Gender stereotypes- where do they come from?

Gender is basically you're a boy or girl, and no one can dispute what you are, it's biology. However the stereotypes that go with it are something you can change. Not all girls want a doll for their birthday and not all boys want a model car, when I was little I had all the typical "girly" things but what I had wanted was a remote control car, does that make me less of a girl?

One could argues that evolution has made it that way, the fact that all women/girl are natural carers and have a fondness for pink, this could be because in caveman times that was a women role and that they lean towards the colour pink because that was the colour of the berries we used to gather. However a lot has changed since then and don't you think society should too?

For me personally, I am this way because of the people I am exposed to and education but also choice, I am allowed to choose something different and I am not told I have to be a certain way... However, that was not always the case, there was a time a very long time ago when my mum used to pick out my clothes and also my friend, and she would always gravitate towards pink frilly dresses and my friend would always be daughters of her friends. Like I said before, this was a very long time ago.

At a small age this is what you do, you rely on your parents to choose for you, but as you get older you are more influence by what you see on TV than what your parents want for you. The media has a role in this, because it is not only what type of people you are exposed to but also what type of media you're exposed to.

I grew up with 2 older brothers and 1 sister who left to go abroad for a year when I was young, so that may have slightly influenced the way I am, but education is also a major factor, as education has taught me that if you dress a certain way you are going to attract the wrong type of attention, so I don't dress that way but other girls do and then complain when they do get that attention. People like that are the type of people who have been exposed to certain thing and then certain things are left out- like the consequence of acting that way.

So in conclusion, gender stereotype more often than none come from: family, education and the media, but if you've had the right education you can decide not to be said way, and who knows, if enough people change, maybe we can change the stereotypes?

Abortion- A womens decision?

Abortion has always been a sore topic for most, many people see it as murder while others see it as a women's right to do with her body what she will. The argument for abortions are the following:

• It should be allowed if we truly want gender equality


• In order for a women to be all that she can


• Banning abortion could lead to a woman turning to more dangerous methods and risking hurting herself.

These are all valid reasons for allowing the women to end a pregnancy. Now the following are argument against:

• Abortion does not free women and actually means that they get less in the way of Government help because of it.


• Abortion damages women, their long term emotional and physical health


• Abortion violates feminist principles. It can be considered another form of violence against women.


• Abortion is a male plot. It's just a way for men to gain pleasure without any of the responsibility.

No one can ever fully understand a women's decision to opt for an abortion, but it is never as clean cut as you would think, there are many reasons behind this such as: low income families, how will they support a child if they are struggling to support themselve. Women who are in abusive relationships may believe it will bring more pain into their lives. Any women that become pregnant after being raped, she didn't have any rights on how she got pregnant and what is she to do now? There is also the danger that if this choice was ever taken away, women might take more drastic measures that may harm their health in the long term. Whatever a women's decision, they have to realise that they are ending a life... but then again maybe they belive they are doing the unborn foetus a favour.

Wherever you fall in this debate, the truth is no one really knows what is better.

self harm

Times are changing fast and kids are forced to grow up too soon, I remember when I was 12 I would go to the town centre with an adult and I wouldn't even be interested in make- up or boys. Now I see children as young as 10 on their own, doing as they please with no regards to what is around them... how times have changed. But the more freedom kids have at a young age could also lead to them having more and more pressure thrust upon them due to all the media and marketing etc they are being exposed to, but not only that but if they don't conform to current trends or have the latest gadgets they could be ridiculed and bullied.

Movies in particular have an increasing affect on what kids get up to. But the film that I found disturbing was Twilight. Not only does this film encourage young girls to go into abusive relationship but it inadvertently encourages self harm. This is incredibly irresponsible of the film industry, they have made it so that girls will find it attractive to go for the outcast or the troubled youth, thinking that they can "save" him. All throughout the first film the main character was shouting and generally being horrible to the "heroine" and she keeps coming back for more and it seems like she enjoys it. The second instalment to the series sees "Bella" repeatedly hurt herself inorder to see " Edward". This is a weak role model for young girls, because first it teaches them that you can't fulfil your potential without a man and secondly it shows her harm herself. The film industry is so huge and this film was hugely popular amongst young girl, it should have been more responsible in what message it was putting out there.

But the young girls should also realise that Bella is a fictitious character and that they can decide not to be like her.