Assignment 4

1) According to the lecture slides what is the difference between sex and gender? Use your own words.
Sex is our biological differences (reproductive systems, breasts, more hair, more developed adams apple, etc)
Gender is how our culture and social network defines what a "man" and "woman" are... for instance, blue is for boys and pink is for girls, or girls can't drive and boys can.
2) Give an example from your own life of doing gender (i.e. acting in a gender stereotypical way). I was doing gender when I ...
When I had a cold I was embarrassed to spit out phlegm like boys do, because I thought it was unattractive (and girls are "meant" to attract). After high school, I stopped caring about preconceived gender roles and spit out all the phlegm my body can produce =). 
3) According to the chapter by Reisman and Seale:

A) What method(s) did these researchers use to collect their data, who was their study population, and what was the sample size of the population?
The study population was middle school aged children in southeast US, the data was collected through interview, and the same size was 42 children.
B) Describe one limitation of the method used as described by the researchers.
Researchers had to rely on what the children told them rather then observing their actions and interaction directly. 
C) What was the difference between what the "tweens" said about the "ideal" of gender equality and how they actually acted?
The tweens stated that everyone was equal no matter the gender  and race no longer matters, however they still held very strong stereotypical beliefs about boys yet not girls. D) Describe one example of how the middle-schoolers defined "girly-girls" and one example of how they described "tomboys."
"Girly-girls" were described as "not wanting to get dirty, flirting, laughing, prissy, makeup, dressy, and obsessed with hair, and boy crazy" while the "tomboys" were described as "athletic".E) After reading the lecture slides and this chapter, briefly describe your own beliefs regarding whether children "naturally" act like girls or boys or how this behavior might be learned or fostered by the larger society and/or social institutions like education, the economy, government etc. For example, think about toys that children play with or the clothes/colors they like and wear. Pick a side "nature/biology" or "nurture/learned," and defend it!

I am 100% on the side of nurture/learned behavior. Since birth, boys are surrounded with the color blue, action figures, super heroes, and legos. Boys are pushed towards sports but not dance. Girls are polluted with barbie dolls, make up kits, and kitchen sets. Girls are stuffed into uncomfortable clothing such as tights and restrictive skirts (where they can not even play for fear of their underwear showing). Girls and boys are talked to and reacted to differently. For instance, I read a study where researchers observed preschool classrooms. Boys were often physically restricted when "acting up" and girls were often told to be quite and speak in lower voices when the boys were being just as loud. Here, boys are accustomed  to be more physical while girls are taught to be more quiet and meek. 
F) Do you think children want to play with these toys or do we create gender roles by rewarding children for gender appropriate behavior or punishing them when they display gender inappropriate behaviors? Many of you work in day care centers or schools - how do teachers react when boys want to play dress up versus when girls act aggressively? Why do girls like pink and boys blue? Are we born that way or do we learn to like these colors?
I feel that girls and boys are taught to become interested in certain toys, colors, and behaviors. For instance, there have been many times where I have seen boys pick pink or purple only to receive the common negative feedback: "THAT'S FOR GIRLS!" However, rarely have I seen girls who pick blue or green be told it was for boys. Here is a couple of articles that examine this topic:

http://msmagazine.com/blog/2013/06/05/kids-toys-more-gendered-than-ever/

(make sure to watch the video at the end. TOO CUTE!!)

http://dreamooresworlds.blogspot.com/2013/04/genderizing-kids-books.html