careful not to “dirty” themselves. Girls learn their domestic role in the household by playing with these types of toys. Later in life, girls are taught to cook and clean and boys are taught to play sports and to fix things. The school setting is another social agent. Schools often separate children. They line up separately, use different washrooms and play different sports. Even the fact that most teachers are females and most of the administration is male cause children to realize that each gender has a different role in life. This kind of treatment makes children aware that boys and girls are different. The media is a powerful social agent that portrays gender roles and stereotyping. Many prime time television shows, movies and commercials portray young beautiful women as either sex symbols or the “typical” women who cooks, cleans and cares for the house. These situations teach young girls that beauty and their role as a nurturer is what is valued in society. If gender were a natural phenomenon to men and women, then why does it have to be taught? Why must we be told to “be a man” or “act like a lady,” and be reprimanded for doing what comes naturally when it is deemed ...
