There is a line from a children’s song or nursery rhyme that says “Little girls are made of sugar and spice and everything nice…” What does that mean? Does it mean that girls are supposed to be always nice, sweet, and even predictable in comparison to the opposite sex? The disturbing thing is that such songs being introduced to children at such an early age is boldly displaying gender stereotyping or distinction which over time developments into a barrier for the little girls made of sugar and spice and everything nice.
For me, growing up as a female was hard because I got to see the prejudice and gender role division first hand initially within my household and then, as I grew up, within the community and workplace. I have a twin brother named Maurice. We did everything together when we were little – shared toys, wrestled, and got disciplined together. Whenever we received gifts for our birthdays or on holidays, I would normally get dolls and toy kitchenware and Maurice would get racecars with the track and dump trucks. We never asked our mom why we were getting gender specific gifts. We just knew that was what girls and boys received. Even though my brother got toy guns and trucks, I played with them and he too played with my dolls so why would my mom continue to buy us gender specific gifts even though we would trade or play with each other’s toys? Was this due to product marketing or inherited or cultural behaviors? Also, as I got older and formed a career in advertising, I noticed that men were given the large accounts like Coke, Gap, etc. and women were given the smaller accounts such as local shops and stores even though we maintained a better and more diverse client sheet with longer client relationships. So what was the problem? Were we viewed as not strong enough to lead and hang with the big boys so that we too can have a seat at the executives’ table? Or was it something we as women were doing wrong?
Are we contributing negatively towards this leadership labyrinth – lack of investment and commitment to home and work and contributing to the prejudice and gender differentiation? Even though studies have shown that women are obtaining higher education degrees at equal and sometimes higher rates, women still are “vastly underrepresented in top leadership positions” (Northouse 2013, p. 354). Perceived expectations too help create biases and gender-based prejudice when it comes to women in leadership positions. Men are viewed as confident and rational whereas women are viewed as sensitive and nurturing (p. 358) which such attributes seemingly does not belong in the board room or leading a country.
According to research, it is said that women are less likely to promote themselves as leaders or ask for what they want than men (p. 357). But to me this too is just another stereotype. Times are changing. Women are wanting and demanding more by overcoming interpersonal and personal barriers as well as getting a higher education and changing the way organizations are seeing them, finding ways to promote themselves as leaders and their product through independent business ventures, and with the help of an economy in a recession women have been putting their husbands to work at home and changing the dynamics of home life. Good-bye glass ceiling. It is time for you to break because those who are made of sugar and spice and everything nice are about to take a huge swing.
Reference
Northouse, P. G. (2013). Leadership – Theory and Practice. Los Angeles: SAGE Publications, Inc.
You make a lot of good points in your post. It reminded me of an excerpt from the Daily Show that I was watching on April 3rd 2013. John Stewart was interviewing the COO of Facebook, Sheryl Sandberg; and they were discussing her new book and how men and women are treated differently in the workplace when it comes to leadership.
One of the most interesting points was made when Sandberg was relating leadership in the workplace to how boys and girls interact on the playground in grade school. She comments how if a girl is commanding and assertive she is considered a “bossy” girl, whereas a boy is almost expected to have those qualities. The same can be said about a woman in the workplace. Just because most men are assertive and most women are passive does not mean that if a woman is assertive in the workplace that they should be treated any differently. Sandberg even says that instead of calling the little girl “bossy,” people should say that my girl has executive leadership potential (Sandberg).
References:
Sandberg, Sheryl. “Sheryl Sandberg Extended Interview.” Interview by John Stewart.The Daily Show. Comedy Central. CMDY, 3 Apr. 2013. Television
You made some great points that made me think back to my own childhood. I was always a tom boy growing and I would play with boy and girl toys. There was no real discrimination in regards to myself when I was younger but there was in my household. My stepfather was very dominating and everything he said had to be followed. He would tell my mom and me what to do and it was just the way it was. I didn’t really understand why he got to be in charge or wield all the power. For one, he wasn’t my dad and two my mom worked and made her own money, which was more than him, so what made him boss? It’s like we would do what we wanted because we were scared to upset him. This is probably were my feminism started. I knew that a man would never tell me what to do. I had no siblings so the gender roles were not as apparent as what you went through having a twin brother. That would probably be somewhat confusing not understanding why you both got such different gifts even though you both played with both types. I liked your correlation with the nursery rhyme. It is so true that it is almost subconsciously driven into our psyche at such an early age what is appropriate for us to be doing based on our sex. It is so ridiculous that every time I take my male Maltese out and he has on something pink someone or numerous people make a huge deal out of him being a boy wearing pink. I think that is the most absurd thing to say. I always answer that he is a dog and doesn’t care what color he has on. It makes me feel really bad for children or people who have gender identity issues. Nothing is wrong with them but everything in society must be making them feel that way and probably long before they even figure out what is going on with them.
