Gender Stereotyping Is Widely Practiced

Gender stereotyping is widely practiced throughout American society. This stereotyping not only ascribes certain behavioral qualities to each gender it also tends to demand that each gender act in accordance with these ascribed qualities. Women are expected to be warm and caring and women who did not act in accordance with this expectation are often criticized and viewed as being odd or strange. Similarly, men are expected to be strong and non-emotional and those that are otherwise are viewed with suspicion and, often, scorn.

Many experts who study gender stereotyping argue that this process is the result of traditional social roles and power positioning that has occurred throughout the history of modern society. Males worked outside the home providing for the family while females stayed at home nurturing the children and the home. The result of this process was the creation of the respective stereotypes. The characteristics of the female became to be seen as being affectionate, compassionate, gentle, sensitive, tender, and understanding. Males, on the other hand, became to be characterized by their aggressiveness, ambition, competitiveness, dominance, self-reliance, and independence (Auster). Interestingly, despite the rapid progress being enjoyed by women toward equality, these traditional gender stereotypes remain nearly as strong as they have ever been.

There are suggestions made by those who have studied the possible differences between men and women that such differences are natural and the result of the way that each gender's mind is wired (Kelly). Others believe, however, that the differences that occur are the result of conditioning, that is, how older members of a society react to each gender when they are babies (Pfaus). Reflect on how boys and girls are treated when they are infants. Comments to a young boy are likely to be phrased using words like "buddy," "champ," or something similar while comments to a young girl use words such as "sweetie," "cutie pie," or "darling." Boys are told not to cry; told that only sissies or babies cry. Girls, however, are encouraged to express themselves and expected cry on occasion. Young boys are told repeatedly that real men do not share their emotions and young girls are told to be loving and caring.

The sad reality of gender stereotyping is that it can have disastrous effects on those members of society who, for whatever reason, do not fit neatly into the stereotypical roles and behaviors (Correll). Very few individuals, either female or male, fit perfectly into the stereotypes but those who more closely assimilate into their gender's stereotype tend to be more readily accepted by the rest of society. Those who venture farthest from the stereotype tend to suffer the greatest social sanctions in the form of disdain, attempts by others to modify their behavior, or isolation. Women who fail to be nice or show signs of being arrogant and controlling are subject to social censure in some form while men who fail to be strong and assertive are viewed as being incompetent.