How to Win the Gender War: Sexism and Teens

For this week’s blog I’ll be talking about the article “How to Win the Gender War: Sexism and Teens” by Vanessa Van Petten. This is the link: http://www.radicalparenting.com/2009/05/12/how-to-win-the-gender-war-sexism-and-teens-teen-article/

This article talks about the gender roles existing in society and how that affects the teenagers. The writer of the article mentions the fact of how children quickly learn their roles as they are growing; boys become man-like just like their fathers while girls become ladylike and grow up like their mothers. The writer also goes on and explains that teenager boys are rebuked when are for example wearing girlish clothes or accessories while girls are not as much rebuked as boys when they dress up as boys. Hence, the author soon later questions the readers about the fact that teenagers are not free to express themselves as they want to be.

The article really impacted me in various ways. Most of all, the author’s question of ‘why should we have to be a certain way?’ and ‘isn’t this what being a teenager is all about?’ really struck me. The teenage years are the time when children find their true identities that is hidden within. Hence, I agree with the author in the fact that teenagers should be untouched by their parents when it regards the issue of gender. Teenagers have the excuse of ‘being a teenager’ and can freely express their different sexual choices. What is wrong if a boy likes to wear the color pink, which is normally considered a ‘feminine’ color? Also, what is wrong if a girl likes to dress up as a tomboy in jeans and a baggy t-shirt? It is very frustrating that growing children are not allowed to express themselves freely just because society has drawn a line of clear expectations. Due to the society’s definition of men and women, teenagers are inclined to follow that stereotypical definition and therefore grow up to become proper men and women. In my opinion, the society should stress less of the definition that they have in mind and accept and allow the growing teenagers to find their sexual identities deep within.