Women are different than men, but why is this be a problem? We are chastened when we “self-promote” and looked at as “less socially attractive and less hirable” when we don’t (Northouse 2013 p. 357). Come on guys – you can’t have it both ways! Our differences should be encouraged and nurtured, not ignored and silenced.
We have the intelligence, social skills, desire and determination to succeed, but are constantly hitting a wall when we want to move up in the workplace. Our role models urge us to keep fighting and the glass ceiling has millions of cracks, but yet we are still considered outsiders looking in at the “grown up’s” table.
Is it the so-called “mommy-track” that is causing the problem? According to Northouse, “there is scant support for the notions that women receive less education than men, that they quit their jobs more often than men do, or that they opt out of the leadership track for the mommy track” p. 356). Look around you gentlemen – not all women want children, so don’t use this as an excuse to hold us back from achieving our goals. We should not have to be faced with the choice of having children or having a career, why can’t we have both?
Let’s celebrate our differences and we’ll show you what we can do. Step aside gentlemen, its batting practice!
Silly stereotypes you are right, Times are changing!
I have two little boys by house is inundated with cars and trucks. The only “dolls” are stuffed animals. Kol my youngest boy, 1year old, loves stuffed animals he loves to cuddle them, when getting ready for a nap. My husband wants me to stop him from sleeping with them because he thinks it will make him a “sissy”. I feel his to put it politely- out of his mind. Kol is “all boy” loved being dirty, climbing up on things AND anything but a sissy! My favorite definition of a boy is:
Boy: a noise with dirt on it
However I think it would be better if included girls and that it read
Kid: a noise with dirt on it
I am a child of the 80’s my mom put me in dance class, baton twirling, and horseback riding and my brother in T-Ball, soccer, and Boy Scouts. I was given Barbie my brother got GI Joe’s. My parents followed all the stereotypes possible.
How did it turn out? My Bother, re-established the Eclipse Winter guard (indoor color guard where they twirl flags and rifles) at Penn State University and he was on America’s Got Talent Show with the DC Cowboys (a dancing group). I cannot dance well, and I joined the ARMY. Despite the society stereotypes for men and women my brother and I just didn’t conform.
You make a lot of good points in your post. It reminded me of an excerpt from the Daily Show that I was watching on April 3rd 2013. John Stewart was interviewing the COO of Facebook, Sheryl Sandberg; and they were discussing her new book and how men and women are treated differently in the workplace when it comes to leadership.
One of the most interesting points was made when Sandberg was relating leadership in the workplace to how boys and girls interact on the playground in grade school. She comments how if a girl is commanding and assertive she is considered a “bossy” girl, whereas a boy is almost expected to have those qualities. The same can be said about a woman in the workplace. Just because most men are assertive and most women are passive does not mean that if a woman is assertive in the workplace that they should be treated any differently. Sandberg even says that instead of calling the little girl “bossy,” people should say that my girl has executive leadership potential (Sandberg).
References:
Sandberg, Sheryl. “Sheryl Sandberg Extended Interview.” Interview by John Stewart.The Daily Show. Comedy Central. CMDY, 3 Apr. 2013. Television
You make a lot of good points in your post. It reminded me of an excerpt from the Daily Show that I was watching on April 3rd 2013. John Stewart was interviewing the COO of Facebook, Sheryl Sandberg; and they were discussing her new book and how men and women are treated differently in the workplace when it comes to leadership.
One of the most interesting points was made when Sandberg was relating leadership in the workplace to how boys and girls interact on the playground in grade school. She comments how if a girl is commanding and assertive she is considered a “bossy” girl, whereas a boy is almost expected to have those qualities. The same can be said about a woman in the workplace. Just because most men are assertive and most women are passive does not mean that if a woman is assertive in the workplace that they should be treated any differently. Sandberg even says that instead of calling the little girl “bossy,” people should say that my girl has executive leadership potential (Sandberg).
References:
Sandberg, Sheryl. “Sheryl Sandberg Extended Interview.” Interview by John Stewart.The Daily Show. Comedy Central. CMDY, 3 Apr. 2013. Television
You make a lot of good points in your post. It reminded me of an excerpt from the Daily Show that I was watching on April 3rd 2013. John Stewart was interviewing the COO of Facebook, Sheryl Sandberg; and they were discussing her new book and how men and women are treated differently in the workplace when it comes to leadership.
