is one of the last remaining die hard reinforcers of traditional gender roles. Kind of a transparent thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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