One of the most interesting points was made when Sandberg was relating leadership in the workplace to how boys and girls interact on the playground in grade school. She comments how if a girl is commanding and assertive she is considered a “bossy” girl, whereas a boy is almost expected to have those qualities. The same can be said about a woman in the workplace. Just because most men are assertive and most women are passive does not mean that if a woman is assertive in the workplace that they should be treated any differently. Sandberg even says that instead of calling the little girl “bossy,” people should say that my girl has executive leadership potential (Sandberg).
References:
Sandberg, Sheryl. “Sheryl Sandberg Extended Interview.” Interview by John Stewart.The Daily Show. Comedy Central. CMDY, 3 Apr. 2013. Television
I cannot agree more with this blog. Gender roles are instilled in us before we are even old enough to realize that it’s happening. As a fraternal twin, I’d imagine you experienced much more of the biases and gender roles than I have, growing up for most of my life as an only child.
Gender discrimination has been occurring for far too long, and it’s time to even out the playing field. I feel that it is largely up to our generation to set the tone for years to come. With more women holding advanced degrees than ever before, its our time to move up the ladder and crack the ceiling.
I, too, believe that gender stereotypes are introduced at a very young age. However, I believe that many boys and girls alike tend to fit the gender stereotype and even enjoy it at times. In my personal experience, I was always given the choice to choose the toys that I wanted. Regardless if it were a Mighty Max or a Polly Pocket, my parents would buy the toy that I chose without saying otherwise. Granted, I (almost) always chose the masculine toy over the feminine one because they simply seemed more fun to me. Breaking down gender stereotypes would be quite a difficult process and one that I believe many women wouldn’t even want. For instance, chivalrous men are still seen as quite romantic by many women. This is a gender stereotype that if reversed, would seem simply ludicrous to many. I think that the problem lies less in gender stereotypes and more in education of those who are constructing and holding the glass ceiling in place.
Our lesson states we have to be strong, but not too strong, tough, but not too tough, ambitious, but not a bitch.
The differences in gender never were so apparant to me then when my daughter, then son graduated from high school. Friends attended my daughter’s graduation party and politely wished her well in her college studies. 100 dollar bills were snuck into my son’s pocket at his graduation, back slaps, and atta-boys all around. He worked at a country club and was “brought into the fold” by the older white gentlemen who saw him as a hard working role model.
They continue to mentor him, throw money his way when they have a chance encounter, and open doors for him my daughter could only dream of. Our lesson resonated with me, then, about a lack of white male mentors for women. The only older males I’ve heard wanting to mentor a female are those that are looking for more than a working relationship.
I am just amazed that there are only 6 women CEO’s in Fortune 500 companies. 1%? Really?
I don’t know what the answer is. But what most women currently have to face in the workplace is as bad as racism.
Penn State World Campus (2013). PSYCH 485 Lesson 13: Leadership and Diversity. Retrieved on April 10, 2013, from https://courses.worldcampus.psu.edu/sp13/psych485/002/content/13_lesson/13_page.html
Our lesson states we have to be strong, but not too strong, tough, but not too tough, ambitious, but not a bitch.
The differences in gender never were so apparant to me then when my daughter, then son graduated from high school. Friends attended my daughter’s graduation party and politely wished her well in her college studies. 100 dollar bills were snuck into my son’s pocket at his graduation, back slaps, and atta-boys all around. He worked at a country club and was “brought into the fold” by the older white gentlemen who saw him as a hard working role model.
They continue to mentor him, throw money his way when they have a chance encounter, and open doors for him my daughter could only dream of. Our lesson resonated with me, then, about a lack of white male mentors for women. The only older males I’ve heard wanting to mentor a female are those that are looking for more than a working relationship.
I am just amazed that there are only 6 women CEO’s in Fortune 500 companies. 1%? Really?
I don’t know what the answer is. But what most women currently have to face in the workplace is as bad as racism.
Penn State World Campus (2013). PSYCH 485 Lesson 13: Leadership and Diversity. Retrieved on April 10, 2013, from https://courses.worldcampus.psu.edu/sp13/psych485/002/content/13_lesson/13_page.html
You rose a lot of great questions in your post. Why is that, in our culture, only certain things are deemed acceptable for boys and girls, such as the toys your mom bought you. There have been plenty of news stories in recent years of little boys being disciplined at school for playing with feminine toys, or vice versa. Why does this discrimination continue to occur? Something in our mindset as a culture needs to change.
The point you brought up about advertising, where men only get the “big accounts” and women are forced to take smaller accounts, like local shops, despite the fact that they are performing better really struck a chord in me. It’s clear that this discrimination happening in the work place is not performance based, and it founded in some underlying cultural beliefs of women being the “weaker” sex. It’s time we change those beliefs so that men and women are finally considered equals.